tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Jun 01 17:38:43 1997

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Re: KLBC: Words for assassin & blade

David Trimboli wrote:
> 
> [email protected] on behalf of Jim LeMaster wrote:
> 

> In the Addendum of TKD, we find the words {SuvwI'} and {vaj} for "warrior."
> ({vaj} came about as an Okrandian backfit on Star Trek V.)  {SuvwI'} was
> constructable anyway, from {Suv} "fight."  Okrand has used {SuvwI'} for
> "warrior" lots of times.
> 
> {ghobwI'} is an interesting word.  It certainly means "one who wages war," so
> we're left with the question of why we don't see this word used as "warrior."
> Perhaps {ghob} is less concerned with hand-to-hand combat (which would be
> {Suv}) and refers to large-scale battle.  The two uses in TKW (pp. 61, 179)
> seem to support this idea.  If this is true, then {ghobwI'} would mean someone
> (or a side) who wages a large-scale battle or war.  Remember, this is just
> speculation.

Thanks! I'll go back and research again!
> 
> > 2) I have also seen discussion of an Assassin's Knife or an Assassin,
> >    but find no entry for either "Assassin's Knife" or "Assassin."
> >    Is there a specific word, or should it be translated something like:
> >    batlhbe' HoHwI'  <one who kills dishonorably>
> 
> I see no reason to assume that Klingon assassins are viewed as having no
> honor.  In fact, I seem to remember some source explaining that an assassin
> (giving his target the chance to die honorably) is a respected figure in
> Klingon culture.  (Anyone know where I'm remembering this from?)
I would beg to differ on this one.  In the ST:TNG episode where Picard
is to
officiate the new member of the High Council.  There is a line (unless
I'm totally
mis-remembering, which *IS* a posibility) where the old member reveals
that he is
dying of a slow acting poison in his blood-wine. "Poison or an
assassin's blade in 
the back is not the way of honorable warriors!" is the line that sticks
in my head.
Anyone else remember this one (or got it on tape)?
> 
> >    voQibmey HoHwI'  <one who kills from the shadows>
> 
> This is not how the noun suffix {-vo'} (or any other suffix) works.  Suffixes
> always go on the end of a word, not the beginning.  
That is a big OOPS on my part.  I read SUFFIX & wrote PREFIX.

>"From the shadows" would be {QIbmeyvo'}.  And please remember to capitize every {I}!
> 
> >    voQibmey mupwI'  <one who strikes from the shadows>
> >       -or-
> >    QibghobwI'       <shadow warrior, i.e., ninja>
> >    QibHoHwI'        <shadow killer>
> 
> I see no reason to assume that an assassin must rely on shadows.  

The image I'm going for is "battle in broad daylight" = honorable fights
where battle in the shadows 
is less than honorable.  Cloak * dagger warfare on Earth is often
discribed as "war in the shadows".
However, if the image doesn't track, it's probably useless.
> 
> > 3) The Warrior's Knife has been referred to as an "Honor Blade" on DS9.
> >    Is there a word for "blade"?
> 
> The word for blade is {'etlh}.  This word also refers to "sword."
> 
> The warrior's knife is the {Daqtagh}.  It has no translation that we know of.
> 
> > 4) On a couple of shows of ST:TNG a pair of statues of warriors on
> >    Qo'noS were shown that were holding/carrying sword-like objects that
> >    were not betlh.  
> You mean {betleH}?  The general word {'etlh} would do.  

Yep! Meant betleH - balsted computer can't spell worth a lick!
Anyone else remember the statues I'm thinking of?  The swords seemed a
cross between scimitars and axes, the blade taking a kind of
lightening-bolt
shape.

>You would do well to consult
> Star Trek: Klingon's Language Lab in the Weapons category.
> 
Thanks again! I back to the books go!

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