zha riest'n, Mr. Ford!

The Final Reflection

(click for podcast)

by John M. Ford

Ah - I had to re-read this this week, for you see, John M. Ford, passed away this week. A fine writer and highly regarded by friends and readers - if you've not read his books - do it today! This is an example - maybe the best - of what a great writer can do with Star Trek.

In this he created a fascinating view of the Klingons - AND provides us with the first written Klingon dialect! Don't miss it!

What a great writer! Thank you, Mike!

http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/008033.html

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/John_M._Ford

http://www.khemorex-klinzhai.de/Hol/klingonaase.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20050213044240/http://www.pinette.net/chris/startrek/klinaase.html

Here's a table of Klingonaase as revealed in "The Final Reflection"

Klingonaase	Federation Standard
Kahlesste kaase!	Kahless' hand,'' an oath referring to the story of the Emperor Kahless, who died with his hand tied to the controls of his ship in a battle against Romulans.[k]
Klingon	Klingon. Noun only, I think.[k]
Klinzhai	The Klingon homeworld -- not called 'Klingon'![k]
epetai-zana	Honored and exalted one.[k]
fedegonaase	UFP standard language, whatever that is.[k]
federazhon	The United Federation of Planets.[k]
g'daya	to ''damned,'' but probably stronger.(swearing)[k]
g'dayt	Undefined adjectives (gerunds?), roughly equivalent (swearing)[k]
gagny	Damned.(swearing)[k]
hum zha	The Human game, chess.[k]
humanai kuvest'	Either ''human slave'' or ''slave of the humans.''[k]
kaase	Hand.[k]
kai kassai	The same, emphasized. ''Kai kassai, Klingon!''[k]
kai	Hail, or ''long live''. Used often, as ''Kai ''.[k]
kherx	A screw-up.(swearing)[k]
khest	To screw up.(swearing)[k]
khest'n	roughly equal to ''damned.''(swearing)[k]
khest't	roughly equal to ''damned.''(swearing)[k]
khesterex thath	Screwed up situation.(swearing)[k]
khesterex	Literally, ''the structure which dies.''[k]
kleon	Enemy, or opponent. Same, to a Klingon.[k]
klin zha kinta	The Klingon game with living pieces.[k]
klin zha	The Klingon game (in several variations).[k]
klin	That which is Klingon. One can be 'full of klin,' i.e., a worthy Klingon.[k]
klingonaase	The Klingonese language.[k]
komerex Klingon	The Klingon Empire.[k]
komerex tel khesterex	This was an interjection, probably ''grow or die.''[k]
komerex zha	See 'zha' below.[k]
komerex zha	The perpetual game -- life. See 'komerex' above.[k]
komerex	Literally, ''the structure which grows.'' Overtones of ''path,'' or even ''Tao.''[k]
kuve	Servitor; alternative translation is slave.[k]
kuvekhestat	Worthless slave(s). See 'khest' above.[k]
kuveleta	Half-slave; an insult. Klingons mix races freely, but have cultural prejudices against some.[k]
kuvesa tokhesa	I serve willingly.''[k]
nal	Negating word -- as, ''Nal komerex, khesterex.''[k]
parkhest	Damn!(swearing)[k]
rom zha	The Romulan game, latrunculo.[k]
sa tel'ren	Two out of three. One can't assume sa=2 and ren=3.[k]
straave, straav'	Slave.[k]
tai	Worthy, honored.[k]
tai-kleon	Worthy opponent. See 'kleon' above.[k]
teskas tal'tai-kleon	Compliments to a worthy opponent.[k]
teskas	Compliments, praise.[k]
tharavul	Vulcan servitor, lobotomized to remove the Vulcan's telepathic powers. This is done voluntarily.[k]
tharkuve	Deaf slave, unable to overhear secret conferences.[k]
tokhe straav'	Willing slave. Just about the worst insult one can call a Klingon.[k]
tokhe	Willing. See 'straave' and 'kuve' above.[k]
tokhest'	From context, ''if he is willing or not.'' Your guess is as good as mine how much of that is in the -st', and how much is implied.[k]
vird'dakaase	Disruptor. Literally, ''shake-till-falls-apart tool.'' Note the -aase (or -kaase) suffix.[k]
zan	Neutral title of respect; roughly equal to Mister.[k]
zha riest'n	It was a] pleasant game.[k]
zha	Game.[k]

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Music Escape from Quorran III, Revelations Soundtrack by Chris Bouchard