By Ben “Zombie” Bedgood

(Quick recap, STAH stands for “Star Trek Alien Highlight.”)

If you are a die hard Trekkie like me, than you might have a love for the Klingon language as well. It is an incredibly well developed Sci-Fi language, one full of emotion and allowing you to truly convey your feelings in just a few syllables.

The Klingon language was developed by linguist Marc Okrand and James Doohan (A.K.A. Scotty) for Star Trek The Motion Picture in 1979. Before this time, anytime Klingons were encountered in the series they spoke English (presumably with the aid of the Universal Translator). Marc Okrand is a talented linguist with specialties in ancient Native American Languages. He and Doohan developed the language to sound distinctly “Alien”. Together the two developed basic words and phrases for use in the movie. After the movie, Okrand went on to develop it into a full-fledged language. Publishing the book “The Klingon Language” in 1985.

While many may be able to speak a few word here and there (myself included), it is believed that only 30-40 people in the world can speak Klingon fluently. That makes up 0.0000000067% of the population as fluent in this language of warriors. It is believed that many skilled speakers can carry on basic conversations. The love for this language was even taken advantage of by the site thinkgeek. For an April fool’s day prank in 2014, Think Geek together with the most beloved Klingon, Michael Dorn, they developed a commercial for Rosetta Stone in Klingon. To this date it is still regarded as one of the best April fool’s day pranks the site has done. With hundreds of thousands hoping it was real and trying to purchase that day.

For many of us, there is a desire to yell at someone in Klingon on either social media or text message. Bing has stepped up to the plate and offered us two Klingon translation options via the following link (Qapla’!!). Using this system, you can translate any phrase you desire into Klingon in either phonetic English or the Klingon alphabet! Once translated, it’s a simple copy and paste to tell your boss they are disgrace to the Empire.

We have even seen books translated and published over the years by fans. A few of these include Hamlet, Much to do about Nothing, The tale of Gilgamesh, and Tao Te Ching. There was an immediate push for Shakespeare in Klingon after the 1991 release of Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country. In the movie, the main antagonist General Chang was a devout fan of reading Shakespeare in Klingon.

The Klingon language and culture has also given us some notable proverbs such as:
• Four thousand throats may be cut in one night by a running man. – qaStaHvIS wa’ ram loSSaD Hugh SIjlaH qetbogh loD
• Only a fool fights in a burning house. – meQtaHbogh qachDaq Suv qoH neH
• A fool and his head are soon parted. – tugh qoH nachDaj je chevlu’ta’
• Destroying an Empire to win a war is no victory. And ending a battle to save an Empire is no defeat. – noH QapmeH wo’ Qaw’lu’chugh yay chavbe’lu’, ‘ej wo’ choqmeH may’ DoHlu’chugh lujbe’lu’
• Pity the warrior who slays all his foes. – Hoch jaghpu’Daj HoHbogh SuvwI’ yIvup

I hope that with the aid of a readily available translator and Klingon proverbs, you can now join me in occasionally telling someone off in Klingon! Or even telling your significant other qaparHa’qu (I love you). Remember, you should tell someone you love them today because life is short. But shout it at them in Klingon, because life is also terrifying and confusing!

Thanks for sharing in our love of all things Trek for the 50th anniversary. Stay tuned for more!