tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Apr 27 08:15:23 2007

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Re: Klingon WOTD: yaD (noun)

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Friday, April 27, 2007.
>
>Klingon word:   yaD
>Part of Speech: noun
>Definition:     sword (slang)

Cultural notes:

"The word {'etlh} is used for sword in general, but it really means 'blade' 
of any kind... Another word normally translated 'sword', {yan}, is more 
specific, referring to swords (that is, weapons with long blades) only." 
(KGT 60f)

There's a photo of Worf's portable {lat} (shrine?) with its carved doors 
open, containing a statuette of what appears to be Kahless holding a 
conventional straight sword (interestingly, NOT his bat'leth) on TKW p.210.

Also, some of the huge statues in the {Subpu' vaS} (Hall of Heroes) at 
Ty'Gokor were holding straight swords; there's a photo of Gowron standing 
in front of two such statues in KGT p.98.  The *Yan-Isleth*, or 
"Brotherhood of the Sword", is an elite Klingon division charged with 
protecting the chancellor, whom they guard at all times; i.e. it's his 
personal security force. (DS9 "Apocalypse Rising")

Duras used a straight sword - {yan tIq}? - in his fight with Worf after the 
death of K'Ehleyr. (TNG "Reunion")

Possible pun:

"[Okrand] canonized the word {yan} from *Yan Isleth* "Brotherhood of the 
Sword" (SuSvaj at qep'a' 2006).

As it happens, *yahn* means "edge of a sword" in Cantonese (lay'tel SIvten).

Related verb:

{yan} "wield, use or manipulate a sword"

"There is also the verb {yan}, which means 'wield or manipulate (a sword)'. 
A swordfighter, then, would be a {yanwI'}, literally 'a sword wielder'); 
the word for the specific type of sword may be, but need not be, included. 
It is thus proper to say {betleH yanwI'} ('bat'leth wielder') or {betleH 
yan} ('he/she wields a bat'leth')." (KGT 61)

>Additional Notes:
>KGT p. 21: The distinctive pronunciations of the Krotmag dialect are 
>surely responsible for some slang and idiomatic usages in Klingon in 
>general. [?] A slang word for "sword" is {yaD} (literally, "toe"), based 
>on the Krotmag pronuncation of {yaD} as {yaN}, which to most Klingons will 
>sound like {yan} ("sword").

In the Krotmag Region "a sword is often termed {yan 'etlh} (or even {'etlh 
yan})--literally, 'sword sword'." (KGT 19)

Possible pun:

"The Jewish device used for pointing to the script in a Torah scroll while 
an *aliyah* (one called up to read) is reading--or usually standing silent 
while a designated hitter reads for him/her--is called a *yad* (Hebrew for 
'hand'). By extension, the scriptures have been called a 'sword of fire'." 
(charghwI')

"I remember {yaD} from the Hebrew: a sword is the natural extension of a 
Klingon's hand..." (~mark)




--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons






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