tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Feb 03 08:30:54 2005
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Re: Klingon WOTD: chaQ (verb)
lay'SIv wrote:
> > KGT p.60: To thrust either end of the [bat'leth] (as opposed to
> > the long part of the blade) upward is {chaQ}.
>
>Any idea what thrusting upward with the long part of the blade is called?
You mean pushing the blade horizontally towards the opponent like a
policeman pushing back a crowd with his baton? If I understand it
correctly, that's {jop}:
To thrust or lunge toward one's opponent, for example, is {jop}.
To deflect a thrust - that is, to parry - is {way'} ... When
teaching someone to use the bat'leth, the tutor will shout out
movements - for example, {yIjop! yIway'!} ("Lunge! Defend!").
Generally in such a situation, however, the tutor will used
the shortened form of the language known as Clipped Klingon
and skip the imperative prefix {yI-}, leaving only the bare
verb: {jop! way'!} It is important to note that the tutor is
giving the student direct commands ("Lunge! Defend!"), not
shouting out the names of movements. [KGT 59]
This idiom [{jop 'ej way'}], which means "have an argument",
is based on movements associated with the bat'leth. During
the course of a bout, both parties, among other things,
alternately lunge ({jop}), that is, push the bat'leth toward
the opponent, and deflect ({way'}), or use the bat'leth to
push the oncoming one away. Each side, then, engages in both
offensive and defensive movements, and this alternation of
roles is likened to a verbal duel. In using the expression,
the appropriate verbal affixes are attached; for example,
{wIjoppu' 'ej wIway'pu'} ("We have lunged and we have de-
flected" - that is, "We have had an argument"). If the two
verbs are reversed ({way' 'ej jop} ["deflect and lunge"]),
the idea of "have an argument" is not present, though the
phrase is perfectly well formed if referring to a bat'leth
bout. [KGT 115]
After all, touching a colored light on a control panel is
hardly the same experience as staring into the face of one's
enemy while lunging toward him with a drawn blade. [KGT 57]
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons