Klingon Language Institute facts for kids
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tlhIngan Hol yejHaD
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Logo of the Klingon Language Institute
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| Abbreviation | KLI |
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| Formation | 1992 |
| Founder | Lawrence M. Schoen |
| Type | Non-profit, volunteer-based |
| Purpose | Klingon language preservation, research, educational outreach and promotion |
| Headquarters | Northern Kentucky |
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Board President
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Chris Lipscombe |
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Board Vice-President
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Jeremy Cowan |
| Chris Lipscombe, Jeremy Cowan, Alan Anderson | |
| Website | https://kli.org |
The Klingon Language Institute (KLI) is a group that helps people learn and use the Klingon language. This language comes from the Star Trek TV shows and movies. The KLI also helps people learn about Klingon culture. It started in Pennsylvania and is now located in Kentucky.
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What the KLI Does
The KLI has members from all over the world. They used to publish a magazine called HolQeD, which means "linguistics" in Klingon. They also published a fiction and poetry magazine.
Today, the KLI publishes many books translated into Klingon. These include famous stories like The Wizard of Oz, the Tao Te Ching, and the Epic of Gilgamesh. They have also translated plays by Shakespeare, such as Much Ado About Nothing.
The Great Meeting: qep'a'
Every year, the KLI holds a five-day meeting called the qepʼaʼ. This means "great meeting" in Klingon. Anyone interested in the language can attend. At these meetings, people discuss and use the Klingon language. They have lessons and fun activities.
KLI Projects
The KLI works on several projects. They help manage the Duolingo course for learning Klingon. They also translate many award-winning science fiction short stories into Klingon. They even translate parts of the Bible and more works by Shakespeare. The KLI's motto is "qoʼmey poSmoH Hol", which means "Language opens worlds".
The KLI is a special kind of group called a nonprofit organization. This means it works to help people, not to make money. CBS Studios, which owns Star Trek, allows the KLI to use names like "Star Trek" and "Klingon".
How the KLI Started
The KLI was started in 1992 by Lawrence M. Schoen. He was a psychology researcher and writer. He wanted to create a group where people could deeply explore the Klingon language and culture. His goal was to help people learn and use "the world's most popular fictional language."
Annual Meetings and History
The annual qep'a' meeting usually takes place in the United States. However, in 2001, the eighth meeting was held in Brussels, Belgium. This was the only time it took place outside the US. At these meetings, people learn and practice Klingon. They also discuss the language in a more serious way than at a regular science fiction convention.
In 2003, a movie about the KLI was announced at the qep'a'. It was called Earthlings: Ugly Bags of Mostly Water. This movie was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
In 2022, the KLI moved its main office from Pennsylvania to Kentucky. In 2023, Lawrence M. Schoen announced he was retiring from the KLI. He received an award for all his hard work over the years.
How the KLI is Organized
The KLI has a board of directors that was formed in 1992. The current board members are Chris Lipscombe, who is the president, Jeremy Cowan, who is the vice president, and Alan Anderson, who is the treasurer.
Klingon Language Certification
The KLI offers a special program called the Klingon Language Certification Program. This program recognizes members for how well they learn Klingon. There are four levels of certification. These go from Beginner ("taghwI'") to Grammarian ("pab pIn"). To get certified, members take written tests. These tests are free for active KLI members. As of 2023, only the first three levels have tests, and no one has reached the highest level, pab pIn.
In the past, the KLI also had "Beginners' Grammarians." These were experienced Klingon speakers who helped new students learn the language through an email list. This helped both the new students and the "Beginners' Grammarians" improve their skills.
Helping with Star Trek Translations
The KLI has helped translate many official Star Trek products. Because they have some of the most experienced Klingon speakers, companies often ask the KLI for help. They review or even do full translations. For example, they helped with the Star Trek Klingon Collector's Edition of the board game Monopoly. They also helped with comics, manuals, and a small Star Trek: How to Speak Klingon phrase book.
The KLI also works closely with Marc Okrand. He is the person who created the Klingon language! He visits almost every qepʼaʼ. At these meetings, he gets a list of new words that Klingon speakers want to know. He often provides answers and new words. These new words are then shared on the KLI's website.
Publications and Translations
- HolQeD: This was a quarterly magazine from the KLI. It had discussions about Klingon grammar, new words, and Klingon stories. It stopped being published in 2003.
- A Pictorial Guide to the Verbal Suffixes of tlhIngan Hol (1995): A book by Lawrence M. Schoen that uses drawings and charts to explain Klingon suffixes.
- From the Grammarian's Desk (1996): A collection of grammar tips from the HolQeD magazine.
- cha' monmey (2021): The first novel ever written and published originally in Klingon.
- ghIlghameS: A Klingon translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh.
- The Klingon Hamlet (full title: The Tragedy of Khamlet, Son of the Emperor of Qo'noS): A Klingon translation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. This project was inspired by a line in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
- paghmo' tIn mIS: A slightly shorter Klingon translation of William Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing.
- pIn'a' qan paQDI'norgh: A slightly shorter Klingon translation of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching.
- 'aS 'IDnar pIn'a' Dun: A shorter Klingon translation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
- chIjwI' tIQ bom: A full Klingon translation of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798). It includes old illustrations.
- raQpo': A shorter Klingon translation of Robert Silverberg's award-winning short story "Passengers" (1968).
