tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Dec 15 06:53:44 2010
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RE: tractor beam
Quvar:
>>>>There was a question about whether {tlhaptIH} was a good way to say
>>>>"tractor beam." Maltz said he'd never heard that before, but he has
>>>>heard {luHwI' tIH}. (Marc Okrand's Email of November 15th, 2010)
Voragh:
>>> I wonder... does Maltz's comment imply that Klingon ships aren't
>>> usually equipped with a tractor beam? Does anyone remember seeing
>>> a Klingon tractor beam in the episodes or films?
naHQun:
>> I took the comment as he had never heard {tlhaptIH} before.
>> But no, I don't recall seeing a Klingon ship use one before.
>> It should be noted that this was not included on the BoP Poster.
Voragh:
> Not labeled as such, but look at the little {tepqengwI'} "cargo lift"
> on the poster. Some see it as a type of crane but IIRC this could be a
> waist-high, possibly pivoting, tractor beam emitter - the 24th century
> functional equivalent of a forklift used for moving large, heavy cargo.
> There's a similar waist-high tractor beam emitter on the Enterprise-D
> shuttle deck used for moving shuttlecraft around, especially when
> they're powered down. I wonder if this is what the artist had in mind?
Well, there goes another theory! I pulled out my BOP poster last night and actually looked at it. I don't know what image I had in my mind, but the {tepqengwI'} does appear to be a type of crane and looks like the folded extension arm of a back hoe.
Sorry for the mis-information. yIvoq 'ach yI'ol!
OTOH I wonder if Maltz hasn't also given us the word for "tow", which we've been lacking until now, or at least a slang term: {yuH} "yank" - as tractor beams are primarily used for towing. According to _The Star Trek Encyclopedia_ (1994 ed.) a tractor beam is:
A focused linear graviton force beam used to physically manipulate
objects across short distances. Tractor beams were used by Federation
starships and other space vehicles as a means of towing other vessels.
Tractor beams were also used to provide short-range guidance for
approaching or departing shuttlecraft. [STE p.348]
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons