tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Dec 06 13:25:27 1995

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Re: Ret: Repost of: tonSaw' HoS

DaQtIq wrote:
> 
> ghItlh QetaH:
> > The origin of strength is in the feet,
> > initiated by the legs,
> > directed by the waist,
> > and shown in the hands.
> 
> Welcome, fellow Tai Chi Chuan pracitioner. When i refer to the art in tlhIngan
> i use the term <~maqbara'>. I always put the ~ in front so people don't try to
> look it up in TKD. Since we don't know precisely what <tonSaw'> is, and we
> know a bit of what Mok'bara looks like from ST:TNG, i use <~maqbara'>.

I've always wondered about that little bit of 'canon'.  I assumed tonSaw'
referred to the general class of Klingon martial arts of which ~maqbara' is
a type.  I've avoided using ~maqbara' until it is better 'understood'.  It is
hard to reconstruct what Worf did in that it seemed to be a really poor 
rendition of Yang TCC.  A number of us have toyed with the idea of choreographing 
a version of ~maqbara' but it is rather rediculous to reinvent TCC.  Instead
I focused on choreographing a number of betleH sets with the flavor of Hung Gar 
Kung Fu.  Coming up with new weapon sets is rather easy and we now have three
completed and a fourth on the way.
  <SIS'Iw> teaches betleH basics.
  <Sochmach'etlh> emphasizes low stances, jumps, and stamina against several
                  (imaginary) enemies.
  <mochpach HeH'je> expands on kicks and empty hand moves with added ground
                    techniques.
  <Hay' loS Daq> is an advanced set that pits betleH against betleH.  This is
                 a two person weapon sparring set.

<mochpach HeH' je> is not yet complete.  The other three were performed at
Kling Kon this year.  Hope to have instructional video tapes ready in Feb next
year in the format of the tapes produced by Wing Lam Enterprises 
(http://www.wle.com).  Sorry for the advertisement.
 
> > At first I tried a, more or less, direct translation:
> 
> Which you found out doesn't work well.

I'm quickly realizing that as tempting as in might be this route is without
much merit.

> > but wasn't happy with the, rather sedate, sound of it and the awkward sentance
> > constructs.  For my second attempt I took the essence of the lesson and tried to
> > add a Klingon attitude:
> 
> majQa'!

thanks!
 
> > HoSqu' ghajbej tonSaw'
> > pevIl yavDaq rar qamDu' 'ej
> > vaj HoS tagh 'uSDu' 'ej
> > HIv burgh yoS 'ej
> > jaghpu' Qaw' pachDu'
> 
> > Hopefully it comes back around in English something like this:

> > Klingon fighting must have strength.
> 
> <ghajbej> means certainly has, not must have. Use the <-nIS> suffix.

I gave <-nIS> some consideration but didn't get the idea that it was
an acceptable choice for 'must'.  I can see why <-bej> wouldn't work.
 
> > Forcefully feet connect to ground
> 
> I think your use of the <-Daq> suffix on <yav> is unnecessary. I'd have
> written <pe'vIl yav lurar qamDu'>.
> 
> > then legs initiate strength,
> 
> You need the <lu-> prefix on <tagh>.

Ah, true.  Because of the plural 'legs', right?  Same with <lurar>?
> 
> > waist attacks, and
> 
> <burgh yoS> for waist? Since we don't have a specific word for Tan Tien, i'd
> recommend simply <burgh> or <botlh>.

I struggled over this.  There really isn't even an English word for Tan Tien.
Most Chinese translations come across as 'waist' or 'hips', neither of which
is correct.  'Stomach', <burgh>, alone seemed ever farther off the mark.  I
missed the possibility of using <botlh> but I might modify it to <porgh botlh>
so that MA neophites are not confused?
 
> > claws destroy enemy.
> 
> In the Klingon you have enemies not enemy. 

Isn't <jaghpu'> plural for an enemy that is capable of using language.  Granted
I'm giving the enemies that benefit of doubt but I'm also assuming that
Klingon martial arts, <tonSaw'>, is predominately used for fighting other
intelligent and capable beings.

>Why not leave it as <ghopDu'>?

I originally used <ghopDu'> but in the spirit of my re-work I decided that
'hands' sounded to soft and that 'claws' were more fitting a Klingon.  I must
confess that I am also prejudiced by my Hung Gar practice that is famous for
the tiger claw.

> charghwI' once said (and i paraphrase here):
> 
> Hoch 'oH nuH'e', lo'chugh tlhIngan. nuH 'oH ghop'e', nuH 'oH nItlh'e',
> nuH 'oH butlh'e'.

I'll save this and try and translate it later.
 
> I apologize for stepping on any grammarians shoes.
> 
> - DaQtIq

Thanks for the analysis.

Qapla'

QetaH
(Chet Braun)

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