tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Nov 28 16:45:57 1994
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Re: please pay some respect to lingual minorities
- From: Bill Crim <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: please pay some respect to lingual minorities
- Date: Mon, 28 Nov 1994 16:41:26 -0800 (PST)
- In-Reply-To: <[email protected]>
On Mon, 28 Nov 1994, Sami Laitala wrote:
> After subscribing THLINGAN-HOL, I received an interesting
> file. I'd like to comment on a few lines in it that annoyed
> me.
>
> > There are basically two kinds of postings that will <
> > appear on this list: <
> > <
> > - Messages about anything, written in Klingon <
> > - Messages about Klingon, written in English <
>
> This gives me an impression that only these languages are
> allowed. I would find that attitude rather awkward since I
> know that people who subscribe and contribute articles to
> thlingan-hol mailings also contribute to such lists as
> esperanto, welsh-l and conlang and I know several subscribers
> of thlingan-hol can read Finnish. It would be a FAIR REQUEST
> to include an English translation or abstract from those
> people, who would feel more confident expressing themselves in
> some other language than English. Non-native English speakers
> like myself can't necessary follow all the hair-splitting
> argumentation on Klingon grammar.
Since this list is originating in, and has most of its subscribers in the
United States, I don't think it is at all unreasonable to require only
Klingon/English postings. Granted, there are subscribers from other
countries and differing languages, but it is courtesy when posting to a
list in the US, about a show in the US, whose major users are in the US,
that a little concideration should be granted on your part.
>
> Having said all this I realize that it wasn't meant that way,
> yet I feel offended by suggestion that my language isn't as
> good means of communication as English. Or if it's not that
> then learning Klingon is a privilege of English speakers only,
> and all the others should keep away. Even though this is a
> serious topic, my little remark is not meant to be taken too
> seriously, yet I would like to see those lines changed into
> something more respectful toward speakers of other languages.
No one has made any suggestion about whose language is better. It was
not implied, nor should you feel offended in any way. The stipulation
about english is for the benefit of the majority of subscribers. You
should feel no more slighted by this, that by the fact that Star Trek is
in English, and not Finnish, French, or German.
>
> Even though I can't understand a word of Klingon yet, it seems
> to me that Klingon is agglutinative language like Finnish. (Is
> it?) the idea alone gives me a thrill...
I have no idea.. :-) hehehe I just make sure not to have food in my
mouth when I speak it... I don't want to agglutate all over someone...
> By the way, is there any lingual minorities within the Klingon > Empire,
I just wonder, eh...? > > Sami, > > [email protected]
In the shows, no I don't think there is mention, but I don't read the
books, so I can't speak to that... There is a priest class, so perhaps
they have a language of their own(based on ancient Klingon from the time
of Kaless)
The main jist of the note I am responding to is why only in English...
hehehe the main reason... The only canonical translation(i.e. Paramount
approved) is in English. So it is moot to talk about things in any
language other than English, 'cause we will consider it Black Heresy
against Paramount.. :-) heheh
---------------------------------------------------
William Crim === Gog_Magog on IRC
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