tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Sep 17 08:48:01 2004

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Re: just use it! (Re: jIb

MorphemeAddict ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol taghwI']

In a message dated 2004-09-17 10:00:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
[email protected] writes:

> the "experts" that you are studying really have no special 
> insight into words, vocabulary, usage, etc. You have just as much 
> 

I disagree.  They have more experience, and this is a vital difference.  
Granted, I may have the same canon resources as the most fluent and knowledgeable 
speakers, but I still have not built up the same kind of body of experience 
that they have.  They *do* have special insights into meanings and usage, as a 
direct result of using and thinking in the language.  They have more experience 
with recasting, building and understanding compounds.  They have heard or 
invented ways to say things that are not well known otherwise, and certainly are 
not part of canon.  They have been using the language among current-day 
Terrans, whereas canon is almost entirely concerned with 24th century Klingon 
society, much of which is simply irrelevant to us in our day-to-day lives.  

The difference is the experts have slowly built up a 
> 

As I said.  They have developed an intuition for the language.  

and these models frequently do 
> not agree with each other, and MO could come along at any minute and blow 
> 

I regard this last point as irrelevant.  We (and especially the "experts") 
know the state of the language at any given time.  Simply because Okrand may (or 
may not!) decide that some usage is incorrect is no reason to avoid that 
usage or to avoid spreading and teaching that usage.  If he changes something, he 
changes it.  We adapt, and go on.

So noncanon usage is all very 
> precarious, and so is not regarded as a reliable source.
> 
Incorrectly, I believe. 

> >> 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.
> 
> 

I repeat: What's not great is when there seems to be NO way to get to the 
destination.  
Meaning that the trailblazing has been attempted, and the attempt failed.

and throw it out there, to try to 
> get your point across. Eventually, you get better and better at framing 
> your 
> 

This is *precisely* how the experts are different from the non-experts.  And 
why I want their expertise to be more available.  
> 
> 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?
> 
Deal. I sometimes have questions that are not specifically about particular 
words.  I hope your offer extends to those questions as well.  :-)

> I also encourage you to practice your writing by contributing to the story 
> thread started by Regina. Stories, in particular, are challenges.
> 
Indeed they are.  For example, there's some astonishing material in the 
{jatmey} issues.  So far, I have enjoyed Regina's storyline.  
Can just anybody continue her story?  How is a single storyline maintained?  

lay'tel SIvten

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