Klingon in ST:TMP

[JJohnson]

I was re-watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and was wondering if anyone relatively good with Klingon would be able to translate what the Klingon said while the Epsilon station was translating, back into Klingon:

Intruder unidentified
Believe luminescent cloud to be
enormous power field
surrounding alien vessel
our sensor scans unable to
penetrate
imperial Klingon cruiser Amar
continuing to attack

All I can figure is the last bit;

(imperial) thlIngan qughwI' 'amar, HIvtaH.

And the Klingon theme here is always good.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Are they speaking Okrandi or a different dialect?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

They unfortunately eliminated the universal translator voice in the TMP DE, so that might be an easier version to work with, since the computer is not talking on top of the Klingon dialog, if you're interested in getting the exact dialog in Klingon that occurred in the film.

 

[cgervasi]

Are they speaking Okrandi or a different dialect?

I always thought it was a different dialect.

 

[martok2112]

The dialect heard in TMP was actually created by James Doohan and Mark Lenard. Marc Okrand expanded on that in later films to flesh out the language.

 

[loghaD]

The dialect heard in TMP was actually created by James Doohan and Mark Lenard. Marc Okrand expanded on that in later films to flesh out the language.

You're quite right. You can read more about this here.

I believe only the Klingon dialogue at the very beginning of the film was used to create Okrandian tlhIngan Hol. Therefore, a translation can't be expected to replicate the original script.

Anyhow, here's one possible translation. Note that I'll use clipped Klingon here, which is a short-hand used in battle contexts where time is of the essence.

Intruder unidentified
Believe luminescent cloud to be
enormous power field
surrounding alien vessel
our sensor scans unable to
penetrate
imperial Klingon cruiser Amar
continuing to attack

yotwI' ngu'laHbe'. ("Can't identify invader.") or wemwI' ngu'laHbe'. ("Can't identify violator.")
HoSchem'a' tInqu' 'oHlaw' 'eng wov. ("The bright cloud appears to be a very large great-energyfield.")
Duj nov DechlI'. ("Surrounding alien vessel in progress.")
nochmaj bot. ("It blocks our sensors.")
HIvtaH tlhIngan qughDuj 'amar. ("Klingon cruiser Amar attacks ongoingly.")

 

[martok2112]

The dialect heard in TMP was actually created by James Doohan and Mark Lenard. Marc Okrand expanded on that in later films to flesh out the language.

You're quite right. You can read more about this here.


I believe only the Klingon dialogue at the very beginning of the film was used to create Okrandian tlhIngan Hol. Therefore, a translation can't be expected to replicate the original script.

Anyhow, here's one possible translation. Note that I'll use clipped Klingon here, which is a short-hand used in battle contexts where time is of the essence.

Intruder unidentified
Believe luminescent cloud to be
enormous power field
surrounding alien vessel
our sensor scans unable to
penetrate
imperial Klingon cruiser Amar
continuing to attack

yotwI' ngu'laHbe'. ("Can't identify invader.") or wemwI' ngu'laHbe'. ("Can't identify violator.")
HoSchem'a' tInqu' 'oHlaw' 'eng wov. ("The bright cloud appears to be a very large great-energyfield.")
Duj nov DechlI'. ("Surrounding alien vessel in progress.")
nochmaj bot. ("It blocks our sensors.")
HIvtaH tlhIngan qughDuj 'amar. ("Klingon cruiser Amar attacks ongoingly.")

Thanks, loghaD'neS! And I bookmarked the page you linked. That has made for a fascinating read thus far, and I will have to read more later.

Also, judging from what you've written about the intercepted communications of Klingon in TMP, and trying to remember what I could hear in my head, it sounds like you might be spot on in your interpretation. Then again, what little thl'ngan I know is a bit rusty.

 

[RyanKCR]

Huh, I always thought that was just the computer's transcription of the probe's report on what it was witnessing.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Huh, I always thought that was just the computer's transcription of the probe's report on what it was witnessing.

Just in case there's any doubt, the word "our" in "our sensor scans unable to penetrate" would be the total giveaway that it's a universal translator voice.

 

[martok2112]

Huh, I always thought that was just the computer's transcription of the probe's report on what it was witnessing.

Just in case there's any doubt, the word "our" in "our sensor scans unable to penetrate" would be the total giveaway that it's a universal translator voice.

Well, don't be too hard on Ryan. I saw the movie in the theater when I was ten, and my first impression was that it was the computer reporting what the sensor drone was reporting.

It wasn't until a little later when I reanalyzed the scene, and specifically the sentence: "Our sensor drone is intercepting this in quad L-14." that I realized the computer was translating intercepted thl'ngan comms.

 

[Trimm]

Huh, I always thought that was just the computer's transcription of the probe's report on what it was witnessing.

Just in case there's any doubt, the word "our" in "our sensor scans unable to penetrate" would be the total giveaway that it's a universal translator voice.

I wouldn't call that any sort of total giveaway, I've always taken it to mean that the Klingon's sensor scans are unable to penetrate. That logically follows the idea that Epsilon 9's probe is tapping into the Amar's transmission. After all, the tech on Epsilon 9 says, "Our sensor drone is intercepting this on Quad L fourteen." IE; intercepting the Klingon transmission.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Huh, I always thought that was just the computer's transcription of the probe's report on what it was witnessing.

Just in case there's any doubt, the word "our" in "our sensor scans unable to penetrate" would be the total giveaway that it's a universal translator voice.

I wouldn't call that any sort of total giveaway, I've always taken it to mean that the Klingon's sensor scans are unable to penetrate. That logically follows the idea that Epsilon 9's probe is tapping into the Amar's transmission. After all, the tech on Epsilon 9 says, "Our sensor drone is intercepting this on Quad L fourteen." IE; intercepting the Klingon transmission.

Um, isn't that what I'm saying? "Our" is the first person plural possessive. Since it uses the first person to refer to Klingon scans, it must be the translation of the Klingon.

 

[Trimm]

Just in case there's any doubt, the word "our" in "our sensor scans unable to penetrate" would be the total giveaway that it's a universal translator voice.

I wouldn't call that any sort of total giveaway, I've always taken it to mean that the Klingon's sensor scans are unable to penetrate. That logically follows the idea that Epsilon 9's probe is tapping into the Amar's transmission. After all, the tech on Epsilon 9 says, "Our sensor drone is intercepting this on Quad L fourteen." IE; intercepting the Klingon transmission.

Um, isn't that what I'm saying? "Our" is the first person plural possessive. Since it uses the first person to refer to Klingon scans, it must be the translation of the Klingon.

Seemed you were using "our" to refer to the probe and not the Klingons, if I misinterpreted you, my bad.

 

[Jeyl]

Is it me, or does it sound like the Klingon gives out a little laugh after the computer says "Our sensor scans unable to penetrate"?

God, I would love to see more behind the scenes footage, raw takes, or just about anything more involving the Klingons from TMP.

 

[Ithekro]

Mark Lenard is unrecognizable in that makeup.

 

[Jeyl]

Mark Lenard is unrecognizable in that makeup.

And freaking terrifying. Mark Lenard's Klingon Commander is still one of the most intimidating depiction of Klingons Star Trek has ever had. The only thing that comes close is Gowron's eyes.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

Mark Lenard is unrecognizable in that makeup.

And freaking terrifying. Mark Lenard's Klingon Commander is still one of the most intimidating depiction of Klingons Star Trek has ever had. The only thing that comes close is Gowron's eyes.

...this calls for a terrifying photoshop...

...at which I have no skills. Just putting the word out.

 

[Cyclonus]

A little off-topic, but I always thought it was odd that Lenard was cast as a Klingon after he had already become known for playing Sarek. This led me to wonder if they ever considered writing in the character at some point during TMP's long and trouble-laden production. If so, it obviously didn't pan out and Lenard had to settle for playing a Klingon. (He didn't get such a bad deal, though - his scene is one of the best in the film.)

 

[Maurice]

I think it's fair to say they never considered Sarek for TMP. Although dialog and the third act were reworked throughout the production, Sarek isn't in any of the many drafts of the script I've seen nor is there a reason for him to appear.

 

[Therin of Andor]

I think it's fair to say they never considered Sarek for TMP.

Roddenberry had a habit of boasting to actors that he was "writing a character just for you..." He supposedly told De Kelley about doctor roles before both TOS pilots, told Mark Lenard (and Lawrence Montaigne, IIRC) that he might be needed for TOS when Nimoy seemed ready to walk at the end of Season Two, and he wrote Grace Lee Whitney into "Phase II", as a returning Rand, after reuniting with her at a convention. Didn't he also tell Nimoy that he'd be "perfect" for "The Questor Tapes"?

When the first Trek movie was mooted to be seeking lead actors of the calibre of Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Roddenberry ran into Walter Koenig by chance - and promised to write him into the script "as Chekov's father".

I think Mark Lenard's popularity in TOS secured him a guest role in TMP. In "In Thy Image", the Klingon captain even had a name: Barak.

The other reason the same actors get asked back: not everyone is so patient under appliance makeup. Producers, directors and makeup artists love actors like Suzie Plakson, Michael Dorn, Jeffrey Combs, Armin Shimmerman and others because they are patient and talented under all that makeup.