tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Aug 09 09:25:29 2002
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Re: Klingon WOTD: qum (n)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Friday, August 9, 2002.
>
>Klingon word: qum
>Part of Speech: noun
>Definition: government
As used in canon:
pa' 'oHtaH vaS'a''e'. tlhIngan qum waw' 'oH.
This is where the Klingon Great Hall is located, the center of the
Klingon government. S27
There is a slang equivalent, {ngup} "authority, power, one in authority,
one in charge":
Literally meaning "cape", this slang term is an example of metonymy,
whereby one word (or phrase) stands for another with which it is
associated. In this case, the leader of the Klingon High Council
typically wears a ceremonial cape. The slang sense of {ngup} does not
refer only to this position on the High Council, however, but to anyone
in power or even to "the power structure." Someone unsatisfied with the
status quo, a rebel, might be said to want to {ngup qaD} ("challenge
those in charge"; literally, "challenge the cape"). Nonslang equivalents
of {ngup} are {woQ} ("authority, political power") and {qum}
("government"). (KGT 157)
Note the homophonous verb {qum} "govern" and the derived noun {qumwI'}
"governor".
Related verbs include {che'} "rule, reign, run, preside"; {ghatlh}
"dominate"; {vu'} "manage" and {loH} "administer".
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons