tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Apr 27 08:15:23 2007
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Re: Klingon WOTD: yaD (noun)
>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