tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Feb 04 06:19:49 2015

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Re: [Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: He // Is there a pun in HeDon?

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



Agreed - I've had that pun listed in my notes for years.  Note also the verb {Don} "be parallel, go parallel to:

De'vID (11/19/2014):  I actually specifically asked [Okrand] about how to use {Don}, and whether {DonHa'} means "perpendicular". The reason I asked about {Don} is that it's defined as both "be parallel" and "go parallel to", suggesting it can either take a plural subject (?{Don rav, rav'eq je}) or an object (?{'entepray' Don Qo'noS wa'}). He answered with {leD} ["be perpendicular"], which he explained is normally used with plural subjects (implying it doesn't take an object). Does that make {Don} and {leD} a pair of words which one might expect to be parallel, but actually aren't quite - that is, as if they were misaligned ({DonHa'})? :-) I think that's part of the joke." ( 

Obligatory Trek references:

"We are on a parallel course with [the asteroid-ship] Yonada" (TOS "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky")

An unnamed Klingon D-7 battlecruiser maintained a parallel course with the Enterprise to Troyius: "He's paralleling us again." (Spock, TOS "Elaan of Troyius")

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robyn Stewart [mailto:[email protected]]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2015 10:52 PM
> 
> It's a pun.  There's no way Dr. Okarnd didn't do that on purpose.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Kúnin [mailto:[email protected]]
> Sent: February 3, 2015 15:21
> 
> On the one hand, {HeDon} means "parallel course," {He Don}.
> On the other hand, it sounds like "head-on" (which, of course, has the
> opposite meaning).  Is it a pun or a coincidence?

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