Where did the one find this glossary? It looks to be derived from an old
BBS post known in honor of author Stewart Wiener as
"The Wiener
List Primeval" that still pops up on the net from time to time.
One advantage tlhIngan Hol holds over klingonaase (note the lack of
capitalization) is its doctrine. Decisions regarding what is and is not Hol
are implemented from the top down and scrupulously followed by its users.
In contrast, even amongst its adherents there is disagreements as to what
counts as klingonaase and what doesn't. The obvious candidates for a
definitive source are Ford's books
The Final Reflection (TFR) and
How Much for Just the Planet? (HMFJTP). But what about other
sources? I've seen lists that have incorporated everything from the FASA
RPG material which Ford consulted on through Alan Dean Foster's TAS
novelizations to long-out-of-print zine fic. Some fans hold that only the
Ford material counts; other use klingonaase to refer to any Klingon words
or phrases that aren't tlhingan Hol. Thus coming up with missing words to
the above list is a judgment call. Consider it to be a continuum of
credibility along the lines of the canon wars.
Where I choose to draw the line: legitimate "-aase" is anything from the
Ford novels, the FASA RPG Klingon material (in which Ford had a hand), and
from the novel
Rules of Engagement (ROE) by Ford's immediate
successor Peter Moorewood. Other Klingon material in that vein from the
"golden age" of Trek lit is up for grabs; anything of post-Revision or
fanfic origins is not. Material from
Pawns and Symbols (PAS) is
particularly problematic. Though it gives us a latter-day follow through of
TFR, it is largely confined to a particular world and incident and has its
own vocabulary.
Because there is no official regulating body other than Thought Master Mike
: ) to give us
definitions, the meanings of anything not explained by Krenn or Tagore has
to be inferred from the context of the dialogue. Thus there is room for
interpretation on the part of the reader, and I would take exception to
some of the definitions on zan weslipuqlod's list.
First and foremost, the phrase "Kahlesste kaase" means "Kahless' hand" as
established in the following passage:
"We have one who is not forgotten. His name was Kahless. When his ship was
dying, he had his hand bound to his Chair, that no one could say he left
it, or that another had been in the Chair at the ship's death. Then all his
crew could escape without suspicion, because Kahless had taken on all the
ship's destiny. 'Kahlesste kaase,' we say. 'Kahless's hand.'" -- Krenn to
Spock, TFR, p.161.
Therefore Kahless (not Kahlesste) is the name of the individual, and the
-te is a gentative case suffix (indicating the possessive). Kahless was an
honored military leader until late TNG/early DS9, when the character was
mysteriously sent through a time warp and promoted from ship's captain to
founding emperor. Nowhere in TFR or any other material that I have seen is
there an Emperor Kahless in klingonaase. He made his canon debut as
"Kahless the Unforgetable" in "The Savage Curtain" as a one-note plot
device and was elaborated on in TFR as an early starship captain. Later
FASA materials put the Chair incident during the first Klingon-Romulan war
of the early 21st century and give him a full name: Kahless
epetai-Riskadh.
I also draw a line between kuve (servitor) and straave/straav' (slave) as
presented in TFR. The terms are not interchangeable. Although both are
low-ranking, servile positions, the job of kuve is an honorable one.
Someone (a
lot of someones) has to do the scut work, and if it is
done well and conscientiously it is as valid and honorable a way to serve
the Empire as pressing the firing controls to destroy an enemy warship. A
straave is forced to serve as punishment for bad deeds in this life or "bad
karma points" from another, and is often in the unenviable position of
being one of the captured/conquered or has been reduced to serving others
as a result of personal or family wrongdoings. This is one reason why
"tokhe straav'" is the ultimate insult. Not only is one in a menial
position, but is willing to disgrace the family and sacrifice their own
dignity to do so.
The term "aetheln" (PAS), summarized by zan Klythe in the "What is
Honor" thread as "knowing your role and playing it well", also
factors heavily in the distinction between kuve and straav'.
The -aase is a very nuanced language compared to the Hol. One has to learn
it through observation in context; rote will not do. Though epetai-zana
does indeed mean "honored and exalted one" as defined in the above list, it
is usually used as an insult against one who who thinks they are hot stuff
when in actuality they suffer from an overinflated sense of
self-importance. Use it to address anyone other than an admiral or head of
a prominent House and prepare to be challenged or executed. A tharkuve is
not a randomly deaf slave, but one who has been made deaf by the owner so
that the latter may speak freely of sensitive matters in their presence.
Though vocabulary so far has been limited, look at root words and suffixes
and how they are built upon to change the meaning of a word. Pay particular
attention to khest-, -aase, and the context of what are listed above as
generic profanities when reading. More on that another time.
-aase -- suffix meaning "tool"
agaan -- machinery involved with conducting power generated by the graf
agaanwikh -- someone who works in or with the agaan; by extension one who
works in small, tight spaces on board a ship -- "Jeffries jockey"
(HMFJTP)
graf (perhaps graaf) -- anti-curve rider, the Klingon equivalent of warp
drive
-i -- plural suffix
kherx and khest have several similar and related meanings:
khest -- In addition "to screw up" this can mean to engage in sexual
intercourse, or to be broken or dead (as in "screwed"). I gather khest'n to
be an adverb and khest't to be the past tense form.
khesterex tath -- In addition to "screwed up situation", I got the
impression that this could also mean to have one's back up against the
wall, either literally or metaphorically
kherx -- appears to be slang for "accident"
khex/kh'ex -- broken or inoperative (TFR); a corpse, a "stiff" (FASA)
hakkarl -- vanguard (a klin zha piece) (ROE)
komerex klin -- a vague and elusive quality referring to how the klin
manifests itself within an individual (ROE)
komerex stela -- the Imperial trefoil; the Empire's corporate logo
![](http://"images/smilies/rolleyes.gif")
(TFR)
sliketh -- nasty critters along the lines of big sewer rats that live in
the unmonitered areas of larger ships. Described as one-half to two meters
long with large fangs and/or a spiked tail. (HMFJTP)
tazhat -- flier (a klin zha piece) (ROE)
This is all I have at present to add to the original Ford-related material.
I am sure I have missed things. When I come across them I will add them to
the list. I have more material from other novels that may or may not count
as klingonaase according to differing individual standards. If anyone is
interested I can post that as well.
- Kesvirit
Klingon Imperial Forums
Author
