Look at / stare – Klingon Language Institute

Description/Reason:

We have legh for see, but we don't have a word for actively directing the eyes

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Comment below with feedback and suggestions.

Responses

Andrew July 28, 2019
lunuDtaH mInDu'chaj. Their eyes continually examined it.
lubejtaH mInDu'chaj. Their eyes continually watched it.

lujIHtaH mInDu'chaj. Their eyes continually monitored it.
1. pagh August 1, 2019
  Reasonable circumlocutions, but they're not very satisfying. If Klingon doesn't actually have a verb for focused visual attention, then fine. Irish doesn't have a verb for "to die".
  But given the examples of <'Ij> and <ghan>, it really seems like Klingon *should* have this verb, and we just don't know it yet.
  1. Andrew August 2, 2019
    I for one am satisfied with nuD mIn and tu' mIn for look (at), with any extra contextual information of course.
Andrew July 28, 2019
For the change in direction of the eyes, you could use -choH on whatever verb.
anDu July 31, 2019
A lot of languages merge their words for "to see" and "to look". (Also their words for "to hear" and "to listen"). It would be nice to know if Klingon is one of these languages.
1. pagh August 1, 2019
  If Klingon works that way, great. However, I suspect it doesn't, for three reasons. First, nothing in the dictionary or the canon supports <legh> meaning "look at" as well as "see", though noting really rules it out either. Second, we have the examples of <Qoy> for "hear" and <'Ij> for "listen", so Klingon pretty clearly doesn't do this for hearing. Finally, there's <ghan>, which means "glance at, take a quick look at".
  1. anDu August 4, 2019
    Good argumentation!
    
    I'm now betting that Klingon distinguishes "see" from "look at"; however, I'd (as would so many of us) like verification from Marc Okrand.
    1. pagh August 4, 2019
      That's why I made the request.
      1. anDu August 4, 2019
        Cool. I Upvoted your word request.
Lieven L. April 20, 2021
Actually, we *do* have a word for actively directing the eyes. I appeared in TKW, p. 19. I think that's a very clear example.
bISutlhnISchugh jaghlI' mInDu' tIbej
If you must negotiate, watch your enemy's eyes.

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