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)

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.

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.