tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Dec 26 08:41:52 2007

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Re: Klingon WOTD: yoH (verb)

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Wednesday, December 26, 2007.
>
>Klingon word:   yoH
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition:     be brave

Used in canon:

   jIyoH
   I am brave. KLS

   wej tlhInganpu' yoH
   three brave Klingons CK

   logh veQDaq bachchugh, yoH 'e' toblaHbe' SuvwI'
   Shooting space garbage is no test of a warrior's mettle. (ST5 notes)

   QaghmeylIj tIchID, yIyoH
   Have the courage to admit your mistakes. TKW

   yoHbogh matlhbogh je SuvwI' Say'moHchu' may' 'Iw
   The blood of battle washes clean the warrior brave and true. (Anthem)

   tlhIngan yoH law' verengan yoH puS (standard)
   tlhIngan yoH HoS verengan yoH puj (slang)
   tlhIngan yoH pIv verengan yoH rop (slang)
   tlhIngan yoH Daj verengan yoH qetlh (slang)
   The Klingon is braver than the Ferengi.  (KGT 178f)

   tlhIngan yoH law' Hoch yoH puS (standard)
   tlhIngan yoH HoS Hoch yoH puj (slang)
   tlhIngan yoH jen verengan yoH 'eS (slang)
   tlhIngan yoH 'eS verengan yoH jen (slang)
   tlhIngan yoH ghegh verengan yoH Hab (slang)
   tlhIngan yoH Hab verengan yoH ghegh (slang)
   Klingons are the bravest of all.  KGT

   SuvwI' yoH law' ngIb yoH puS
   The warrior is braver than an ankle. KGT

Discussed by Okrand:

KGT 166f:  The words referring to the joints at the ends of arms and legs 
have slightly negative connotations. Likening a person or situation to 
either is to say something unflattering. It is not uncommon, therefore, to 
hear references to them in insults on the order of {yeb Darur} ("You 
resemble a wrist") or {ngIb ghaH verengan'e'} ("The Ferengi is an ankle"). 
To say {SuvwI' yoH law' ngIb yoH puS} ("The warrior is braver than an 
ankle") is far from complimentary. One theory as to the reason for this 
negative association is that wrists and ankles, being joints, are flexible 
and pliant, while being rigid--maintaining one's principles and goals 
against all odds--is a virtue. A more likely scenario, however, is that the 
meanings of the words were influenced by the distinctive speech of the 
Krotmag region, which has been shown to be responsible for some other 
common idioms and slang as speakers of other dialects incorporate certain 
Krotmag pronunciations (see the chapter on "The Fiction of Klingon 
Conformity", under "Pronunciation," pages 18-23). In the Krotmag dialect, 
{yeb} (wrist) is pronounced {yem}, identical to the verb {yem} (sin). In 
parallel fashion, {ngIb} (ankle) is pronounced {ngIm}, identical to the 
verb {ngIm} (be putrid). Thus, the wrist gained an association with 
sinning, or dishonorable behavior; the ankle, with putridity, perhaps moral 
decay.

Trek Trivia:

"Always it is the brave ones who die. The soldiers." (Kor, TOS "Errand of 
Mercy")

Related nouns:

{yoHwI'}  "brave one"

   reH Hegh yoHwI'pu''e'
   Always it is the brave ones who die. TKW

{toDuj} "courage, bravery, mettle};  {qajunpaQ} "courage, audacity"

Related verbs:

KGT 165:  Nonslang equivalents for {Sub} ["be brave, be heroic, be bold, be 
valiant, be intrepid"] are {yoH} ("be brave") and {jaq} ("be bold"), which 
can be used pretty much interchangeably.

Cf. also {quv} "be honorable" and {matlh} "be loyal".



--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons






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