tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Aug 04 09:30:19 1995

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: }} KLBC!!!

According to Alan Anderson:
> 
> Chris Nielsen writes:
> >BTW, I've got a TKD - how does having a computer help?
> 
> Having a computer translate words is a LOT faster than looking them up
> in the dictionary.  This isn't lojban, so the computer can't do a very
> good job of translating entire sentences, but what would be the point
> of not having to know the grammar yourself?  I'm relying less and less
> on the computer's assistance as my vocabulary improves, but I often let
> a computer program analyze a string of words into English phrases, and
> then I use my knowledge of the grammar to read the meaning.

While I do not wish to sound like I'm saying this is wrong (I
actually believe this approach is excellently valid), I'll
offer the perspective that if manually looking up words is
inconvenient, this adds a stress that will help you memorize
the words faster. Some people use the computer translator as
such a crutch that they simply never read or write any Klingon
without the computer and they never learn vocabulary.

For myself, I used the computer in order to compile a single,
sorted word list. I used a word processor (Microsoft Word has
some features that really help this) to enter each word in the
Klingon/English side, then copy it and reorder the words in the
English/Klingon side, making additional copies for all words
with multiple definitions. I did all this while just working
with the Klingon/English side of TKD.

I then checked the resulting word list in my computer
dictionary against the English/Klingon side of TKD. I marked
all exceptions with comments in [square brackets]. I then added
all the words in the addendum, marking {in curly braces} that
this was the source, so if I use such a word and somebody asks
where I got the word, I can always find my way back to the
source for verification. The only words without such a source
reference are those from the original TKD word list.

I then added all the words from HolQeD or the audio tapes or
SkyBox cards or wherever I hear about them, and I always note
the source.

Creating this dictionary significantly improved my vocabulary
because when you read every single word closely enough to
retype it, you tend to remember whether or not a word exists,
even if you don't remember what it is, so it becomes easier to
look things up.

And if you really want, you can use the word processor's search
feature to find words online, if you don't care to thumb
through pages. I personally find paper just about as fast and
much more portable.

>  -- ghunchu'wI'

charghwI'
-- 

 \___
 o_/ \
 <\__,\
  ">   | Get a grip.
   `   |

Back to archive top level