Re: Star Trek conlangs besides Klingon and Romulan

In regards to the development of a Betazoid language:

I've been rather iffy on the starting of developing a Betazoid language.
Why? The problem is the fact that all (if not, at least 98%) are telepathic.
So the question arises; why would they need a vocal language? I've been
struggling with this for awhile.

There are two ways of dealing with this, which is primarily based on their
form of telepathy.

Word-based telepathy:
The series has protrayed Betazoids as a telepathic species that can
communicate with telepathy in the form of using words, and basically
speaking to each other through their minds. Thus, they would need vocal
languages in order to communicate in this fashion; they'd have to have words
for the communication. My first guess would be that their literary language
would be identical or very similar to their vocal language, as in a sense
they are still speaking; just with their minds.

Image-based telepathy:
The series has also shown us a species that is telepathic, but communicates
not by word, but by image. They were introduced towards the latter half of
the series, being known as the Cairn. They appeared in only a single
episode, but they had tremendous struggle with producing vocal language, and
two Betazoid telepaths (Deanna and Lwaxana Troi) had experienced some
discomfort by the forcefulness of the multitude of images that came to them
in a single telepathic emission. This suggests that since ideas are
transferred directly as opposed to indirectly by words, their vocal language
would be nonexistent as there would be no reason for description; their
ideas are directly shared. However, I believe that a race such as this would
have a fully developed, and probably very complicated literal language.

So I ask: What do you listmembers think is the way the Betazoids deal with
language? Do you agree with my theory?

To support the theory that the Betazoids posess a language, I present a few
words that have been used (in verbal speech) in the course of the series:

Rixx: Used in The Sacred Chalice Of Rixx (a city perhaps?)
Imzadi: One of the more known Betazoid terms, meaning (I think..) lover, or
beloved one.

There are also a few names that suggest a written language of some form (as
they do not appeared adopted from other languages?)
-Lwaxana
-Kestra
-Tam Elbrun
-Devanoni Ral

And actually, as I glance over my Star Trek Encyclopedia, I read the entry
under Betazoids, which contains a sentence saying that Betazoids do not
obtain their telepathic abilities until they enter adolensence, suggesting
that they would _need_ a verbal language in order for children to
communicate. So.. perhaps this ends the unsureness?

What do you think?

In conclusion,
~Arek  -  zadar@wco.com

"The pessimist stomps and curses the wind. The optimist whines, but keeps
saying how everything can be better. The realist adjusts the sails and
doesn't complain."
        - Kyle Voiles

....Zephyr in the sky at night, I wonder: do my tears of mourning sink
beneath the sun?....