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

[Steven Boozer]

> Klingon word:   Haq
> Part of speech: noun
> Definition:     surgery

Never used in a sentence.

Note the homophonous verb {Haq} "perform surgery (on)" which also has a slang meaning:

KGT 151:  The word {Haq} actually means "perform surgery on (someone)". Even though Klingon doctors generally have thriving practices and a doctor is always part of a ship's crew, not only is being under a doctor's care considered a sign of weakness, but it is also regarded as a relinquishing of self-control. Klingons tend to avoid visiting doctors except under the most serious of circumstances and, as a result, doctors spend a great deal of their time tending to critically wounded patients and relatively little time performing routine examinations or practicing preventive medicine. The general term for doctor or physician is {Qel}, but a surgeon, a doctor who actually manipulates the internal organs or bones of the patient and thereby is the most invasive, is a {HaqwI'}, one who performs surgery. The slang term {Haq} ["intervene in (a situation)"] developed from the association of surgery with invasion of the person, hence intervene. Just as {Haq} in the nonslang sense of perform surgery has negative connotation, the slang term Haq (intervene) is likewise disparaging, implying that the intervention was unnecessary and/or that the party doing the intervening somehow handled the situation badly. Thus, if one were to say {jagh HIvrup SuvwI' Haqpa' DIvI' qeSwI'} ("The warrior was prepared to attack the enemy until the Federation advisor intervened"-literally, "The warrior was prepared to attack the enemy until the Federation advisor performed surgery"), the implication is that the advice was unnecessary, counterproductive, or both. The common nonslang term for intervene is {mun}.

"They say that the doctor who operates on himself has a *p'tak* for a patient." (B'Elanna, VOY "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy")


Related nouns:

Haqtaj  	scalpel
HaqwI'  	surgeon



--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons