tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Dec 09 10:29:04 2001
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Re: Klingon Mode of Tengwar
From: "Jiri Baum" <[email protected]>
> David:
> > As explained in Appendix E of LORD OF THE RINGS, the Tengwar are divided
> > into four series and six grades, with additional letters added.
>
> Note that there actually an extra two grades, with the stem extending both
> above and below the letter - used in the title-page English for the words
> "of" and "the". But you don't seem to need them.
Right. The extended stem grades were commonly used for aspirated
consonants -- but Klingon stops are always aspirated. The extended grades
were also used for variants: it is a possibilityto use #9 with an extended
stem for /S/ and #11 with an extended stem for /Q/. But then, that extra
grade would be the "I don't know where else to put this" grade, wouldn't it?
Somehow, I think it's better to use the additional letters, and admit the
problem right out.
Obviously, we don't need "of" or "the." But letters with extended stems
might also be used to abbreviate oft-used suffixes, prefixes, or even words.
For instance, writing (#4+accent, #4) for /'e'/ seems very time-consuming.
#4 extended might serve better. But including this use of extended grades
is even more arbitrariness I wanted to avoid.
I also kind of liked the fact that one of the problem consonants just
HAPPENED to fall on one of the letters that had its own variant in the
additional letters.
All in all, I'd have to think about using the extended grade. It makes
sense, but it seems just as arbitrary.
> > #33 was an alternate for #11 (though I'd hardly call it a "weaker"
> > sound), so /Q/ will go on #33.
>
> You might also put it on hwesta (12) or even unque (16). Or take a cue
from
> the English transcription and put it on anga (7).
See below.
> > 29=S
>
> Don't forget that silme nuquerna (30) was usually a variant of silme, used
> for convenience when there's a tehta above the letter.
A good point. Doing this makes my name look better. I'll adopt it. When I
get a chance, I'll update my pictures, and I'll probably add the text of my
original explanatory message to a Web page.
> For /Q/, I'm not sure. I probably would end up putting it on unque (16),
> even if it isn't strictly phonologically correct... it's close, and it'd
> stop /'/ being all alone in the calmatema.
Keep in mind that we're already avoiding strict phonological correctness
with the initial postulated consonant grouping: the "dorsal" series really
includes the dorso-velar (H, gh, ng) and dorso-uvular (q, Q) sounds.
Putting /Q/ in series IV would be stretching the point even further. And we
already had that wonderfully convenient variant letter for #11!
On the other hand, I too feel the absence in series IV. Perhaps it would
behoove us to take a more Klingon approach and force /Q/ in there, whether
it likes it or not. Another thing I'll have to think about.
SuStel
Stardate 1940.2