tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Mar 23 19:15:37 2001

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Re: KLBC: Perfect Sangha

lab Robert

> I didn't mean to imply that grammar was worthless. Remember I am trying to
> practice the Klingon and I need something to say so don't take any of the
> substance too seriously. But relative to French or Greek I think grammar is
> less important (these are the only two languages I can comment on). At this
> stage in learning French & Greek (about two weeks in) I knew a lot less
> about grammar but I knew about the same amount of vocab (very little). To
> read and write French comfortably I have had to develop a lot of grammar,
> long after I had enough vocab to work with. At the rate I'm going at the
> moment (this is a  but pre-emptive) I think I will be comfortable with the
> grammar long before I have enough vocab to read or write comfortably
> (without constant reference to a dictionary).

This is an interesting comment.  I'm trying to analyse what it is about the
respective languages that has given you that experience.  I know French but
not Greek, so I'll look at French.  

French has verb conjugations.  But Klingon has the verb prefixes.  They
present about the same height of barrier.  French does have MORE grammar
than Klingon, but French has more vocabulary, too.  I don't believe the
difference is in the languages themselves.  I think it's in the approach.

Most language courses give you a small amount of grammar at a time, and
then tonnes of examples, until each concept is cemented.  And then they
spoonfeed you vocabulary for each lesson.  TKD hands you all the grammar on
a plate, with minimal examples, and leaves you to go get the vocabulary on
your own, if you want.  It's sort of a linguists approach to language, with
the way the language WORKS being the point, and the actual words somewhat
beside it.

I can make one argument for vocabulary over grammar.  If forced to choose
either vocabulary or grammar for a foray into a foreign language
environment, I'd choose vocabulary.  If you know all the grammar of a
language, but no vocabulary, you are unable to express your thoughts or
needs.  If you know NO grammar, but have a good vocabulary or vocabulary
list, you can get along fairly well.  "Toilet.  Where."  "Leg.  Hurt.
Pain.  Assist.  Please."  You might have trouble expressing more complex
thoughts, though.  

I don't believe you meant that you thought the grammar was unimportant.
There was a time that KLI grammarians didn't think vocabulary was all that
important.  I think there's someone who has responded to your post who once
told me that I needn't bother learning all the words.  The grammar is the
interesting part, after all.  But then as everyone improved at the language
in face to face communications, vocabulary has become essential.  

Klingon is a teeny tiny language.  You can learn all the grammar in a few
weeks and all the vocabulary in a few months if you go at it hard.  So
there's no reason NOT to learn it all.

> A few Questions
>
> 1)Couldn't find a word for example, so I used 'oSwI' as thing which
> represents. Have I missed a more obvious choice?

I often use chovnatlh, but 'oSwI' is understandable, despite also meaning
emissary.
Qov

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