Re: Canon

[Steven Boozer <sboozer@midway.uchicago.edu>]

This is a *slightly* revised version of a post which escaped before I had
properly proof-read it.  (Thanks De'vID for calling this to my attention) --
Voragh
________________________________________________________________________

ghaHbe'wI' asked:
: I don't remember who, but somebody posted that these sentences were 
: cannonical and that they appeared in KGT:
:
: {bIr, chuch rur}
: "it is cold, like ice"

Nowhere in KGT that that I can find, though it seems fine to me.

Another simile - {bIr; bortaS rur} "cold as revenge" - does appear in the KGT
list (p.127 ff.).  This, of course, derives from the well-known proverb:

  bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'. 
  Revenge is a dish best served cold. [TKD 171; TKW 133]

We also have an idiom mentioning {'Iw HIq bIr}:

  latlh HIvje'Daq 'Iw HIq bIr yIqang! 
  Pour the cold bloodwine into another glass! 
  [idiom: "I don't believe you; maybe someone else will" or 
  "That is irrelevant to me; maybe someone else will care"] KGT

Cultural note:  bloodwine is served hot, or at least warm - in one DS9 episode
a Klingon warrior was served cold bloodwine in Quark's bar, which he threw on
the floor in disgust and nearly assaulted the Ferengi bartender - which no
doubt inspired your second query:

: {tuj, 'Iw HIq rur}
: "hot as bloodwine"

which also AFAIK does not appear in KGT.  Oddly, there's no common simile for
{tuj} on the KGT list.  We do, however, have two references in the proverbs to
{qul tuj} "hot fire":

  reH latlh qabDaq qul tuj law' Hoch tuj puS.
  The fire is always hotter on someone else's face. PK 

  tujpa' qul pub SuvwI' 'Iw 
  A warrior's blood boils before the fire is hot. 
["This proverb suggests that it is better to take the initiative than to simply
react to situations. Blood, the controller, does not need an external influence
in order to heat up; one need not draw strength from the outside." (TKW 32)]

as well as one reference to {'Iw tuj}:

  bIrchugh qIvon tuj 'Iw 
  If the qIvon is cold, the blood is hot. 
["It probably means something like 'Even though some parts of the body may be
cold, a Klingon's blood is hot'--that is, he is ready for battle." (TKW 174)] 

implying that {tuj; qul rur} and {tuj; 'Iw rur} would probably also be
accepted.
 
: I don't find them in KGT. Does anybody know where do these sentences appear? 
: Are they cannonical?

No idea who coined them.  They're not canonical, but they are grammatical and
probably quite acceptable to a Klingon.  {bIr; chuch rur} is fairly obvious.

The complete list of commonly-used similes (or clichés) appears on KGT p.
127ff.  For those interested, here's the complete list of less-obvious similes
which can't be understood without some knowledge of Klingon culture:

  ram; ghIlab ghew rur
  trivial as a glob fly

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

  HoSghaj; mupwI' rur
  powerful as a hammer

  bIr; bortaS rur
  cold as revenge

  puj; bIQ rur
  weak as water

  HoS; 'Iw rur
  strong as blood

  'oj; bomwI' rur
  thirsty as a singer

  ghung; qagh rur
  hungry as gagh

  jeD; ghevI' rur
  thick as qagh sauce

  mIgh; molor rur
  evil as Molor

  ngo'; QI'tu' rur
  old as Qui'Tu

  qan; QI'tu' rur
  He/she is as old as Qui'Tu.

  qej; veqlargh rur
  mean as Fek'lhr

  quvHa'; ghe'tor ngan rur
  dishonored as an inhabitant of Gre'thor

  wov; ghI'boj Sech rur
  bright as the Torch of G'boj

  jej; Daqtagh rur
  sharp as a d'k tahg

  jejHa'; naH taj rur
  dull as a vegetable knife

  lo'laHbe'; chetvI' chIm rur
  worthless as an empty torpedo tube

  yuD; jey'naS rur
  dishonest as a double-headed ax

  yuDHa'; ghIt rur
  honest as an ax head (or, honest as an open hand)

  Dogh; tIghla' rur
  foolish as a t'gla

  tlhIb; toppa' rur
  incompetent as a topah

  tIb; tI'qa' vIghro' rur
  nervous as a tika cat [sic! typo for {bIt}, p. 132]

  tun; reghuluS 'Iwghargh rur
  soft as a Regulan bloodworm

  tlhab; ngem Ha'DIbaH rur
  free (independent) as a forest animal

  'up; yIH rur
  disgusting as a tribble

  matlhHa'; romuluSngan rur
  disloyal as a Romulan

  qur; verengan rur
  greedy as a Ferengi

  wIH; Hur'Iqngan rur
  ruthless as a Hur'q

  Hoj; tera'ngan rur
  cautious as a Terran

  Hem; tlhIngan rur
  proud as a Klingon

  nong; vulqangan rur
  passionate as a Vulcan (ironic!)

  tam; Hew rur
  quiet as a statue

  val; Huy' rur
  clever as an eyebrow

  lugh; Sor rur
  correct as a tree

  'IQ; rav rur
  sad as a floor

  Sagh; Ho''oy' rur
  serious as a toothache

  boch; ghIch rur
  shiny as a nose



-- 
Voragh                       
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons