"Universal Translator" needed

[Ytown Tribe fan]

I guess everyone's seen this item by now:

http://msnbc.com/news/911996.asp?0sl=-43&cp1=1

What I'm wondering is: as a practical matter, would it be better to find someone who speaks fluent Klingonese and teach them to become a mental health professional, or to find a mental health professional and teach them to be fluent in Klingonese?

The idea is a sound one, and I'm not making light of it: to find SOME way of communicating with difficult patients. If that means hiring a Klingon translator, then that's what it means. But what about Romulan- or Ferengi-speaking patients?

Another possibility -- these patients really ARE Klingon mutants who only appear human. Imagine being marooned on Earth with no Universal Translator and only limited English-speaking skills. Oregon -- The Final Frontier.

[Wolf Hopper]

Gosh, this one is SO CLASSIC that I had to quote the feature - in case the link ever went away. NOW, I have seen it all!

County seeks Klingon interpreter
Ore. health service needs help with ‘Star Trek’ language
ASSOCIATED PRESS

PORTLAND, Ore., May 10 — Position Available: Interpreter, must be fluent in Klingon. The language created for the “Star Trek” TV series and movies is one of about 55 needed by the office that treats mental health patients in metropolitan Multnomah County.

“WE HAVE to provide information in all the languages our clients speak,” said Jerry Jelusich, a procurement specialist for the county Department of Human Services, which serves about 60,000 mental health clients.
Although created for works of fiction, Klingon was designed to have a consistent grammar, syntax and vocabulary.
And now Multnomah County research has found that many people — and not just fans — consider it a complete language.
“There are some cases where we’ve had mental health patients where this was all they would speak,” said the county’s purchasing administrator, Franna Hathaway.
County officials said that obligates them to respond with a Klingon-English interpreter, putting the language of starship Enterprise officer Worf and other Klingon characters on a par with common languages such as Russian and Vietnamese, and less common tongues including Dari and Tongan.

[KCBOOMER]

You gottabe kidding.

[pwdennis]

My wife asks:

"What the big deal about this ? Doesn't everyone speak Klingon, Vulcan, Bajoran, Romulan or Cardassian ?"

[Craig S.]

Seems like an awful lot of money to spend just to help crazy people.

[Ytown Tribe fan]

Originally posted by Craig S.
Seems like an awful lot of money to spend just to help crazy people.

Maybe ... but can you set a pricetag on intergalactic peace?

[sweaver]

As far as I know, there have never been developed full dictionaries with syntax and other language niceties for other Star Trek languages as with Klingonese, originally developed by linguist Marc Okrand for the third Star Trek movie, I believe.

[Ytown Tribe fan]

True, although the partial Nadsat "language" developed Anthony Burgess for A Clockwork Orange comes close.

A partial glossary of Nadsat can be found at http://www.clockworkorange.com/nadsat.shtml

I'm guessing that not too many genuinely crazy people speak it though, so Oregon may not need a translator.

Anyway, to find out how to speak Klingonese without unintentionally starting an intergalactic war (like the last time), try http://www.kli.org

"Your mother has a smooth forehead!"

[rcartman28]

:confuse: :confuse:

[pathogan]

Originally posted by Ytown Tribe fan
Maybe ... but can you set a pricetag on intergalactic peace? :loud: :loud:

[pathogan]

Originally posted by Ytown Tribe fan
True, although the partial Nadsat "language" developed Anthony Burgess for A Clockwork Orange comes close.

A partial glossary of Nadsat can be found at http://www.clockworkorange.com/nadsat.shtml

I'm guessing that not too many genuinely crazy people speak it though, so Oregon may not need a translator.

Anyway, to find out how to speak Klingonese without unintentionally starting an intergalactic war (like the last time), try http://www.kli.org

"Your mother has a smooth forehead!"

once at a halloween party with marvel comic people and I was dressed as alex from a clockwork orange, and had memorized someof the language. all I remember is horrorshow groodies:blush:

Though I dont know ,how much ,does it really matter? I mean if it really helps someone,then do it. I guess if it were my family memeber I wouldnt be concerned about the financial end...