[84245] in tlhIngan-Hol
Re: Klingon WOTD: yIv (verb)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Steven Boozer)
Thu Mar 13 11:00:45 2008
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:57:52 -0500
To: tlhingan-hol@kli.org
From: Steven Boozer <sboozer@uchicago.edu>
In-Reply-To: <E1JZlAH-0007z1-UE@server03.webpowerplus.org>
Errors-to: tlhingan-hol-bounce@kli.org
Reply-to: tlhingan-hol@kli.org
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Thursday, March 13, 2008.
>
>Klingon word: yIv
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition: annoy, bother, irk, irritate (slang)
KGT 167: This verb literally means "chew". In its slang sense, it is found
in such constructions as {choyIv} ("You bother me"--literally, "You chew
me") or {muyIv romuluS Ha'DIbaH} ("The Romulan dog irks me"; literally,
"The Romulan animal chews me", where "Romulan animal" is a derogatory way
to refer to a Romulan). The subject of {yIv} can be only a person or
creature, not an inanimate object or a situation. Thus, it is inappropriate
to say something like {muyIv 'Iw HIq bIr} ("cold bloodwine chews me").
Standard ways to express the same idea are {nuQ} ("annoy, bother") and
{berghmoH} ("irritate").
>Homonyms:
> yIv (verb) - chew
Used in canon:
DeSvetlh yIv
Chew that arm! PK
to'waQ yIv
"chew ligament" (idiom) KGT
KGT 119: This is an idiomatic way of saying "take some time to consider a
matter." The origins of the phrase are unknown, but the imagery makes
sense, since even with Klingon teeth, to chew ({yIv}) gummy ligament or
tendon ({to'waQ}) takes longer than to chew most other types of food. The
expression may be used as a command, as in {to'waQ yIyIv!} ("Chew
ligament!"--that is, "Take your time thinking about it!") or as a
statement, often with the verb suffix {-taH} ("continuous"), implying an
ongoing activity, as in {to'waQ vIyIvtaH} ("I'm chewing ligament"--that is,
"I'm in the process of taking my time considering the matter"). Though not
necessarily derogatory, it is frequently used with negative connotations:
{to'waQ yIyIvQo'; DaH yIwuq!} ("Don't chew ligament; decide now!") or {HoD
QaQbe' ghaH; reH to'waQ yIv} ("He/she is not a good captain").
Related verbs:
{chop} bite; {ghup} swallow; {noS} nibble; {roS} lick; {Sop} eat; {waH}
taste
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
