tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jul 05 08:48:24 2005
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Re: Klingon WOTD: ya (noun)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Monday, July 4, 2005.
>
>Category: People
>
>Klingon word: ya
>Part of Speech: noun
>Definition: tactical officer
There are a number of words employed to describe the specific
functions performed by officers on a ship, but none of these
is used as a title. For example, the science officer is the
{QeDpIn}, the communications officer is the {QumpIn}, the
weapons officer is the {nuHpIn}, the engineering officer is
the {jonpIn}, the tactical officer is the {ya}, and the helms-
man is the {DeghwI'}. It is not correct, however, to say {qImlaq
ya} (Tactical Officer K'mlak). On the other hand, one might say,
{ya ghaH qImlaq Sogh'e'} (Lieutenant K'mlak is the tactical
officer). (KGT 53)
Cf. {ya De'wI'} "tactical [officer's] computer" and {ya patmey} "tactical
[officer's] systems" on the BoP Poster.
In the "Star Trek: Communicator" special Klingon issue is a section called
{Qu' vu'wI' yaH} "Mission Ops". Since {vu'wI'} is "manager" (from {vu'}
"manage"), presumably a {qu' vu'wI'} or "mission manager" is something like
an operations officer or mission specialist. How this differs from {ya} is
unclear, but it could be that this bridge station {yaH} may be manned on an
ad hoc basis by a liaison with an away team or boarding party,
micro-managing the mission from the ship, relaying the captain's orders or
relevant tactical or sensor information, etc. The {ya} OTOH may pay more
attention to the Big Picture: e.g. orbital defences, other enemy ships in
the area, etc.
BTW, note the pun from "Tasha YAR" (security officer in TNG) who acted as
both a weapons officer and as the ship's security officer on the Enterprise-D.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons