tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Aug 19 06:52:47 1994

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Re: Translate *that* sentence...



According to Heidi Wessman:
> 
... 
> I'm always having difficulties with the more complex sentences.  Yet if I 
> don't attempt those complex sentences, I'll never increase in skill...  
> 
> ---------------------
> chuQun

My one repeated caution is that all too often beginners want to
focus a lot of attention on complex sentences without ever
putting in any time writing SIMPLE ones, and so they never
learn to write confidently without lots of careless mistakes.
Their complex sentences never get understood and they don't
really learn very much very fast.

If you work with the simple, clear Klingon statements, you
build the vocabulary and basic skills that will make the
complex sentences come more easily. Otherwise, you begin to
think you've mastered the depths of Klingon grammar and
somebody like Krankor walks up, smiles, asks you a simple,
conversational question in Klingon and you freeze, like I did
in Philadelphia, with your mind frozen in a complex maze of
attempts to build an impressive grammatical construction, but
then, what is the Klingon word for... or maybe if I said this
other thing instead... but then I don't know the word for...
What was the question again?

> "What is the Klingon word for <oops>?"

That's what replacement proverbs are for.

charghwI'



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