Differences between TGV and MGV pronunciation

[planetari]

The weekly lesson reminded me to look for this clip in Wrath of Khan - it's when Saavik and Spock are talking about Kirk in Vulcan.

Here is a link to the clip audio - http://www.4shared.com/file/133315830/d5ed007a/WOK_-_Variben_Saavik_heh_Spohkh.html
Just click the "play" button under download to stream.

Saavik: Gishen worla ikh-banut.
Spock: Wakli ak'

Comments

[kiwiken]

Rolled r certainly match the overall sound of the language. Personally, I tend to pronounce them more like german r instead, somewhere in the throat, but I guess I also don't really have a reason to assume this is correct.

For the t, there is a sentence in the pronounciation rules that seems to contradict your assumption: "Since there are no silent letters in Golic Vulcan words, you must pronounce all letters."
I would take this to mean that the t also has to be pronounced somehow, possibly different than in the middle of the word, but it must make some sound, or it wouldn't be there in the first place.

I will need to listen to the ceremonial speech again to see how they pronounce the words, since that's definitely TGV.
I just assumed that Saavik and Spock would be talking in MGV, since that's a language more widely spoken in everyday life, while TGV is mentioned somewhere as having more a status comparable to that latin has in our world.
I can however see Spock as being the kind of person who would like to use ancient and traditional words excessively ;) Also, he probably spoke TGV when he was in Gol trying to achieve Kolinahr, he might still be more used to ancient words because of that (I don't know how much time he actually spent there, though).

[planetari]

I think the German R sound must definitely give a more traditional sound to the language. Since the development of GV was halted I see no reason to suit these small things to make ourselves comfortable using the language. If it sounds good, then it's probably good. :p
In all languages there are variations in pronunciation after all.

Ah I had forgotten about that, thanks for reminding me. I can't explain the silent T then. She seems to make a small stop after the U sound, like the FSE T, that might be why it got written down as banut.

Maybe it's etiquette. Since they are on duty and he is Saavik's superior, he will use formal speech. Even in English, he is always very formal in his speech and ways, as typical of Vulcans.

Here is something I found in the Introduction page of the Institute:
"One who is superior in standing to or much older than another person often uses the "Superior Mode" form of many words in speech. These words tend to be more ancient forms of words. In addition to using the older forms of words, superiors also tend to be more formal in their use of the language, not dropping out as much as the normal speaker does."