tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Apr 23 18:56:23 2002
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: Imperial Klingon Vessel
From: "Steven Boozer" <[email protected]>
> Also, I've seen "Imperial Klingon Vessel" abbreviated online to {tlh.w.D.}
> "I.K.V." - no doubt to save some typing - but AFAIK Okrand has never used
> abbreviations when writing tlhIngan Hol, so you might get some flak from
> purists.
It's not a question of purity. The romanized font represents Klingon
SPEECH, not writing. I wouldn't pronounce "IKV" as "ih kuh vuh," but that's
what you're suggesting when you use "tlh w D": I won't say "tlhuh wuh Duh,"
either. I say "Aye kay vee" because I'm naming the letters of the phrase's
native language's writing system, and we don't even get CLOSE to that in
Klingon. Go ahead and tell me how to pronounce "tlh. w. D." I dare you!
Trying to abbreviating Klingon would be like trying to abbreviate Chinese.
Maybe there's a native system to do it, but *I* don't know what it is. But
you certainly wouldn't abbreviate Chinese by abbreviating a Pinyin
transcription.
If you insist on abbreviating Okrand's transcription system to save time
typing, go right ahead. But don't emblazon it on your ship's hull! It's
W.R.O.N.G.
SuStel
Stardate 2310.6