[109145] in tlhIngan-Hol
[tlhIngan Hol] {bom} and {ghuQ}: a Klingon perspective
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Rhona Fenwick)
Sun Mar 5 05:59:37 2017
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From: Rhona Fenwick <qeslagh@hotmail.com>
To: "tlhingan-hol@kli.org" <tlhingan-hol@kli.org>
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2017 10:59:31 +0000
Reply-To: tlhingan-hol@kli.org
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Hoch, peqIm!
I recently emailed Marc Okrand with a question for Maltz about whether Klin=
gons consider there to be a relationship between ghuQmey (poems) and bommey=
(songs, chants), and in particular, whether ghuQ implied anything in parti=
cular about the text it describes.
As always, Maltz (and Marc) went above and beyond in addressing my question=
, so I'd like to share with you this more detailed discussion of the meanin=
gs of both bom and ghuQ.
--------------------------
Rhona =97
It turns out that Maltz is neither the most literary of Klingons nor is he =
the most musical (though he does enjoy a good opera now and then), so his k=
nowledge of things poetic and musical may not be the best.
That said=85
With bom, there's always musicality. The music may be provided by voice al=
one or by voice plus a musical instrument (or other thing acting in that ro=
le). (Maltz wasn't sure of the word for instrumental music not associated =
with lyrics or singing, probably because this is less common than vocal mus=
ic, accompanied or not. He'll get back to me, he says.)
A bom could be melodious in the sense we normally think of it, singing perh=
aps accompanied by one or more musical instruments. Or it could be just rh=
ythmic, perhaps accompanied by a drum of some sort. So, yes, a rap song is=
a bom. Rhythm (as defined by Klingons as only they can) is essential. A =
cheer at a sporting event or political rally is a bom (not just "Go!" or "R=
un!" or "Hooray!" but things like "Here we go, big team, here we go!" repea=
ted rhythmically=85 and endlessly).
[poD vay' ram - QeS]
(At the women's march in Washington in January, I kept hearing the repetiti=
on of one person rhythmically chanting "Show me what democracy looks like!"=
and everyone answering "This is what democracy looks like!" That's a bom.)
A bom's lyrics (bom mu'mey) need not rhyme, though they can and often do. =
(The libretto to the opera 'u' has very little if any rhyming.)
A ghuQ, on the other hand, may be rhythmic or not, and it may rhyme or not.=
The focus is on the words. It's more complex, of course, because a good =
poem uses words that are chosen for their affect when they come together. =
That's "rhythm" of a sort, I suppose, but not the kind of rhythm you can ta=
p your foot to. A ghuQ is typically recited with no musical accompaniment.=
If there is music, the music doesn't necessarily (or even usually) match =
the ghuQ =97 it may complement it, but it's not the musical version of the =
ghuQ.
Sometimes someone will write music for which an already-existing ghuQ is th=
e words. Then a ghuQ has become a bom. Or, more accurately, there is a bo=
m version or adaptation of the ghuQ.
If someone recites the words of a bom but does not sing it (someone like Sh=
atner, maybe?), that's a recitation of the bom mu'mey; it's not a ghuQ.
Generally speaking, a bom is something you sing and/or hear, but other than=
for scholarly reasons (or when you're learning the words), you're not like=
ly to read a printed version of its lyrics (or music, for that matter). A =
ghuQ may be spoken aloud (and therefore heard), but one might also just rea=
d one.
There is an ongoing conversation in Klingon literary circles (there's a con=
cept for you!) about whether there is a difference between bom mu' and ghuQ=
=97 that is, the words alone. Did Bob Dylan win the Nobel Prize in Litera=
ture for his bom mu'mey or his ghuQmey?
--------------------------
(I had reasons for asking, and there is a little more to Marc's response th=
at addresses a specific context, but I'm not sure I'm at liberty to say mor=
e for now. But I'll absolutely share the rest - which I assure you all is f=
airly minor elaboration and includes no new words - when I know it's okay t=
o do so freely.)
QeS 'utlh
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<p>Hoch, peqIm!</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>I recently emailed Marc Okrand with a question for Maltz about whether K=
lingons consider there to be a relationship between <b>ghuQmey</b> (po=
ems) and
<b>bommey</b> (songs, chants), and in particular, whether <b>ghuQ</b> =
implied anything in particular about the text it describes.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>As always, Maltz (and Marc) went above and beyond in addressing my =
question, so I'd like to share with you this more detailed discussion of th=
e meanings of both <b>bom</b> and
<b>ghuQ</b>.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>--------------------------</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<div>
<div class=3D"">Rhona =97</div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">It turns out that Maltz is neither the most literary of Kli=
ngons nor is he the most musical (though he does enjoy a good opera now and=
then), so his knowledge of things poetic and musical may not be the best.<=
/div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">That said=85</div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">With <b class=3D"">bom</b>, there's always musicality. &nbs=
p;The music may be provided by voice alone or by voice plus a musical instr=
ument (or other thing acting in that role). (Maltz wasn't sure of the=
word for instrumental music not associated with
lyrics or singing, probably because this is less common than vocal music, =
accompanied or not. He'll get back to me, he says.)</div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">A <b class=3D"">bom</b> could be melodious in the sense we =
normally think of it, singing perhaps accompanied by one or more musical in=
struments. Or it could be just rhythmic, perhaps accompanied by a dru=
m of some sort. So, yes, a rap song is a
<b class=3D"">bom</b>. Rhythm (as defined by Klingons as only they ca=
n) is essential. A cheer at a sporting event or political rally is a
<b class=3D"">bom</b> (not just "Go!" or "Run!" or &quo=
t;Hooray!" but things like "Here we go, big team, here we go!&quo=
t; repeated rhythmically=85 and endlessly).<br>
<br>
[<i>poD vay' ram - QeS</i>]<br>
<br>
(At the women's march in Washington in January, I kept hearing the repetiti=
on of one person rhythmically chanting "Show me what democracy looks l=
ike!" and everyone answering "This is what democracy looks like!&=
quot; That's a
<b class=3D"">bom</b>.)</div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">A <b class=3D"">bom</b>'s lyrics (<b class=3D"">bom</b>&nbs=
p;<b class=3D"">mu'mey</b>) need not rhyme, though they can and often do. &=
nbsp;(The libretto to the opera
<b class=3D"">'u'</b> has very little if any rhyming.)</div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">A <b class=3D"">ghuQ</b>, on the other hand, may be rhythmi=
c or not, and it may rhyme or not. The focus is on the words. I=
t's more complex, of course, because a good poem uses words that are chosen=
for their affect when they come together. That's
"rhythm" of a sort, I suppose, but not the kind of rhythm you ca=
n tap your foot to. A
<b class=3D"">ghuQ</b> is typically recited with no musical accompaniment. =
If there is music, the music doesn't necessarily (or even usually) ma=
tch the
<b class=3D"">ghuQ</b> =97 it may complement it, but it's not the musical v=
ersion of the
<b class=3D"">ghuQ</b>.</div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">Sometimes someone will write music for which an already-exi=
sting <b class=3D"">ghuQ</b> is the words. Then a
<b class=3D"">ghuQ</b> has become a <b class=3D"">bom</b>. Or, more a=
ccurately, there is a
<b class=3D"">bom</b> version or adaptation of the <b class=3D"">ghuQ</b>.<=
/div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">If someone recites the words of a <b class=3D"">bom</b>&nbs=
p;but does not sing it (someone like Shatner, maybe?), that's a recitation =
of the
<b class=3D"">bom mu'mey</b>; it's not a <b class=3D"">ghuQ</b>.</div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">Generally speaking, a <b class=3D"">bom</b> is something yo=
u sing and/or hear, but other than for scholarly reasons (or when you're le=
arning the words), you're not likely to read a printed version of its lyric=
s (or music, for that matter). A
<b class=3D"">ghuQ</b> may be spoken aloud (and therefore heard), but one m=
ight also just read one.</div>
<div class=3D""><br class=3D"">
</div>
<div class=3D"">There is an ongoing conversation in Klingon literary circle=
s (there's a concept for you!) about whether there is a difference between
<b class=3D"">bom mu'</b> and <b class=3D"">ghuQ</b> =97 that is, the words=
alone. Did Bob Dylan win the Nobel Prize in Literature for his
<b class=3D"">bom mu'mey</b> or his <b class=3D"">ghuQmey</b>?</div>
<br>
</div>
<p>--------------------------</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><span>(I had reasons for asking, and there is a little more to Marc's re=
sponse that addresses a specific context, but I'm not sure I'm at liberty t=
o say more for now. But I'll absolutely share the rest - which I assure you=
all is fairly minor elaboration
and includes no new words - when I know it's okay to do so freely.)</span>=
<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
QeS 'utlh<br>
<p></p>
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