tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post1006106260182240788..comments2024-03-15T07:23:41.562-04:00Comments on You Don't Say: Apologies to the KlingonsJohn McIntyrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03559687583130468871noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post-52937760954065417082009-11-22T09:47:28.663-05:002009-11-22T09:47:28.663-05:00I'm learning Klingon at the moment myself (I p...I'm learning Klingon at the moment myself (I promise NEVER to go to a star-trek convention dressed as a Klingon), I have found myself drawn to it. Mostly because it is unlike any other languages as far as I know. So I guess its a curiousity that drives me to continue learning. Though I had a really funny experience recently; you know you're a nerd when you send an email of complaint to a website for using incorrect syntax in Klingon XD.Jacob Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11216850146133990470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post-59193837970021130462009-06-05T17:24:56.149-04:002009-06-05T17:24:56.149-04:00Concerning Arika Okrent's new book. In today&#...Concerning Arika Okrent's new book. In today's world, I think that the choice, realistically, for the future global language lies between English and Esperanto rather than an untried project.<br /><br />It's unfortunate, however, that only a few people know that Esperanto has become a living language.<br /><br />After a short period of 121 years Esperanto is now in the top 100 languages, out of 6,800 worldwide, according to the CIA factbook. It is the 17th most used language in Wikipedia, and in use by Skype, Firefox and Facebook. Native Esperanto speakers,(people who have used the language from birth), include George Soros, World Chess Champion Susan Polger, Ulrich Brandenberg the new German Ambassador to NATO and Nobel Laureate Daniel Bovet.<br /><br />Further arguments can be seen at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHALnLV9XU Professor Piron was a translator with the United Nations in Geneva.<br /><br />A glimpse of Esperanto can be seen at http://www.lernu.netBrian Barkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17619597021388228806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post-79816458586156899372009-05-28T12:44:36.728-04:002009-05-28T12:44:36.728-04:00I find this xkcd to be the final word on such lang...I find <A HREF="http://xkcd.com/191/" REL="nofollow">this xkcd</A> to be the final word on such languages. Or maybe <A HREF="http://www.qwantz.com/archive/000191.html" REL="nofollow">this Dinosaur comics</A>. They both make excellent points.The Ridger, FCDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01538111197270563075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post-85671783023687286812009-05-27T23:02:17.683-04:002009-05-27T23:02:17.683-04:00This post seems to focus on only two varieties of ...This post seems to focus on only two varieties of constructed language: the proposed International Auxiliary Languages, such as Esperanto, and the languages invented in the pursuit of logical purity, such as Loglan/Lojban. Klingon, rather than being an exception, is an exemplar of the category containing in my experience the plurality of constructed languages: the "artlang", or artistic language. These are created either for the sheer fun of it, or on behalf of a fictional people. Few are as fully-fleshed out as Klingon - not even Tolkien's languages are so complete - but there are many such languages in literature and film. Burroughs' Barsoomian and Ape spring to mind, and C. S. Lewis's Solar. Of course alien languages abound in science fiction, as do mystical ones in fantasy. The Star Wars films exhibit great linguistic diversity, though several of the alleged "alien" languages are actually natural Earthbound languages that the producers hoped the audience (at the time, consisting of mostly-monolingual Americans) wouldn't recognize.<br /><br />Is this focus a property of the book as well?<br /><br />Mr. Apple: it might surprise you to learn that many of the more proficient Klingon speakers are not overly fond of Star Trek itself; it's the linguistic challenge posed by the language that attracts them. The popularity of the franchise draws a lot of interest, but the ones who actually learn the language are a different kind of crazy.Marcoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00170588816722651862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post-73076595510618717112009-05-27T12:59:28.014-04:002009-05-27T12:59:28.014-04:00I think you've been reasonably fair to Esperanto h...I think you've been reasonably fair to Esperanto here, although you could have mentioned Esperanto's practical usefulness. <br /><br />Anyone interested in taking Esperanto further should take a look at www.esperanto.netBill Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12810992711601197508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post-20147486689440229942009-05-27T11:10:11.341-04:002009-05-27T11:10:11.341-04:00I'm a huge Star Trek fan, but I've never understoo...I'm a huge Star Trek fan, but I've never understood the subgroup that's into the Klingon thing. I'll say this, though: They sure work hard. On their costuming and memorizing their fictional language. Interesting story, John. Thanks!Charles Applehttp://www.visualeditors.com/apple/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post-3681010557071446932009-05-27T10:50:25.419-04:002009-05-27T10:50:25.419-04:00Conversations in Lojban are certainly possible and...Conversations in Lojban are certainly possible and frequent, and we have even had a marriage proposal in the language. The main barrier to Lojbanists becoming really fluent is that there aren't enough other Lojbanists to speak with: it's a chicken-and-egg problem.John Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11452247999156925669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051744883907551402.post-31589109081327540762009-05-27T10:17:14.464-04:002009-05-27T10:17:14.464-04:00You've stepped off onto a slippery slope here, Pro...You've stepped off onto a slippery slope here, Prof. McIntyre. Better you should watch the NBA conference fnals.Buckynoreply@blogger.com