tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jan 07 08:37:09 2010
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RE: qoSwIj
Voragh:
>> In his English comments Okrand has mentioned "celebrating" a
>> {lopno'} and the Kot'baval Festival {yupma'}. We know that
>> Klingons {lop} "observe, celebrate (a ritual)" the {Heghtay}:
>> [....] and the {nentay}:
>>
>> nentay loptaHvIS tlhIngan potlh tlhIngan 'oy'naQ'e'
>> The Klingon Painstik is an important part of a Klingon's
>> Age of Ascension ceremony. S32
>>
>> Also, the person undergoing the {nentay} is termed the
>> {lopwI'} "initiate" (literally "celebrant"):
>>
>> poSDaq nIHDaq je QamtaHvIS SuvwI'pu', chaH jojDaq yItnIS lopwI'
>> The initiate must pass through a gauntlet of warriors. S9
>>
>> though s/he can also be called {SIQwI'} "recipient" (lit.
>> "one who endures [pain]"):
>>
>> SIQwI' lu'oy'moHmeH juppu'Daj 'oy'naQmey lo' chaH
>> The Painstik is employed by friends of the recipient... S32
DloraH:
>In OUR western culture mindset, young people could say /DaHjaj qoSwIj
>vIlop/ and older people could say /DaHjaj qoSwIj vISIQ/.
>
>There was an episode where it was Worf's birthday. He didn't seem to
>celebrate it; he seemed to simply endure it. But he is not always like
>the other klingons, being raised by humans and all. What other cultural
> / non-language clues do we have from the series?
That episode was TNG "Parallels":
In what turns out to be an alternate reality, Riker remarks that the Klingon seems extremely tense considering he just returned from a vacation at the bat'leth tournament on Forcas III. Worf replies that it was his birthday. They arrive at Worf's quarters, but Worf is hesitant to enter. He cautiously looks around and Riker asks what's wrong. Worf says that he's afraid that someone might have set up a surprise party for him.
Back in reality, Troi presents him with a gift and says that Riker wanted to throw him a surprise party but she talked him out of it, for which Worf is grateful. Troi says that she knows Klingons like to be alone on their birthday, "You probably want to meditate or hit yourself with a painstik, or something." As she is about to leave, Worf asks her to join him for dinner. (TNG "Parallels")
If Troi was right, Klingons don't celebrate birthdays at all. (And Troi's gift may simply have been her own idea, as she's half-Human.) Klingons may only celebrate significant birthdays - like the {lopno'}, the family-centered celebration of a young Klingon's Rite of Ascension {nentay}. Perhaps {qoS} is closer in meaning to "date of birth" without any of the tedious social trappings.
In light of this, Worf may well have said {DaHjaj qoSwIj vISIQnIS}!
--
Voragh
Canon Master of the Klingons