I just ran into a friend at the ice cream parlor. We got to talking about Star Trek, which my family just dragged me to. Loved it.
Him too. He said he asked the dude in the ticket kiosk if he spoke Vulcan. I imagine they get a lot of that.
Let me tell you how I am three degrees from the languages of Star Trek.
My Linguistics 101 professor and his roommate were both working on their doctorates in the subject in the ’80s.
One night Dr. Rood was supposed to go on a blind date, but didn’t want to. He sent the roommate in his stead.
The date didn’t show, so the guy sat at the bar all night chatting with some nerd on the next stool.
The nerd was interested in the linguist. He asked if it would be possible to compose a real language from scratch.
Are you kidding? Does Dolly Parton sleep on her back? Inventing languages is what linguists do when they’re bored.
That night, Gene Roddenberry asked my professor’s roommate to create Klingon.
My professor was QeH.
Tags: 1984
June 4, 2009 at 8:10 am
Did you know that twins, especially identical twins, frequently invent a language that only they, and noone else can understand.
I had an imaginary twin but he had Tourette’s syndrom. Where do you think I learned all my foul language?
June 4, 2009 at 9:01 am
I was gonna ask if you meant Klingon, as that’s the one that most people talk about. Didn’t know they’d made up a Vulcan language as well. Linguists must be bored a LOT.
June 4, 2009 at 9:42 am
kevin’s comment doesn’t make sense anymore. it was written when my post had erroneously said he invented vulcan. i fixed it.
a vulcan language does exist, but kevin was right, dr. rood’s roommate invented klingon.
thanks kevin! you’re hired.
t.
June 4, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I love your stories, friend.