tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Nov 22 22:44:20 1996

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Re: Engishization of Klingon (Was: RE: KLBC a phrase about Honor)

On Thu, 21 Nov 1996 20:11:21 -0800 "Mark E. Shoulson" 
<[email protected]> wrote:
[deleted stuff I agree with]
> >now.  (Am I the only one dismayed by Okrand's musing (threat?) that 
> >Klingon orthography might not be alphabetic?)
> 
> I'm not dismayed.  I rather hope it turns out not to be, and we get a nice
> weird one.  I hope he gives us an excuse to make the alphabetic one "OK",
> like the excuse I use, but I'd be quite happy with a non-alphabetic
> system.  

The problem I have with this fantasy is that I recognize the 
REASON we don't have a writing system. All that crap about Okuda 
not wanting it to be alphabetic is really based on the simple 
laziness that he does not want to have to deal with anyone else 
reviewing his art for accuracy and he doesn't want to give up on 
total control over that art, which includes Klingon writing.

If he wanted it to look REALLY DIFFERENT, then we would not wind 
up with those greeked trading cards which have roughly the same 
amount of text in the Klingon side as we have on the English 
side.

We are never going to get a writing system. Okuda would then 
have to use it and he simply has no interest in working that 
hard. His work goes in other directions.

I respect his work, but I have no respect for his treatment of 
writting Klingon and his insensitivity to the effects of that 
laziness.

We will never get a writing system through Paramount. The only 
writing system we can get is one we make up ourselves, which we 
have already done. We might make up yet another one which is 
based on something other than an alphabet, but it would be just 
as unofficial as the one we already have.

So, we can continue to use what we already have and we can make 
up new ones and in either case, it will not be the official 
Klingon writing system because there never will be an official 
Klingon writing system.

Paramount will make money off a license to use ten characters on 
a BitStream font. That is the end of their interest in a Klingon 
writing system. Deal with it.

Hmmm. Maybe I should start making up one with a unique character 
for each affix, plus a full alphabet for the root words and 
chuvmey... and a layout and shape modification system to replace 
punctuation...

Of course I'll be the only person able to READ it...

> ~mark

charghwI'

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