tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jul 22 14:09:31 2005
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Re: Klingon WOTD: qar (verb)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Friday, July 22, 2005.
>
>Category: Stative Verbs
>
>Klingon word: qar
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition: be accurate
Never used in a sentence, except for the tag question {qar'a'} "Isn't it?
Isn't that so? Right?"
Tag questions (ending a statement with a question such as
"right?" or "isn't that so?") are formed by using the verb
{qar} "be accurate" plus the suffix {-'a'} "interrogative".
This word either follows the verb or else comes at the end
of the sentence. (TKD 179)
De' Sov qar'a' HoD
De' Sov HoD qar'a'
The captain knows the information, right? TKD
'IH, qar'a'?
It's beautiful, isn't it? CK
'IH jaj, qar'a'?
Beautiful day, isn't it? PK
One good illustration of this involves the tag question--that
is, the construction in which a statement is followed by a
question such as "right?" In Klingon, a tag question is formed
by adding {qar'a'} (literally, "Is it accurate?") either after
the verb or at the end of the sentence: {qarDaSnganpu' HIvpu'
tlhInganpu' qar'a'?} or {qarDaSnganpu' HIvpu' qar'a' tlhInganpu'?}
("The Klingons have attacked the Cardassians, right?"). The tag
question is found in the speech of all Klingons to one degree
or another, but it is found quite a bit more frequently in the
speech of younger Klingons. Indeed, some members of the older
generation have accused teenage Klingons of adding {qar'a'} to
the end of virtually every sentence they utter. (KGT 34-35)
A Klingon may be inaccurate, but he is never approximate. (CK)
{mu'mey qar} is standard or proper Klingon (i.e. not slang):
The disagreement about the status of slang is reflected in the
terms used for "standard" or "proper" Klingon words. As noted
earlier, those who tend to favor the use of slang often call
standard words {mu'mey Doy'} (tired words). Those who dislike
the use of slang, on the other hand, refer to standard words
as {mu'mey qar} (accurate words). [KGT 143]
Related words include {teH} "be true", {vIt} "tell the truth" and {lugh} be
right, be correct".
Antonyms include {muj} "be wrong", {lach} "exaggerate", {mIy} "brag" and
{nep} "lie".
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons