On Tue, Nov 22, 2022 at 3:17 PM SuStel via tlhIngan-Hol <tlhingan-hol@lists.kli.org> wrote:

On 11/22/2022 8:19 AM, zrajm via tlhIngan-Hol wrote:

Though it makes me think that Klingon 2 might abbreviate even more and just say «je» alone (skipping the verb altogether). – This is a common practice in (at least Swedish) sign language, though it seems a bit weird from an English speaker's perspective.

Do you think that you (prior to this discussion) would've understood if just a naked «je» was used? Or is that to abbreviate too much?

I'd have understood, but just understanding doesn't count for much. If in English I said things like "I want pizza" and "I think that was very nice," and someone with me kept saying "Also!" right after me, I'd get it. That doesn't mean they're using the language correctly.

Weell, from my point of view, being understood is kinda the whole point – or, at least, the Most Important point. :) – Though on the whole I'm more interested in whether people in general would understand, rather than whether or not any one single individual would. (Making the fact that you'd understand an important datapoint, if not the whole picture.)

I've been studying Welsh for a while. Welsh has a gazillion ways to say yes or no, and you have to pick the right one for the right circumstance. If someone asked me Wyt ti'n hoffi cwrw? ("Do you like beer?") and I answered Naddo ("No" about a past-tense action) instead of Nac ydw (literally "I am not"), I would have used the language incorrectly but I daresay I would be understood. I'd just sound like an idiot.

You're right though, I might sound like an idiot. But maybe we all do when we speak Klingon? It's hard to tell what a Real Klingon would think (but It Is interesting to think about).

In a way, since Klingon isn't as thoroughly documented as Welsh, we might have more leeway for making up our own styles of speaking. Though I think the primary purpose of language is communication, and given that, one can't really completely veer off the path that is the known grammar/lexikon. But small scale experimentation (esp. where its not contradicted by canon)? I think that's pretty cool! (And normal for any language.)

But even when I'm experimenting I'm interested in whether I would be understood or not. :)

/zrajm (aka maHvatlh)