tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Apr 19 08:03:26 2006
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Re: Klingon WOTD: bom (verb)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Wednesday, April 19, 2006.
>
>Klingon word: bom
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition: sing, chant
>
>Additional Notes:
>Also in "Okrand's Notes" in HolQeD 2:4 p. 17.
>
>KGT p. 71. The Klingon word for music is {QoQ}. This refers to any
>music, local or instrumental or both together. A song is a {bom}, and to
>sing a song is likewise {bom}. The set of lyrics to a song is termed {bom
>mu'} (literally, "song word" or "song words"). The word for "perform
>music," whether instrumental or vocal and instrumental together, is
>{much}, which in other contexts means "present," as an "present a gift" to
>someone. A musician is a {muchwI'} (literally, "one who performs music");
>a singer is a {bomwI'} ("one who sings").
As used in canon:
bomDI' 'IwwIj qaqaw
The memory of you sings in my blood.
("When my blood sings, I remember you"). TKW
may' bom pIm bom
sing a different battle song
(idiom: "speak of another matter entirely") KGT (p. 118f.)
DaH may' bom pIm Dabom
Now you sing a different battle song.
("Well, that's another matter altogether.") KGT
As discussed by Okrand:
"It is never inappropriate to burst into song (there is a special verb for
this: {wup}) and sing a may' {bom}. At any social gathering, in addition to
eating and drinking, there is no question that there will also be singing."
(KGT 77)
"songs are a very important part of Klingon culture, for it is through song
that much historyboth political and personalis preserved. Great
accomplishments are commonly immortalized in song, as are Klingon
attitudes. Because songs are repeated, the same way proverbs are repeated,
they help to preserve tradition as well as to teach the young. The singing
of a song typically marks an occasion as momentous. Appropriately, Gowron
tried to get Worf to join his cause by referring to this element of Klingon
culture: 'We will do great deeds in the coming days, deeds worthy of song.'
Klingons are also well known for their extensive collection of drinking
songs." (TKW 15)
"The drinking songs are always sung loudly (this would probably be
described by using the term {pe'vIl} ['forcefully']), seldom with
instrumental accompaniment, and they tend to be rather lengthy ({nI'}) and,
from a non-Klingon perspective, repetitive." (KGT 78)
"The association of thirst with singing is probably due to the custom of
accompanying drinking with singing and the usual practice of continuing
both of these activities for a great length of time." (KGT 129-30)
>Homonyms:
> bom (noun) - song, chant
Types of songs include the {bang bom} love song, {chon bom} hunting song,
{Dap bom} nonsense song, {HIvje' bom} drinking song, {may' bom} battle
song, {van bom} hymn, anthem.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons