tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Feb 29 07:38:54 2008
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Re: Klingon WOTD: Qel (noun)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Friday, February 29, 2008.
>
>Klingon word: Qel
>Part of Speech: noun
>Definition: doctor, physician
Used in canon:
Qel vISamnIS
I need to find a doctor. CK
Discussed by Okrand:
KGT 151: Even though Klingon doctors generally have thriving practices and
a doctor is always part of a ship's crew, not only is being under a
doctor's care considered a sign of weakness, but it is also regarded as a
relinquishing of self-control. Klingons tend to avoid visiting doctors
except under the most serious of circumstances and, as a result, doctors
spend a great deal of their time tending to critically wounded patients and
relatively little time performing routine examinations or practicing
preventive medicine. The general term for "doctor" or "physician" is {Qel},
but a "surgeon", a doctor who actually manipulates the internal organs or
bones of the patient and thereby is the most invasive, is a {HaqwI'}, "one
who performs surgery".
st.k 10/98: There is no single term for "nurse," as distinguished from
physician's assistant." Voragh's suggestions ({Qel boQ} "doctor's aide,"
{HaqwI' boQ} "surgeon's aide") are fine and both could be used. Qov's
suggestion, {QelHom}, consisting of {Qel} "doctor" plus the diminutive
suffix {-Hom}, is also an acceptable form (and is an excellent illustration
of the diminutive suffix--the word means "not quite a doctor" or "lesser
doctor" or the like). Another word sometimes applied to the person a
Federation patient might refer to as a "nurse" is {rachwI'}. The verb
{rach} has been translated variously as "invigorate", "fortify", and
"strengthen". Thus {rachwI'} ... is an "invigorator, fortifier, strengthener".
Trek notes:
Klingon agent Kras told Maab, "What did they [the Federation] give you?
Liquids and powders for the sick! We Klingons believe as you do. The sick
should die, only the strong should live." (TOS "Friday's Child")
Despite the considerable sophistication of Klingon technology, significant
gaps exist in Klingon medical science, in part due to cultural biases that
injured warriors should be left to die or to carry out the Hegh'bat. (TNG
"Ethics")
Medical officer Kee'Bhor of the IKV Toh'Kaht was murdered by First Officer
Hon'Tihl while under the influence of the Saltah'na energy spheres, just
before the ship was destroyed returning from the Gamma Quadrant in 2369.
(DS9 "Dramatis Personae")
B'Elanna comments: "They say that the doctor who operates on himself has a
*p'tak* for a patient." (VOY "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy")
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons