[Tlhingan-hol] Facebook Translation Project [FTP]: weekdays

[David Trimboli]

On 3/2/2012 6:24 AM, Felix Malmenbeck wrote:

> I agree it may be a good mIw ru', but for long-term purposes, since
> this is going to be a recurring concern, I still argue that the best
> thing would be to try to develop a consensus on Klingon names for
> these days, and once there is a consensus, to pass some sort of
> semi-official list. I realize canon is very important to many of us
> (including myself), but it just makes sense to me that the
> Klingon-speaking community on Earth should decide how to refer to
> strictly Terran things (and I suspect Mar... I mean, I suspect
> *Maltz* would agree).

This is an old chestnut.

Who gave this list authority over the language? This list is not the 
entirety of Klingon-users. Do you think that, say, Krankor, who doesn't 
read this list, is going to give a fart what the few people who vote for 
Terran phrases on this list have announced is the way we'll all be 
referring to Terran things from now on? If the cabal of voters comes up 
with a phrase that I think is just plain wrong, am I required to accept 
it? No, sir, I do not accept the rulings of the privileged few.

Klingon isn't ours. Heck, it's not really even Okrand's: there is no law 
which states that someone interested in Klingon must accept all 
Okrandian sources and no others. There are people who don't read this 
list, who aren't members of the KLI (whatever that means anymore), who 
accept a completely different set of assumptions about what the Klingon 
language is.

As for your invocation of what Okrand would agree with, I don't think 
you're right. Okrand is less much invested in the idea of canon than we 
are. He's pleased he's created something that so many people enjoy, and 
he likes to expand it, but he has never, ever tried to assert any kind 
of claim of ownership over the language. This isn't just some legal 
position. He recognizes that many of us do consider him the sole source 
of facts about the language, and he sometimes seeks advice from some of 
us to maintain consistency with what he has done before (which we know 
much, much better than he does), but he would be just as pleased to talk 
to a group who have privately added their own words or grammar to the 
language. Are they enjoying themselves? If so, then great!

So, no list rulings on how to say things. You can express your opinions, 
you can tell people they're idiots for their opinions, but you can't 
compel anyone to follow your rules. If you want such power, start a new 
group and see if you can get people to join. Stranger things have happened.

-- 
SuStel
http://www.trimboli.name/