tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jun 17 12:16:04 2002
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Re: Translating vs. Thinking
ja' Qov:
>I disagree. Translating your ideas is a poor way to practice, because it
>encourages you to think in your own language...
I had some trouble with this advice when I read it, because I've always
encouraged people to put forth their own ideas rather than translate
someone else's. But I quickly realized that what I've really been telling
people is to *compose* their own ideas using what Klingon they know, rather
than translating anything.
>Practice from inside the language, not from outside.
Translating into Klingon can still be worthwhile, but the example sentences
should be chosen appropriately. Different sentences will be appropriate for
different people at different stages of learning. Beginners don't know how
to choose such sentences well (one of Qov's talents is that she *does* know
how).
Translation *from* Klingon in general is a very useful exercise for
learning. As long as the text is well-written, it will help to internalize
the grammar *much* better than translating from English (or other
language). Providing large chunks of well-written Klingon was one of the
goals of the Qo'noS QonoS project. However, it's hard to find the
motivation to keep writing articles when there isn't any feedback on how
people are receiving them. It's incumbent on the skilled speakers out here
to make themselves useful (noblesse oblige, or some such concept), but the
readers should take some initiative as well.
DaH pevang! jatlhchu'wI'pu', peqonqa'. laDwI'pu', pechovchoH.
Ha'! Holmaj wIyInmoHchu'!
-- ghunchu'wI'