Klingon Houses

[ElimGarak.93-99]

I think the word ‘House’ is just another word for family,
because I don't think that they are just talking about the actual house.

In the DS9 episode 7x07 ‘Once more unto the Breach’ it becomes clear that Martok is from a more 'common' house than Kor, and probably even Worf.
Martok explains to Worf that he blames Kor because he rejected his application to become an officer:
MARTOK: When I was a boy, my family lived in the lowland of Ketha Province. We had very little, but it didn’t matter. We were a family of warriors. 15 generations had served as soldiers of the Empire. But my father had higher hopes for me. He wanted his son to become an officer. It took a great deal of effort, but eventually he found someone willing to sponsor me. I passed my entrance exam on my first attempt and all that remains was approval by the oversight council. A simple formality. My application was rejected by one member of that council, Kor.

WORF: Why?

MARTOK: Kor’s family descends from the Imperial Court itself. Kor is of the blood, born to rule by the divine will of Kahless! And what was I? A boy from the Ketha lowlands. He couldn’t bear the thought of someone like me joining the elite officer ranks….. and with the mark of Kor on my record, I could not join as a common soldier. I spent five years as a civilian laborer aboard General SkiVang’s flagship. Then, as fortune would have it, the Romulans made a foolhardy attempt to board our ship. I earned a battlefield commission.

After this story it's obvious that some houses are more powerful and/or have more influence, than other more 'common' houses.

But what about the ‘Great house of…’
In the Phase II episode Kitumba there is mention about the Great Houses. And Kargh is from the Great house of Mo’Kai. The Great house of… could it mean a family with noble blood?

When you're trying to tell someone about Klingon culture, about houses, but that person doesn't no anything about Klingons. What would be a good phrase/word to use instead of 'house' or 'great house'.

Please let me know what you think.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Think feudal estates. Large amounts of money and property controlled collectively by a rich family.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Think feudal estates. Large amounts of money and property controlled collectively by a rich family.

Yeah, like Game of Thrones(If that point of reference works for you)

 

[T'Girl]

I see them being something like the houses in the novel Dune. There are major house and then there are minor houses.

Your tiny house might own a business like a store or a farm. Next level controls a town, then it's a city, a continent, a planet. The great houses possess multiple star systems.

At a certain point your house is basically the local government. The head of your house is the head of multiple families who are joined through loyalty and marriage. The head who controls a large city or a continent is equal to old European dukes and barons. They have small armies and a few starships.

The heads of major houses are kings and get a place on the Klingon Council. They have their own large armies and fleets of starships.

 

[loghaD]

I think the word ‘House’ is just another word for family,
because I don't think that they are just talking about the actual house.

While not canon, it's worth noting that tlhIngan Hol uses distinct words for these things:

qorDu' = family

tuq = house (ancestral unit)

But what about the ‘Great house of…’
In the Phase II episode Kitumba there is mention about the Great Houses. And Kargh is from the Great house of Mo’Kai. The Great house of… could it mean a family with noble blood?

Great Houses are also mentioned in canon:
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Great_House

I've usually interpreted it to be a particularly powerful house; perhaps those on the High Council, or vying for seats on it.
It could be similar to how parliamentary democracies often have well-established parties that each garners several percent of the vote, and a bunch of minor parties that get maybe a few dozen or a few hundred votes each.

In other words, a Great House might be just that; it's a house, only ... greater.
(In tlhIngan Hol, "Great House" might be translated as tuq'a'. A minor house might be called a tuqHom.)

When you're trying to tell someone about Klingon culture, about houses, but that person doesn't no anything about Klingons. What would be a good phrase/word to use instead of 'house' or 'great house'.

Another person mentioned "estate", which I think is a good option. You might also considee line, dynasty or clan.

 

[Green Shirt]

I think the word ‘House’ is just another word for family,
because I don't think that they are just talking about the actual house.


Please let me know what you think.

I think you are right.

 

[ElimGarak.93-99]

Thanks everyone.

After reading to responses to this thread and the memory alpha link I have a better understanding about the meaning of the word houses/great houses.

I'm going to leave the 'house of...' = family of... and the 'great houses of...'= family estates or noble families, depending on the sentence.