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

[Steven Boozer]

quljIb:
>> Martok makes reference a number of times to *cases* of bloodwine.  I
>> presume this is a box-shaped container {ngaSwI'}, convenient for
>> shipping, with a standard number of bloodwine bottles {'Iw HIq
>> balmey} therein.

Voragh:
> We've seen that bloodwine is also transported and stored in metal
> barrels (cf. DS9 "Apocalypse Rising", "Warriors of the Empire", etc.).
> It's a stretch, but it's possible that Martok was mis-translating
> {qegh} "vat, barrel (for storage of liquor)".  In Trek shipping crates
> and cargo containers come in a variety of shapes, including those with
> a hexagonal cross section (I imagine for ease in stacking in a stable
> manner).
> 
> {'Ib} "tub" might work for crate:
> 
> KGT 97:  A square or rectangular tub used to hold food while it is
> fermenting is called a {'Ib}
> 
> ... although to me a tub is an open box without a lid. A better option
> might be the new word {'aplo'} which seems to mean an enclosed
> container (e.g. case, box, etc.).  Known examples are {wab qoSta'
> 'aplo'} "cassette" (TNK), {'ul 'aplo'mey} "batteries" (TNK) and {ngaS
> 'aplo'} "contents (i.e. of the Monopoly game box)".
>    [....]
> This pattern probably works for containers as well, so one might say
> generally *{tep 'aplo'} "crate, cargo container" or, more specifically,
> *{'Iw HIq 'aplo'}, *{'Iw HIq qegh}, or *{'Iw HIq 'Ib}.

More on boxes, crates and {'aplo'mey}... 

HQ 8.3:  The word for top is {yor}. This refers to the top side or top face of an object, such as the top of a box or the top of a table or even the top of one's head. It is not the word used for lid or cover or cap (as in lid of a jar) or removable (and reusable) top of a box. The word for this kind of top or lid or cover is {yuvtlhe'}. The word for bottom, the counterpart of {yor}, is {pIrmuS}. This word refers to the underside of something, not the interior bottom (such as the bottom of a well or the bottom of a bowl where a few drops of milk remain after eating cereal). The word for the interior bottom of something is {bIS'ub}. If an item is located in the bottom of a box, it is located in the box's {bIS'ub}. If something is found underneath a box, it is found beneath the box's {pIrmuS}.



--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons