tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Mar 17 15:54:45 1998

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: KLBC - Skin

: I noticed two different works for skin.
:    Dir and Surgh
: I understand that there can be more than one word with the same meaning, 
: but is (or has) there been any information as to the distinction between 
: these two works?
: 
: Ken
: Kalos/qeyloS

Taking his life into his hands, Voragh dares to reply before Qov has seen
this...  (Actually, we were discussing {DIr} just last week on
news.startrek.klingon (or was it .expertforum?) and the discussion is fresh
in my mind.)

{Surgh} is the verb "skin" (never used in canon), while {DIr} is the noun
whose plural (we learn from KGT) seems to be {DIrmey}, not {*DIrDu'} as one
might expect from other body parts.  FWIW, on MSN {DIr} was defined as "The
epidermal covering of most humanoids."  A related word in KGT is {veDDIr}
"pelt (skin with fur still attached)" - what you get when you skin {Surgh} a
furry animal, like a targ.

Don't overlook the abbreviations used in TKD and KGT's glossaries: (n) marks
nouns, (v) marks verbs, etc.  When looking words up in the English to
Klingon side, you must be careful to find the right part of speech.

Now, some Klingon trivia about {DIr}:

We learn of {Duran lung DIr} "Durani lizard skins" and {no' DIr} "ancestor
hanging" (i.e. a wall ornament) from KCD, and {nagh DIr} the "shell (of an
animal)" in KGT.

"Accompanying sleeves (tlhaymey), originally not parts of the tunic [yIvbeH]
itself, were generally made of animal pelts (veDDIrmey), skin (DIr) with fur
(veD) still attached." (KGT 58) 

"A warrior's glove (pogh), also made of skin, had wide band around the wrist
and sharp protrusions at the knuckles. A skin belt (qogh) both held pants
(yopwaH) in place and provided a place from which to hang weapons or weapon
holders. On the toe of each high boot (DaS), likewise made of animal hide
(DIr), was a clawlike spike called a pu'." (KGT 58)

[These latter two convince me that {DIr} can also be translated more
idiomatically as "hide" or even "leather" in the right contexts.]

"Often the DIr (skin) is still attached when Ha'DIbaH is served, though
sometimes it is removed and prepared as a dish in its own right." (KGT 87f)  

"Another popular dish, qul DIr (fire skin), is made by soaking cut up pieces
of animal skin, from whatever animal is available, in a strong liquor, then
removing them from the solution and setting them afire just before serving.
The dish is eaten quickly, while the pieces are still burning." (KGT 93)
The dish is apparently so widely known, that {qul DIr yISop!} "Eat the fire
skin!" has become an idiom meaning, "Hurry up! Move quickly!" According to
KGT p.110, "It comes from the necessity of eating qul DIr ... quickly,
before the fire goes out."

- Voragh

Back to archive top level