tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Nov 13 18:29:04 1996

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Reply for KAG ship linguists

There have been a few requests of this nature lately.  I don't know which
fleet is mobilizing with what intent, but tlhIngan maHmo' jIQaHqang.

}        I need some advice. I'm supposed to be the Linguist and Grammarian
}for my ship as you people know from my intro and I don't know where to
}begin. The crew doesn't even know how to say Tribble correctly. I don't even
}think some of them have the Klingon Dictionary but as the linguist I have a
}job to teach them. I recommended to my Commanding Officer that I start a
}language lesson column in our Newsletter where  it wouldn't be required to
}take but STRONGLY encouraged to take. And if I thought about it I could come
}up with some pretty complex sentences that would blow them out of the water.
}What I am asking is where do you guys think I should start and what kind of
}format I should use. Thank you for your help in advance.

I am ship's linguist aboard the IKV Fek'lhr's Fury in the Darkfire fleet and
I smile a challenge to all my newly appointed colleagues.  batlh Sutoy'jaj!
Here is what I recommend.

Don't force them to learn it.  Make them want to learn it.  You'll frustrate
yourself into quitting your post if you try to teach proper tlhIngan Hol to
people who are really just interested in yelling unintelligibly while
wearing their costumes.  

Once they decide they are ready to learn, get them all to buy TKDs.  Most
KAGsters will happily spend $15 on a uniform pin or a bottle of liquid latex
for their costumes.  Get them to commit to the language.

Accustom them to the sounds of the language.  Talk to them, yell at them,
swear at them.  Teach them to swear at each other and to at least cry "lu'
HoD!"  Impress them with what Klingon can do, but then slow down and give
them a place to start.

Think of phrases that can be used a lot, even if they are silly ship
in-jokes. Make sure the grammar is correct and then teach them to your crew.
Once they learn vocabulary, they can build around these grammatical
structures they already know.

Make sure they know your limitations.  If you can't be sure of anything you
say that is more complex than a plain object verb subject, and you have to
check the prefix table for that, tell them.  

Continually refer to TKD and listen to the tapes, to avoid developing a
ship's dialect or accent, unintelligible to anyone but your crew.  

Continue to improve your skills so that you can go on helping (or at least
keep up with!) your crew.
---
Qov (Robyn Stewart)   [email protected]    tlhIngan Hol ghojwI'

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