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

[Steven Boozer]

> Klingon Word of the Day for Sunday, January 24, 2016
> 
> Klingon word: Quj
> Part of speech: verb
> Definition: play (a game)


  DaH ghew yIQuj 
  Cricket, please. RTb

  nom yer mechmeH Quj 
  "game for fast trading of property" (untr.)] MKE

There's an odd idiomin KCD:  {chut Quj} "play by the rules (of the law)" (??):

  Then speaking to Pok, but looking directly into Vok's face, 
[K'Tar] said, "Throw this {veQ} out."
  Pok stood and moved toward Vok, reaching for the unwanted 
guest.
  "{bIyem'a'!}" Vok said.
  Pok stopped short of grabbing Vok... "The celebration," Vok 
said, "was declared a {lop'no}. You have invited the spirits 
of all our Klingon ancestors. Tradition dictates that all are 
welcome to the {lop 'no}. Even ancient rivals. Even me, K'Tar."
  "{Chut Quj}," K'Tar said.
  "{Luq ratlh}," Pok said, almost spitting his words at Vok.
[KCD novel p.23f]

K'Tar might really have said {chut QIj}, "He explained the law." The author/editor changed {I} to {u} or added an extraneous {u} in other places too, for example *{Quapla'} for {Qapla'}.


Quj  game (n) 

  Quj wa'DIch MONOPOLY Huch nav qa' tlhIngan QaS 
  Klingon forces replace original MONOPOLY bills. MKE

  Quj wa'DIch juH qachmey mebpa'mey je qa' raQmey chu' monmey chu' je 
  Custom OUTPOSTS and CAPITALS replace original Houses and Hotels. MKE


TKW 191:  playing a game just for fun is an outlandish notion.

(HQ 2.4):  To win a competition is {Qap}. (If it's a decisive or particularly gratifying victory, they'd say {Qapchu'}, even though that's a bit redundant... To a Klingon, to win is to function perfectly. The opposite notion, lose, is commonly {luj}, also meaning fail." 

(KGT 165-66):  Note that {luj} is also used to mean lose (as in "lose at a game"). To say "I lose" is {jIluj}; to say "I lose in a big way" is {jIlujqu'} or {jIlujchu'}. 

{pe''egh} is to "keep score" (lit. "cut oneself"): "It comes from an old Klingon habit of keeping track of accomplishments by making small cuts on one's skin, usually on the face, as a tally." (TKW 135)

SEE ALSO:
Qap 			win (eg. a competition) (v)
SuD 			gamble, take a chance (v)
qaD 			challenge (v)
'ov 			compete (v)
pe''egh 		keep score (v)

ghol	 		opponent (n)
vey 			pack (of cards) (n)
mI' naghmey 	dice (n)
'echlet 		board (n)
'echlethommey 	cards (n)

N.B. Do not confuse {Quj} with {chu'} "play [a musical instrument]" or {reH} "play [in general? Eg. children playing]".

"This is war, a game we Klingons play to win." (Kor, TOS "Errand of Mercy") 


--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons