I only know one full sentence in klingon but it helped me more than once. You wouldn't know how useful it is if you can ask klingons for the way to the toilet at a Sci-fi convention😁
I don’t know if Marc will remember this or not. It was about 18 years ago. I unknowingly had dinner and a beer with Marc back in 2004. I was a part of a small short movie back in 2003-4 called First Session. After we premiered it at a theatre in Washington DC, the cast, crew and friends all went out to a restaurant for food and drinks. I sat down next to a guy and it just happened to be Marc Okrand. He was a friend of someone in the movie (Scot McKenzie I believe) and was invited. Even being a Trekkie and liking Klingon I didn’t know his name immediately, but once we talked for a little bit, it clicked and I realized who I was sitting next to. I knew a few phrases and think I might’ve even surprised him a little with a Klingon question outside of Star Trek. I later saw a play that had small “Klingon opera” segment that Marc was a part of. Never know who you may randomly meet. 😊
To add to what Mr Okrand says at around 6:18 - conlangers aren't making the situation of endangered languages worse. I'm trying to learn my own critically endangered cultural language [Chickasaw]. It's not really an "outsider's" responsibility to attempt to learn endangered languages just because they are endangered. It would be nice if instead of condemning conlangers for having a hobby, those same people supported indigenous language revitalization efforts.
Sometimes it's a shame that languages seem to want to kill themselves my ex was a linguistics major and one of her friends was a graduate student who was in love with Native American languages and even though he was 100% native, because his mother was of a different tribe the language he wanted to create a comprehensive lexicon for refused to give him access to any materials on the native culture he felt most attached to. And because he didn't have access there is a chance that language will die :/.
@@CobaltChono from what I heard the tribe felt he wasn't part of their culture so did not want to give him the materials he needed really tragic stuff.
Indeed. I speak a couple constructed languages but I also learned an extinct Salish language and work with an elder on revitalizing it. The conlangs built up my skills and interest, I even had a head start on glottalized consonants and lateral affricates from one.
Agreed. It's not like we as conlangers are restricted to that one language either. Rather, language learning tends to breed more language learning. I currently speak 7 languages at different levels and I don't intend to stop learning anytime soon.
I always thought of the ethos of the Klingons would incorporate a lot of sign language. There are some old books that mention the little things like silent transporters and esthetics that all enhance the bushido like warrior culture. Sign language makes sense in that.
what does he say the correct pronunciation of “today is a good day to die” is? the “correct” pronunciation isn’t the same as what gowron says (only known on screen example)
in another interview he says that he was constantly changing the grammatical rules due to actors pronunciation and such so I feel like he might just say that if its on the show then its the correct pronunciation now.
My biggest complaint with Klingon is the romanization. The S instead of s, q and Q being two different sounds despite k not being used at all, D instead of d. It all just seems like they wanted to make it "alien" which makes no sense from a world building perspective because this would have been what Terrans use to make sense of Klingon.
Actually, his only reason for the Romanisation was simply to alert the actors that this letter is pronounced "funny". Different. It''s not intended to be the actual Klingon script. There is a system called "picaD" used by many people, as symbols for the Klingon sounds. It's not official, but a lot of folks have basically said, "It's all we've got, so let's go with it!", and voila'! There we have it. So, it's all made us as you go, for human use. Enjoy. And pass it on to others! :)
Just one little thing. Okrand didn't create Klingon. While he did work out the details, which is commendable, the true creator of the first bits of Klingon ever heard in TPM is James Doohan. Okrand developed the "modern" version of the language from that.
Although this is correct, it's also a bit nitpicking. Doohan created indeed six (6) phrases heard in TMP. He did not attribute any meaning to those phrases, nor did they have any grammar. They were just sounds. Okrand based the language on those sounds, and then created the grammar plus several thousand words. So it's okay to say that he developped the language, while doing made the basis - in cooperation with assistant producer John Povil, by the way.
Yeah, that's true. I just thought, it should be mentioned and Doohan should get his credit. There was once a German Talkshow where they had Doohan as a guest and didn't know. And when a fan said, Okrand was the creator of klingon, Doohan corrected him and was dismissed by the hostress and ultimately became up quite upset. It was a hilarious moment of bad TV.
@@KlingonTeacher There was a few editions of the Klingon Language books Pre TNG as the movies came out then TNG added to the Language on the fly sometimes and sometimes did not like the sound of a phrasing and changed things and sometimes just could not make the words out . I remember Different editions with tags saying this along with interviews and Magazine. I wanted to say F.A.S.A.'s 2 different Klingon Races like in ST:Nemesis with the Remen or what i hear STD will try next was a part of it for a few years but i was not that old and did not live in a vary Sci-fi/Comics friendly area
Klingon has such a unique sound. It really is a great artistic project in its own right.
I only know one full sentence in klingon but it helped me more than once. You wouldn't know how useful it is if you can ask klingons for the way to the toilet at a Sci-fi convention😁
I don’t know if Marc will remember this or not. It was about 18 years ago.
I unknowingly had dinner and a beer with Marc back in 2004.
I was a part of a small short movie back in 2003-4 called First Session. After we premiered it at a theatre in Washington DC, the cast, crew and friends all went out to a restaurant for food and drinks.
I sat down next to a guy and it just happened to be Marc Okrand. He was a friend of someone in the movie (Scot McKenzie I believe) and was invited.
Even being a Trekkie and liking Klingon I didn’t know his name immediately, but once we talked for a little bit, it clicked and I realized who I was sitting next to.
I knew a few phrases and think I might’ve even surprised him a little with a Klingon question outside of Star Trek.
I later saw a play that had small “Klingon opera” segment that Marc was a part of.
Never know who you may randomly meet. 😊
This channel deserves 100x the attention it gets. Awesome job, man!
This is amazing.. I got his audio instructional book on how to speak Klingon back in the 90s.. yeah I go back a while with Trek
Got that for Christmas one year. It might still be in a box somewhere.
To add to what Mr Okrand says at around 6:18 - conlangers aren't making the situation of endangered languages worse. I'm trying to learn my own critically endangered cultural language [Chickasaw]. It's not really an "outsider's" responsibility to attempt to learn endangered languages just because they are endangered. It would be nice if instead of condemning conlangers for having a hobby, those same people supported indigenous language revitalization efforts.
Sometimes it's a shame that languages seem to want to kill themselves my ex was a linguistics major and one of her friends was a graduate student who was in love with Native American languages and even though he was 100% native, because his mother was of a different tribe the language he wanted to create a comprehensive lexicon for refused to give him access to any materials on the native culture he felt most attached to. And because he didn't have access there is a chance that language will die :/.
@@rat488 Why wasn’t the man given access to those resources?
Edit: Same concept, different words
@@CobaltChono from what I heard the tribe felt he wasn't part of their culture so did not want to give him the materials he needed really tragic stuff.
Indeed. I speak a couple constructed languages but I also learned an extinct Salish language and work with an elder on revitalizing it. The conlangs built up my skills and interest, I even had a head start on glottalized consonants and lateral affricates from one.
Agreed. It's not like we as conlangers are restricted to that one language either. Rather, language learning tends to breed more language learning. I currently speak 7 languages at different levels and I don't intend to stop learning anytime soon.
"Qapla'!" is Klingon for "success". Its used to wish good fortune in battle! Yell it before vanquishing your enemies! Qapla'!
Just interviewed Dr. Okrand, such a great guy. How he got into linguistics is quite interesting too :)
You know you are a Trekkies if you try to speak Klingon.
My new favorite channel!
Thanks! Glad you like the content!
Such an interesting insight into the history of the language.
I always thought of the ethos of the Klingons would incorporate a lot of sign language. There are some old books that mention the little things like silent transporters and esthetics that all enhance the bushido like warrior culture. Sign language makes sense in that.
Brian Slack I think Warf makes mention of sign language how it could be useful in the episode with the mute ambassador.
@@thod8820 Worf
Awesome, you rock!
Some of the coolest people do the coolest things purely by chance... Glad you ran into him!
Is there a full version of this interview?
The real and first creator was Scotty.........
Thank you! I hate when people don’t give Scotty the credit.
Does Marc Okrand have a youtube channel?
maj.
(Good).
Where do I find the Klingon bible app?
what does he say the correct pronunciation of “today is a good day to die” is? the “correct” pronunciation isn’t the same as what gowron says (only known on screen example)
in another interview he says that he was constantly changing the grammatical rules due to actors pronunciation and such so I feel like he might just say that if its on the show then its the correct pronunciation now.
All languages are made up. Klingon is one of the most beautiful and elegant languages.
Interesting? Yes. Beautiful? Subjective. Elegant? Not at all.
❤🎉
Somebody told me Klingon is an Indo-European language.
At its roots.
K'Plaach!
In which country are they speaking this?
Qapla' je' batlh!
My biggest complaint with Klingon is the romanization. The S instead of s, q and Q being two different sounds despite k not being used at all, D instead of d. It all just seems like they wanted to make it "alien" which makes no sense from a world building perspective because this would have been what Terrans use to make sense of Klingon.
Actually, his only reason for the Romanisation was simply to alert the actors that this letter is pronounced "funny". Different. It''s not intended to be the actual Klingon script. There is a system called "picaD" used by many people, as symbols for the Klingon sounds. It's not official, but a lot of folks have basically said, "It's all we've got, so let's go with it!", and voila'! There we have it. So, it's all made us as you go, for human use. Enjoy. And pass it on to others! :)
Just one little thing. Okrand didn't create Klingon. While he did work out the details, which is commendable, the true creator of the first bits of Klingon ever heard in TPM is James Doohan. Okrand developed the "modern" version of the language from that.
Although this is correct, it's also a bit nitpicking. Doohan created indeed six (6) phrases heard in TMP. He did not attribute any meaning to those phrases, nor did they have any grammar. They were just sounds. Okrand based the language on those sounds, and then created the grammar plus several thousand words. So it's okay to say that he developped the language, while doing made the basis - in cooperation with assistant producer John Povil, by the way.
Yeah, that's true. I just thought, it should be mentioned and Doohan should get his credit.
There was once a German Talkshow where they had Doohan as a guest and didn't know. And when a fan said, Okrand was the creator of klingon, Doohan corrected him and was dismissed by the hostress and ultimately became up quite upset. It was a hilarious moment of bad TV.
@@KlingonTeacher i hear also post TNG Klingon has changed some.
No, not really. What ae you referring to?
@@KlingonTeacher There was a few editions of the Klingon Language books Pre TNG as the movies came out then TNG added to the Language on the fly sometimes and sometimes did not like the sound of a phrasing and changed things and sometimes just could not make the words out . I remember Different editions with tags saying this along with interviews and Magazine.
I wanted to say F.A.S.A.'s 2 different Klingon Races like in ST:Nemesis with the Remen or what i hear STD will try next was a part of it for a few years but i was not that old and did not live in a vary Sci-fi/Comics friendly area
OMG you are tedious comic book store guy.
nIteb SuvnIS DevwI'