tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Nov 05 15:07:05 2001
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Re: Klingon WOTD: yej'an (n)
Matt asks:
: could that be used as "The Society...", or just refering to something
: as a society?
I'm not sure I understand what you're asking.
Again, here's Okrand's discussion in HolQeD 4.4:
"An organization dedicated to scholastic pursuits or research
is a {yejHaD} 'institute' or 'institution' or a {yej'an}
'society'. The distinction between {yejHaD} and {yej'an} is
not clear, though the former is usually--but not always--used
for larger organizations. It is not known whether the first
syllable of these words (yej) is {yej} 'council, assembly',
but there could be some historic connection. Note that {nugh}
'society' has a much broader meaning: a group of people with
a shared culture. Accordingly, {tlhIngan nugh} would mean
Klingon society as distinguished from, say, Romulan society,
but {tlhIngan yej'an} would probably be The Klingon Society,
a group dedicated to the study of Klingons."
{yej'an} is glossed as "society (e.g. scholarly society)" in KGT. Note that
"scholarly society" is given as an example only, to distinguish {yej'an} from
{nugh}.
So if by "society" you mean some sort of organization, particularly one given
to study or discussion, use {yej'an}; if you mean an anthropological,
archaeological or sociological group, use {nugh}. (There is a fan club called
*{tlhIngan SuvwI' yej'an}, The Klingon Warrior Society, which fits in well with
Okrand's explanation.) If you mean social classes, and we know that Klingons
have them, e.g.:
"A leg served as food at a banquet in an upper-class household,
however, is likely to be called a {HajDob}, an old word for
'limb.' In another context, such as a meal with warriors in a
ship's {SopwI'pa'} ('mess hall'), only the term {gham} will be
heard. ... Among the lower classes-except for those working as
servants for the higher classes-words like {HajDob} and {tu'lum}
are known but seldom used..." (KGT p.42)
I would say {nugh nIv} ("superior society" ) for upper-class or high society,
and {nugh QIv} "inferior society") for the lower-classes or the hoi polloi.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons