tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri May 02 10:46:18 1997

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Re: family suffixes



|> qoror wrote:
|> |< does that mean we might be able to construct compound words with that?
|> |< (As canonical as other compound words of ours.) Such as... let me
|> |< think... "naltay" for "marriage"? >>
|> |
|> |We already have a tlhIngan Hol word for "marriage":  {tlhogh}.
|> |
|> |peHruS
|> 
|> As well as two verbs for "marry":  {Saw} (groom does this) and {nay} (bride
|> does this).  In light of {nalqaD} however, {*naltay} isn't a bad candidate
|> for "wedding, marriage ceremony". 
|> 
|> -- Voragh
| 
|Wouldn't {tlhoghtay} work exactly as well without any of the controversy?
|
|charghwI'

It would and Okrand may eventually choose one or none of these--although
I do think {naltay} "the mating ritual" sounds more Klingon.

OTOH, since we know from the episodes that Klingons refer to getting
married as "taking the Oath", the correct idiom may well use {'Ip} either
as as a verb ("vow, swear") or a noun ("oath").  From the
official Paramount-sponsored site on MSN:

		   Star Trek CONTINUUM: KLINGON COMPENDIUM
                          (From the KLINGON DATA BASE)

Oath of Union, Klingon
Klingons usually mate for life, and the union -- once a couple is "engaged"
-- is solemnized with a sacred traditional oath, most often in private,
rather than in a public ceremony like marriage; judging by Lieutenant
Worf's initial issuance of the Oath of Union to K'Ehleyr, the Oath doesn't
appear include much talking, and no dancing or crying as in human weddings.
Lieutenant Worf felt honor-bound to propose to K'Ehleyr after they
finally made love, but she rejected him, feeling no need for tradition to
interfere with their separate careers. By the time she was ready to take
the oath with Lieutenant Worf nearly a year and a half later, he declined
so as not to bring his trumped-up dishonor upon her and Alexander. For a
moment, they exchanged vows which may be the formal beginning to the oath:
"jIH dok"  (Worf) and "maj dok" (K'Ehleyr).  (Reference: The Emissary) 

-- Voragh



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