[2000­08­27] OCR scanned by Zrajm C Akfohg.

"The Tale of {'I'}", from *{HolQeD} 5:3*, page 14
Interview by Mark Shoulson, September 1996
Klingon Language Institute, Flourtown, PA
ISSN 1061­2327


The Tale of {'I'}

Mark Shoulson

A few weeks before the {qep'a'}, Daniel Morse, a contributor to the mailing
list, happened to mention in passing that the word "{'I'}" was canon for
"armpit." This surprised the hell out of me; I couldn't remember ever seeing
that in any canon! He couldn't supply a source, only said "but I know it's
canon. Really." I, at least, was pretty vocal in my opposition, saying I knew
nothing about it, had never heard of it before, until it's verified I won’t
accept it, etc etc. Other people were saying "Wait, that <sounds> familiar... I
can't place it..."

     Finally, Alan Anderson ran a search on the archives of the mailing list
and found the source. Turns out, I, none other than myself, had used it in a
post once as an example of why you shouldn't make up non­canon words. I
was saying "Imagine you're a newcomer to Klingon, trying to translate a post
to this list, all fired­up with your <TKD> in hand... and you come across a word
that you simply can't find in any source. You flip and you flip, you go to all
recognized official sources, but how are you supposed to know that "{'I'}"
suddenly means "armpit?" It was trying to show that if people make up
their own words, newcomers will be left behind (at least with canon there's a
<single> source: Marc Okrand). Well, that must have somehow managed to get
divorced from its original meaning, as a paradigmatic NON­canon word, and
got associated as a <canon> word. That would also explain why it looked
familiar to people.

     This was amusing enough. Then, at the {qep'a'}, there was a game of
{pegh mu'} going (Password). Contestants had to say single­word (Klingon)
clues to get their partners to say the secret word. At one point, the word was
{noSvagh}, and the audience groaned, whispering "{'I'}" to one another. It was
the perfect clue, but illegal, since it wasn't a Klingon word.

     But that wasn't the end of it. When Marc Okrand arrived, we told him
the tale. He said "Well, you know what the Klingon word for 'armpit' really
<is>? {'I'}!" Later that night he used the word himself, dancing the Hokey Pokey
during the Cabaret. And that, children, is how Klingons got their {'I'Du'}.

[[eof]]