tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Dec 03 21:21:32 1997
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Basic Vocabulary
- From: "Neal Schermerhorn" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Basic Vocabulary
- Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 00:22:53 -0500
Much talk has ocurred here regarding building vocabulary skills. I admit
that my own weakest point in tlhIngan Hol is knowledge of the vocabulary. I
know a few handfuls of words off the top of my head, but I still find myself
flipping through my second torn-to-bits dictionary (now KGT as well) looking
for words. (I have my third TKD, but am waiting till my current one is
completely unuseable.)
Now, we have about 2300 words in the language. I remember reading that the
average English speaker uses about that many words in normal day-to-day
activities. Now, much of the Klingon vocabulary is very specialized, and a
lot of concepts are handled with suffixes, so there are probably half that
number of really common and useful Klingon words that we know of. The
average learner lacks the patience to remember 1000 words like that, and has
no one to talk to outside this list to practice memorization - on the list,
we are able to look up words, in conversation we cannot. So even though this
list is of paramount (vbg) importance in developing language skills, it
isn't that helpful in memorizing vocabulary.
Flash cards, and flash card computer programs, are useful. But when learning
most languages, we start with a small assortment of really useful everyday
words and phrases, then we add to that. But as far as I am aware, there is
no resource to the tlhIngan Hol learner to suggest this vocabulary.
Which leads me to my question. I am not asking for a word list to be
posted - that is not permitted. But it is certainly in line with our mission
for each experienced speaker to suggest their top 25, say, picks for 'most
useful basic vocabulary'. Learners would then have a starting point to learn
a basic set of words, and have a relatively balanced vocabulary to start.
I really am not suggesting we illegally post a vocab list. Rather, I am
looking for a small set of basic words from which we all, beginners on up,
can develop conversational fluency. Again, I think this is well within our
stated mission of education, and not misconstruable as wanton violation of
any copyright.
I have a goal to be able to speak fluently enough to be able to attend the
next qep'a' and participate in conversations with relative ease. (If I can
get the time off to go...) I think part of the means to this end is an
understanding of the basic vocabulary that fluent speakers use most often
(of course, in addition to regular use of the language and careful
consideration of how to think in the language). This would aid understanding
what others say as well as provide a base of vocabulary to use in
conversation - a channel in a sea of words, so to speak.
So, what do you say? ;o)
Qermaq