Hello Everyone

[jasonvgriffin]

Hello all, I'm Jason.  I'm new to this forum and very new to klingon language and lore.  I first came to the conclusion that I was interested in Klingon by visiting startrek.com, and by various search engine inquiries i came to klingon.org, then to this forum.  I've decided I'd really like to learn klingon, but I was unable to find software available on the internet to make it happen, I have seen two books on Amazon.com to introduce the reader to the language by Dr. Okrand, but little more than that.  If anyone could help point me in the right direction, I'd be very appreciative. 

Jason

[Kesvirit]

Welcome, Jason!

Many have arrived with the intent of learning the tlhIngan Hol; to the best of my knowledge, few have followed through. The Okrand volumes are, of course, the place to start, beginning with The Klingon Dictionary.

Your quest for fluency will at some point take you to the Klingon Language Institute.
I refer you also to the KIDC's Language Discussion mailing list, Klingonska Akademien, and the tlhIngan Qumem.

There are the  “Conversational Klingon” and “Power Klingon” cassettes; however, I have found these to be little more than pronunciation guides.

If you find other resources, I urge you to add them to the tlhIngan Hol resources outside the KLI list.

{Qapla’}* in your undertaking!

*Success

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Jason,

Welcome...

In Addition to The Excellent Resources Posted by Our Esteemed Kesvirit, I Might Also Less than Humbly Reccomend the Other Two Okrand Language Books that I Know of:

The Klingon Way: A Warriors Guide.

And

Klingon for the Galactic Traveler (Which I have Often Heard referenced but Have Not Picked up myself)...

I am Curious, Are You Wishing to Learn to Speak Klingon Fluently? Or Primarily to Get a Few Good Proverbs and Toasts under Your Belt?

Regardless, Welcome to The Boards!

[jasonvgriffin]

I would eventually like reach a fluent level over a period of time.  I would choose this activity as a part-time hobby.  I am looking foward to it.

[Klythe]

Language Fluency is awefully difficult to achieve without immersion with other fluent speakers.   I've been study Klingon off and on (Okay. mostly off) for about 15 years, and I'm not even remotely fluent, but I am passable with the grammar and the unique concepts that make Klingon a unique language.   This is actually exactly were I want to be.   I don't really have the patience or desire to memorize a bunch of words that mean exactly the same thing that they do in English.   I don't see the point.   For my purposes, vocabulary can be looked up as needed, so long as I understand the other parts of the language such as the grammar, unique concepts, orthography(writing), morphology (word building rules), etc.   I figured a compute can look up words, but only a person can craft meaningful sentence appropriate to the situation at hand.

    I would ask you to understanding the amount of effort required to become fluent in Klingon (some argue that it is not possible to be truly fluent, given that human knowledge of the language is far from complete.  There are still several concepts that are extremely difficult if not impossible to express, although this list has narrowed significantly and slowly continues to narrow).   Perhaps it is worth it to you, perhaps not.   It may be enough of a reason to learn Klingon "because it is there".  Or maybe it might be better to spend your energy climbing Mount Everest.   

    I am not trying to discourage anyone from learning the language.   I just want people to understand that actually achieving fluency takes a lot of effort, and that few tasks that require that level of effort are accomplished without understanding your motivations to learn it.  I do not know anyone who would be able to muster their passions for such a feat without a strong motivation to drive them.

[Tasmir~a Ket]

 I understand that you would think most people would not truly wish to become fluent in Klingon, and i agree w/ you; but there are those of us who don't have a pasttime and find themselves unabled to go out everyday into the world and speak with anyone in any language. Thus we need to find other interests to take up some very boring time and this is my wish to try and understand and speak the Klingon language. I watched all of the originals from Star Trek and always found the language interesting and would like to learn. I am looking for a Klingon dictionary and any books in conversational Klingon. if anyone can help me it would be appreciated.  Tasmir~a' Ket

[Klythe]

     Rereading my message, I realise it's a lot more discouraging than I wanted it to be...  I just wanted people to set realistic expectations for themselves and the effort they are willing to put into it.   Klingon language is just one of many(probably far too many) hobbies for me.  I'm just in it to have fun and satisfy some geeky urges.

    The place you will want to go if you are serious about learning the language is The Klingon Language Institute.  They compile, write, edit, and publish their own materials from translations of Terran literature to a book of grammar articles to until recently a regularly updated quarterly journal.   They also sell all the officially accepted Klingon language materials in addition to their own stuff.   

[SoplaHtaHwI']

Depending on your view, fluency is either attainable or it is not.
Personally I think aiming for fluency is futile. tlhIngan Hol is a language to study and to use to understand other languages. Playing with the concepts and attempting to put works of great authors and/or importance into the Warrior's tongue is a very nice passtime.

If we forget about the Real world, fluency would be attainable, by understanding the language and using it. Ofcourse with other speakers.
If we keep in mind that we are in fact talking about an artificial language of an equally artificial race of beings, fluency becomes Utopia, since there is nothing to act as a ground measure.

Nothing however stops you from going for the grand prize of {pab pIn}, collecting all three pins signifying your level of knowledge...

See http://dspeers.cjb.net/klingon/klcp.htm for more information...

[Kesvirit]

SoplaHtaHwI':  Nothing however stops you from going for the grand prize of {pab pIn}, collecting all three pins signifying your level of knowledge...

See http://dspeers.cjb.net/klingon/klcp.htm for more information...

Presuming one is prepared to attend a {qep’a’}* or scour the planet for a KLI-approved proctor of “intermediate” rank or higher. Makes for a long flight or an even longer drive.

Good thing my personal ground vehicle is a submersible and can go 7K kellicams between fuelings.

-=- Kesvirit


*lit. "big meeting"; used to refer to the KLI's annual meeting

[Edit -- specifics of language are continued in the qepHom'a' (little big meeting) thread]