ideals

[Andrew Strader <strader@decode.is>]

qonta' qonqu'wI' (qonwI''a' ghap):
>This isn't written anywhere. It's not an official rule. It's just the way 
>things are. If you look at canon and think about it, you'll recognize that 
>this just is the way it is. You can argue about it if you like, but it won't 
>change the simple fact that it is this way.

Note well: This message is not directed at anyone, so I am using "you" in the 
generic sense here.

Just because "it" (whatever it is, I didn't check) isn't found in our current 
body of canon doesn't necessarily mean it isn't found in tlhIngan Hol 
anywhere. Canon is not yet all-encompassing, and Okrand has had surprises in 
store for us from the very start. Of course it's good to exercise your 
intuition, like saying, "It seems like -wI' is more denotative whereas -bogh 
is more connotative" (which is what I think anyway), but of course it helps 
if you know what you're talking about. Personally, I was a lot happier here 
when I stopped caring about always being right and stopped thinking I always 
knew what good tlhIngan Hol was, because I didn't, and still don't.

On the one hand we could all be little canon drones, using only grammar that 
is defendibly canonical and easily referenceable. On the other hand we could 
overcome the "poverty of stimulus" paradox in the only way that we ever have, 
and exercise intuition and innovation. I remember asking whether mughojmoHwI' 
was acceptable when I was a one-year newbie, and it was shot down pretty 
quickly. So I forgot about that and moved on. But at least I was using my 
creativity, and that's far more powerful a learning aid than constant 
ruler-snapping corrections.

Obviously no one here (that's sane) is advocating allowing things that aren't 
in canon. And some things are going to sound incredibly awkward, like 
QumnISlaw'wI' (weird, man!) But there are forums where some quality in 
tlhIngan Hol is actually demanded, such as jatmey, QQ, and rigorously 
edited literature like Hamlet. "List" Klingon is going to be the most 
experimental and least correct. If that's not your bag...

vaj ghoHwI' yImojHa' 'ej qonwI' yImojqu'.