tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Mar 17 13:49:57 1998

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Re: Sor Hap - Some musings

: Voragh writes:
: << Prior to {Sor Hap} appearing in KGT, I speculated that the word for "wood"
:  was simply {Sor} "tree", there likely being no special word for the
:  processed vs. the raw material, like {baS} "metal" or {DIr} "skin" (also
:  "leather"? cf. however {veDDIr} "pelt" [skin with fur {veD} still attached]
:  in KGT 58).  Now however, I wonder if {*baS Hap} might refer to processed,
:  refined, machined metal vs. the raw, mined {baS}? >>
: 
: While I agree in principle that {baS Hap} could be an antonym for {baS tlhol},
: I still feel that it covers "metal(s)" in general.  We do have the word
: {tlhIl} for "mineable ores".
: 
: peHruS

Where did you find that definition?  I believe TKD only has "mineral (n)"
(not that there's a difference) and the homophonous verb {tlhIl} "mine (v)"
- neither of which have been used in canon - and a "mine" {tlhIlHal}, which
has been used:

     tlhIlHal yIngev! 
     Sell the mine! KGT 
     
     tlhIlHal yIngIv! 
     Patrol the mine! KGT

     cha'puj tlhIlHal vISuch vIneH 
     I want to visit the dilithium mines. CK 

Since it comes from a {tlhIlHal}, Klingons may consider {cha'puj}
"dilithium" a mineral, if not {cha'pujqutmey} "dilithium crystals" as well.  

     cha'pujqutmey vIje' vIneH 
     I want to buy dilithium crystals. PK

Hmmm... is {cha'puj} a raw, non-crystalline form?  In KGT, {beqpuj} is
identified as an orange-colored mineral.  Makes you wonder what {*puj} might
mean.  

{qut} is "crystal" and in KGT {naghboch} is a given as "gemstone" (a generic
term?).  {Separ} seems to be a specific "type of gemstone":

     let mInDu'Daj; Separmey rur 
     Her eyes are hard; they resemble *separ* 
     [Her eyes are as hard as *separ*-stones.]  KGT

And, of course, there's {nagh} "rock, stone" (also "ceramic material" in
KGT), which may refer to unmined surface rocks. 

     nagh DungDaq    above the rock  TKD
     nagh beQ        stone panel (i.e. artwork, similar to a painting) KGT

{Sup} "resource" (singular) and {jo} "resources" (plural) may also be useful
in this context, though neither have been used in canon so I'm not quite
sure which resources MO was thinking of.

All collected, there's more geological terminology than I thought.

- Voragh

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