FW: Vulcan Language, etc.
Whittaker, Pat 
Tue, 09 Jun 98 12:55:00 M


This sounds like someone we can enlist to help us with our language 
development as well.  What IDIC in action if the 2 can be merged somehow.

Selek
 ----------
From: owner-vulcan-linguistics
To: vulcan-linguistics
Subject: FW: Vulcan Language, etc.
Date: Tuesday, 09 June, 1998 10:43AM


After receiving the forwarded message from Marketa, I decided to ask the guy
a few questions, basically, what steps were being taken to develop the
language, and what his sources were.  And I specifically asked him what the
state of his negotiations with Paramount were.  Here's the answer...

 -McReynolds

 -----Original Message-----
From: Mark Gardner [mailto:markg82*open,org]
Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 1998 10:37 AM
To: rmcrey*flash,net
Subject: Re: Vulcan Language, etc.

Ryan,

I was unaware that my E-mail to Marketa Zvelebil would get a wider
audience.  Thank you for writing!  I would like to keep in touch!

I am a self-taught comparitive and historical linguist, about as
knowledgeable as one can be without a PhD.  I have studied dozens of
languages since childhood.  I have spent 20 years researching,
conjecturing and even fantasizing about the "High Vulcan" language used
in culture, ceremony and literature on the planet Vulcan.  After high
school, I went into the Navy's cryptologic field, where I worked with
Russian.  My specialty was transcription.  After the first ST motion
picture came out, I went into full gear on research, transcribing the
spoken language, analyzing its form and sounds, comparing original and
translation, then breaking the language down into its constituent parts.
Along the way, a few helpful friends of great talent have helped out.  I
discovered grammar rules through the form of the language and broke
words down to their roots in order to recreate unknown words.  Most
fan-invented languages are a few "real" words padded by hundreds or even
thousands of made-up words.  I made sure to limit "made-up" words to a
minimum and rebuild the language from the roots.

I have talked to Mr. Doohan twice, including a couple weekends ago at a
convention, but he is lukewarm about doing anything more on any other
languages because of his experience already with the Klingon boom. Also,
his age is slowing him way down. I talked to Marc Okrand online and he
sounded willing to help.  I gave him my address but have not heard back
from him.  I am writing to him again via Pocket Books.  I have someone
on the editorial staff of Pocket Books interested in my work,
considering the millions they've made off Klingon, but he says there is
resistance above him.  He and I are trying to find a way to "sell" it.
Just heard back again from Paramount Pictures.  They say that Pocket
Books has been given full control over the printed side of Star Trek, so
they have no part to play in this. They said one of their lawyers would
contact me about legalities, etc.

I think the key to it all is Marc Okrand.  If I can correspond with him,
it could go.  I am sure a lot of people would be interested in Vulcan,
just as they were with Klingon.  It is an untapped fan base.  I have
done a professional and "logical" job on my work so far with many
hundreds of hours devoted to it.  Take care!

Mark Gardner
The Vulcan Language Institute
(coming soon to the WWW)