tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun May 23 17:06:18 2004
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
RE: paghHu'/paghleS
-----Original Message-----
From: lay'tel SIvten
>> You invented an
>> interpretation of "zero days ago" as meaning "earlier today".
>
>Yes, that's what I suggested. I gave it a novel meaning because the
obvious
>meaning ("today") is already well filled by at least two other words.
If you
>don't like it, don't use it.
And if you don't know it don't use it. Hmm. That leaves a very small
group to use it and a very large group to misunderstand it. Sounds like
it is dividing the language more than growing it. Don't get me wrong, I
would like to be able to use the words this way, but it causes problems.
Those of us who have been on the list a long time have seen suggestions
similar to this many times and it has probably begun to wear down our
patience. You've stepped into a long history. I think the FAQ has a
section on creating words, but I couldn't figure out how to access the
FAQ to confirm that.
Many learners seem to go through the stage of learning that you have
reached. I commend you for reaching this stage. We will try to help
you continue to an even more advanced stage. At this point, you have
learned how to use much of the grammar and vocabulary and are wanting to
stretch your linguistic muscles. As you try to push the boundaries of
your current knowledge you begin to notices apparent absences and look
for unstated subtleties. We all understand those frustrations and
temptations.
The problem is that your own attempts to fill the absences and create
subtleties are never as logical to everyone else as they are to you.
And when you attempt to use your creations outside of your own little
Klingon speaking group, you fail to communicate. Don't think for a
moment that this online forum contains a majority of Klingon speakers or
even all of the most influential speakers.
I agree that a language must grow, but you are creating an offshoot, a
dialect, not advancing the language in general. And though this branch
of the language appears to be growth, it detracts from the strength of
the roots. The core of this language is not yet strong enough to
support a large amount of branching. We have found a different way to
grow the language. We instead encourage new learners to continue to
find ways to use the existing rules and vocabulary. The challenge is to
work within the existing limits of the language to accomplish unlimited
communication. As you continue to study and use the language, you will
find ways around the absences and "legal" ways to express your
subtleties. And by advancing to that level you will help strengthen the
language and will help the language survive whatever changes do come in
the future.
Meanwhile, for those who become active in the Klingon Language Institute
and help to promote and advance the language as it exists, there is the
opportunity to be rewarded by being able to present your most annoying
absence for filling by the one person who IS allowed to create at this
time.
Jeremy