What is a leaf eater?
Vlansopra, an insult below all others which a Klingon may be called. The ultimate words of challenge to one’s enemy. But what exactly is a Vlansopra? A Vulcan? Are all Vlansopra Vulcans or are all Vulcans Vlansopra? Vulcans, as distasteful as it seems are being capable of using language, they are not a servitor race as a whole, although a large number choose to be willing slaves. The Vulcan race has forsaken its proud warrior heritage and become Vlansopra but what makes them Vlansopra?
The common meaning of the word Vlansopra is leaf eater, meaning to most a vegetarian or herbivore. However, this becomes less of an insult when it is revealed that we as Klingons are not the carnivores that terrans assume us to be but that we Klingons are omnivores, we are primarily eaters of meat but we do consume vegetables and grains on a regular basis. Yet still we are not Vlansopra.
It has been proven that Vulcans can eat meat yet they choose not to. Just as Klingons can survive with out much meat but choose not to (what kind of life that would be, I do not wish to find out) and that is what sets us apart. Klingons from the earliest of times have been hunters, long have we killed beasts incapable of language for food. Vulcans once hunted as we do but chose to stop, they made a conscious decision to subsist on a diet of vegetables.
The term leaf eater is very broad in scope, it could be extended to those who eat leaves in addition to meat. In this form it can only be a shadow of the insult that it is intended to be. On thing is certain though, Klingons hunt! Those we call Vlansopra are those who fail to hunt! To call a Klingon a Vlansopra is to say that he fails to hunt, that he cannot provide for his line as a warrior should. If one does not hunt then he probably does not fight and as such they fail to protect and defend their line. This would be quite a devastating insult for a Klingon and if untrue must be taken as a challenge. If the statement were true it would be quickly self substantiated.
To us, as Klingons, there is an art to insults and epithets. It is very important that an insult be understood clearly not only by the intended recipient but by anyone in earshot. Klingon insults are formed carefully and must be used wisely, else they could backfire easily. With this in mind we may better define Vlansopra not as an eater of leaves but as one who fails to provide and protect his line family by at worst some type of choice or at best inaction.