tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jul 19 07:55:31 2007
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Re: Klingon WOTD: nentay (noun)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Wednesday, July 18, 2007.
>
>Category: Trek
>
>Klingon word: nentay
>Part of Speech: noun
>Definition: Rite of Ascension
>
>Additional Notes:
>KGT p. 11: "A ceremony symbolizing a young Klingon's attainment of a
>certain spiritual level."
It is a ritual by which a Klingon embarks on the road to becoming a
warrior. It consists of two parts: {nentay wa'DIch}, the First Rite of
Ascension, perfomed before the age of thirteen (TNG "Firstborn"), and
{nentay cha'DIch}, the Second Rite of Ascension, performed at the age of
fifteen (TNG "The Icarus Factor").
"The Age of Ascension marks a new level of spiritual attainment by a
Klingon warrior. The initiate must pass through a gauntlet of warriors who
test him with painstiks." (S9)
"Each Klingon who undergoes the Rite of Ascension, for example, follows the
same script, beginning with {DaHjaj SuvwI''e' jIH" ('Today I am a
warrior'). The lines must be said in the same way each time, with little
room for variation." (KGT 182)
"Upon reaching a certain age, the Age of Ascension, a young Klingon
undergoes a rite of passage symbolizing the attainment of a certain
spiritual level. After intoning the three ancient and sacred phrases
recorded above, the initiate, while walking along a path lined by
painstik-wielding warriors, expresses his or her deepest feelings." (TKW 110)
"the painstik, {'oy'naQ} ... is nonetheless usually used ceremonially,
playing an important role in the {nentay cha'DIch}, or Second Rite of
Ascension" (KGT 65)
{nentay loptaHvIS tlhIngan potlh tlhIngan 'oy'naQ'e'}
The Klingon Painstik is an important part of a Klingon's Age of Ascension
ceremony. (S32)
"Similarly, one might describe how to wield a painstik during the Rite of
Ascension by saying: {'oy'naQ DaQeqDI' mIw wa'DIch Data', 'ach 'oy'naQ
Dachu'DI' mIw paghDIch Data'} ('When you aim the painstik, you accomplish
the first step, but when you turn the painstik on, you accomplish the
zeroth step'). The implication here is that activating the painstik must
be done before beginning the ritualistic part of the ceremony... Speaking
of the Rite of Ascension, one might say {'oy'naQ Dachu'Ha'DI' mIw HochDIch
Data'} ('When you turn the painstik off, you accomplish the last step')."
(KGT 176f)
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons