Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Conlangs are constructed languages. This means they are made up, unlike real human languages. People will create conlangs for many reasons. They may be trying to make a language that everyone in the world can understand. But a lot of conlangs are used by fictional characters in books, movies, television, or other kinds of stories.
One example of a conlang is Klingon from the television series Star Trek. Mark Okrand studied linguistics and created Klingon for the Klingon people, an alien species. Many people find conlangs fun and fascinating. Others find it hard enough to learn a foreign language and don’t want to invest time in conlangs.
Andy is practicing his Klingon with Dominique or… trying to. Find out more in today’s English lesson.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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Andy_H: Dominique. Nook-nah!!
Dominique: What in the world was that, Andy? You’re scaring me.
Andy_H: That was Klingon for: “What do you want?!”
Dominique: Klingon…?
Andy_H: Yeah. It’s from Star Trek.
Dominique: No.
Andy_H: You don’t know Star Trek? What is wrong with you?
Dominique: I know Star Wars.
Andy_H: OK. Anyways, it’s a conlang.
Dominique: What is that?
Andy_H: OMG. OK, conlang: constructed language. It’s a language that somebody made up, usually for, you know, like TV or a book or movies… J.R. Tolkien, aka Lord of the Rings, loved making conlangs.
Dominique: Really? I can barely learn foreign languages! Like, I don’t have time for fantasy made-up languages. That’s crazy!
Andy_H: Well, maybe you should invest some more of your time in speaking awesome languages like Klingon!! QAPLA! If I were Klingon… I would be conquering the galaxy! I’m still learning… the linguistics are kind of, well, they’re hazy. Syntax, phonetics, it’s pretty crazy…
Grammar Point
Go Super to learn "Adverbs" from this lesson 
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Discussion
Andy shouts ‘Nook-nah!!’ Dominique says Andy is scary and asks what he is doing. Andy is speaking Klingon from the television series, Star Trek. Dominique does not know that show or the language. Andy explains that Klingon is a conlang, a constructed language. Conlangs are made-up languages usually spoken by fictional characters in stories.
Andy gives some examples: J.R. Tolkien created a conlang for Lord of the Rings. Dominique can barely learn foreign languages. She doesn’t want to invest the time or energy to learn a fake language like Klingon. Andy thinks that Klingon is way cool. If he spoke it like the Klingon aliens, he could conquer the galaxy, just like them.
What do you think of conlangs? What is your favorite conlang from a movie or a book?
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