The Klingon Dictionary
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Marc Okrand |
| Products | Reference book on Klingon language |
The Klingon Dictionary (TKD) authored by Marc Okrand provides an in-depth look at the Klingon language, initially released in 1985 with an expanded edition appearing in 1992. It encompasses pronunciation guidelines, grammatical structures, and vocabulary, having sold over 300,000 copies and translated into five different languages.
Originally created as a resource primarily for scriptwriters and performers, the book is not designed for active language acquisition or practice due to the absence of exercises. Over time, it evolved into a merchandise item aimed at Star Trek enthusiasts.
Summary
Framed from an in-universe viewpoint, the dictionary opens with a description of Klingon culture alongside an explanation of the book’s development. Pronunciation is detailed through the Latin alphabet, where uppercase letters signify unique sounds—for instance, q and Q denote distinct voiceless uvular consonants. The main sections outline grammar rules categorized by parts of speech, each supported by concise examples. The concluding chapters offer a vocabulary compilation featuring roughly 1,500 words and practical expressions. The 1992 supplement introduces additional grammatical insights and nearly 200 new words incorporated from subsequent Star Trek movies and the series Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Digital editions
Since 2008, the dictionary has been accessible on E-book platforms.
In 2009, Simon & Schuster released an iPhone application version of The Klingon Dictionary as part of a Klingon Language Suite. This digital edition provides a pronunciation guide, affix and suffix rules, along with a search capability.
Translations
The first translation was into Portuguese, published in Brazil in 1995 under the title Dicionário da língua klingon.
The German version followed in 1996 titled Das offizielle Wörterbuch Klingonisch/Deutsch ("The Official Klingon-German Dictionary"). Due to numerous typographical errors and mistranslations, a corrected edition was produced in 2013 by Klingon instructor Lieven Litaer.
An Italian edition was issued in 1998 by Roman publisher Fanucci Editore, called Il dizionario Klingon-Italiano.
In 2008, a Czech translation appeared as Klingonský slovník.
A Swedish online translation named Klingonsk ordbok, featuring examples and updated canonical content from 1998 to 2009, is hosted on the Klingonska Akademien website.
In popular culture
- During season 2 of The Big Bang Theory, the dictionary is used in a Klingon-themed Boggle game in the episode "The Panty Piñata Polarization."
Follow up
Subsequent vocabulary and grammar expansions after 1992 are documented in Marc Okrand’s further publications and the academic journal HolQeD (issued by the Klingon Language Institute, 1992–2004):
- Conversational Klingon (1992) – audio instruction
- Power Klingon (1993) – audio instruction
- The Klingon Way (1996)
- Klingon for the Galactic Traveler (1997)
See also
References