Thank you fot the well thought out description of the proper pronunciation of the "tlh" sound; it was very helpful and may just help me get more motivated in learning tlhingon-Hol. I had an idea that it was pronounced that way but without someone to guide me in person it was an uncertainty.
Also, it is very good to know the Bible translation is being taken from the original languages. That is great because it will lend to a more accurate translation. Fantastic!
Well, I hope the next time I write it will be in tlhingon-Hol.
Lawrence
Qov wrote:
At 15:50 98-04-20 -0700, Lawrence wrote:
}I am a sore novice and find the Klingon Language interesting and challenging. I
}took Spanish in school but did miserably in it.Hmm. Klingon is quite a lot different than Spanish, but it's quite a lot
harder. Spanish is very similar to English in vocabulary and verb tenses.
But if you did miserably in Spanish just because you were miserable in
class, maybe Klingon learned for fun will motivate you more. I promise that
almost everything you learn about Klingon grammar will help you in study of
any other language, human or constructed.}I like the idea of the Bible
}being translated into Klingon and am curious as to the progress. How far has it
}gotten and what is currently available for study?I know there are a few people working on it, but that those people are very
busy individuals with very exacting standards, and I haven't heard much
about it in a while. Different people are working on different books,
mostly the Old Testament, I think. The translators are working from the
original languages. I have added to the subject of this message to draw the
attention of the people on that project. (KBTP=Klingon Bible Translation
Project) More information is available at
/kli/projects.html#KBTP I don't know if the project
coordinator reads this list.}Do you have any tips or suggestions as to how to learn the correct way to
}pronounce the "tlh" sound (how to articulate it properly); I have the CD of
}conversational Klingon and the Computer CD of Klingon. The "tlh" sound
seems }to be the most difficult to master.All depends where you start. A couple of the native languages where I live
have the sound, and I learned it as a kid because I was interested in
Kwakiutl totem poles. I think Seattle is properly pronounced Se'atlh in the
Coast Salish tongue. I think {tlh} may be harder to describe than to say.Say "lllllllllllllllllllllllll", a long drawn out ell sound and pay
attention to two things. One: your vocal cords are vibrating, you can feel
them, especially if you put your hand on your throat, and two: your tongue
is touching a point behind your teeth, fairly stationary, although it
vibrates a little, maybe tickling slightly as air escapes around the sides.Now say "t-t-t-t-t-t." You can't say one long "tttt" because the "t" is a
plosive sound, produced by a puff of air. Notice exactly where you put your
tongue to say each "t," and notice that your vocal cords don't vibrate.{tlh} is "unvoiced," that is said without using the vocal cords. Make sure
your mouth isn't dry from saying "t" too much, have a drink of water or
something. Move back from the monitor so you don't spit on it. Now put
your tongue exactly where you put it to make the "t" and force air out, but
not over your vocal cords. Instead of letting your tongue pop away to let
the air out in a puff, as for "t," hold it in place and let the air escape
noisily around the edges, as an "l." The description of saying "t" while
whispering "l" is quite accurate.If you use the CD ROM for pronunciation, listen to the Klingonists on the
language lab section, not to Gowron. Gowron does wonderful things to his
eyes, but his Klingon pronunciation is ... well .. other than ta' Hol.Qov [email protected]
Beginners' Grammarian