pIqaD

[jon.brown@bt.com]

> From: oneqtcat@juno.com 
>
> I have read Lawrence's article "Some Comments on 
> Orthography"  on the KLI site as well as what 
> little Mark wrote concerning pIqaD in TDK.  
> A direct quote from TDK, pg 11: 
> "There is a native writing system for Klingon 
> (called pIqaD) which seems to be well suited to 
> the various dialects"    More follows, but AFAIAC 
> this one comment by Okrand made pIqaD official in
> MY mind.  

The thing is I suppose, The word pIqaD is canon so 
we know that Klingons have a writing system but not 
what it is.. We have all seen the symbolism used 
by the other MO on the show but as has been said 
before this means nothing and represents no more 
than a visual.. Okuda stated in HolQeD 1:1 that in 
his mind Klingon i.e. his pIqaD is read from the 
centre outwards but he just does what he feels will 
look good (I haven't got the issue with me so please 
feel free to read it and correct me).

There is also an article in that HolQeD issue re: the 
origins of the KLI pIqaD font  from an allegedly 
leaked document and the KLI used that..

At the end of the day the KLI's pIqaD is as readable 
to a Klingon as is the Romanised representation used 
as canon.

I think I can feel fairly safe to say that:

1) pIqaD is an Canon word
2) The pIqaD characters/symbols are official symbols

3) KLIpIqadmey font is an unofficial use of these symbols

If the KLI had not taken this on board we would 
probably have been faced with all and sundry creating 
their own variation (all would probably have been as 
legitimate as the next)..

> The key word being 'is'.  Not 'might be'
> or 'could be' or 'may be'.  What follows in that 
> page 11 paragraph seems to open doors for more 
> 'discoveries' about the Klingon writing system.   
> I used pIqaD to write the words tlhIngan Hol on 
> the cover of a study book I made for myself.
>
> So maybe if someone did write a note to a Klingon 
> using pIqaD he wouldn't be able to read it.... 

Anyone taking that argument against the use of 
KLIpIqaDmey in my mind is on very thin ice... They 
would fall foul of the whole language in whatever 
format we have so far seen it.. In theory the Only 
writing a Klingon would be able to read would be 
the pattern of symbols shown on the show by Mike 
Okuda.. We don't know what they mean but officially 
speaking they do represent how a Klingon would see 
them... We don't know how to write Klingon so even 
the familiar words in TKD etc would mean nothing 
to any Klingon except Maltz. 

>but 
> I would.  

Thanks to the KLI's foresight we have a standard 
that we can play with and can be translated by any 
terran learns that standard or can convert fonts 
and read it that way.

Long live KLI's pIqaD!!!  }};-)

> ....
> Cat  >^..^<  

qe'San