[Tlhingan-hol] Bing Translator URL

[Rohan Fenwick]

ghItlhpu' Michael Everson, jatlh:
> I remain convinced that there's no reason Klingon orthography shouldn't be able to use
> capital letters in the normal way.

"Normal" for what language? Here's an example: wa'Hu' veng jaHpu' ghawran "Gowron went to the town yesterday".

Using English rules: Wa'hu' veng jah Ghawran.
Using German rules: Wa'hu' Veng jah Ghawran.
Using Dutch rules: Wa'hu' veng jah GHawran.

Ultimately, capitalisation is pretty much arbitrary no matter what form it takes. At least in Klingon there's a solid functional reason for it (as Chris Kidder has vouched for). If you think Klingon orthography is unattractive now, wait until someone uses Dutch-style capitalisation and writes "TLHingan". To borrow a phrase from a friend of mine, I think I'd sooner spork my eyes out.

taH:
> All that needs to be done is to substitute "x" for "Q" (or to use a diacritic like q̂ or q̌)

If Klingon's orthography is to be "fixed", let's not start by adding diacritics. Klingon doesn't really have so complex a phonology as to justify it.

> The most important reason to do this is the fact that q and Q are the same letter in terms of
> data treatment on computers.

It depends on what program you're using. There are plenty of programs that are capable of case-sensitivity - Holtej's pojwI' is a great example of one that's been designed with Klingon in mind. Either way, with computer systems these days that should be less, not more, of a problem.

> But you'll all grumble and tell me that you like Okrand's "weird" orthography even though it's dysfunctional. {{:-) You always do… {{:-)

I know you were trying to be lighthearted with this comment, but in the past you've been very careful with the use of terminology, so I have to call you out on your use of "dysfunctional" here. What is it about the orthography that's genuinely dysfunctional?

QeS
 		 	   		  
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