tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Nov 19 13:20:36 2009
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Re: tlhIngan porgh
You ask how to differentiate or distinguish between anatomy and physiology
in Klingon. I don't think it matters. The terms are close in English, and
the difference between them is technical. In fact, doesn't physiology
include anatomy?
lay'tel SIvten
On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 4:02 PM, Steven Boozer <[email protected]> wrote:
> Voragh:
> >> and {porghQeD} "the scientific study of bodily functions (anatomy?).
>
> Stephen A. Carter:
> >"Physiology" might be a closer fit.
>
> Nice. That fits Maltz/Okrand's explanation better:
>
> HQ 12.4:8: Maltz was familiar with the scientific study of bodily
> functions, or {porghQeD}, but he didn't consider himself terribly well
> versed in the field. The closest he could come to "bodily function" was
> {porgh mIw}, literally "body process", but he had a hard time thinking of an
> everyday sentence containing that phrase. He said that Klingons don't talk
> all that much about bodily functions as a group, but they certainly do talk
> about specific bodily functions.
>
> "Physiology" is also mentioned once in KGT:
>
> KGT 82f.: The fact that neither {SuD} nor {Doq} includes what is called
> violet or purple in Federation Standard may be related to Klingon
> physiology--that is, exactly how the Klingon eye processes different
> wavelengths of light.
>
>
> But if we limit {porghQeD} ("body science") to "physiology", how would we
> differentiate it from "anatomy"? Some instances of "anatomy" in the
> sources:
>
> KGT 88: More sophisticated Klingon food preparation involves keeping
> anatomically identifiable parts separate.
>
> KGT 63: These words, {DeS} and {ghIt}, when referring to humanoid anatomy,
> mean "arm" and "open, flat hand" (as opposed to a fist), respectively...
>
> KGT 28f.: The standard word for this prominent part of Klingon anatomy is
> {Quch} ["forhead"]
>
> KGT 127: If any other number is used, such as {cha'maH wa' joQDu'}
> (twenty-one ribs), the phrase is always interpreted literally--that is, as a
> statement about anatomy.
>
> KLS dBase: {qIvon}: Klingonese word (pronounced `KEE-von') for an object
> of anatomy, apparently coming at least in pairs: Kor's left QiVon aches
> whenever his ship hits Warp-Factor 8. (Blood Oath)
>
> Hmm... I guess it's not such a problem after all. {[tlhIngan] porgh} "the
> [Klingon] body" works just fine for most, if not all, of these.
>
>
> Is {bIraqlul} a feature of physiology or anatomy? To review:
>
> The Klingon body incorporates multiple redundancies for nearly all vital
> bodily functions. This characteristic, known as {bIraqlul} (*brak'lul*),
> gives Klingon warriors enormous resiliency in battle, since almost every
> function in their body is duplicated in case any primary organ or system
> failed. >From various episodes we know that Klingons have two livers (chej),
> three lungs (tagh), 23 ribs (joQ), a redundant stomach (burgh), an
> eight-chambered heart (tIq), etc. (TNG "Ethics", VOY "Macrocosm", et al.)
>
>
>
> --
> Voragh
> Canon Master of the Klingons
>
>
>
>