[tlhIngan Hol] why we shouldn't do transcriptions

[Felix Malmenbeck]

> So you see how one apparently minor insignificant decision can have
> large consequences many years later.

I would argue that this is actually a pretty minor problem, based on a rather important creative decision.

I use transcription for a number of reasons:

* So that my texts could be read either in romanization or in pIqaD. In some settings, I do so at least hypothetically make texts accessible to "real" Klingons (or even to role-play as one). At other times, it is a purely stylistic choice.

* So as not to break the flow of the language in speech (just as I pronounce my own name differently depending on if I'm speaking in Swedish, English or French, and both pronounce and spell it differently in Japanese).

* To avoid assigning particular priority to a given Earth writing system, and create at least some semblance of even ground for all Klingon-speakers, regardless of their first language.
If Nick Nicholas hadn't transcribed names in his translation of the Gospel of Mark, he'd have had to either fill the text with Ancient Greek names like Πέτρος and Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (which would make it difficult for most of us to read, and give rather a disjointed impression), or to use Roman script (which I'd argue misrepresents the source material).

> If anyone who knows nothing about Klingon, Okrand, our group's
> conventions, or anything, tries to analyze that text - assuming they
> find out the corrected grammar - they will also find that pe'tlhoS is
> Klingon for "Peter".

New learners make incorrect assumptions all the time, and not just in Klingon; language learning is a long back-and-forth of mistakes and corrections, and recognizing differences in usage, among both native speakers and fellow learners at various levels.

//loghaD

________________________________________
From: tlhIngan-Hol <tlhingan-hol-bounces at lists.kli.org> on behalf of Lieven L. Litaer <levinius at gmx.de>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2020 08:25
To: tlhingan-hol at kli.org
Subject: [tlhIngan Hol] why we shouldn't do transcriptions

This is a topic that comes back over and over, and there are divided
opinions: Some strictly say DON'T, others say Why not?

Well, I just noticed a nice event that shows what can happen:
(and even though I may mix up something, It's a good example)

Step 1:
Many years ago, somebody translated The Gospel of John into Klingon.
While doing so, they decided to transcribe many names. One of them is
"peter" which turned out to pe'tlhoS, probably based on Latin Petrus.

Step 2:
Somehow, this text was added to the database of Bing. The software
started to learn and found out the word for "Peter" (which is actually
nonsense, because it's a name that should not be translated, but that's
another topic).

Step 3:
Some lazy workers at FOX studios uses Bing to translate a Klingon
dialogue. And so, the Klingon version of "Peter" pops up in Family Guy!

Step 4:
If anyone who knows nothing about Klingon, Okrand, our group's
conventions, or anything, tries to analyze that text - assuming they
find out the corrected grammar - they will also find that pe'tlhoS is
Klingon for "Peter".

BUT IT'S NOT!

So you see how one apparently minor insignificant decision can have
large consequences many years later.

That's why I still keep insisting that translators should avoid making
transliterations and making up new words as much as possible.

Just my 2 cents on this. I agree that we may disagree.

--
Lieven L. Litaer
aka the "Klingon Teacher from Germany"
http://www.klingonisch.de
http://www.klingonwiki.net/En/StarTrekDiscovery
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