tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Feb 03 09:37:58 2005
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Re: Klingon WOTD: chaQ (verb)
There is an extensive vocabulary for the moves associated with
bat'leth use. To thrust or lunge toward one's opponent, for
example, is {jop}. To deflect a thrust--that is, to parry--is
{way'}. To thrust either end of the bat'leth (as opposed to the
long part of the blade) upward is {chaQ}. To change the approxi-
mate orientation of the weapon from horizontal to vertical is
{ngol}; the reverse is {lev}. [KGT 59-60]
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!").
[KGT 59]
lay'tel SIvten:
>Any idea what thrusting upward with the long part of the blade is called?
Voragh:
> > 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}:
lay'tel SIvten:
>No, I'm thinking more along the lines of lifting a barbell: raising the
>batleH held horizontally between both hands, perhaps as ... a victory cheer.
Okrand hasn't said specifically but, as I said, there's probably a lot more
technical bat'leth terminology than just the two short paragraphs in
KGT. I would use {jop} for this, but if you don't like {jop} - and keep in
mind that thrusting and parrying with a bat'leth is different than with a
conventional long bladed sword - you could use {-moH} (cause) with any of
these:
{chong} "be vertical"
{SaS} "be horizontal"
{nech} "be lateral, move laterally";
{pep} "raise"
{Sal} "ascend"
>... as prelude to smashing it down on a victim ...
{chagh} "drop"
{ghIr} "descend"
{pum} "fall". Cf. the idiom {pumDI' ('etlh)} "by then, by that time":
The longer version consists of {pumDI'} followed by a subject
noun specifying what falls. The most common noun heard is {'etlh}
"sword, blade" (thus: {pumDI' 'etlh}, literally "when the blade
falls"). Presumably the expression originally referred to a fight
between two combatants wielding bladed weapons. The time at which
one of them dropped the weapon and was thus defeated (or was as
good as defeated) was a significant moment. (st.k 11/05/99)
There's also {ghuS} "lower (spear) to horizontal to attack":
Some spears are simply thrust into an oncoming enemy. Others are
generally thrown. The thrower first lowers the spear to a horizontal
position (the verb describing this action is {ghuS}), then hurls it
with great force ("throw" or "hurl" in this manner is {chuH}).
(KGT 64)
Okrand says this is another of those terms "associated with spears" (KGT
65), but it may be possible to use it for a bat'leth too. In a pinch, a
sword can be used or even thrown like a short spear.
>... blocking an attacker's move ...
Isn't that what {way'} "parry" means: "to deflect a thrust" (KGT 59)? If
not, we also have
{bot} "prevent, block, prohibit" and {waQ} "obstruct"); cf.
Dubotchugh yIpummoH
If it's in your way, knock it down. TKW
I can imagine this being said WRT knocking your opponent's blade out of
his/her hand. (Do we have a better verb for "slap/knock something out of
someone's hand"?)
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons