tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Oct 30 10:02:23 2007
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Re: Klingon WOTD: Haq (verb)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Monday, October 29, 2007.
>
>Klingon word: Haq
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition: intervene in (a situation) (slang)
Discussed by Okrand:
The slang term {Haq} developed from the association of surgery with
invasion of the person, hence "intervene". Just as {Haq} in the nonslang
sense of "perform surgery" has negative connotations, the slang term {Haq}
("intervene") is likewise disparaging, implying that the intervention was
unnecessary and/or that the party doing the intervening somehow handled
the situation badly. Thus, if one were to say {jagh HIvrup SuvwI' Haqpa'
DIvI' qeSwI'} ("The warrior was prepared to attack the enemy until the
Federation advisor intervened"-literally, "The warrior was prepared to
attack the enemy until the Federation advisor performed surgery"), the
implication is that the advice was unnecessary, counterproductive, or both.
The common nonslang term for "intervene" is {mun}. [KGT 151]
Related vocabulary:
{nIS} "interfere with" (v.); {ghu'} situation (n.)
>Homonyms:
> Haq (noun) - surgery
Never used in canon.
Related nouns:
{Haqtaj} scalpel
{HaqwI'} surgeon
HaqwI''e' DaH yISam
Find the SURGEON now! TKD
> Haq (verb) - perform surgery (on)
Discussed by Okrand:
The word {Haq} actually means "perform surgery on (someone)". Even though
Klingon doctors generally have thriving practices and a doctor is always
part of a ship's crew, not only is being under a doctor's care considered
a sign of weakness, but it is also regarded as a relinquishing of self-
control. Klingons tend to avoid visiting doctors except under the most
serious of circumstances and, as a result, doctors spend a great deal of
their time tending to critically wounded patients and relatively little
time performing routine examinations or practicing preventive medicine.
The general term for "doctor" or "physician" is {Qel}, but a "surgeon",
a doctor who actually manipulates the internal organs or bones of the
patient and thereby is the most invasive, is a {HaqwI'}, "one who
performs surgery". [KGT 151]
"They say that the doctor who operates on himself has a *p'tak* for a
patient." (B'Elanna the Doctor, VOY "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy")
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons