tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Oct 10 12:03:59 2000
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Re: KLBC Emperor
Since this isn't really a grammar question, I'll submit my cha' DeQ for
consideration.
ghaHbe'wI' wrote:
: Klingon has 2 different words for "Emperor": {ta'} and {voDleH}. As far as I
: know {voDleH} has never been used.
Actually, they both have in KGT:
ta' Hol "standard dialect" (KGT:14f). An abbreviation of...
ta' tlhIngan Hol "the Emperor's Klingon" (KGT:14f)
voDleH Ha'DIbaH "emperor's meat"
"If the meat is somewhat older, a common preparation technique is
to HaH (marinate) it in any of a wide variety of concoctions
containing 'Iw (blood) and/or vIychorgh (sap) as a base, along
with assorted animal parts. Meat prepared in this style is also
called voDleH Ha'DIbaH (emperor's meat), again with the specific
animal used instead of Ha'DIbaH; for example, voDleH lIngta'
(emperor's lingta). (Presumably there was an emperor at one time
who liked his meat prepared in this fashion.)" (KGT:90f)
: I was wondering why two words and which is the meaning difference, till I
: remembered that {ta'} is also "accomplishment, deed"... and that's great:
: the Emperor gets deeds, the Emperor accomplishes. And moreover {voDleH}
: shares the syllable {leH} with {betleH, meqleH, 'aqleH} so the militar
: origin of the Emperor is emphasized. Of course, just suggestions...
The difference may well be analogous to that of {SuvwI'} vs. {vaj} vs. {mang}
as described in KGT (p. 49f.).
My own pet theory is that {ta'} is used with names as a title, e.g. ?{qeylIS
ta'} "Emperor Kahless" - other ranks/titles are almost always one syllable -
while {voDleH} may correspond to the office of emperor, the idea of emperorship
in general, etc.
That, or {ta'} and {voDleH} are synonyms from different Klingon dialects (we
are told that the dialect of Klingon often changes with the emperor).
: Have any of you studied Latin? The word Emperor comes from "Imperator", and
: it was at first a title for honored soldiers. Of course, just a comment...
Latin *imperare* "to order, command" is Klingon {ra'}, giving us {ra'wI'}
"commander" (the job; the rank is {la'}). Presumably an *imperator* was The
Commander, i.e. the most important one. Analogously, in the 23rd century
(TOS), the commanding officer of a Klingon warship, as well as a few others
(e.g. Cdr. Kor, who was in charge of the occupation force of Organia), were
referred to as "commanders" in Federation Standard. No doubt this was a
translation of {ra'wI'} and not their actual bureaucratic rank in the KDF. By
the 24th century (TNG/DS9/VOY), the Federation's knowledge of the subtleties of
Klingon is much more advanced.
Or... perhaps {voDleH} was originally a name, like Latin *Caesar* which
developed into another word for emperor in addition to *imperator* particulary
in the Later Empire, eventually turning up as German *Kaiser* and Russian
*tsar'* (czar).
We've really no idea at this point. This would be another good question for
Maltz.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons