[Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: ghob

[Steven Boozer]

> Klingon Word of the Day for Tuesday, December 13, 2011
> 
> Klingon word: ghob
> Part of speech: verb
> Definition: fight, battle, do battle, wage war


KGT 47:  Similarly, there are several verbs for fight, battle, and the like. Most broadly, "do battle" or "wage war" - that is, actually engage in a conflict in which a number of combatants are involved - is {ghob}. The notion of "make war" in the general sense, referring to the idea of war and not a specific war, is {Qoj}. The verb for "fight", whether in a war or a one-on-one confrontation, is {Suv}. In short, the nouns {veS} (war, warfare) and {vIq} (combat) and the verb {Qoj} (wage war) all are used to refer to the ideas of warfare, combat, and making war, while the nouns {noH} (war) and {may'} (battle) and the verbs {ghob} (make war, do battle) and {Suv} (fight) are used when referring to specific, concrete instances of war, battle, and fighting. Thus it is possible to say {noH ghob} or {noH Suv}, both meaning "He/she fights a war", or {may' ghob} or {may' Suv}, meaning "He/she fights a battle", but it is not normally acceptable to say {veS ghob} ("He/she fights a warfare") or {vIq Suv} ("He/she fights a combat").


As used in canon:

'ang'eghQo' quv Hutlhbogh jagh neH ghobtaHvIS ghaH 
Only an enemy without honor refuses to show himself in battle. TKW

noH ghoblu'DI' yay quv law' Hoch quv puS 
In war there is nothing more honorable than victory. TKW

ghobchuq loDnI'pu' 
"The Brothers Battle One Another" KCD (title of statue)

ghob tlhIngan SuvwI'pu' 
Klingon warriors wage war. KGT

wa'leS maghob. ghIq malop. 
Tomorrow we will do battle. Then (after that) we'll celebrate. (HQ 8.3)


Related verbs:
{vID}  "be belligerant"


Related nouns:
{ghob}  ethics, virtue KGT

TKW vii:  A virtue is a particularly valued quality or a form of behavior that exemplifies moral correctness, as defined by a society...  Indeed, the Klingon word {ghob} may be translated as "ethics" or "virtue", linguistic evidence that the concept is not unknown or never discussed among the Klingons themselves.  It is probably significant that the Klingon word for "do battle", or "wage war" is likewise {ghob}.  


--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons