tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jun 25 15:53:38 2003
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Re: Pronunciation
I tell ya, DloraH, I wish more than anything to be able to go to the qep'a'. But I don't know much about it...I'm only 18 and I probably don't have the money. Would Okrand REALLY be there!?! If I came, you think he could really teach me? I probably won't be able to go still, but can you give me some information about it...
[email protected] wrote:> Is it just me or is pronouncing Klingon difficult? Not because of the
> foreign sounds or weird syntax, but because there is no consistency with
> any of the pronunciation guides. I find that too many programs out
> there have flashcard and pronunciation keys that vary on how to
> pronounce Klingon. One program may say to pronounce a certain letter
> this way, some CD Rom game says differently, and a book contradicts
> both. And of course the actors are no help :) Does anyone else have
> this problem?
I certainly had trouble when I started. For one thing, use only canon sources,
the stuff from MO himself. That will at least narrow down your choices. Don't
use stuff off the internet from people that haven't even met Okrand.
Attend the qep'a'.
> In fact, I try reading the Dictionary over and over again, but I don't
> think Okrand dictates how to pronounce letters very well. How do I know
> what his "non-vibrating throat" sounds in comparison to mine.
The dictionary was never intended to be a complete reference guide.
Come to the qep'a' and maybe Okrand himself could teach you.
> When going to conventions and taking the
> "Klingon 101" seminars, the guys had NO clue how to pronounce Klingon!
> They would pronounce the letter j as if it were French! And I know
> that's not the way it is..."jar," "jug," "jump" not "Jean-Luc."
I've never seen any of these classes given by someone that hasn't attended a
qep'a' and actually spoken the language.
Whenever you see these classes, ask them if they are a member of the KLI. Ask
them if they have ever talked to Okrand about the language. Saying "kwaplaa"
to him going through his autograph line doesn't count.
> So, do
> you Warriors have the same problem, or have you dictated enough classes
> that you know the language pretty well?
Attend the qep'a'. HEAR the language.
> I once read an Internet column
> about the language...can't remember who they quoted but it said that
> Klingon is more of a written language than it is spoken. I think that
> this could be due to the confusion in pronunciation as well as the lack
> of numbers we have in speaking Klingon.
Many of us are very good at reading and writing klingon. We do these e-mails
everyday. Sure, we could talk to ourselves each day; but we don't get many
opportunities to actually meet and TALK.
So simply listing statistics, yes, it is more written than spoken. We have
more e-mail conversations then spoken conversations.
DloraH
Klingon Warrior
taHjaj wo'!
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