tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Nov 10 07:54:54 2011
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Re: [Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: baQ
>> Klingon word: baQ
>> Part of speech: verb
>> Definition: toss *bat'leth* from one hand to the other
KGT 59-60: There is an extensive vocabulary for the moves associated with bat'leth use. To thrust or lunge toward one's opponent, for example, is {jop}... To twirl or rotate the bat'leth is {jIrmoH} and to toss it from one hand to the other (the same word is used whether left to right or right to left) is {baQ} ... When teaching someone to use the bat'leth, the tutor will shout out movements--for example, {yIjop! yIway'!} ("Lunge! Defend!"). Generally in such a situation, however, the tutor will used the shortened form of the language known as Clipped Klingon and skip the imperative prefix {yI-}, leaving only the bare verb: {jop! way'!} It is important to note that the tutor is giving the student direct commands ("Lunge! Defend!"), not shouting out the names of movements.
Noah:
> Homonym with {baQ} (verb): Be fresh, just picked. (Said of a fruit or vegetable.).
KGT 190: Of course, not all pronunciation errors are egregious. Some produce semantically peculiar utterances and, therefore, are usually recognizable as errors. Thus, if a would-be captain were to shout {yIbaQ!} rather than {yIbaH!} ("Fire [the torpedo]!"), he or she would be saying "Be just picked!" The consequences of such an error would be trivial, however, since the verb {baQ} ("be fresh, just picked") applies only to fruit or vegetables and is utterly incongruous in the context of torpedo launching. Indeed, since {yIbaH} is what one would expect to hear in such a situation, the mispronunciation would probably go unnoticed or else be considered a mere slip of the tongue.
Although we have seen Klingons bring their bat'leths to the bridge on occasion, presumably no one would be tempted to use it during a firefight with another ship.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
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