Klingonist Gatherings - qep'a'mey and qepHommey

This is the first new post here for a while, so it's time to begin catching up with the world of tlhIngan Hol.

The first thing is that Klingonists (and if you're studying the Klingon language, that makes you a Klingonist, too) like to share their anecdotes and stories, and to practice The Warrior's Tongue, both online and in person.

The next post will describe the main groups and, of course, the KLI (Klingon Language Institute), but this post is for the face-to-face meetings.

The Klingon word qep (TKD) means meeting (n), and this is the term used by Klingonists for the two annual major Klingonist conventions - the qep'a'mey and qepHommey.

The KLI has held qep'a'mey for 26 years - the latest, qep'a' cha'maH javDIch, was held in Indianapolis, IN, USA.

There is also a European qepHom - the latest, qepHom wa'maH chorghDIch, is set for November 14 - 17, 2019, and it takes place in Saarbrücken, Germany.

qepHom main page

What Goes On During A qep'a' / qepHom?

Here's the listing of events from the 2019 qep'a' to give you a taster of the sorts of activities which take place at these gatherings.

Thursday, July 18
8am betleH wIqeq betleH warmups on the hotel lawn
10am ghojmeH pa ‘ : QIch Review pronunciation and other basics
10am qeqmeH pa ‘ : meH beq Help fly a captured Human vessel with a Klingon crew
12pm megh Lunch
2pm mabom ‘ej matagh Opening ceremonies
2:30pm ‘Iv jIH Guess your hidden identity
4:00pm qeqmeH pa’: tlhIngan Hol Qoyje’ qaD Testing for KLCP
4:00pm mu’qaD veS yIQ Curse Warfare in the pool
6:30pm ‘uQ Meet in the lobby for carpooling to dinner
8:30pm qeqmeH pa’: tlhIngan ram nI’ bom A recorded video of A Klingon Christmas Carol

Friday, July 19
8am betleH wIqeq betleH warmups on the hotel lawn
10am ghojmeH pa’: Qoy Practice speaking and hearing Klingon
10am qeqmeH pa’: veqlargh Sam A social game where you have to find the Fek’lhr hiding among you
12pm megh Lunch
2pm qeqmeH pa’: tlhIngan Hol Qoyje’ qaD Testing for KLCP
2pm wa’ ‘ay’ Change a familiar sentence one bit at a time to make a new sentence
3:30pm qaDHom wa’ Trial One: give a short speech based on a prompting word
6:30pm ‘uQ Meet in the lobby for carpooling to dinner
Quj latlh je Games etc.

Saturday, July 20
8am betleH wIqeq betleH warmups on the hotel lawn
10am ghojmeH pa’: Qur Focus on the grammar basics
10am qeqmeH pa’: tlhIngan Hol jem Total Physical Response – get your hands on the language
11am Lobby: tlhIngan Hol Qoyje’ qaD Testing for KLCP
12pm megh Lunch
2pm qaDHom cha’ Trial Two: create a short story based on a randomly selected phrase
4:30pm Hol lut Marc Okrand talks about the creation and maintenance of the Klingon language
5:30pm yejHaD Dotlh State of the KLI
6:15pm mIllogh qonlu’ Put on your Klingon regalia (or a T-shirt) and meet for the official qep’a’ photo
6:30pm pItSa chab Pizza Party
7pm muchHommey Sar The qep’a’ Cabaret
Deghlu’meH QaQ jajvam Open activities after Cabaret

wejmaH ben

It’s been thirty years since I bought my first copy of The Klingon Dictionary.

How can I describe what it was like back then? For a start, Doctor Who had yet to have the final year of its classic season. The Power Rangers, Babylon 5, Netflix and the internet did not exist. There was only one series of Captain Scarlet - Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Like Thunderbirds, the only version was hte one with the puppets.

And there was only one Starship USS Enterprise. Star Trek III had just run the year before, Spock was back, the movie with the whales hadn't been made and the registry was NCC-1701. No bloody A, B, C or D (or E ... J either).

Ah, yes - and Star Trek III the year before had featured some Klingons and their language.

Sol III ‘85 had been and gone - it had taken place at the Britannia Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, and this convention during the August Bank Holiday was in what used to be the St George’s Hotel in the St John’s Precinct. Don’t ask - it’s a Liverpool thing. We do not discuss this with outsiders. It’s now owned by a different hotel chain anyway.

This was the final day of the convention, and while everybody was packing up to go home there was one last round of merch dealing in the dealers’ room before the formal closing ceremony. And it was during this final day that somebody mentioned that there had been this new book, just recently released, that allowed one to learn to speak Klingon.

At first, I thought someone was pulling my leg; but then, I went to the dealer room, and there it was. Last copy in the house. I just had to buy it, sight unseen; if I had not, I would not have seen the book again for another year, during the Galileo convention during the August Bank Holiday of 1986, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

This first copy of The Klingon Dictionary remained on my bookshelf for a while, to tell the truth; several months, as a matter of fact. But then there was a convention coming up, and I was asked if I could turn up and compete in a contest. I chose tlhIngan Hol as my specialised subject. I came second from the bottom, but my limited knowledge of Klingon at that time must have impressed whoever was attending, because I became known as a Klingon language expert from that time forward.

It has been thirty years and a long journey from having just one (now threadbare) Klingon Dictionary, to owning several copies, plus Klingon for the Galactic Traveller and The Klingon Way and maintaining two Klingon language blogs, as well as being a proud owner of boQwI’ on my Android tablet.

And during that thirty years, I’ve been invited to places I never thought I’d see from the inside, from TV and radio studios to lecture halls, from muddy fields outside Cardiff to five star hotels. I’ve been feted by the best, people have attempted ridicule (only to fall foul of my Emma Frostian snark) and along the way, I have acquired converts and students alike. Not to mention the occasional lover along the way.

I have been a Klingonist, now, for more than half my life, and I could say that I will be a Klingonist for the rest of my days. Sanvam vIlajqangchu’neS.

And as long as I can type I’ll keep on presenting this blog, to try and encourage a new generation of younger people to pick up copies of The Klingon Dictionary and keep Marc Okrand’s, and my, flame alive.

Qapla’!

Musical Styles

To round off the musical posts, KGT has a section on musical styles.

Among other activities at the annual Kot'baval Festival, for example, the battle between Kahless and Molor is reenacted. While dueling with their bat'leths, the performers portraying Kahless, Molor, and other warriors sing traditional songs with words and grammatical forms that are archaic indeed, some not in everyday use for well over 1,000 years.

The opera The Story of Kahless and Lukara is about the romance between Kahless and the Lady Lukara in the Battle of Qam-Chee, when Molor sent five hundred warriors to besiege the city and only Kahless and Lukara remained to defeat their many foes.

The opera qul tuq commemorates the honour of the House of Sepich. The opening lines are memorable -

'o meQ qul!	Oh, the fire burns!
'o meQ chal!	Oh, fire streaks the heavens!

Another classic of Klingon opera is the magnificent Aktuh and Melota, one aria of which was sung by Worf and the alien Amarie (listen to it here).

Before setting off on any mission, it is always important to remember Aktuh and Melota. That way if you die honourably in battle, you need never have to worry about listening to it again, which perhaps is one good incentive for you to die honourably in battle.

There are more styles of music beyond Klingon opera. Klingon youths enjoy a solid, romping beat as much as humans do, and while the words baS metal (n) and nagh rock (n) mean little to Klingons, nonetheless a certain stylistic similarity exists which both species consider admirable.

Klingons enjoy a variety of different kinds of songs, such as drinking songs (HIvje' bommey), hunting songs (chon bommey) and even lullabies (najmoHwI'mey) for children.

A very famous drinking song comes from Kahless and Molor, and describes the day the River Skral ran blood-red and blood rose up to ankle height on that day above all days when Kahless slew the evil Molor dead.

'ej HumtaH 'ej DechtaH 'Iw 'ej Doq SoDtaH ghoSpa' Sqral bIQtIq 'e' pa' jaj law' mo' jaj puS jaj qeylIS molar mIgh HoHchu'qu'

Klingon music continues to surprise students of the language. As KGT points out,

it is not uncommon for Klingon children to think some of these songs are nonsense songs (Dap bommey), filled with silly words, and then be surprised to find out that they are ancient hunting songs or battle songs.

Such words are likely to have been written down as no' Hol, the ancient language of the ancestors.

It is the ambition of every Klingon to die in honourable circumstances such that people who witness their acts of heroism will compose great songs in their honour, to be passed down from generation to generation by the Klingons' families. The ambition to be honoured in song drives Klingons to acts of great courage in battle.

As they say,

ta'mey Dun, bommey Dun

Great deeds, great songs

Great deeds are "deeds worthy of song," as the Klingon leader Gowron once put it, and part of the appeal of engaging in battle is the prospect that, if the battle is a really good one, it will be fought over and over again in song.

nItlhDu' yaDDu' je - Fingers And Toes

There are two Klingon terms for finger and toe, respectively. These are

nItlh	finger
yaD	toe

There is, however, more to it than this.

The verb

Heng

finger

means to use a finger in a musical instrument, for instance to strum or pluck a string or to cover a hole in a wind instrument.

Each digit - finger, thumb and toe - has a specific verb associated with it.

First the fingers:-

SIq	use the index (first) finger
qay	use the middle (second) finger
qew	use the ring (third) finger
qan	use the pinky finger

Then the thumb, and there are two distinct terms:-

rIl	use the thumb
Sen	use the thumb

rIl is primarily, almost exclusively, used to describe using a child's thumb, whereas Sen commonly means use an adult thumb

The following terms identify use of individual toes (big toe, second toe etc):-

mar	use the big (first) toe
Hom	use the second toe
roS	use the third toe
nan	use the fourth toe
Qay'	use the little (fifth) toe

The actual digits themselves are identified by placing the verb suffix -wI' thing which does to each verb:-

SIqwI'	index finger, first finger
qaywI'	middle finger, second finger
qewwI'	ring finger, third finger
qanwI'	pinky, little finger

The same suffix can be applied to the thumb:-

rIlwI'	child's thumb
SenwI'	adult thumb

Finally, the suffix can be used with the verbs identifying use of individual toes.

marwI'	big toe, first toe
HomwI'	second toe
roSwI'	third toe
nanwI'	fourth toe
Qay'wI'	little toe, fifth toe

Music: Klingon Musical Instruments

The following are the most commonly-encountered Klingon musical instruments. As with humans, Klingons can make music in a variety of ways - by striking objects (percussion instruments), strumming stringed instruments or blowing into instruments made of wood, bone or metal.

baS 'In	bell (percussion instrument made of metal)
chuS'ugh	type of musical instrument
DIr 'In	drum (percussion instrument with a stretched animal skin)
DIron	bagpipes
Dov'agh	flute, fife
gheb	horn (musical instrument)
HurDagh	stringed instrument (general term)
jan	musical instrument
leSpal	type of stringed instrument
may'ron	accordion, concertina
meSchuS	large wind instrument
QoQ jan	musical instrument
Sor Hap 'In	percussion instrument made of wood
Supghew	type of stringed instrument
SuSDeq	windbag, bellows
tIngDagh	type of stringed instrument
'In	percussion instrument (drum, bell)

Some other terminology exists for parts of Klingon musical instruments:-

joQ	strip of material in a SuSDeq
mupwI'Hom	mallet (for striking a musical instrument)
naQHom	stick (used to strike percussion instrument)
ngujlep	mouthpiece (of a wind instrument)
qung	hole, perforation that cannot be filled

Here are verbs associated with the production of music.

chu'	play (a musical instrument)
chu'wI'	player (of an instrument)
much	perform (music)
muchwI'	musician
pang	pluck (a stringed instrument)
qeb	squeeze (windbag instrument)
rey	squeeze and stretch out (windbag instrument)
rIl	play (a horn instrument)
SuS	blow (into wind instrument)
tlhaw'	hit (percussion instrument) with fist
weq	hit (percussion instrument) with palm
yach	strum (a stringed instrument)

DaHjaj Heghpu' vulqangan noy law' Hoch noy puS

DaHjaj Heghpu' <<Leonard Nimoy,>> vulqangan <<Spock>> DawI'.

<<Twitter>>Daq mu'meyDaj Qav
"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP"
jatlh rIntaH.

Music Post: Composition

Klingon for the Galactic Traveler has this to say about music.

The word used for compose is qon. This verb also means record and is used whether the recording is by hand (that is, written or even etched in stone), in a medium suitable for a computer, or any other form. From the Klingon point of view, a song is not the product of an individual's mind. It has somehow always existed and is waiting for someone (the songwriter or, more accurately, song recorder, qonwI') to transcribe it (qon) and then present it (much) to others.

Here is a basic musical vocabulary.

qon	compose, record (v)
qonwI'	songwriter, composer (n)
QoQ	music (n)
QoQ jan	musical instrument
chu'	play (musical instrument) (i)
QoQ chu'	play music (v)
chu'wI'	musician (player of musical instrument) (n)
bom	song, chant (n)
bom	sing, chant (v)
bom mu'	libretto, song lyrics (n)

Skill And Competence

In music, as in art, fighting, cooking, writing and so many cultural pursuits, skill is something to be recognised. The more skilful a practitioner, the more honour he deserves.

Here are a number of terms describing skill, ability and competence.

po'	skilled, be skilled, competent (v)
Dun	great, be great, wonderful (v)
lI'	useful, be useful (v)
qaq	preferable, be preferable (v)
lo'laH	valuable, be valuable (v)
lo'laHbe'	worthless, be worthless (v)
tlhIb	incompetent, be incompetent (v)
QaQ	good, be good (v)

If one is using a skill, one is beholden to improve in that skill.

Dub	improve (v)
qeq	drill, practice, train, prepare (v)

jIDubmeH vIqeqnIStaH

I must keep practicing in order to improve

This post ties in with the post in The Daily Klingon here.

Music Tie-In - The Daily Klingon

The theme of Klingon music will be continued over at my tumblr Klingon blog, The Daily Klingon. I'll be posting a slew of Klingon vocabulary terms and phrases to that blog, coming out on a more or less daily basis.

The Daily Klingon on tumblr

Music 2: The Sound Of Music

Last week marked the beginning of the theme of Klingon music. Time to start with some basic vocabulary.

QoQ	music (n)
bom	sing, chant (v)
bom	song, chant (n)
ghogh	voice
bom mu'	lyrics
bomwI'	singer, chanter

Some Klingon phrases referencing singing:-

ta'mey Dun, bommey Dun	Great deeds, great songs
bomDI' 'IwwIj qaqaw	The memory of you sings in my blood

Music is sung, chanted or played with musical instruments. The voice of the singer is considered another musical instruments, and like many devices used by Klingons all musical instruments are wielded like weapons. Klingon music, like many other Klingon phenomena, is wild, aggressive and powerful, with tonalities which humans might hear as clashing noises and cacophonous disharmonies - even though to a Klingon ear the music is totally harmonious.

Music Appreciation

Klingons do prefer their music, like their food, live - though if live music is not available, such as on the Bridge of a Klingon battlecruiser, recorded music will suffice.

While Klingons can be said to use the verb tIv enjoy (v) their music, that is really not the point. Klingons appreciate music which does something to them - and this is reflected in the verbs they use.

Klingon music can be said to ...

jaqmoH	embolden (v)
pIlmoH	stimulate, inspire (v)
SeymoH	excite (v)
tungHa'	encourage (v)
DuQ	move (v) (literally, "stab")

Examples:

mutungHa'	It (the song) encouraged me (v)
DuDuQpu''a' bomvetlh	Did that song move you? (v)

Next: Worthy Of Song.

Music 1: Inspirational Media

Beginning these articles on Klingon music with some inspirational media.


Below, you will see the video with subtitles.


Klingon musical forms extend back into the mists of time. As for Terrans, so too for Klingons; music inspires the Klingon spirit, stirs emotions and even brings Klingons together in common purpose, setting aside their rivalries to celebrate something greater than themselves.

Klingon musical forms are often tied up with the Klingon language form known as no' Hol, the older form of Klingon known as ancestors' language. Klingon for the Galactic Traveler has this to say about music and no' Hol.

Heard far more frequently than non-Klingon languages are various archaic forms of Klingon, dating from different time periods and originating in different regions, collectively known as no' Hol ancestors' language. The ancient forms are heard primarily, though not exclusively, in ceremonies, songs, and classical tories.

While the conventional phrases used in some rituals are uttered in modern Klingon (such as those used in the Rite of Ascension, a ceremony symbolizing a young Klingon's attainment of a certain spiritual level), those used in a great many others are in a form of no' Hol (such as those associated with the bIreqtal [brek'tal], the ceremony in which the killer of the leader of a Klingon house marries the widow and thereby becomes the head of the house himself). In these cases, the phrases must be studied and memorized by the participants, then repeated back accurately. Improvising or paraphrasing is entirely inappropriate. Depending on when the phrases for the ritual originated, the words and grammatical constructions may be somewhat like or very different from those of modern Klingon. If the words have survived into modern Klingon but some of the grammatical features have not, it may sound as if the celebrant is speaking improper, ungrammatical Klingon. This is not the case, though the same phrase uttered away from the ritualistic context would be taken as such.

Older language forms are also often found in the lyrics of Klingon songs, particularly songs associated with rituals. Among other activities at the annual Kot'baval Festival, for example, the battle between Kahless and Molor is reenacted. While dueling with their bat'leths, the performers portraying Kahless, Molor, and other warriors sing traditional songs with words and grammatical forms that are archaic indeed, some not in everyday use for well over 1,000 years. In addition, virtually all of Klingon opera is written in no' Hol. In order to follow an opera even superficially, one should prepare before attending a performance by studying the story. For a deeper appreciation, however, it is essential to study also the linguistic structures used in the opera's libretto. As a result, aficionados of this musical form tend to be from the upper levels of society and rather well educated, though this is not invariably the case. Finally, there are some old but still popular songs that retain old words and old grammatical forms that are not interpretable in modern Klingon. In fact, it is not uncommon for Klingon children to think some of these songs are nonsense songs, filled with silly words, and then be surprised to find out that they are ancient hunting songs or battle songs.

Finally, Klingon myths were originally told and retold, then later written down, in no' Hol. In modern times, some are read or told in the original form, though most are familiar only in their modern translations. Even in the most up-to-date versions, however, certain lines are so famous in their original form that they are seldom altered. An example of this is found in the story of Kahless and Lukara. Following the successful defense of the Great Hall at Qam-Chee, Kahless and Lukara engage in a brief conversation that marks the start of their epic romance. Students have been memorizing these lines and repeating them for so long, they have become part of the knowledge shared by all Klingons. One need only say the first line -mova' 'aqI' ruStaq, a no' Hol way to say today was a good day to die - and everyone will know what is to follow. Interestingly, in the case of this particular conversation, the lines have been incorporated into a mating ritual that persists to this day, with the man and the woman taking the roles and repeating the no' Hol lines of Kahless and Lukara, respectively, as the prelude to a romantic encounter.

The following series of articles will look at various aspects of Klingon music, from the types of instruments played and the songs favoured by Klingons to the structure and syntax of Klingon music itself.

potlhqu'! SIbI' jabbI''IDvam yIlaD!

tlhIngan Hol jatlhwI'pu'vaD potlh De'vam. SIbI' peqIm! pebuS!

bom - Music Posts

I have been busy on Project A these last few weeks. You can catch up on The Daily Klingon on Tumblr for my regular posts, if you have been missing the posts here.

Starting next week, the theme of the posts in this blog will be "Music."

Also beginning next week, this whole blog will be undergoing a refit and some new features added - such as an index page of posts.

Project Work

I am working on a major writing project, Project A. I have been working on it for the last three months, and I want to finish it this month.

This last few days, there has been a breakthrough, and I have advanced more in the last three nights than I have done in the last three weeks.

Until I am finished with Project A, I won't be posting to Klingon Teachings or The Daily Klingon as often as I'd like. This project takes priority.

The Daily Klingon - Family

The following posts all appear on my blog, The Daily Klingon. They were posted in December 2014, in the runup to the 2014 Klingon Christmas Lectures taking place over the week 2014 12 22 - 2014 12 28.

The theme of this series of posts is Family.

Family

Proverb

qorDu' - family (n)

tuq - House, tribe, lineage, family (n)

puq - child (n)

puq poH - generation (n)

puqloD - son (n)

puqbe' - daughter (n)

vav - Father (n)

SoS - Mother (n)

vay' puqloD, vay' puqbe'

vavnI' - Grandfather (n)

SoSnI' - Grandmother (n)

no' - ancestors (n)

qempa' - ancestor (n)

no'DIr - ancestor hanging (decoration) (n)

loDnI' - brother (n)

be'nI' - sister (n)

loDnal - husband (n)

be'nal - wife (n)

nay - Marry (v)

Saw - Marry (v)

Uncles

Aunts

A Last Look At Family

The Klingon Christmas Lectures 2014 On tumblr

Here are the collected Daily Klingon Christmas 2014 Lectures, on the subject of Clauses. These articles were posted over the period Monday 2014 12 22 - Sunday 2014 12 28 on the Daily Klingon blog on tumblr.

Monday: The Lectures Begin

Monday: Subordinate Clauses

Tuesday - Before, While, If, When

Wednesday: Relative Clauses; Use Of -bogh

Thursday - Purpose Clauses; Use Of -meH

Friday - Sentences As Objects

Nothing But net

Not Using 'e' And net

Q & A

Q & A

Q & A

Q & A

Q & A

Q & A

Q & A

Wrap-Up

The Daily Klingon - A Useful Resource

I run a tumblr blog, The Daily Klingon.

It does what it says on the tin.

Every evening, 9pm, something pops up on this blog.

Usually it's just a word or phrase or something.

This week (2014-12-22 - 2014-12-28) there will be something different.

This week coming, beginning tomorrow night, I am posting The Klingon Christmas Lectures.

The theme is Clauses.

The Daily Klingon

DaHjaj jIrop

DaHjaj jIropmo' QIn chu' vIghItlhbe'.

SochleS jIchegh 'ej jIpIv.

2014 12 07: Star Trek The Motion Picture - 35 Years On

Thirty - five years ago today, December 7 1979, Star Trek The Motion Picture received its first theatrical release.

The most important aspect of this movie, as far as this blog is concerned, was this scene right at the start of the movie:-


This was the first time anybody spoke Klingon anywhere. Now here's some history for you:- the speaker, the Captain of the Imperial Klingon Cruiser Amar, was played by the late Mark Lenard - better known to Star Trek fans as Sarek, Vulcan Ambassador and father of Spock.

Furthermore, the Klingon words themselves were invented by James Doohan, most famous for playing Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek. That is, the NCC-1701. No bloody A, B, C or D.

Earlier this year, on June 1, this blog marked the thirtieth anniversary of the first time Okrandian Klingon was spoken. Today, this blog marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the first spoken words in Klingon, anywhere.

Clipped Klingon, part 4 - Pet Commands

Klingons keep and breed pets, like many species across the galaxy. Here are some typical terms relating to pets and pet care.

Saj	pet (n)
Sep	breed (v)
SepwI'	breeder (n)
qeq	train, drill, practice, prepare (n)
qeqwI'	trainer (n)
ghojmoH	teach (v)
ghojmoHwI'	teacher (n)
je'	feed (v)
Qorgh	care for (v)
QorghwI'	handler, carer (n)

Clipped Klingon is used in giving pet commands. Before giving a command, the Klingon announces his intention to the pet that he is about to give a command. The word one gives is SuH ready (exclamation). The following are the traditional Klingon pet commands.

SuH	Ready (This signifies that the master is about to issue a command)
ba'!	Sit! (normally, yIba'!)
Qam!	Stand! (normally, yIQam!)
naDev ghoS!	Come here! (normally, naDev yIghoS!)
Sop!	Eat! (normally, yISop!)
Sop 'e' mev!	Stop eating! (normally, bISop 'e' yImev!)
HIv!	Attack! (normally, yIHIv!)
'uSDaj chop chev!	Bite his/her/its leg off! (normally, 'uSDaj yIchop yIchev!
DeSvetlh yIv!	Chew that arm! (normally, DeSvetlh yIyIv!)
mev!	Do not do that! (normally, yImev!)
jol SeHlaw lItHa'!	Get off the transport control panel! (normally, jol SeHlaw yIlItHa'!)
naDev Dochvetlh qem!	Bring that here! (normally, naDev Dochvetlh yIqem!)
naDev Dochvetlh qemqu'!	I really mean it, this time; BRING THAT HERE! (normally, naDev Dochvetlh yIqemqu'!)
qab, Ha'DIbaH qab.	Bad! Bad animal!

Other useful commands are:-

Suv!	Fight! (normally, yISuv!)
Suv 'e' mev!	Cease fighting! (normally, bISuv 'e' yImev!)
loS!	Wait! (normally, yIloS!)
jaH!	Go! (normally, yIjaH!)
Sup!	Jump! (normally, yISup!)
qIm!	Attention! (normally, yIqIm!)
Hub!	Defend! (normally, yIHub!)
jer!	Lunge! (normally, yIjer!)
ron!	Roll! (normally, yIron!)
Qot!	Lie down! (normally, yIQot!)
lItHa'!	Get off! (normally, yIlItHa'!)
DoH!	Back off! (normally, yIDoH!)
tlha'!	Chase it! (normally, yItlha'!)
largh!	Smell it! (normally, yIlargh!)
ghoch!	Track it! (normally, yIghoch!)
maj.	Good. Well done.
majQa'!	Very good! Good animal!

Clipped Klingon, part 3 - Stressed

Klingons use Clipped Klingon in a number of places - mostly delivering commands, and responding to those commands with delivery of status reports in the same battle language.

wIy cha'!	Show the tactical display!
Qeq!	Aim!
Hub'!	Defend!

yajchu', qaH	Understood, Sir
chu'ta'	(device) Activated
chu'Ha'ta'	(device) Deactivated
Sevlu'	(enemy) Contained
ghoch	(target) Tracking
Qeq	(target) Locked

Clipped Klingon also occurs during moments of great stress. What constitutes stress to a Klingon would seem odd to a Terran; due to their natural predilection for hostility and tendency to enjoy flying off the handle at the slightest apparent provocation, Clipped Klingon would appear fairly frequently in common usage.

Examples:-

'el!	Get in!
bup!	Quit it!
DoH!	Back off!
mej!	Leave!
QongDaq!	Bed!
Sop!	Eat it!
mevyap!	Enough! (Stop!)
qIm!	Attention!
buS	Focus!
SuD jay'!	Take a damned risk!

The Adverbial jay'

jay' is a special adverbial. Its meaning is:-

jay'	intensifier (adv)

jay' carries the meanings intensely and invective. jay' occupies a special position in a sentence, in that it comes directly after the rest of the sentence. jay' intensifies the passion of the sentence to the point where it becomes an invective.

qaStaH nuq jay'?	What the hell is happening?
mIch 'elpu' jay'	They've entered the damned sector!
ghaytanHa' jay'!	Not bloody likely!
DaH lupwI' tIj jay'!	Get the hell on that jitney, NOW!
DoH jay'!	Back the hell off!
wa' pIq jay', 'aj!	One damned minute, Admiral!
verengan SoH'e' jay!	You ARE a damned Ferengi!

New Klingon Words from the 2014 qepHom

On 2014 11 15, Felix Malmenbeck provided this email from the 2014 German qepHom, with an initial list of possible new tlhIngan Hol words provided by Maltz, Marc Okrand's Klingon friend.

Here is the body of the email. Please note: these are currently unofficial. When they are finalised, you will get them here.

---

Going by previous years, I think it's safe to assume that the qepHom folks are teasing us a bit now, and will be releasing Okrand's exact words within a few days.

Personally, I find this rather enjoyable (giving the info in bits and pieces gives us something to look forward to), but I agree that there's a point to making everything accessible, so let's see if we can summarize what's been learned:

== Card games ==

Maltz has been learning about the card game "poker". He is under the impression that this game's name literally means "that which pokes", and therefore calls it {'urghwI'}.
Here he makes use of a new word, {'urgh}, meaning "poke" or "jab".

Since this is a Terran game, there aren't necessarily Klingon words for the different aspects of the games, but Maltz seems to be able to relate to the game through Klingon analogues.
He refers to the diamonds as {meyrI'mey} ("squares"), the hearts as {pormey} ("leaves"), and the clubs {Sormey} ("trees").
Note that none of these are new words; they're just being used in a new way.

He couldn't think of a good word for the spades, so he simply "calls a spade {'eSpeD}".
{'eSpeD} is a new word, but it seems to just be a phonetic approximation that Maltz made up for "a spade", so most Klingons probably wouldn't recognize this word.

== Geometry ==

Earlier this year, we received a lot of new terminology relating to geometry (something which several people have been requesting for a long time):
http://www.qephom.de/e/klingon_geometry.html

Now, it seems Maltz has given us some further information, particularly relating to angles.

First some information on regular (or "perfect") polygons:

We previously knew that a perfect/regular triangle was called {ra'Duch tIQ} ("ancient triangle"), but the word {tIQ} is not used when describing most other shapes.

If a polygon is equilateral and equiangular (that is, all of its sides have the same length and all of its corners have the same angle), it is said to be {HoS} ("strong"). (At least that's how I'm reading the message. Another interpretation could be that HoS is a noun meaning "regular polygon", but the info about {puj} below makes me find that less likely.)
Not sure if this would apply to stars, or only to convex polygons.

We previously had informaiton about referring to perfect and isosceles triangles. If a triangle is neither perfect nor isosceles, it is said to be {puj} ("weak").
(Does this also refer to other polygons? Does {mey' puj} mean "irregular polygon"?)

Regarding angles:

Klingons measure angles in a unit called {lawrI'}, which is equal to a degree.
However, this is a new unit (perhaps adopted to better understand Federation technology?); in the days of old, Klingons used a different angle unit called a {law}, which is equal to 40/27 degrees (or about 1.481°).
A full circle (360 degrees) has 243 {law}.
243 = 3*3*3*3*3, so it's easy to divide by 3, 9, 27 and 81.

A right angle has 90 {lawrI'}, or 60.75 {law}. A right angle is apparently called {tajvaj leD}, where {leD} is a new verb which appears to mean "be right-angled" or "be perpendicular".
It can apparently also be used when referring to surfaces. Maltz used the sentence {leD rav tlhoy' je.}, presumably meaning "The floor and the wall are perpendicular to each other."

It seems that an acute angle (one less than 90 degrees) is called a {tajvajHom}, while an obtuse, straight or reflex angle (that is, one more than 90 degrees) is called a {tajvaj'a'}.

According to the message, both polygons (mey') and stars (DujtlhuQ) have {QIn} ("spearhead(s)"). I'm assuming this is a word for "corner"?
(It's worth noting that stars and star-shaped polygons are also polygons. Of course, whether or not they are mey' is another issue.)

We also got a new word, {yergh}, which apparently means "solid (3D) shape" or, possibly, "polyhedron".

So, as far as I can tell, the new vocabulary so far is (with speculative glosses):

{'urgh} - "jab, poke"
*'eSpeD* - "a spade" (phonetic approximation made up by Maltz?)

{HoS} – used to describe regular polygons
{puj} – used to describe non-isosceles triangles
{lawrI'} – new angular unit, equal to one degree
{law} – old angular unit, equal to 40/27 degrees
{leD} – "be perpendicular, be at a right angle" (?)

{tajvajHom} – acute angle ?
{tajvaj'a'} – angle greater than 90 degrees ?
{QIn} – corner ?

{yergh} – solid shape (polyhedron?)

Clipped Klingon, Part 2 - Talking Back

Previously, we looked at Clipped Klingon and its use in giving commands. Essentially, the use of Clipped Klingon is similar to how orders are given in a battle in a human armed force. During a briefing or debriefing, a unit is instructed in proper Klingon:

Hoch Dopmeyvo' jagh ghom wIHIvnIS	We need to attack the enemy unit from all sides
DaHjaj DoS wej pagh wej wIcharghnIS	We need to secure Target 303 today
ngaq 'oH Qu'maj'e'	Our mission is support
qach SochDaq nov ghom yISev	Contain the alien unit within Building Seven
wImaghlu'	We are betrayed

However, in the heat of battle the commands are more terse:-

Hoch Dop jagh ghom HIvnIS	Enemy unit - all sides - attack
DoS wej pagh wej chargh	Secure Target 303
ngaq Qu'maj	Our mission is support
qach Soch nov ghom Sev	Contain alien unit - Building Seven
maghlu'	We are betrayed

Clipped Klingon is also used in the context of delivering responses and status reports, often in reply to the Clipped Klingon command

ja'!

Report!

(Proper Klingon: yIja'! Report!)

In Clipped Klingon, once again, the prefixes tend to be dropped, leaving the bare verb.

yajchu', qaH	Understood, Sir
chu'ta'	(device) Activated
chu'Ha'ta'	(device) Deactivated
Sevlu'	(enemy) Contained
ghoch	(target) Tracking
Qeq	(target) Locked

Proper Klingon

jIyajchu', qaH	I understand, Sir
jen vIchu'ta'	I have activated the device
jen vIchu'Ha'ta'	I have deactivated the device
jagh Sevlu'	The enemy is contained
DoS vIghochtaH	Tracking target
DoS vIQeqtaH	Target locked

Clipped Klingon, Part 1

This week's topic is Clipped Klingon.

Clipped Klingon is sometimes called "Battle Language," but it is used extensively outside of military context. Clipped Klingon often ignores some of the rules of "proper" Klingon grammar, and is often used under circumstances where quick, rather than eloquent, communication is necessary.

Dropping the Prefix

When giving a command in Clipped Klingon, leave off the imperative prefix. Just start with the verb. This is the most basic form of Clipped Klingon.

Formal Klingon:-

yIbuS!	Concentrate!
HIHIv!	Attack me!
peqIm!	Pay attention!
gholob!	Obey us!
tIHoH!	Kill them!
yIba!	Sit down!
yIDoH!	Back off!
yISop!	Eat it!
pemej!	Leave!
yI'el!	Enter!

Clipped Klingon:-

buS!	Concentrate!
HIv!	Attack!
qIm!	Attention!
lob!	Obey!
HoH!	Kill!
ba!	Sit!
DoH!	Back off!
Sop!	Eat!
mej!	Leave!
'el!	Enter!

In each instance, it should be clear who the subject and object of each command is. tIHoH, for example, would be given to a unit about to engage in lethal combat with a group of enemies. If there was a single target, the proper Klingon would be yIHoH - but even then, in Clipped Klingon the target should be clear to the person being commanded.

Clipped Klingon commands can also be given with a specific object:-

Formal Klingon:-

wIy yIcha'!	Show the tactical display!
pa' yI'el!	Enter the room!
He chu' yIghoS!	Follow a new course!
So'wI' yIchu'!	Activate the cloaking device!
cha yIbaH!	Fire the torpedoes!
Dujvetlh yItlha'!	Follow that ship!
Duj HeDaj yIghoch!	Track the ship's course!
tera'ngan yIyaH!	Take the Terran away!
jaghvetlh yIHoH!	Kill that enemy!
jen yIchu'!	Activate the device!

Clipped Klingon:-

wIy cha'!	Show the tactical display!
pa' 'el!	Enter the room!
He chu' ghoS!	Follow a new course!
So'wI' chu'!	Activate the cloaking device!
cha baH!	Fire the torpedoes!
Dujvetlh tlha'!	Follow that ship!
Duj HeDaj ghoch!	Track the ship's course!
tera'ngan yaH!	Take the Terran away!
jaghvetlh HoH!	Kill that enemy!
jen chu'!	Activate the device!

This would be, for instance, if it had to be made clear that it was the torpedoes which needed to be fired, rather than the phasers; or that it was the Terran, as compared to the Ferengi, which had to be taken away.

Critical Noun

If the noun is critical, and what needs to be done with it is obvious, the verb could be dropped leaving just the noun.

Formal Klingon:-

wIy yIcha'!	Show the tactical display!
So'wI' yIchu'!	Activate the cloaking device!
cha yIbaH!	Fire the torpedoes!
chuyDaH yIlaQ!	Fire the thrusters!

Clipped Klingon:-

wIy!	Tactical display!
So'wI'!	Cloaking device!
cha!	Torpedoes!
chuyDaH!	Thrusters!

This is particularly common in a ropyaH sickbay or ropyaH qach hospital environment:-

petqaD HInob!	Give me the bone knitter!
Haqtaj HInob!	Give me the scalpel!
'uD Haqtaj HInob!	Give me the laser scalpel!
tuj muvwI' HInob!	Give me the thermo-suture!

petqaD!

Bone knitter!

Haqtaj!Scalpel!
'uD Haqtaj!Laser scalpel!
tuj muvwI'!Thermo-suture!

In this instance, it is clear that the instruction is to give the surgeon the device or tool in question, rather than attempt to use it oneself.

Next: Clipped Klingon and Talking Back

War and The Klingon Mindset

The Klingons are pretty much genetically predisposed towards hostility. A highly carnivorous species, they are never content unless they are occupying the local apex predator niche in any biosphere they inhabit, colonise or conquer.

When the local sentient apex predators, or even the local humans, object to this, there is usually only one way that things tend to get settled where Klingons are involved.

WAR

War is healthy for Klingons. Any excuse for a scrap. However, they don't just fight indiscriminately. Klingon society has evolved a military force - tlhIngan Hubbeq the Klingon Defence Force - with strict military ranks and protocols. The structure of the Hubbeq allows for the strategies of the tlhIngan ra'ghomquv Klingon High Command to be carried out.

Dup	strategy
Dupmey	strategies
to'	tactics
tlhIngan ra'ghomquv	Klingon High Command
tlhIngan Hubbeq	Klingon Defence Force

The units of the KDF are fleets and squadrons. A fleet can be made of one or many squadrons - a single large squadron could also comprise an entire fleet. And some squadrons are independent of any fleet.

yo'	fleet
nawlogh	squadron

Individual Klingon warriors belonging to the KDF either belong to the officer class or crew. The term "crew," as pertains to the crew of a ship, is wey:-

yaS	officer
QaS	troops (non-officers)
beq	crew
beq	crewman
wey	ship's crew, ship's compliment

There are three major terms for warrior in Klingon. Each is used in a specific way.

SuvwI'	warrior
vaj	warriow (philosophical concept)
mang	soldier, warrior fighting as part of a military unit
mangghom	army
negh	soldiers, unit
QI'	military

Ranks and Titles

The Klingon word for rank is patlh. The head of the KDF is the la'quv, often translated Supreme Commander. Below the la'quv are nine separate officer ranks:-

la'quv	Supreme Commander
'aj	Admiral, Fleet Admiral
Sa'	General
totlh	Commodore
'ech	Brigadier
HoD	Captain
la'	Commander
Sogh	Lieutenant
lagh	Ensign
ne'	Yeoman

The ranks do not exactly map to standard Terran military leadership rankings. The English titles are the closest equivalent in name only.

Within the QaS there are only two ranks.

bu'	Sergeant
Da'	Corporal

The rank title always follows the proper noun:-

Qel 'aj	Fleet Admiral Krell
tlha'a HoD	Captain Klaa
cheng Sa'	General Chang

The rank title can also be used as a noun in itself:-

ra'DI' HoD yIlob	When the Captain commands, you obey
ra'DI' 'aj lobnIS Hoch	When the Admiral commands, everybody obeys

2014 10 20 - Translation Document Online In Full

The task consumed me last week; but now the BBC have posted the article I translated into tlhIngan Hol in its entirety.

Digital Human Episode 6 - Klingon Script

Digital Human

Today, 2014 10 20, at 16:30 BST, BBC Radio 4 will broadcast a programme segment of the series Digital Human concentrating on languages. Specifically, constructed languages. Highly educational. Sapir-Whorf will be referenced.

The showrunner asked me if I would like to transcribe the episode into tlhIngan Hol, and I obliged him. My translation should appear on the Digital Human tumblr blog round about the time the show goes live.

Here are links.

Digital Human official BBC Radio 4 website
Digital Human tumblr blog

Qu' potlhqu' 'ej pavqu'

I have been given an important and urgent mission. I have a transcript of a BBC radio program to translate, and less than a week to get it done. The deadline is this Friday, at the latest. The show comes out on 2014 10 20.

No posts tonight or next Sunday. Next post, 2014 10 26.

The Art of War - Fighting Verbs

tlhIngan Hol has a huge vocabulary focused on combat, battle, warfare and fighting. This short series will look at these terms each in turn. Starting with the verbs for combat moves.

Combat Manoeuvres - betleH

jop	lunge betleH towards opponent
way'	deflect (parry) a blow
chaQ	thrust either end of the betleH upwards
ngol	change orientation of betleH from horizontal to vertical
lev	change orientation of betleH from vertical to horizontal
DIj	slide the blade along the blade of the opponent's weapon
jIrmoH	to twirl, rotate a betleH
baQ	toss betleH from one hand to the other

This is what Klingon for the Galactic Traveler has to say on betleH usage.

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 use 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.

Combat Manoeuvres - Other Weapons

yan	sword (n) (long bladed weapon)
yan	wield a sword (v)
yanwI'	swordsman
'etlh	sword (n) (another name for a sword)
Qach	wield or swing an 'obmaQ axe or 'aqleH

More to follow.

The Language Of War

Klingons, being a warrior race, are no strangers to combat, organised and disorganised. tlhIngan Hol reflects this with a variety of terms descriptive of violence, or of those who are particularly skilled at inflicting violence.

As part of an ongoing arc, this blog will be crossing over with The Daily Klingon on tumblr.

Tonight's edition of tlhIngan paQDI'norgh will look at the verbs used to describe the various cuts and thrusts of bladed combat. Meanwhile, The Daily Klingon will focus on military terminology - such as military ranks, the nouns for entities such as fleets, squadrons and armies and so on.

betleH - The Warrior's Best Friend

From Memory Alpha:-

Resembling a crescent-shaped, two-ended scimitar, the bat'leth is wielded using three handholds along the outside edge of the blade. A traditional bat'leth is typically approximately 116 centimeters long, with blades of composite baakonite, weighs about five-point-three kilograms, and has an exterior hand grip diameter of five centimeters.

Kahless and The First betleH

The first betleH was said to have been forged by qeylIS Kahless in the fires of the Kristak volcano. He cut off a lock of his hair and dipped it into the molten lava flowing from the summit. Plunging the burning lock into the waters of Lake Lusor, he twisted the burning hair into a blade, which he used to kill the evil tyrant Molor, after which he named it.

Presumably, the name betleH derives from batlh 'etlh or blade of honour.

This story was only revealed to the public by the clone of Kahless as part of a ploy by the priests of the monastery of Boreth.

The sword itself was lost during the invasion of the Hur'Iq, the only species ever to have actually conquered the Klingons.

betleH Contests

Klingons hold betleH competitions on Forcas III. Maimings and injuries are common.

Order Of The betleH

The Order of the Bat'leth is one of the highest honours given to serving Klingon warriors, next only to the Order of Kahless in prestige. The Order of the Bat'leth is given only to a select few.

Every year, the Klingon Chancellor holds an induction ceremony on Ty'Gokor, in the Hall of Warriors. The day before the ceremoney there is a traditional drunken celebration, with much good bloodwine being consumed. This is considered an endurance test.

veS tIgh The Way of War

Time to start a new theme. After the delights of all that Klingon food, you'll want something to work up an appetite; and what better than to go out and fight something.

reH Suvrup tlhIngan SuvwI'	A Klingon warrior is always prepared to fight
reH Heghrup tlhIngan SuvwI'	A Klingon warrior is always prepared to die
bImejDI' reH betleHlIj yItlhap	Never leave without your bat'telh

From today, we will be looking at Klingon weapons of all sorts - from personal melee weapons to small arms, through to the big shipboard weapons.

nuHmey Weapons

Klingons prefer fighting with bladed weapons. Some of the weapons are well-known even outside the Empire.

betleH	bat'leth
Daqtagh	D'k'tahg
qutluch	kut'luch

betleH Bat'leth

Resembling a crescent-shaped, two-ended scimitar, the bat'leth was wielded using three handholds along the outside edge of the blade. (TNG: "Reunion", et al.) A traditional bat'leth was typically approximately 116 centimeters long, with blades of composite baakonite, weighed about five-point-three kilograms, and had an exterior hand grip diameter of five centimeters.

According to Klingon mythology, the first bat'leth was forged by Kahless the Unforgettable in the 9th century. Kahless cut a lock of his hair and dropped it into the lava of the Kri'stak volcano, then plunged the burning lock into the Lake of Lusor and twisted it into a blade. After forging the weapon, he used it to fight the tyrant Molor, and then gave it its name. This story was not recorded in public texts, but was passed down verbally by the Klingon clerics as a test of Kahless' return.

meqleH Mek'leth

A mek'leth is approximately half as long as a bat'leth, typically used to slash the throat or disembowel. Good for killing Borg drones. Favoured by Worf and Jadzia Dax. First appearance: Star Trek: First Contact.

Daqtagh D'k'tahg

First seen in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, this is a traditional warrior's blade. The Daqtagh has a single primary blade, with two secondary blades which can either be fixed or hinged. The Klingon's family crest is usually mounted on the pommel.

There will be a closer examination of Klingon weapons and combat in further posts in this series.

Unworthy Qualities

The following attributes are negative qualities. No Klingon would aspire to possess these characteristics.

The list is far from exhaustive.

Dal	boring, be boring (v)
DIv	guilty, be guilty (v)
Dogh	foolish, be foolish, silly (v)
Doy'	tired, be tired (v)
ghal	jealous, be jealous (of), envy (v)
ghIH	messy, be messy, sloppy (v)
Hoj	cautious, be cautious (v)
HoQ	honoured falsely, be honoured falsely [deception is implied] (v)
Huj	strange, be strange (v)
jIv	ignorant, be ignorant (v)
jum	odd, be odd (v)
le'be'	non-specific, be non-specific, unexceptional (v)
lo'laHbe'	worthless, be worthless (v)
maw'	crazy, be crazy (v)
mIgh	evil, be evil (v)
mIS	mixed up, be mixed up, be confused (v)
motlhbe'	unusual, be unusual (v)
non	rotten, be rotten (v)
notlh	obsolete, be obsolete (v)
nub	suspect, be suspect (v)
ngeb	counterfeit, be counterfeit (v)
ngIm	putrid, be putrid (v)
pIH	suspicious, be suspicious (v)
puj	weak, be weak (v)
puQ	fed up, be fed up (v)
qal	corrupt, be corrupt (v)
qan	old, be old (not young) (v)
qetlh	dull, be dull, uninteresting (v)
qur	greedy, be greedy (v)
QeH	mad, be mad (v)
QIp	stupid, be stupid (v)
QIv	inferior, be inferior (v)
QoS	sorry, be sorry (v)
Qut	vulgar, be vulgar (v)
ram	trivial, be trivial, trifling, unimportant (v)
rIgh	lame, be lame (v)
rop	sick, be sick, ill (v)
Soy'	clumsy, be clumsy (v)
tam	quiet, be quiet (v)
tuH	ashamed, be ashamed (v)
tun	soft, be soft (v)
tlhIb	incompetent, be incompetent (v)
tlhIv	insubordinate, be insubordinate (v)
web	disgraced, be disgraced (v)
wun	unprotected, be unprotected, be vulnerable (v)
yuD	dishonest, be dishonest (v)
'IQ	sad, be sad (v)

As for how and where to use them, see my tumblr post The Daily Klingon.

vIttlhegh qaD

This week's post will be run in conjunction with my Daily Klingon tumblr qaDHom.

Here is the post.

---

Today's challenge is a challenge indeed. Today, I throw you in at the deep end.

You are familiar with how Klingon is littered with proverbs; there are aphorisms, saying, idioms and figures of speech covering a host of situations.

Today's challenge is this: come up with a new proverb.

This will be an entirely unofficial vIttlhegh, one which most likely will not be seen outside of tumblr or tlhIngan paQDI'norgh, but your candidate proverb must follow the following rules.

Originality: ghomer Surprise us. Example: Qapchugh Dup chu' Ho' Hoch; QapHa'chugh Dup chu' lIj pagh If it succeeds, everyone admires a new strategy; if it fails, noone forgets.

Spirit: tlhIngan qa' yIjon Capture the Klingon spirit

Your proverb must embrace some aspect of the Klingon heart. You could even submit a joke.

Example:

Qo'noSDaq paw tera'ngan. tlhIngan qIH. tlhob, "chay' vaS'a'Daq jIjaH?" jatlh tlhIngan, "yISuvchu' 'ej qagh Hegh yISopQo'."

And that's it.

There will be other qaDHommey on tumblr during this month - but this will be the main qaDHom for September. Final date for entries will be 2014 09 30. Submit through the submit box. Somebody tell me I've enabled the submit box.

Entries will be posted throughout the month. No prizes - you are doing this purely for the honour.

DachDI' latlh meqmey, quvvaD neH Hoch wIta'.

Qapla'.

Replacement Proverbs

Qagh Hoch Everybody makes mistakes. Whether you are experienced or a novice, sooner or later everybody errs, and honour is lost.

When you commit an error, you have one chance to correct that mistake - assuming you realise that you have erred. Errors can creep in a number of ways: you can misread a situation, fail to understand a spoken word, mispronounce a word or impose Terran values to a Klingon situation, such as attempting to protect a superior officer who has come under attack from an inferior who perceives the superior officer as weak somehow, or asking a Klingon at the dinner table to pass the salt.

It is easy to see when an error has been committed: your Klingon hosts will stop what they are doing, conversation will fall silent abruptly and every eye will turn on you.

Some errors are irredeemable, and can lead to one being branded a tourist and shuffled off on the next available shuttle. However. some errors can be redeemed somewhat by means of a replacement proverb. The Klingon language resource Power Klingon recommended learning at least one of these proverbs off by heart; any proverb will do.

The Klingon term qa'meH vIttlhegh replacement proverb is acknowledged as being a shortened form of the original quvqa'meH vIttlhegh proverb for the restoration of honour that has been lost. This is the purpose of these proverbs: to restore the failed honour of the speaker.

If the use of the qa'meH vIttlhegh succeeds, the interrupted conversation will resume without a pause, and nothing more will be said by anyone. Take that as a sign that your words have been deemed acceptable and your honour has been restored. If you keep receiving stares and silence from your hosts, forget about trying to impress them any further: you have just been branded a Terran pujwI' and you might as well grab your coat and leave now.

Here are the main qa'meH vIttlheghmey, along with an analysis of what each proverb could mean, given the Klingon mindset and their predisposition towards violence.

HIvqa' veqlargh

"The Fek'lhr strikes again."

veqlargh Fek'lhr is a mythical guardian of the Klingon afterlife ghe'tor Grethor where the souls of the dishonoured dead go. Kang said that Klingons do not believe in a devil archetype, so Fek'lhr does not have the same sort of role as the Terran Devil - but it is implied that Fek'lhr does test his victims' honour, and this replacement proverb refers to this myth.

DopDaq qul yIchenmoH QobDI' ghu'

"Set fire on the side when there is danger."

The side, here, means the sides of the speaker's cheeks - the flush of embarrassment. The speaker is pointing out that such an error is a minor thing, and that there are more important matters to consider.

jagh DajeymeH nIteb yISuvrup

"To defeat the enemy, be ready to fight alone."

The speaker, here, is the warrior - who will be ready to defend his honour if someone presses him on the error.

reH Suvrup SuvwI''a'

"A great warrior is always prepared."

The warrior, in this case, being the speaker - who is willing to turn his embarrassing situation into a violent one if anyone dares to humiliate him.

reH latlh qabDaq qul tuj law' Hoch tuj puS

"The fire is always hotter on someone else's face."

Again, a reference to the hot blood of embarrassment, and the need to focus on what is important.

Hagh qoHpu' neH HeghtaHvIS SuvwI'pu'

"Only fools laugh while warriors die."

The "fools," in this case, mean those who are looking on the speaker - who is prepared to back up his warrior credentials ("A demonstration can be arranged!") if pressed.

Recently, another replacement proverb was unearthed thanks to the tireless efforts of Klingon linguistic experts working with the Klingon known as Maltz. This replacement proverb is this:-

jagh yIbuStaH

Concentrate on the enemy!

Once again, this new replacement proverb refers to the act of focusing on more important matters than the one insignificant error the speaker has just committed.

Replacement proverbs are important. Learn them. Use them. They could save more than your life - they might save your honour.

Secrecy Proverbs

Klingon is replete with proverbs: proverbs for all occasions. Marc Okrand has this to say about Klingon proverbs.

It has long been known that proverbs play a significant role in Klingon culture. They are cited not only to impart the wisdom of Klingon society, but their correct usage -- at least in the case of so-called "replacement proverbs" -- is sometimes the only way to regain honor following an unfortunate situation.

Given the importance of proverbs, then, it is odd that the Klingon vocabulary associated with them has been little discussed.

The usual term for proverb is vIttlhegh, literally truth rope and formed, no doubt, by analogy with mu'tlhegh sentence or, literally, word rope.

Two types of proverbs have special names. A secrecy proverb -- that is, a proverb about secrecy -- is generally called peghmey vIttlhegh secret's proverb or proverb of secrets. Infrequently the singular pegh secret (rather than the plural peghmey) is heard, shortening the construction to pegh vIttlhegh. Since pegh is also a verb (meaning keep something secret), pegh vIttlhegh can also be interpreted as a sentence meaning something like a proverb keeps things secret, that is, it withholds information rather than being a ready source of answers. To some Klingons, this is a most insightful coincidence.

The Klingon term for a replacement proverb is qa'meH vIttlhegh. This is the only way to say replacement proverb currently, but in the past, the common term was the lengthier quvqa'meH vIttlhegh, literally, proverb for (the purpose of) being honored again. The word qa'meH, clearly a shortened form of quvqa'meH, was originally used only in the construction of qa'meH vIttlhegh, but, though historically two verb suffixes, it has become accepted as a noun in its own right, meaning replacement in the sense of something that takes over for or is used instead of something that is gone or that has been lost. It is not used for a temporary substitute or a stand-in; the word for that is lIw.

Today, we will be examining the secrecy proverb (peghmey vIttlhegh). Kk

The following are the four most common secrecy proverbs.

Hov ghajbe'bogh ram rur pegh ghajbe'bogh jaj	A day without secrets is like a night without stars
De' lI' Sovlu'DI' chaq Do'Ha'	Knowledge of useful information may be unfortunate
not mev peghmey	Secrets never cease
jIjatlhpa' jatlh Hovmey	The stars will talk before I will

Recently, a new secrecy proverb has turned up:-

‘Iw HIq yap tu’lu’be’

There is not enough bloodwine

My candidate secrecy proverb did not meet their consideration. It was this:-

tajlIj yIjejmoH; jatlIj yIjejmoHQo'

Sharpen your knife - not your tongue!

Challenges On Tumblr

I have begun posting semi-regular challenges on my tumblr blog, The Daily Klingon. Tonight's challenge is coming out at about this time. When I post a new challenge, you'll get a link to it here.

Star Trek: Klingon (video)

A bonus post: Star Trek: Klingon, the old 1996 PC Game by Simon & Schuster Interactive.

taHtaHvIS yItIv Enjoy it while it exists. If it gets pulled, as always inform me as soon as possible.

tera'ngan Soj

All this time, this blog has discussed Klingon food. Did you know that there is a list of Klingon terms for common Terran foodstuffs?

In 2011, the TalkNow Klingon CD released a whole new vocabulary of exotic (for Klingons) terms for Terran countries. This included Terran foods.

qo'la' 'awje'	cola
ray' tIr	rice
tomat naHmey	tomatoes
meyIS tIr	sweet corn
menggho' naH	mango
banan naH	banana
'epIl naHmey	apples
qe'rot 'oQqar	carrot
per naHmey	pears
Su'ghar qutmey	sugar
nIm tlhagh	butter
nIm wIb ngogh	cheese
Sutra'ber naHmey	strawberries
'anyan 'oQqar	onion
raSber naHmey	raspberries
ghIrep naHmey	grapes
patat 'oQqarmey	potatoes
gharlIq 'oQqar	garlic
pItSa' chab	pizza
pIlam naH	plum
yuch	chocolate
yuch ngogh	chocolate bar