tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jan 07 08:21:13 2013

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Re: [Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: moqbara

Felix Malmenbeck ([email protected])



>> Klingon Word of the Day for Monday, January 07, 2013
>>
>> Klingon word: moqbara
>> Part of speech: noun
>> Definition: mok'bara
>> Source: IKS Gorkon trilogy: Book One: A Good Day to Die
>
>IIRC spelled {moQbara'} in KGT.  AFAIK it's never appeared in a sentence.

It's worth noting that Marc Okrand did not vet the glossary for this book. Source: https://twitter.com/#!/KRADeC/status/91641513691459584

The moQbara' is discussed in some detail in paq'batlh:

In paq'batlh, lut cherlu', Canto 2, Stanza 4(?), we learn that the a no' Hol form of this word is mu'qberet.

[...] mu'qberet tunsroot teqmaa metyanmuq'
The hearts created [five] forms of mok'bara

mu'qberet -> moQbara'

Speculation:
tunsroot -> tonSaw' (?)
teqmaa -> tIqmey (?) -> tIqDu' (?)
metyanmuq' -> [verb prefix] + chenmoH (?)

For a more thorough review of the no' Hol in paq'batlh, I'll refer you to 'ISqu':s excellent write-up:
http://diswww.mit.edu/charon.MIT.EDU/ja%27chuq/91128


The forms of the mok'bara is the subject of paq'batlh, paq'raD, Canto 3:

Title: ghomchuqqa' loDni'pu'[sic] vav je (The Family Reunites)

Kahless:
maghomchuqqa’DI’ SuyInbejmeH
 DaH moQbara’ tonSaw’mey
 Sa’agh
muvchuqmeH yabmaj porghmaj je
 muvchuqqa’meH porgh qa’ je
 moQbara’ tonSaw[sic] DIlo’jaj

I will show you now
 The forms of the mok'bara*,
 So we can reunite in the flesh.
Let us join our mind and body
 In the forms of the mok'bara,
 To reunite body and soul

Morath and Kanjit:
SuH
 tayvam tIQ
 wIlopchoHjaj

We are ready,
 Let us commence
 This ancient rite.

Kahless:
wa’DIch nach ‘ay’
 cha’DIch ghIv ‘ay’
 wejDIch burgh ‘ay’
 loSDIch bIng ‘ay’
 vaghDIch Dung ‘ay’
 tagha’ tIq Hoch botlh
 Hochlogh Dat joqtaHjaj

First Nach, the form of the head,
 Then Ghiv, the form of the legs and arms,
 Then Burgh, the form of the stomach,
 Then Bing, the form of the space above and below,
 And Dung, the space beside
 And finally Tiq, the heart and center of all things,
 May it forever beat, anywhere.

[Remark: As you can see, the translations for rows 4-5 are rather odd; my guess is that the Klingon text is a translation of an earlier draft, or perhaps it results from a look-up error.
There's also a footnote, the canonicity of which I do not know. The TL-A referred to in the following footnote is one of the three so-called Kijkduin stones; 'triangular stones bearing carvings containing no' Hol fragments and pictograms. Thought to be used as a musical score. Fragments of two scenes from paq'raD and the story "The Fool and the Wind." Thought to be from around 100-150 QB.' (QB = qeylIS bov))]

Footnote:
The third stanza of canto 3 has an anomalous metrical structure, most probably owing to its ritual function. Also, TL-A features a different forth[sic] and fifth line: loSDIch Hugh 'ay' / vaghDIch SoQ 'ay'. SoQ seems to be an ancient word for Dung, "space beside," but the meaning of loS[sic] is still disputed. The received translation of this concept is "ancient form of the space above and below."

Morath and Kanjit:
DaH mararchuq
 mayIntaHvIS
 wa’ Dol bIH qa’’e’ porgh’e’ je

We are now connected,
 Spirit and body are one,
 Until our time comes.

[Remark: The subject in the last sentence contains one thing capable of language and another which is not. The pronoun chosen is bIH.]

Kahless:
moQbara’ ‘ay’mey
bota’ta’
batlh naDev Sudab

You have both finished
 The forms of the mok'bara
 Welcome to this place.

The * in the first stanza refers to this footnote:

Mok'bara (moQbara') is a Klingon form of martial arts, and the basis of hand-to-hand combat techniques. It can also be deployed in combinations with weapons, such as the bat'leth; cf. MA: Mok'bara. It remains uncertain whether Kahless invented mok'bara or merely transmitted the techniques that existed before him. However, he must definitely be credited with combining the martial art form with swordplay.

________________________________________
From: Steven Boozer [[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 16:41
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: moqbara

> Klingon Word of the Day for Monday, January 07, 2013
>
> Klingon word: moqbara
> Part of speech: noun
> Definition: mok'bara
> Source: IKS Gorkon trilogy: Book One: A Good Day to Die

IIRC spelled {moQbara'} in KGT.  AFAIK it's never appeared in a sentence.

ST Enc. (p.207):  Ritual Klingon martial-arts form, resembling terrestrial tai chi. Worf taught a Mok'bara class to his Enterprise-D shipmates most mornings at 0700 ("Man of the People" [TNG])  Beverly Crusher and Deanna Troi were regular participants, often working out by themselves. (TNG "Second Chances")  Worf taught the Mok'bara to his fellow captives at the secret Romulan prison camp in the Carraya System in 2369.  The exercises, designed to enhance one's agility in hand-to-hand combat, helped to revive the dormant warrior spirit among the captives there ("Birthright II" [TNG])."

Worf also practiced alone, wearing his white Mok'bara workout clothes, in his quarters to relive tension and stress. (TNG "Birthright I"; cf. ill. TKW 198)

Worf explained that the movements were the basis of Klingon hand-to-hand combat. (TNG "Birthright, Pt. II")

TKW 85:  Though Klingons have a vast array of power weapons, the purest form of combat is hand-to-hand. Fighting in such close proximity to one another, a beard may be thought of by some as a disadvantage since one of the combatants may grab onto the beard of the other and draw him closer. To wear a beard, and long hair for that matter, shows that one is both brave and confident--willing to give the opponent the upper hand, and secure that one's own skills are superior.

KGT 207:  the Klingon verb {mI'} may be translated dance, but it also means exercise, do calisthenics, do martial arts movements.

HQ 10.2:  The 'finger verbs' are used when talking about specific ways of using a particular device ... or when describing specific ways to use fingers (as in movements in some martial arts). ... {nan} is used to refer to a particularly effective martial arts kick.

  jaghwI'Daq jIHom
  I use (my) second toe at my enemy. (HQ 10.2)

[IDIOM: "I claim my enemy is unworthy or weak":  "The gesture itself is most likely to come up during ritualized martial arts combat (which, incidentally, is often a part of Klingon ballet)." (HQ 10.2:11)

HQ 11.2:  The verb {lol} ["be in a stance, be in a pose"] is also used frequently when talking about martial arts. In fact, there is a noun {lol} that refers to a specific position in the martial arts form Mok'bara.

The *KoH-man-ara* is a move resembling the crane block in tai chi chuan. (TNG "Second Chances")


Related words:

tonSaw'                 Klingon fighting (n)

Suv                     fight (v)
HIgh            fight dirty (v)
mI'                     do martial arts movements (v)


--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons



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