tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Nov 17 17:02:31 1999

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RE: Klingon WOTD: bagh (v)



jatlh Holtej:
>Klingon word:   bagh
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition:     tie

ghel DujHoD:
>Does this mean "tie" as in:
>waqwIj vIbagh. I tie my shoe.
>or:
>QujDaq mabagh. We tied in the game.

jang Holtej:
>I don't think anyone else has answered this, so I'll jump in 
>here.  As far as I know, the word {bagh} has not been used 
>in canon, so we don't know for sure.  I've always assumed 
>that it means the former, as in tying a knot, though I have 
>no real justification for believing this. 
>
>If it has been used in canon in such a way as to clarify its 
>meaning, I hope someone else here will point it out.  :)

jang DujHoD:
> The reason I though it might be the latter is that I thought 
> it might be a counterpart for {luj} and {Qap}. Of course, 
> you could always say {loS Hev 'ovwI'vam, rur 'ovwI'vetlh}, 
> but that is a lot longer than just saying {bagh.}

Good question - I think most of us had a common assumption, and you made us
challenge that assumption. I doubt I will change my assumption - I'll
continue to believe <bagh> is something you do to rope - but having to
examine it is a good thing.

One good way to express the concept of a tie, especially when there is no
clear cut scoring mechanism, is to use a phrase like <Qapbej pagh>. If two
kids slug each other in the schoolyard and both land a few good punches
before the fight is broken up, a Klingon might describe it as:

Suvchuq cha' puq, 'ej qu'ba', 'ach Do'Ha' nIS ghojmoHwI'. Qapbej pagh.

Also, now would be a good time to bring up the Klingon idiom for keeping
score: <pe''egh> - literally "cut oneself". So your example could be
<loSlogh pe''egh 'oghwI'vam; rap 'ovwI'vetlh mI'.>


pagh
Beginners' Grammarian

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