tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jul 11 20:55:44 2011
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: Certification Tests
So what is the best way to learn Klingon, and prepare for the certification
tests?
On 6/21/2011 5:17 PM, Robyn Stewart wrote: At 13:56 21/06/2011, you wrote:
jIQochbe'. I haven't heard about hoards of people who have repeatedly
struggled to take the test and failed year after year. I saw the volume of
responses and suspected that they might all be like yours, as I fully
understand how you feel. Certification is certification. I don't for a
momentwant to dilute the demands of the certification tests. I just see a
lotof people who are genuinely interested and trying to learn Klingon with
norecognition to bridge the vast gulf between "Quaplah" and a bronze
certification. There aren't hordes of people learning Klingon at all.
Perhapsmy impression from observations at qep'a' is wrong, but I had the
ideathat most fail on the first attempt, and that many don't dare try. I
certainly wouldn't set any of my qepHomnganpu' at it, despite the fact that
one is writing competent beginner stories and starting to converse. You
don'thave to be an Olympic linguist to learn Klingon well enough to pass the
tests. You just have to want to bad enough to actually learn the language as
well as those who have already passed these tests. I think you also have to
have a certain mental quirk. You know how you some people turn up at qep'a'
the first time speaking Klingon and some come year after year and don't? I
really don't think it's just personal effort, much as we'd like to take
credit for our innate abilities. Some passed it because of unusual talent.
Some passed because of exceptional diligence. Either can be applied
successfully, I'll cede that I haven't administered the tests and I don't
know any statistics. I just chat to beginners before and after them. and I'm
among those who don't feel like going way out of our way to reward the lack
of both. There are other things besides certification for those who just
wantto be part of the club. Like, well, joining the KLI. Be a part of the
club. Make your own dictionary, or now you can even buy one from
Ultralingua,for your Mac, PC or iPad. Buy the books -- TKD, KGT, or the
audiodiscs, PK and KCD. There's a lot of cool stuff for people not
interestedin working hard enough to earn certification. Maybe I'll just make
up some cool things for our meetup group, targets to meet, lists to study,
and make some training tests and local badges that could work them towards
the real certification tests. Certification is supposed to mean something
special. Others have earned it. If you want it too, then earn it. I don't
want to mess with that either. pItlh. lojmIt tI'wI' nuv On Jun 21, 2011, at
4:34 PM, ghunchu'wI' 'utlh wrote: On Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 3:09 PM, Robyn
Stewart <[email protected]>[1] wrote: Is there a blurb available about
thecertification tests or a source of study material that I could link to
formy qepHomnganpu'? http://www.speers.nu/Holtej/klingon/klcp.htm[2]
describes the program and links to information about what is on each level
oftesting. TKD is the only source for Level 1, with a specific list of
vocabulary. Has anyone put any thought into creating some easier levels? I
understand requiring actual competence in the language for certification,
butmaybe something casual learners could achieve? I understand wanting to
recognize those who are trying, but I don't see the point in awarding any
sort of "certification" to someone just because they have a casual interest
in learning Klingon. If a tangible symbol of such interest is desired, the
KLI pin probably fits the need, and the {chu'wI'} "newcomer" level is
assigned by default. Looking at Earthlings and beginner experience, it seems
like even bronze is a pretty stiff bar for some. I realize that merely
urgingsomeone to apply some effort to the task of learning doesn't always
work, but I feel that providing a lower bar is not a proper solution. While
it increases the count of people who can claim to speak Klingon, it is not
compatible with a goal of growing the number of people who DO speak Klingon.
I don't accept that the problem is one of Klingon being too hard to learn.
It's just that effective opportunities to learn are sparse. Creating a good
successor to the Postal Course would probably be a better plan than coming
upwith an easier test. -- ghunchu'wI'
--- Links ---
1 mailto:[email protected]
2 http://www.speers.nu/Holtej/klingon/klcp.htm