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BUILD A BETTER VOCABULARY
Words posted by @kairosoflife on Twitter
under the hashtag #beautifulwords
This section is still under construction. The word lists are slowly being transferred here from Creativity Chaos
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The Language of Star Trek
Languages are constructed for television and movies frequently by writers to bring originality to a production. Words are created (like ‘mudblood’ and ‘apparate’ for Harry Potter) to give meaning to themes and concepts, provide authenticity for alien races or just to add color to our own language. But few productions went to the extent Star Trek did for the Klingon race. Most languages created for fictional worlds involve simple vocabulary substitutions, such as in A Clockwork Orange, or meaningless streams of noise, like the high-pitched jabbering of the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi. But Star Trek commissioned a complex, fully developed language complete with an alphabet, a rich and diverse vocabulary, grammar, figures of speech, and even regional dialects and slang. The vocabulary has 36 verb suffixes and 26 noun suffixes.
Klingon was not the first language created. Goric Vulcan was first and it was created by the same linguist as Klingon, Marc Okrand.
LANGUAGE OF KLINGON
The Klingon language (tlhIngan Hol) sometimes called Klingonese, is the constructed language spoken by the fictional Klingons in the Star Trek universe. Kronos is the name of the Klingon homeworld. In Klingon it is spelled Qo'noS
The language first appeared on-screen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).
Klingon derived from the original language spoken by the messianic figure Kahless the Unforgettable, who united the Klingon home-world of QoʼnoS under one empire more than 1500 years ago. The language was created by Marc Okrand, a linguist from the United States, who specializes in Native American languages. The language he developed has its own grammar, vocabulary, alphabet, figures of speech, even regional dialects as well as slang.
The Klingon language was developed to be guttural and harsh and the creators wanted it to be unusual, so they selected sounds that combined in ways not generally found in other languages.
KLINGON WORDS
When you think of the Klingon as fierce warriors who love to fight battles then you can conjure up words to associate with them. Words of darkness (HurghtaHghac).
For example:
But if you look further into their language you will find the light (wo).
KLINGON PHRASES
While fighting, only power is not enough.
Suvlu'taHvIS yapbe' HoS neH
This day is good in order to die.
Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam
If winning is not important, why keep score?
potlhbe’chugh yay qatlh pe’’eghlu’.
Own the day
jaj vIghaj
Peace may cost less than war, or infinitely more, for war cannot cost more than one's own life.
nay'ngaqbe' veS, chu'wI' chaq cost roj joq infinitely law' yIn wa' lach'eghDI' pagh cost latlh noH.
Revenge is a dish best served cold
bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'
KLINGON INSULTS AND CURSES
The Klingon are known for their strong curses and insults. In fact they make a game out of it. Curse warfare (in Klingon: mu'qaD veS) is a game of cursing between Klingons.
INSULTS
Dejpu'bogh Hov rur qablIj!
Your face looks like a collapsed star
ghe'torDaq luSpet 'oH DaqlIj'e'!
You belong in a black hole in the underworld
HoS lI' Dalo'Ha'chu'!
You are a total waste of energy
targhlIj yab tIn law' no'lI' Hoch yabDu' tIn puS!
Your targ has more brains than all your ancestors together
ghe'torDaq luSpet 'oH DaqlIj'e'
You belong in a black hole in the Netherworld!
CURSES
In The Klingon Dictionary curses are divided into two types: epithets (name calling) and invectives (general curses said in anger)
The most used epithet is P'takh (petaQ) and it loosely translates to "weirdo," and is derived from the verb "to be weird" (taQ)
Epithets
LANGUAGE OF VULCAN
Linguist Marc Okrand invented the Klingon and Vulcan languages as heard in the Star Trek films and TV series, beginning with a Vulcan-dialogue scene in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in 1982. He published the first edition of The Klingon Dictionary in 1985. There are more than 100 dialects of the Vulcan language.
The Golic Vulcan language is more phonetically logical in structure than English. it is a "syntactic language", meaning sentence construction and word order can determine shades of meaning.
There is an alphabetical character for each unique consonant sound and there are five vowels which can combine into diphthongs.
VULCAN WORDS
VULCAN PHRASES
T'Ish hokni'es kwi'shoret
I sense the consciousness calling to you from space...
T'I kilko-srashiv kitok-wilat
He must search elsewhere for his answer.
Dif-tor heh smusma, Spohkh
Live long and prosper, Spock
Ozhika -- palik t'kau, ri shaht
Logic (is the) beginning of wisdom, not (the) end.
Nahp – hif-bi tu throks
Your thoughts... give them to me
Nam-tor nash-veh Vuhlkansu, pukeshta na'sochya
I am a Vulcan, bred to peace
Ri nam-tor veh vi ri ma dotor svi'tehvar t'pulau runlar t'veh
A man who does not have a plan is at no risk of accomplishing his dreams
Storau na'grazhiv
Develops to dust
Dungi tan-tor nash-veh ek’t'ki'run-tor du
Ill give you everything you’ve been dreaming of
Shena Tev. Fai-tor nash-veh ish
All that rises will fall, this I know
A'le dvin-tor vular on
Do you still believe in one another
Pak run heh pak kae
Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind
Goh aitlun urulau nash-veh kuv urulaya s'kanok-vei
I only want to sing if I sing with everything
Sarlah ha-kel na'du brax
Dream life comes at you fast
Lates ko-veh svi'muhs
She walks in the fog
Ri aitlun sahr-tor s'e'shua t'nash-veh
I don’t want to run from my demons
Wi fai-tor nash-veh u'sa'hat, aitlun gla-tor nash-veh kuv nash-veh ritor
I already know what giving up feels like. I want to see what happens if I don’t
SEE KLINGON AND VULCAN IN ACTION WITH SHAKESPEAREAN TRANSLATIONS
These translations were done with a translator. I can’t guarantee the grammar with certainty but they are fun to look at!
The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
Klingon: morgh jawvam 'Iq, vIHar
Vulcan: Wuh t'sai doth protest nuh' mau, methinks
To be or not to be that is the question
Klingon: ‘e' mu'tlheghvam 'e' yu'
Vulcan: Tor nam-tor il ri tor nam-tor ik tor wuh deshker
All that glitters is not gold
Klingon: Hoch 'e' glitters 'oHbe' gold
Vulcan: Ek' ik glitters nam-tor ri kin-tukh
The course of true love never did run smooth.
Klingon: muSHa'ghach teH He not qet Hab.
Vulcan: Wuh rivak t' yeht ashaya worla did sahr-tor mos
What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
Klingon: nuq neH pong? He' HoSHa'bogh pong latlh pong rose pong maH je quv.
Vulcan: Ra's svi' wuh ahm? ik ik etek vutau wuh she-tor k' fan vath ahm would fnish-tor u' slor
This above all: to thine own self be true
Klingon: ghu'vam wovbe' Hoch: poSjaj lach'eghDI' SoHDaq teH
Vulcan: Nash abru' ek': tor thine sha' shal nam-tor yeht
There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so
Klingon: pa' pagh QaQ, pagh qab 'ach pagh yIqaSmoH
Vulcan: Tra' nam-tor nothing either rom il rasahkos, hi thinking tor ish-veh ni
Brevity is the soul of wit
Klingon: toH SovlaHvaD qa'botlh
Vulcan: Brevity tor wuh soul t' wit
All the world 's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
Klingon: qo' Hoch mIw, Hoch loD 'ej be' DawI'pu' neH.
Vulcan: Ek' wuh panu 's wuh skaf, heh ek' wuh sasu heh kosu goh hahf
Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow
Klingon: Qapla', Qapla'! parting luDanlaw' quv 'IQ, vaj Qapla' vaj ghIq wej nuqneH
Vulcan: Rom mu-yor, rom mu-yor! parting tor such slor sorrow, ik i dungau tar rom mu-yor till ish-veh nam-tor morrow
We know what we are, but know not what we may be
Klingon: Dotlhmaj DISov 'ach wej chaq DujlIj maH
Vulcan: Etek fai-tor ra etek nam-tor, hi fai-tor ri ra etek lau nam-tor
Klingon was not the first language created. Goric Vulcan was first and it was created by the same linguist as Klingon, Marc Okrand.
LANGUAGE OF KLINGON
The Klingon language (tlhIngan Hol) sometimes called Klingonese, is the constructed language spoken by the fictional Klingons in the Star Trek universe. Kronos is the name of the Klingon homeworld. In Klingon it is spelled Qo'noS
The language first appeared on-screen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).
Klingon derived from the original language spoken by the messianic figure Kahless the Unforgettable, who united the Klingon home-world of QoʼnoS under one empire more than 1500 years ago. The language was created by Marc Okrand, a linguist from the United States, who specializes in Native American languages. The language he developed has its own grammar, vocabulary, alphabet, figures of speech, even regional dialects as well as slang.
The Klingon language was developed to be guttural and harsh and the creators wanted it to be unusual, so they selected sounds that combined in ways not generally found in other languages.
- It was deliberately designed to sound "alien",
- Okrand used several uvular, velar and retroflex consonants that are rare in natural languages. He also combined the sounds from dissimilar languages but making them sound like they were from one language.
- “Klingons are not human therefore their language should not sound human as well. But since the words will be spoken by human actors, he added sounds that are not usually found in most human languages. [1]
- “Klingons are tough characters because they are warriors. They are mostly violent, crude, rough but honorable. They live to fight in the battlefield. Thus, Okrand created the language rich in vocabulary of war, with many sounds coming from the back of the throat.” [1]
- He borrowed grammar from some natural languages, and sentence structure rules from others. He picked sounds from many languages to ensure that Klingon was unique.
- The language has 5 vowels, 21 consonants, 29 prefixes, 26 noun suffixes and 36 verb suffixes.
- Klingon word order is object-verb-subject.
- Words are a combination of lower and upper cases, with the upper case indicating emphasis on the syllable
- The result of Marc Okrand's work is a language that sounds like a combination of Yiddish, Tlingit, Arabic, Hindi, Mohawk, Turkish and Japanese.
KLINGON WORDS
When you think of the Klingon as fierce warriors who love to fight battles then you can conjure up words to associate with them. Words of darkness (HurghtaHghac).
For example:
- action: vangta'ghac
- adversary: jag
- avenge: borta
- battle: may
- betray: mag
- blood: ‘lw
- charge: yo
- darkness:
- enemy: jaghpu
- fear: taHvI
- fought: Suvta
- power: ho
- rulers: DevwIpu
- soldiers: mangpu
- strength: ho
But if you look further into their language you will find the light (wo).
- angels: Duy''a'pu
- beauty: IhtaHghac
- comfort: belmoH
- belief: voqghach
- beloved: parmaqqa
- blessed: ghurta
- endures: SIQta
- faith: HartaHghac
- family: qorDu
- friend: ju
- forever: reH
- God: joH'a
- goodness: qa
- Heaven: Cha
- honor: HurghtaHghac
- kindness: pung
- knowledge: so
- light: wo
- love: muSHa
- prosperity: ml
- rejoice: yItIv
- righteous: QaQtaHghac
- sacrifice: nobme
- sanctuary: Daq Qa
- soul: qa
- star: hov
- wisdom: valtaHghac
- adanji is type of incense used only for Mauk-to'Vo meaning a ritual to restore honor in the afterlife
- batlh Hegh means ‘die with honor’
- bat'leth is a sword of honor
- buStaHmo' means imagination
- jinaq is a pendant given to a young Klingon female old enough to take a mate
- kyamo means ‘beautiful’
- maj ram means ‘good, it is night!’
- not yap wa' Hol means ‘one language is never enough’
- par’Machkai is a term of endearment, used to refer to one's mate
- parmaq means ‘love’ and qamuSHa means ‘I love you’
- quv puq chun means ‘sweet innocent child’
- wo’ batlhvaD means ‘for the honor of the Empire’
- ylnajchu' means ‘dream perfectly’
KLINGON PHRASES
While fighting, only power is not enough.
Suvlu'taHvIS yapbe' HoS neH
This day is good in order to die.
Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam
If winning is not important, why keep score?
potlhbe’chugh yay qatlh pe’’eghlu’.
Own the day
jaj vIghaj
Peace may cost less than war, or infinitely more, for war cannot cost more than one's own life.
nay'ngaqbe' veS, chu'wI' chaq cost roj joq infinitely law' yIn wa' lach'eghDI' pagh cost latlh noH.
Revenge is a dish best served cold
bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'
KLINGON INSULTS AND CURSES
The Klingon are known for their strong curses and insults. In fact they make a game out of it. Curse warfare (in Klingon: mu'qaD veS) is a game of cursing between Klingons.
INSULTS
Dejpu'bogh Hov rur qablIj!
Your face looks like a collapsed star
ghe'torDaq luSpet 'oH DaqlIj'e'!
You belong in a black hole in the underworld
HoS lI' Dalo'Ha'chu'!
You are a total waste of energy
targhlIj yab tIn law' no'lI' Hoch yabDu' tIn puS!
Your targ has more brains than all your ancestors together
ghe'torDaq luSpet 'oH DaqlIj'e'
You belong in a black hole in the Netherworld!
CURSES
In The Klingon Dictionary curses are divided into two types: epithets (name calling) and invectives (general curses said in anger)
The most used epithet is P'takh (petaQ) and it loosely translates to "weirdo," and is derived from the verb "to be weird" (taQ)
Epithets
- Qovpatlh
- taHqeq
- toDSaH
- yIntagh
- ghuy' (like ‘damn’)
- ghuy'cha'
- Hu'tegh
- QI'yaH (strong and vulgar curse)
- Qu'vatlh (said in moments of extreme anger)
- va (shortened form of Qu'vatlh used to show slight anger)
LANGUAGE OF VULCAN
Linguist Marc Okrand invented the Klingon and Vulcan languages as heard in the Star Trek films and TV series, beginning with a Vulcan-dialogue scene in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in 1982. He published the first edition of The Klingon Dictionary in 1985. There are more than 100 dialects of the Vulcan language.
The Golic Vulcan language is more phonetically logical in structure than English. it is a "syntactic language", meaning sentence construction and word order can determine shades of meaning.
There is an alphabetical character for each unique consonant sound and there are five vowels which can combine into diphthongs.
- The verb usually comes first. But the verb can also move to show emphasis.
- Basic words and roots are put together to make new words,
- Most compound words have a " - " ("pakh", similar to a hyphen) separating their roots.
- Prefixes and suffixes are added to words (simple or compound) to modify them. Nearly all words corresponding to prepositions are prefixes.
- Most words come in what are called verb-noun word pairs. If you know the verb, you can often determine the related noun, or vice versa.
- Subjects are placed before objects in the sentence. The language is"contextual" in that understood or previously mentioned things are seldom repeated, unless needed for emphasis.
- Vulcans usually find it wasteful to use more words than are truly necessary to get a point across. Normally full word usage is only done in teaching situations or formal literature.
- The alphabetic system is made up of 27 symbols in all.
- Invectives, which are basically a way to "vulgarize" words, are extremely rare in contempory usage because of the distaste Vulcans feel in its use and even existence.
- Vulcan words are formed by a series of sounds, each represented by a symbol. All are all mathematical symbols, or groups of symbols.
- In words with 2 syllables, the stress gererally falls on the first syllable or vowel. In words with 3 or more syllables, the stress usually falls on the second syllable or vowel.
- In a Vulcan sentence or clause, the verb is placed at the end, and its grammatical order is subject+object+verb.
- In Vulcan there is only one expression for all three persons, singular or plural, of each verb tense. All Vulcan verbs end with the prefix "sha”
VULCAN WORDS
- aitlu means to ‘feel or have a strong desire; to expect and wish’
- ap Lau is a place of eternal peace or heaven
- ashai is a ‘special loved one’ or a ‘beloved’
- Ashaya t'nash-veh. Love of mine
- ashaya is a deep and tender feeling of affection towards someone
- buk -bosh is something prophetic; having important consequences, decisive or controlled as if by fate
- chaya t'not is an expression of gratitude; equivalent to English "Thank you".
- Dau u'run means ‘feels like a dream’
- Dva-tor ‘to believe, believing’
- dvubolaya is a state of motivation
- guhl’es is a state of confidence and hope that events will be favorable; having belief in yourself and your abilities
- hakar is a physical or mental strength, energy, or force; strong feeling of enthusiasm or intensity
- Hamlan is the Great Oasis which is a concept of paradise
- itaren means to ‘express gratitude’ and ‘give thanks’
- kah -ka means ‘bond in marriage’
- Kal’i’farr is the legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife; the state of being married.
- Kel'o Shal means ‘comfort zone’
- katra means ‘the living essence; a combination of soul and memory’
- kethtra are accumulated facts, traditions or beliefs about a subject; a knowledge acquired through education or experience
- Kmun Katra means ‘naked soul’
- kohl-tor means to train, calm or empty the mind; achieving an altered state in mediation by focusing on a single object
- Kors'uh panu means ‘save the world’
- kropaya is an imagination unrestrained by reality; a wild fancy
- K'ug'yel t'du means ‘with your sunshine’
- mak is an intense or ecstatic happiness; for a source of pleasure or satisfaction
- moi -kom is a state of serenity; a disposition free from stress or emotion; the absence anxiety
- mu -yor is the period between sunset and sunrise, the hours of darkness
- Naraya is a group gathered together for the express purpose of taking in music, poetry, dance or some other performance art.
- okrand is an expression of congratulations
- orenau means to to apply one's mind purposefully to the acquisition of knowledge or understanding of a subject
- T'hai'la t'nash-veh means friend of mine.
- trufemu is one who suffers or dies in order to further a belief, cause, or principle
- tupa is something to be learned; an experience, example or observation that provides beneficial knowledge or wisdom
- v’ree’lat means searching/sorting to bring order one's thoughts and clear one's mind
- Yel-ha'gel means ‘starlight’
- Zahal'uh nash-veh means ‘follow me’
VULCAN PHRASES
T'Ish hokni'es kwi'shoret
I sense the consciousness calling to you from space...
T'I kilko-srashiv kitok-wilat
He must search elsewhere for his answer.
Dif-tor heh smusma, Spohkh
Live long and prosper, Spock
Ozhika -- palik t'kau, ri shaht
Logic (is the) beginning of wisdom, not (the) end.
Nahp – hif-bi tu throks
Your thoughts... give them to me
Nam-tor nash-veh Vuhlkansu, pukeshta na'sochya
I am a Vulcan, bred to peace
Ri nam-tor veh vi ri ma dotor svi'tehvar t'pulau runlar t'veh
A man who does not have a plan is at no risk of accomplishing his dreams
Storau na'grazhiv
Develops to dust
Dungi tan-tor nash-veh ek’t'ki'run-tor du
Ill give you everything you’ve been dreaming of
Shena Tev. Fai-tor nash-veh ish
All that rises will fall, this I know
A'le dvin-tor vular on
Do you still believe in one another
Pak run heh pak kae
Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind
Goh aitlun urulau nash-veh kuv urulaya s'kanok-vei
I only want to sing if I sing with everything
Sarlah ha-kel na'du brax
Dream life comes at you fast
Lates ko-veh svi'muhs
She walks in the fog
Ri aitlun sahr-tor s'e'shua t'nash-veh
I don’t want to run from my demons
Wi fai-tor nash-veh u'sa'hat, aitlun gla-tor nash-veh kuv nash-veh ritor
I already know what giving up feels like. I want to see what happens if I don’t
SEE KLINGON AND VULCAN IN ACTION WITH SHAKESPEAREAN TRANSLATIONS
These translations were done with a translator. I can’t guarantee the grammar with certainty but they are fun to look at!
The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
Klingon: morgh jawvam 'Iq, vIHar
Vulcan: Wuh t'sai doth protest nuh' mau, methinks
To be or not to be that is the question
Klingon: ‘e' mu'tlheghvam 'e' yu'
Vulcan: Tor nam-tor il ri tor nam-tor ik tor wuh deshker
All that glitters is not gold
Klingon: Hoch 'e' glitters 'oHbe' gold
Vulcan: Ek' ik glitters nam-tor ri kin-tukh
The course of true love never did run smooth.
Klingon: muSHa'ghach teH He not qet Hab.
Vulcan: Wuh rivak t' yeht ashaya worla did sahr-tor mos
What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
Klingon: nuq neH pong? He' HoSHa'bogh pong latlh pong rose pong maH je quv.
Vulcan: Ra's svi' wuh ahm? ik ik etek vutau wuh she-tor k' fan vath ahm would fnish-tor u' slor
This above all: to thine own self be true
Klingon: ghu'vam wovbe' Hoch: poSjaj lach'eghDI' SoHDaq teH
Vulcan: Nash abru' ek': tor thine sha' shal nam-tor yeht
There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so
Klingon: pa' pagh QaQ, pagh qab 'ach pagh yIqaSmoH
Vulcan: Tra' nam-tor nothing either rom il rasahkos, hi thinking tor ish-veh ni
Brevity is the soul of wit
Klingon: toH SovlaHvaD qa'botlh
Vulcan: Brevity tor wuh soul t' wit
All the world 's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
Klingon: qo' Hoch mIw, Hoch loD 'ej be' DawI'pu' neH.
Vulcan: Ek' wuh panu 's wuh skaf, heh ek' wuh sasu heh kosu goh hahf
Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow
Klingon: Qapla', Qapla'! parting luDanlaw' quv 'IQ, vaj Qapla' vaj ghIq wej nuqneH
Vulcan: Rom mu-yor, rom mu-yor! parting tor such slor sorrow, ik i dungau tar rom mu-yor till ish-veh nam-tor morrow
We know what we are, but know not what we may be
Klingon: Dotlhmaj DISov 'ach wej chaq DujlIj maH
Vulcan: Etek fai-tor ra etek nam-tor, hi fai-tor ri ra etek lau nam-tor
SEE ALSO:
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See Creativity Chaos - a Creativity Blog by Kai
Contact | About | Reprints & Copyrights
© 2019-2020 Copyright Starlight Poetry