tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Sep 17 06:58:42 2004

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: just use it! (Re: jIb

ngabwI' ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol po'wI']

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 8:32 AM
Subject: Re: just use it! (Re: jIb


>> I believe you're better at this than you think you are.
>>
> I'm getting better at vocabulary, and I know the grammar pretty well, but
> it's not internalized yet.  I fumble a lot before I'm finished. 
> Internalization
> takes lots of practice, especially in speaking and listening (i.e.
> conversation).

Agreed. Not many of us get that opportunity. The qep'a' and qepHommey are 
great for exactly this reason.

> These are the two areas where I do NOT get much practice, even though I
> talk to myself in Klingon (I have lots of time alone) and read aloud.

The tapes also help. With the tapes and KCD, I was able to understand most 
of what was being said at the qep'a', despite it being my first opportunity 
to really hear it being spoken by experts.

>> Because all the noncanon usage in the world doesn't matter one whit if 
>> you
>> want to find out how to use the language. If you wish to find how the
>> language is used, then noncanon is the way to go.
>
> Hunh?  I repeat: Hunh?

I was afraid this might cause some confusion.
Let's say you're in Germany, and you want to learn English. Now, if your 
primary concern is to find out how English is used by English-speaking 
people ("find out how to use the language"), then you would study the speech 
of English-speakers. If your goal is to find out how other German people who 
have learned English use it ("how the language is used") then you'll want to 
study the writings of non-native English speakers. A little clearer? (If 
not, let me know, I'll try again.)

My point is, the "experts" that you are studying really have no special 
insight into words, vocabulary, usage, etc. You have just as much 
information as they do. The difference is the experts have slowly built up a 
model to guide them in their Klingon usage, and these models frequently do 
not agree with each other, and MO could come along at any minute and blow 
everyone's working model out of the water. So noncanon usage is all very 
precarious, and so is not regarded as a reliable source.

>> exist to "standardize" Klingon. We don't even *want*
>> to do that. If several
>> people arrive at the same place while trying to express an idea, so be 
>> it.
>
> I understand and accept this.  If there are several routes to the same
> destination, that's great.  What's not great is when there seems to be NO 
> way to get
> to the destination.  That's when a map by other explorers comes in handy.

And that's when you blaze your own trail, and throw it out there, to try to 
get your point across. Eventually, you get better and better at framing your 
ideas in such a way that translation is easier.

I will be happy to give an opinion on a word, as long as it is clear that it 
is only an opinion, nothing more.

Deal?

I also encourage you to practice your writing by contributing to the story 
thread started by Regina. Stories, in particular, are challenges.

--ngabwI'
Beginners' Grammarian
Klingon Language Institute
http://kli.org
HovpoH 702054.2

Back to archive top level