Klingonese

Synonyms:	tlhIngan Hol, Klingonaase
See also:	Fictional Language, Artistic language
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Klingonese ("tlhIngan Hol" in Klingon) is the language of Klingons in Star Trek. "Klingonaase" is sometimes seen, a spelling used in John M. Ford's Star Trek pro novels.

from 1969, an example of a fan's depiction of the Klingon alphabet (Anti-Matter #3

a poem about the Klingon language, printed in More Missions, More Myths #8 (1987) -- -- "The Klingon language, if you please, Is klingonaase , not klingonese. This fact, alas, was only learned By having envoys unreturned. The Klingon temper's short and hot, He'd sooner string you up than not: Those interesting racial howls About a pair of misplaced vowels Lead quickly to disruptor fire (No way for envoys to retire). The diplomat who's worth his fees Will never speak of klingonese , But those who hope for longer days Won't go where folks speak klingonaas."

The first film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, marked the first time the language had been heard on screen; in all previous appearances, Klingons spoke in English. However, it wasn't until the third film that linguist Marc Okrand was hired by Paramount to develop the language. Okrand then published the reference book The Klingon Dictionary, which in addition to the dictionary includes pronunciation and grammar guides and a list of "useful" phrases like Do'Ha (That is unfortunate) and qaStaHvIS wa' ram loS SaD Hugh SIjlaH qetbogh loD (Four thousand throats may be cut in one night by a running man).

Interest in the Klingon language led to a Klingon language summer camp followed a few years after with the founding of the Klingon Language Institute.

The interest in the Klingon language and culture has even lead to the creation of entire plays and operas performed in Klingon.

cover of the Klingon Hamlet published by Pocket Press

Canon and Fanon

It is a point of contention among Klingonists as to what level of fannish interpretation and creation in Klingonese is permissible. Some people feel only words and grammatical forms introduced by its original creator, Marc Okrand, are considered proper Klingon. Others feel that language is fluid and is as alive as the people who use and speak it.

Some episodes of Star Trek: Discovery have featured whole scenes heavy with Klingon language dialog, and these segments are subtitled in English. Fans who know the Klingon language can use their download service to select closed captions in Klingonese for whole episodes.

Some fannish activities focusing on the Klingon Language

• The Klingon Language Institute

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

Some fanmade websites focusing on the Klingon Language

• Sami tlhIngan Hol De' (which also links many other sites)
• The Sounds of Klingon
• toDbaj De'
• Klingonska akademien.
• qIb HeHDaq
• Die Autorisierte Klin Zha Homepage
• The Languages of the Stars

Some print fanworks that focus on the Klingon language

• HolQed, the Journal of the Klingon Language Institute
• A Pictoral Guide to the Verbal Suffixes of tlhIngan Hol
• Writer's Guide to Klingonaase
• 101 Things to Say in Klingon
• The Klingon Dictionary
• The Klingon Micropaedia

Some pro-books published in Klingonese

• ghIlghameS (Gilgamesh)
• Hamlet (Hamlet)
• paghmo' tIn mIS (Much Ado About Nothing)
• pIn'a' qan paQDI'norgh (Tao Te Ching)
• The Klingon Dictionary

Other Fannish Links

• tlhIngan-Hol-language works on AO3