Talk:Tamarian language

Stuff
I added the external links, and thank you for putting them in the right place! "I will learn" and I think it should read, The Tamarian language "is" the spoken language of the Tamarians, IMO - STMK....


 * Articles about non-objects/places are written in past tense. This is discussed here. --Gvsualan 11:44, 26 May 2005 (UTC)
 * Additionally, when possible, use the "Show preview" button prior to your final save, so that you may review what you intend to save. This prevents any unnecessary saves, which otherwise consume a lot of unnecessary space. --Gvsualan 11:49, 26 May 2005 (UTC)

The link to "Video of the Tamarian Language" points to a trailer for the "Darmok" episode, and contains no samples of Tamarian language. It ought to be moved to the page dealing with the episode. -- Guest 15:36, 13 Nov 2005 (UTC)

External Language Sources
Should we add as much information as possible from external sources such as ? What if that site were to disappear? A lot of that information it contains about the Tamarian Language would disappear along with it. As a Star Trek encyclopedia, perhaps we should try to get all available external information into this one location. Thoughts? --Dogbreathcanada 23:12, 21 January 2006 (UTC)

Kiyazi's children, their faces wet
Someone changed the meaning of this one from "death, mourning" to "It's not serious, I will survive". The new edit is written in the wrong POV, but is the new definition correct? --Bp 09:50, 16 October 2006 (UTC)


 * It wasn't me who changed it, but I believe the second definition (It's not serious) is the correct one based on the gesture Dathon made as he said it. Am I right? Who knows? We can only guess. – Gotham23 21:01, 16 July 2009 (UTC)

"Kadir beneath Mo Moteh" possible alternate translation
In the main article, the translation for "Kadir beneath Mo Moteh" is failure to communicate/ misunderstand. Given the two instances the phrase is spoken,one when the Tamarian first officer says it while laughing, the other Dathon mutters it, it could be interpreted as directed at an individual. Both instances it seems directed at Picard. In the first instance, Captain Dathon immediatly hushes his first officer with a stern "Temarc". When Dathon mutters it, his frustration with Picard's lack of understanding is rather plain. Given the metaphoric nature of the Tamarian language, it is quite possible that "Kadir beneath Mo Moteh" is a slight or insult roughly calling in to question the ability to grasp concepts. It could therefore be akin to the 20th century American slang expression "Boy, is this guy dense"

Background note

 * The problem with a language based on metaphors is that at some point the stories behind the metaphors must be told in order for them to be understood. Picard was able to teach the Tamarian captain stories about Gilgamesh and Inkido, indicating that Tamarians can understand conventional syntax, but simply choose not to use it communicatively for some reason.

This paragraph seems a bit too opinionated. Perhaps it could be reworded? --From Andoria with Love 03:21, 18 August 2007 (UTC)


 * You want to take a shot, be my guest. That's what happened in the episode though.  A metaphorical language is nice enough as a plot device, but it has a great big gaping flaw, as I pointed out above.Capt Christopher Donovan 10:07, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Well, the thing with pointing out flaws is that it is essentially nitpicking, which isn't allowed. That's why I was suggesting it be reworded to be less of a POV and more... encyclopedic. ;) --From Andoria with Love 21:28, 18 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I'll give it a shot, but no promises. Just by bringing up the contradiction, it is going to sound "nitpicky" (though I disagree that pointing out flaws is such).  Give me a few minutes and see what you think...Capt Christopher Donovan 21:52, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

It still seems a bit nitpicky, but it's better. I'll let it slide. Shhhhh... ;) --From Andoria with Love 04:01, 19 August 2007 (UTC)


 * I replaced the line (along with another about Tamarian engineering) with the explanations given in a short story from the TNG 20th anniversary anthology. 'I'm a law student, not a linguist', so I don't know if this covers all the practical problems with Tamarian. It is, however, better than fan speculation/nitpicking.– Cleanse 05:30, 11 May 2009 (UTC)

Picard and Dathon at El-Adrel
Someone defined this as "to work toward a common goal." But isn't that the definition of "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra?" Why would they need to create a new term for it? I'm positive that "Picard and Dathon at El-Adrel" means "successful first contact between alien cultures," or "to establish peaceful relations," and I've changed the article. I left the alternative definition as acknowledgment that I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I'm not. What do others think? – Gotham23 21:06, 16 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Since it wasn't said specifically, we should be as broad as possible. In my opinion it was better the first way, but I'm not going to go and change it unless others think so.--31dot 23:40, 16 July 2009 (UTC)

Inspirations
Information on inspirations or connections to other SF would be welcome. For example, the Ascians in Gene Wolfe's The Citadel of the Autarch speak in an almost identical sort of language, but that novel precedes the cited episode by about a decade. (For the relevant excerpts from Citadel see http://probaleo.blogspot.com/2009/01/data-for-clai-2009-paper.html ) Is there a connection or is it just independent invention? --69.113.104.179 00:49, May 11, 2011 (UTC)

Children of Tama
Should we add "Children of Tama" to the list of definitions, translated as "Tamarian"? It seems appropriate to me, but I thought I'd bring it up here before I added it. - Mitchz95 04:35, January 15, 2012 (UTC)


 * Seems OK to me. --31dot 12:09, January 15, 2012 (UTC)

Language
Watching a replay of this episode on BBC America right now and wondering - is it really possible to have a language based on metaphor in the way the article explains? I'm not disputing that children could learn the meaning from context and experience - more that someone had to have read, understood, and possibly even written down again the story of Darmok in the first place. It obviously didn't spring full born out the head of the culture. Someone somewhere in Tamarian culture had to get why Darmok would be a good metaphor for him to even be USED as a metaphor. 68.226.52.2 06:42, June 15, 2013 (UTC)
 * This might be worth a read. - 07:09, June 15, 2013 (UTC)