tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Mar 03 08:12:58 2008
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Re: Klingon WOTD: poH (verb)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Sunday, March 2, 2008.
>
>Klingon word: poH
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition: time
Never used in canon.
>Homonyms:
> poH (noun) - period of time
Discussed by Okrand:
HQ 8.3 (in re {pIq} "period of time from now" and {ret} "period of time
ago"): It follows the noun specifying the length of time involved, as in
{cha' tup pIq} "two minutes from now". It is to {poH} what {leS} is to
{jaj}. (One might say that these are associated with the word {poH} "period
of time".) These words follow the more specific time units. For example,
"two minutes ago" is {cha' tup ret}, literally "two minute
time-period-ago". "Two minutes from now" is {cha' tup pIq}. [...] The words
{ret} and {pIq} could also be used with days, months, and years (e.g., {wej
jaj ret} "three days ago", rather than {wejHu'}, but utterances of these
are not particularly common, sound a bit archaic, and are usually
restricted to rather formal settings. With longer time periods, such as a
century ({vatlh DIS poH}), or a period of 10,000 years ("myriad", perhaps)
({netlh DIS poH"), the words {ret} or {pIq} may be used in place of {poH},
e.g., {cha' vatlh DIS poH} "two centuries", but {cha' vatlh DIS ret} "two
centuries ago". The phrase {cha' vatlh ben} would mean "200 years ago". The
choice of construction depends on what is being emphasized: in this case,
the total number of centuries (two) or the total number of years (200).
HQ 12.2:8: Generally, one expresses the end of a stretch of time by using
a verb rather than a noun. That is, one says "when the month ends" rather
than "at the end of the month". The verb for this kind of "end" is {Dor}.
KGT 121 (in re {wa'maH cha' pemmey wa'maH cha' rammey je} "twelve days and
twelve nights"): "This is a rather long-winded way to say 'a long time'
(which would be {poH nI'} in nonidiomatic speech).
Trek notes:
The Second Dynasty ended when General K'trelan assassinated Emperor Reclaw.
For the next 10 years the empire was ruled by a council elected by the
people. Modern-day Klingon historians refer to this as the Dark Time [i.e.
{*poH Hurgh}?]. (DS9 "You Are Cordially Invited...")
Pun note:
"epoch"?
Used in canon:
tera' poH jaj wa', jar wa', jaj loSDIch, DIS wa'-Hut-Hut-chorgh:
HovpoHvetlh latlh nab yIHutlh
Save this Stardate: Sunday, January 4, 1998. STX
tera' vatlh DIS poH cha'maH loS bIyIn jeSlaHpa' Hoch
Be the first to journey to the 24th century. STX
Related nouns:
{DIS poH} (also {DISpoH}) "century"; {HovpoH} "Stardate"; {leSpoH} "shore
leave"; {nIbpoH} "deja vu"; {puq poH} "generation"
See also {bov} "era"; {wanI'} "phenomenon, event, occurrence"; {ghu'}
"situation"
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons