tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun May 13 20:23:54 2001

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More questions (was Re: *Paramount* chaw')

This has become a very interesting discussion for one that started with an 
innocent question regarding permission. Can our Klingon be copyrighted? 
Shift that onto another language: would it be right to copyright Esperanto? 
Or even English for that matter?

Here's a question for everyone: One area I am quite unsure about is the area 
of -wI' nouns and how one should translate them. Is <<ngaQbe'wI'>> good 
grammar for use as "key"? And for that matter, how about <<ngaQwI'>> for 
"lock" (a noun)? As well, in Klingon for the Galactic Traveller Dr Okrand 
gives a word for lava (vaHbo'). Further to that, is there a word for 
volcano? Or for other geological events?

I'd just like to make a statement regarding Chris's post. Chris, you may 
speak whatever form of Klingon you like. But just remember, we all speak 
<<ta' Hol>> here, not obscure dialects. I've heard there ARE other dialects 
that are (partly) formally recognised: Kumburan and Daqawlu' spring to mind. 
But we're using Rumaiym (I believe). What's more though, we're speaking 
using Klingon concepts, not Terran ones (in general). If you use other words 
or grammar devices, they may translate better, Dr Okrand may end up hearing 
about them, or others may begin using them, but you still won't be speaking 
our <<Hol>> until Dr Okrand says so. You might view him as the Emperor of 
the Terran Klingon Empire :-)

He says in Klingon for the Galactic Traveller that the only prestige dialect 
is the one the emperor is speaking. If you do view Dr Okrand as the central 
authority (and most of us do), then it's his dialect that is the best.

Qapla' 'ej Satlho',

ro'Han
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