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

[Steven Boozer]

> Klingon Word of the Day for Sunday, October 30, 2011
> 
> Klingon word: beH
> Part of speech: noun
> Definition: rifle
 

As used in canon:

tlhIngan nISwI' beH 
Klingon Disruptor Rifle. (S14 title) 

nISwI' HIch motlh HoS Hal qengwI' naQ tIq je lurarlu'bogh 'oH tlhIngan nISwI' beH'e' 
The Klingon disruptor rifle is a standard hand held disruptor, attached to an extended power supply stock. (S14)

KGT 56:  a disruptor rifle (likewise with several models) is a {nISwI' beH}. [...] The more general term {pu'}, "phaser", may also apply to the Klingon disruptor, but it is used just as often to refer to the Romulan disruptor, Federation phaser, and other similar devices. Since the word is short, {pu'} is heard frequently--even more frequently than {nISwI'}--especially in the throes of combat, in such formations as {pu'HIch} (phaser pistol), {pu'beH} (phaser rifle) [...] The verb used for shoot when referring to disruptors is {bach}.

KGT 80:  Even modern weaponry, such as a disrupter pistol ({nISwI' HIch}) or disrupter rifle ({nISwI' bej} [sic! typo for {beH}]), is decorated. For example, typically the head of any rivet ({veragh}) used has a raised image of some kind, often that of a Klingon warrior's head. Sometimes extra ornamentation, carved of a different material, is attached. This would typically be the case with a family crest ({tuq Degh}).

Related verb: {puS} "sight (with gunsight)"


--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons



From: Felix Malmenbeck [mailto:felixm at kth.se] 
I think it'd've been stated explicitly if that were the case. I think it's just that it's meant to be rested against the shoulder, as opposed to a HIch (handgun). This distinction is present in Federation Standard, as well.
I'm guessing a flintlock would be called ngat beH or something.

________________________________________
From: Josh Badgley [joshbadgley at hotmail.com]
Out of curiosity, I noticed that we find the word beH in such compound nouns as nISwI' beH and pu' beH.  Does this mean that "beH" by itself means "rifle" in the sense of "flintlock"?  Like the kind the Klingons were arming the Neuralese with?