The Klingon Language

The Klingon language (tlhIngan Hol, in Klingon) is the language spoken by the warring culture known as the Klingons, who inhabit the virtual realm of the Star Trek universe.  Unlike most languages, which evolve over time by a developing culture, Klingon was intentionally designed by Planet Earth linguist Marc Okrand.  Based heavily on Star Trek/Klingon-related concepts which evolve around spacecraft and warfare, the Klingon language is understandably awkward for everyday use by non-Klingons.  (For instance, while there is a term for the bridge of a ship (meH) there is no word for a bridge that crosses water.)  Purposefully constructed to sound "alien,” Klingon has a number of typologically uncommon linguistic features.  But, while it was Okrand who succeeded in developing the Klingon language into a fully-functioning, grammatically complete language, the language’s basic sound, along with the first few words, was created by Enterprise Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (James Doohan) for Star Trek: The Motion Picture.  Read more . . .