VORAGH'S NOTES
ON KLINGON CURSING
VORAGH'S NOTES
ON KLINGON CURSING
baQa' b'aka (expl! general invective) [may indicate surprise (I've also interpreted this to indicate anger with oneself: "baQa', I screwed up!!" (Mark Shoulson, HQ 3.1)] - When Picard failed to convince Governor Vagh that the Federation wasn't supplying weapons to Kriosian rebels, Vagh shouted: "You speak the lies of a tah-keck!" Picard calmly leaned forward and replied, "Qu'vatlh guy'cha b'aka!" Vagh complimented him, saying: "You swear well, Picard. You must have Klingon blood in you." (The Mind's Eye)
baktag Klingon word used as an insult, as in a "piece of baktag." Kurn calls his rival Capt Larg this; its exact translation in unspecified; , possibly a variant of petaQ. (Redemption II)
bIHnuch Klingon word meaning "coward." It was K'mpec's reply to Worf's formal admission of cowardice as part of the discommendation ritual. Worf endured the insult to avoid execution as a traitor's son. (Sins of the Father)
Dor-sho-gha! Klingon curse used to express great frustration (All Good Things...)
forshak Worf provokes Thopok in Quark's bar: "Is there a pile of rotting forshak in here, or is it you?" (Looking for Par'Mach in All the Wrong Places)
ghay'cha' general invective (expl!) [a weaker, less intense, possibly polite form of ghuy'cha' (Mark Shoulson, HQ 3.1)]
ghuy'cha' guy'cha (expl!) ["Here's another word with strong force. A Klingon might say it after receiving an unsettling communique. It's a LOT stronger than the Terran `Darn it!'" (CK) Shows anger when things start going wrong; it's a stronger, more intense form of ghay'cha' (Mark Shoulson, HQ 3.1)] - When Picard failed to convince Governor Vagh that the Federation wasn't supplying weapons to Kriosian rebels, Vagh shouted: "You speak the lies of a tah-keck!" Picard calmly leaned forward and replied, "Qu'vatlh guy'cha b'aka!" Vagh complimented him, saying: "You swear well, Picard. You must have Klingon blood in you." (The Mind's Eye)
Ha'DIbaH Animal! (epithet) TKD - Kruge, whose gunner destroyed the target (failing to merely disable it as ordered), called him Ha'DIbaH after blasting him. (ST3) - verengan Ha'DIbaH Ferengi dog (a classic insult) KCD - Worf has been accused of his father having aided the Romulans to accomplish the Khitomer massacre. When K'mpec reveals to him that the traitor in fact was Duras' father, Ja'rod, he points at Duras and shouts "This Ha'DIbaH should have been fed to the dogs!" (Sins of the Father) - Duras and Gowron are both anxious to get to fight each other for the leadership of the High Council, but before that can be done, Picard must, as the Arbeiter of Succession, formally name them as candidates. As Picard enters, Duras says: "The Council must have a leader now! Complete the rite so I can kill this Ha'DIbaH! (referring to Gowron)" (Reunion) - Jadzia is persuading Kor, an elderly Klingon, to convince two other old Klingons to take her with them to a trip of vengeance. Kor says he can't convince Kang, if he has made his mind. Jadzia says he can. Kor takes into self-pity saying his best days are behind him. Jadzia comforts him and says that in her memories he is a great warrior, and leaves. Apparently she hit a tender spot. Kor, emotionally touched, looks almost as in tears and yells after her, but not quite loud enough for her to hear, "you devious little hadeebah". (Blood Oath)
HuH bile (in humans, a bitter fluid secreted by the liver) PK, gall TKW, slime KCD - jagh lucharghlu'ta'bogh HuH ghopDu'lIj lungaSjaj May the bile of the vanquished (enemy) fill your hands! PK - HuH DaHutlh. You lack gall (bile). TKW - "HuH Pakled!" said ChaqI. "They do not fix their vessels. They do not even understand how." (STK: 101) [In the "Curses" section of KCD, which includes insults, I take the gloss to mean that the literal meaning of HuH is "bile", and "Slime!" is an English invective of similar figurative and literal meaning.]
Hu'tegh Damn! (excl! not v., a general invective) - "He's one Hu'tegh fine gunner!" SAREK
jay' intensely ["This word not only intensifies whatever is being said, it turns the whole phrase into an invective. Alone among the adverbials, jay' always comes at the end of the sentence." (TKD: 177); a "generic grammatical intensifier" (Mark Shoulson, HQ 3.1)] (adv) - qaStaH nuq jay' What the #$%@ is happening? mIch 'elpu' jay' They've entered the @#$% sector! TKD - SoH 'Iv jay' [Who the hell are you?] qaStaH nuq jay' [What the hell is happening?] ST6 - ghaytanHa' jay' Not bloody likely! RTb
k'pekt derogatory Klingon epithet. Old drunk Kor has been participating in a historical battle in Quark's holosuite for three hours but paid only for one. Quark has alerted Odo, who tells him to shut down the power. He does. The Klingon inside is not pleased; after breaking his way out and screaming a senseless threatening roar, he seen Quark behind Odo. "You dare interrupt the Battle of Klach D'kel Brakt!? You Ferengi k'pekt!" (Blood Oath)
ko'tal derogatory Klingon epithet. "Look what this ko'tal is doing!" adult Alexander/K'mtar remarked as he pointed out a holographic Klingon warrior's error during a knife fight. (First Born)
korut epithet used by Kurn to refer to the cautious Bajoran security men who were trying to calm him: "You miserable koruts!" (Sons of Mogh)
lam be' (epithet) SAREK
*maQDar mak'dar (epithet) - There's a drunken Klingon in Quark's Bar, nearly passed out and out of money but wanting credit. Quark goes to show him off. He bangs the table several times with a mug to waken the man, then boldly says, "My name is Quark". D'ghor awakens, grins and growls. Quark doesn't feel so bold anymore and makes up an excuse. The drunkard stands up saying, "You dare to talk to me like that? You pathetic mak'dar!" draws a knife and attacks. (House Of Quark)
mu'qaD a curse PK, an insult [N.B. not as in "I put a curse upon you and your house" or anything like that. Nor is it a swear word. Okrand intended this as a term for covering the sort of give-and-take name calling that Klingons might indulge in such as "dishonored son of a Rigellian spice merchant." (Schoen's example) "Cursing, or swearing, is considered a fine art among Klingons. One who curses well is the recipient of a great deal of respect; one who does not curse well may not be worthy enough to be called Klingon. Thus it was a compliment when Klingon Governor Vagh said, "You swear well, Picard. You must have Klingon blood in your veins." (The Mind's Eye) TKW: 148] - matay'DI' vIHtaHbogh bIQ rur mu'qaDmey Between us, curses run like water. PK - pe'vIl mu'qaDmey tIbach Curse well! ["The commonly heard sendoff "Curse well!"--roughly comparable in usage to the Federation Standard "Good luck!"--literally means, "Shoot curses forcefully!" Curses are considered a weapon of a sort which must be propelled to their targets." TKW: 148]
mu'qaD veS curse-warfare PK - taghbej mu'qaD veS Curse-warfare has definitely begun. PK
pahtk a Klingon insult, pronounced "pa-TAK" [pe-TAKKH]. (Sins of the Father, Reunion) Romulan admiral Alidar Jarok sees Worf and asks to Riker, "Tell me, how do you allow this Klingon pahtk to walk around in a Starfleet uniform?" (The Defector) The "Klingon" B'Elanna rescues the "Human" B'Elanna from an unpleasant situation and tells her to "Get up, p'tahk!" when she regains consciousness. (Faces) Kor calls Worf "this traitorous p'tak!" (The Sword of Kahless) Worf throws a thief he caught on Odo's desk saying, "This p'tak just robbed my quarters!" (Bar Association) The Doctor's holo-son Jeffrey shouted, "I'm going to become a warrior and I can't do that if I'm being led around on a leash by some bloodless patahk!" (Real Life) Also spelled patahk, p'tak, p'tahk, pah- tak, pahtak and pathk, it is properly petaQ in tlhIngan Hol.
petaQ p'tahk, pahtk, pahtak or p'tak (an insult, epithet) STE [The unofficial definition: useless; garbage; non-functional; generally unable to get anything done right. This is a devastating insult to someone who has just made a muddle of something. "My interpretation is that this refers to a weak individual who doesn't carry the Warrior Spirit within." This may refer to a weak individual who doesn't carry the Warrior Spirit within; someone acting non-Klingon." (Riku Anttila) Useless garbage or incompetent person, possibly equivalent to English "shit" or "shithead" (Mark Shoulson, HQ 3.1). This epithet has the root taQ "be weird": as a sentence, literally "be weird, you all!" "To call someone a petaQ would be calling him some sort of weirdo or pervert." (Kevin A. Geiselman) - Romulan Gen Jarok sees Worf and asks Riker, "Tell me, how do you allow this Klingon pahtk to walk around in a Starfleet uniform?" (The Defector) - patahk (Sins Of The Father) - Duras, the other of the two to compete for the title of Chancellor of High Council, is communicating with Picard, who has been chosen as Arbeiter of Succession, about the Sonchi- ceremony. While at this, he sees Worf, at the time discommendated, enter the bridge. "Keep that pahtak away from the ceremony, Picard! He has no place on a Klingon ship. " (Reunion) - J'Ddan, a Klingon exobiologist who has been working on the Enterprise, is suspected of involvement in a security breach and sabotaging the warp core. As discommendated Worf escorts him to his quarters where he is confined, he tries to bribe Worf to help him steal a shuttle and escape in exchange for helping Worf to regain his honor. Worf is silent, but when they reach their destination, he hits the man several times and snarls at him "I don't know how you transferred secret information to the Romulans, but I will find out!" The man spits out "petaQ". Worf continues: "And when we inform the High Council, they will put you to a slow death!" (The Drumhead) - The day's battles over, partisans of both Duras and Gowron have gathered in a bar for drinking, boxing, headbutting and armwrestling, generally joymaking. Worf's brother Kurn exchanges a few punches with another Klingon, then laughs and sits with him at a table. When Worf enters, he introduces the other Klingon to him: "Worf, good! This piece of baktag is captain Larg. He commanded the squadron that tried to destroy us yesterday." (Redemption II) - Worf says there's evidence of a Klingon having been aboard a Federation outpost, where messages have been stolen. Klingon governor Torak isn't pleased: "You still try to blame us!" "Have the courage to admit your mistakes - or are you a lo'Be Vos?" "At least I don't wear the uniform of a p'tak!" (Aquiel) - Kahless, the Klingon messiah, has apparently returned from the dead. Gowron, Head of High Council, is not a believer. As he is transported to Enterprise, Picard is there to welcome him. "Welcome aboard, Gowron." "Where is he, Picard?" "I assume that you're referring to Kahless." "I am referring to the filthy pahtk who's using his name!" (Rightful Heir) - "pah-tak" is in the script but may not have been in the aired version (The Chase) - P'tak (First Born) - Quark has been kidnapped by the widow of Kozak, a Klingon who tripped on his blade at Quark's bar and whom Quark has, in order to enchance business, told everybody of having killed in self-defense. He awakens in a Klingon room in the presence of Tumek, an elderly Klingon. "Where am I?" "You are on Kronos." "Kronos... the Klingon Home World!" "You are in the ancestral home of what used to be known as the House of Kozak." "What's it called now?" "Kozak died without a male heir... the house no longer has a name." "What about Kozak's brother, D'Ghor?" "That pahtak's name is not spoken in this house! He is no brother to Kozak! His family has been a sworn enemy to this house for seven generations!" (House of Quark) - Three Klingons come down laughing from Quark's holosuites and notice some Romulans sitting around the table. They surround the table and Morka speaks: "Who let these filthy p'tahk in here?" Another replies "Maybe we should show them the way out" (Visionary) - "Klingon" B'Elanna rescues weak and timid "human" B'Elanna from the Vidiians, telling her to "Get up, p'tahk!" when she regains consciousness after fainting. (Faces) - Kor calls Worf "this traitorous p'tak!" (The Sword of Kahless) - Worf throws a thief he caught on Odo's desk saying, "This p'tak just robbed my quarters!" (Bar Association) - Regent Worf growls to Mirror-Garak, "So this is the p'tak who lost Terok Nor to the rebels." (Shattered Mirror) - B'Ellana categorically rejects Tom Paris' suggestion regarding Ens Vorik by saying, "I am not helping that Vulcan p'tak." (Blood Fever) - The Doctor's holo-son Jeffrey shouted, "I'm going to become a warrior and I can't do that if I'm being led around on a leash by some bloodless patahk!" (Real Life) - [K'Tar] glared at Qua'lon, then spit on the floor. "You petaQ! Your men have ransacked my home. Taken my belongings, my treasures, beaten my son, dRacLa." (STK: 166)
plaQta' epithet; Kurn called his friend Largh a "piece of plaQta'" (Redemption II)
qagh Sopbe' He doesn't eat gagh! ["Everyone loves gagh, so if one is not eating it, something must be wrong. This expression is used to to mean that there is something wrong with someone or that someone is acting suspiciously. It is also a way to refer to someone as a coward. For Klingons ... this is a rather mild dismissive remark, not a strong insult." TKW: 137]
qoH a fool - Hagh qoHpu' neH HeghtaHvIS SuvwI'pu' Only fools laugh while warriors die. PK - not qoHpu''e' neH ghIjlu' Only fools have no fear. meQtaHbogh qachDaq Suv qoH neH Only a fool fights in a burning house. qoH vuvbe' SuS The wind does not respect a fool. HIvbe' qoHpu' neH Only fools don't attack. Hegh neH chav qoH A fool's only achievement is death. qanchoHpa' qoH, Hegh qoH Fools die young. TKW; (as epithet) - "qoH!" I was not happy. "You did not engage the cloaking device fast enough. They have detected us." (Gowron in STK: 101) - "She's not dwelling in the past, like this qoH." SAREK
Qa'Hom "titmouse" KCD [As portrayed in the still visual in the Language Lab, this bears no resemblance whatever to the small Terran bird called a "titmouse" but looks more like a small spiny rodent or hedgehog. The translation reads "little animal (e.g. Ligonian titmouse)." (Someone probably didn't realize that a titmouse is a bird!). Okrand says that a Qa'Hom is not a young Qa', "but it does bear a vague resemblence to its namesake... `titmouse' is only an approximation of what this word means." (It sounds like he was aware of the error and tried to explain it away.) Note that the entry on Qa'Hom is in the "Curses" section of the program. As far as I can tell, the word Qa'Hom can be applied to someone (or some animal) that may act like it's a viscious Qa' but is, in fact, just a little, harmless creature, fluffing itself up to make itself look bigger. Calling someone a Qa'Hom obviously implies that he is weak and unable to defend himself, and thus not worth killing. (This is how Gowron uses it in the introduction to the KCD Immersion Studies).]
QI'yaH *?!#@ (expl!) [One of the strongest, most foul Klingon expressions; it defies translation (KCD). Shows disgust or repulsion with a thing or situation (Mark Shoulson, HQ 3.1)] - "The bartender," I said. "QI'yaH. Are you sure, Pakled?" (STK: 106) "You are too late," she said. "He is gone." "Where?" She shook her head. "I wish I knew." "QI'yaH." (STK: 108)
Qovpatlh (epithet) - [The unofficial definition: insignificant; beneath notice; useless due to worthlessness. "Oh, don't worry about the Qovpatlh of a captain on the enemy ship, he's not worth considering." (Riku Anttila)]
Qu'vatlh #*@!! (expl!) ["This is something you might hear someone say in moments of extreme anger. Be concerned if you hear it." (CK) "The invective va is actually just a shortened form of Qu'vatlh." (TKD: 178) Shows extreme anger, has a rather broad meaning (Mark Shoulson). Qu' is task, vatlh is hundred. Qu'vatlh, a hundred tasks. Certainly a curse at having many things to accomplish and not enough resources to accomplish them. I personally use this one in my own job." (Kevin Geiselman)] - When Picard failed to convince Governor Vagh that the Federation wasn't supplying weapons to Kriosian rebels, Vagh shouted: "You speak the lies of a tah-keck!" Picard calmly leaned forward and replied, "Qu'vatlh guy'cha b'aka!" Vagh complimented him, saying: "You swear well, Picard. You must have Klingon blood in you." (The Mind's Eye)
taHqeq tahkeck (epithet) [Okrand tells us, "If you call someone this, stand back! This is a classic insult." (CK) The unofficial definition: the person is dishonest/dishonorable, evil, obnoxious, devious, deceitful, and basically an unpleasant creature to deal with at all. No good qualities. "This must a serious thing, probably the strongest insult of all. I suspect it directly insults the honor of the one said to, calling him `one who fails to take responsibility for his actions,' `one who can't be trusted,' `one who has no honor.' A taHqeq tells lies, that's evident; Kahless fought his own brother for twelve days and nights for telling a lie." (Riku Anttila) This is someone you really really don't admire at all, probably epithetical equivalent to Qu'vatlh (Mark Shoulson, HQ 3.1) It uses taH "to continue" and qeq "to prepare": "someone who is always preparing but never acting. A procrastinator (and, by extention, a coward as well)." (Kevin A. Geiselman) a "martinet"? (qoroq) - When Picard failed to convince Governor Vagh that the Federation wasn't supplying weapons to Kriosian rebels, Vagh lost his temper and shouted: "You speak the lies of a tahkeck!" (The Mind's Eye)
tIch insult ["Verb, to speak in such a way as to cause offense." MSN] (cf. vuvHa') - quvwIj DatIchpu', tera'ngan [You have insulted my honor, Terran.] PK - tlhIngan quv DatIchDI' Seng yIghuH When you insult a Klingon's honor, prepare for trouble. TKW
toDSaH tohzah STE (epithet) ["This is something one Klingon would call another if they weren't on the best of terms." (CK) "wimp, nerd, geek, suck-up" (Mark Shoulson). "... has the elements of rescue and concerned. Calling someone this would imply that they are concerned about having someone come to their rescue rather than facing the business at hand. Always asking, `When is my shift over?' `When will we get reinforcements?' `Why don't they send help?' A coward." (Kevin A. Geiselman) The unofficial definition: It implies foppishness, and softness and weakness. "There's a certain influence in my head from English `toady' at work here, so I envision some bootlicking implied as well: soft and flabby and spoiled. I could see a Klingon thinking of humans as toDSaH." (Riku Anttila)] - "A Klingon curse (pronounced "to- ZAH") flung at Lieutenant Worf by Admiral Jarok, the Romulan defector. (MSN dB) Jarok insults Worf saying, "Get this tohzah out of my sight!" (The Defector)
*toba' toh-pah or toba' (epithet) [This is possibly a misreading of tohzah.] - The Cardassians fire on the Enterprise and Maht-H'a to disable them and thus gain an adventage on the chase. Capt Nu'Daq, aboard the Enterprise, hails Maht-H'a: "Maht-H'a, status?" "Minor damage to starboard nacelle. We will be operational in less than one hour." "WHAT! You incompetent toh-pah! You were supposed to be prepared!" Later, on the planet where the puzzle is finally solved, the Cardassian Gul who tried to deceive both the Klingons and Federation, materializes. Nu'Daq shouts "You dishonorable toh-pah!" (The Chase)
tojo'Qa' Klingon expletive of frustration (All Good Things...)
tu'HomIraH T'oohomIrah (something useless), dunsel, "good-for-nothing" (epithet) - HurDaq tu'HomIraHvetlh yIlan Get that piece of junk out of here! KCD - Three old Klingons arrive on DS9 to pick up Curzon Dax for a trip of vengeance he was bound to with a blood oath. Instead of Curzon they find Jadzia, who feels compelled to take Curzon's place even though the Trill law doesn't require it from her. Kor is on her side and eventually she manages to impress even Koloth with her skills with the bat'telh, but Kang remains adamant. At that point Kor asks him: "Why do you dismiss her like some useless t'ooho'mIrah?" ("Blood Oath")
va Phew! Pha! (expl!) ["The invective va is actually just a shortened form of Qu'vatlh." (TKD: 178); it is used to show "only slight anger or distemperment" (Mark Shoulson, HQ 3.1)] - va, tujqu' Phew! What a scorcher! (Katz) - va, yorIq Do'Ha' Alas, poor Yorick! (GP:HOMLET)
veQ garbage, trash (v. woD); (as epithet) - 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. (STK: 23f) "Get this veQ off my bridge." (STK: 106) "When we catch this veQ of a bartender," I said to Pok, "I will let you have the honor of killing him." (STK: 107) Qua'lon jumped to his feet, clearly outraged. "The wife of the veQ who killed my brother may not enter the House of SepIch." (STK: 166)
veQnuj (epithet) - "Uuughh!" she grunted. "I had to let those veQ-Nuj handle me. I'm sorry now I just didn't kill them." SAREK
wejpuH Charming! (expl! used ironically)
yIntagh (expl!) STE [The unofficial definition: stupid; dumb as rocks. This is a direct attack at the intelligence of the victim. May have overtones of petaQ and toDSaH as well: soft, spoiled, and utterly useless, with stupidity as the overriding factor. (Riku Anttila)] - Gowron is about to be installed as the head of High Council, but in the last moment a challenger appears. Toral, very young, claiming to be the son of Duras, followed by Lursa and B'Etor. Gowron is not pleased. "This is outrageous! Duras had no mate - where did you find him, Lursa? In a harlot's bed chamber?" Toral steps forward : "I will personally cut your tongue out, Yintagh!" (Redemption I) - What kind of a yInTagh bar is this? STK