tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jan 18 08:16:05 2006

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Re: Klingon WOTD: qIv (noun)

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Tuesday, January 17, 2006.
>
>Category: Body Parts
>
>Klingon word:   qIv
>Part of Speech: noun
>Definition:     knee

Never used in a sentence.

A useful related verb is {tor} "kneel".

Related nouns include {'uS} "leg" and {qam} "foot".  Cf. also {DeSqIv} 
"elbow" ({DeS} "arm" + {qIv}).

Another body part, possibly related, is {qIvon} *QiVon* (pronounced 
/KEE-von/).  It has been used in canon:

   bIrchugh qIvon tuj 'Iw
   If the qIvon is cold, the blood is hot. TKW

   It is not clear what a {qIvon} is, aside from the fact that it is
   a Klingon body part...... the real meaning of the saying is a little
   obscure. It probably means something like "Even though some parts
   of the body may be cold, a Klingon's blood is hot"--that is, he is
   ready for battle. (TKW 174)]

The Okuda _Omnipedia_ identifies *QiVon* as being another word for knee.

   At qep'a' wejDIch we played the "hokey-pokey" with Klingon body
   part names... For {qIvon}, everyone looked a bit confused--inclu-
   ding Marc [Okrand]--and just put the whole body "in" and "out"
   [ghunchu'wI']

   I tried to "pursue" the meaning of {qIvon}. Maltz seemed a little
   reluctant to talk about it. (I'd say "embarrassed," but that word
   is entirely inappropriate to use in describing a Klingon.) The next
   time the bloodwine is flowing freely, I'll try to remember to bring
   it up again. But I've noticed that, for me, anyway, bloodwine and
   memory don't mix.  [Lawrence (?), st.klingon 6/97]

Whatever it is, it apparently comes in pairs:  Kor's left *QiVon* aches 
whenever his ship hits Warp-Factor 8 (DSN "Blood Oath").



--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons






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