tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Apr 10 17:50:40 1998
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Re: KLBC, Just starting
- From: Qov <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: KLBC, Just starting
- Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 17:48:14 -0700
At 15:41 98-04-09 -0700, valQIS wrote:
}I just received the TKD 4-8-98 and I would like to know if I should learn
}the vocabulary first or the grammar and what other references I can use to
}help me get started.
Excellent question. Learn the grammar first, and then learn the vocabulary.
Once you know the grammar you can look the vocabulary up and memorize it as
you need it. If you just know the vocabulary without having internalized the
grammar, then it's hard to know what to look up in order to parse something
like {pawpu'pa' Duj, loDHom Doy' vIqengmeH cha' naQmey vIlo'}.
There are two techniques I recommend. Whichever one you choose, you will
have to read the entire text of TKD over and over again.
1. The linear approach: Read through TKD in order, and as you read each
section, practice writing Klingon that uses the material. Gradually
incorporate more and more of the language, trying to remember what you
learned before.
2. The hypertext approach: Choose a Klingon phrase from the Appendix section
or from another example and then jump all over the grammar and vocabulary
section to figure out exactly why each syllable is there and why the words
are in that order. Construct a few related sentences, perhaps some that use
the same grammar with different vocabulary, or that change the meaning of
the original sentence slightly.
Use either, both, or whatever works for you. Post some of your work and any
questions to the list.
I DON'T recommend trying to translate things (e.g. pop songs, poetry, works
of literature, bumper stickers, jokes or your grade two primer) into
Klingon. Differences between the languages make this an exercise in
frustration for both the learner and the teacher.
For links to other references, look at the message I sent about 20 minutes
ago, "Re: Hi," in reponse to David Baxter.
}When would it be better to use tlHInganpu' and tlHInganmey; I am assuming
}they are saying the same because mey is for general usage, or is the later
}stating Klingons all over the place.
tlhInganpu' - "Klingons"
tlhInganmey - "Klingons all over the place"
When the noun is a language-using being: (tera'ngan, tlhIngan, be', yaS
...), the normal plural is {-pu'} and the plural {-mey} gives the idea of
being scattered. When the noun is a thing, and not a body part, the normal
plural is {-mey} and any other plural is just plain weird.
Use {tlhInganpu'} to translate "Klingons" unless you specifically ant to
convey the idea that the Klingons are scattered.
Note that the "h" in {tlh} is never capitalized. The {H} as a separate
letter is always capitalized, but {tlh} and {H} are different letters.
P.S. Please try not to attack an html version of your mail to the text-only one.
Qov [email protected]
Beginners' Grammarian