tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Nov 12 12:16:30 1997
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Re: Letter Pronuciation
Okay, here's my version.
According to [email protected]:
>
> This is very difficult for me and the sounds at the KLI are not proving
> useful for the tougher ones
>
> Does anyone have any advice for the sounds
>
> Q
> tlh
> H
>
First, {H}. This sound does not happen in English, but we do
borrow it from German when we pronounce the composer's name
"J. S. Bach". The "ch" in "Bach" is the {H} in Klingon. It is
much raspier and farther back in the throat than an English
"h". It is similar to the sound some people make just before
spitting.
The command to fire a weapon {baH} sounds pretty much like the
composer's name "Bach".
Now, as has been described, the {q} is farther back in the
throat than an English "k", but is otherwise quite similar to
it. Well, {Q} is basically the same as {qH}.
Notice that {H} has a "soft onset". You start making the sound
as you start exhaling. Meanwhile, with {q}, you stop air in the
back of your throat and build up a little pressure before you
release the sound. Well, instead of releasing into a vowel or
releasing into an English "h", you release into a Klingon {H}.
And {tlh} is, well, just plain weird. Nothing in English comes
anywhere close to it. So, imagine this:
Don't actually do this. Just imagine it, okay?
Now, IMAGINE that you drop a little super-glue onto the tip of
your tongue. [Do NOT try this at home. I AM a professional.]
Okay, now, before it dries, pronounce a normal English "L".
Hold that position until your imaginary superglue dries.
Now, with the tip of your tongue frozen in this position,
pronounce an Engish "T", somewhat forcefully. Since your tongue
can't release from the roof of your mouth, the air has to
escape around the sides of the tongue. That's the basic Klingon
{tlh}. You will fine-tune this sound as you hear it spoken by
other Klingon speakers.
I hope this helps.
charghwI'