Re: some questions
Steven Boozer 
Mon, 2 Mar 1998 23:23:40 -0600 (CST)

On Mon, 2 Mar 1998, Saul Epstein wrote:

|Quotes from: Surak of Vulcan <surak_1*hotmail,com>
|> Is the Vulcan language officially called Yakana?
|> [...] Has anyone even heard of this before?
|
|Not specifically. But I know separate efforts have and may continue
|to be made. I think, when the question has come up, that we tend to
|consider these to be other dialects or languages among any number
|that may be spoken by Vulcans over time.

"Surak" is referring to the version published in the "Vulcan Language
Guide" (Starfleet Academy, Alien Language Department, Course No. LV-1,
Training Manual), copyright 1977 by April Publications, Inc.  This is a
16-page pamphlet selling for $2,00 through various sci-fi and Trek mail
order retailers. I have no idea who wrote this, but wonder if this was
approved by the Roddenberrys, who were marketing some Trek merchandise
after TOS ended. 

|> The reason I ask is because of a web
|> site created by Steve Nibblink (sp?).  He has the only Vulcan
|> dictionary (that he and I have seen or know of) on the web.

Nibblink's "Vulcan to Federation Standard" dictionary can be found at:

	http://soli,inav,net/~nibblink/vulcan,htm.

He has included almost the complete glossary from the Vulcan Language Guide
(VLG), modifying the spelling slightly and eliminating those items
duplicated by Duane and Zvelebil's materials. Aside from the episodes, the
pro-novels and his own jokes, there are a few other words from unidentified
sources. My guess is he viewed the VLG vocabulary as supplementary to the
ZC.

The vocabulary and grammar of the VLG have a very Japanese "feel" to it,
with a CV(i) syllabic structure and a system of nominative, accusative and
interrogative particles. A couple of examples:

	Yanamo mekina ra moi rena ro itisha ta?
	Is your mother in good health?

	Wanimo mekino ra taiya ro itisha.
	My father is old.

	Rochinu ra atako itisha ta?
	Is the academy there?

	Ha, rochinu ra atako itisha.
	Yes, the academy is there. 

{rochinu} is pronounced /rochin/, the final "u" being silent. Again, just
like some transcriptions of the Japanese syllabary

|> If so, consider that because rokase means literally,
|> medicine place, or hospital, that roratoq means paper place, or
|> folder.
|
|Are these from the dictionary you mentioned? They actually do meet ZC
|rules for compounds. "Place of paper," is a little vague, though. It
|could refer to a place where paper is made, stored, sold, used, etc.

{rokase} is from Nibblink's dictionary and isn't listed in VLG. Again, he
doesn't annotate his entries with source notations.

___________________________________________________________________________
  Steven Boozer    University of Chicago Library    s-boozer*uchicago,edu