Changes: Cardassian language

Revision as of 19:02, 15 October 2014

Classroom alphabet 1 — Parts of the Cardassian alphabet (center)

There is very little known about the Cardassian language, other than its proper nouns (see Cardassians and Cardassia for names of people and places respectively).

Writing system

File:Cardassian script.gif

Cardassian script

Official Cardassian transcript seal — Script used in an official transcript seal

Cardassian writing was composed of slender rectangular letters usually widening at the top. Lines of text were written both horizontally and vertically, radiating out from an elaborate circle motif. Lines of text also incorporated dots. (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II"; DS9: "Tribunal", "Things Past")

Keiko O'Brien's classroom aboard Deep Space 9 featured a chart with the Human, Ferengi, Bajoran, and Cardassian alphabet. (DS9: "The Nagus", "In the Hands of the Prophets")

Cardassian military uniforms included a section of writing in gold on the right chest. It is unknown what this writing meant, though by the placement, it may be conjectured that it was the name of the wearer, or of the vessel or unit to which they were assigned, or possibly the Cardassian equivalent of rank insignia.

The Cardassian script was designed by Doug Drexler. (Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before, p.169)

Military and government

"Gul" was a rank that was roughly analogous to the Federation rank of captain; "glinn" was a rank below Gul. "Legate" was a rank above gul (see Cardassian ranks). (TNG: "The Wounded")

The Detapa Council was the highest civilian governmental body, although the meaning of the word "Detapa" is unclear. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")

Miscellaneous

"Odo'ital" was Cardassian for "nothing". Odo was called odo'ital when he was studied at the Bajoran Institute of Science. The Bajorans working at the institute intended to label Odo as "unknown sample", but all specimens had to be labelled in Cardassian, and Odo stated that the Bajorans mistranslated the term by incorrectly using "odo'ital", which literally meant "nothing". (DS9: "Heart of Stone")

"Yamok" sauce was a common Cardassian condiment. (DS9: "Progress")

"Nor" carried connotations of either "station" or "base"; Terok Nor and Empok Nor both had this word in their names. (DS9: "Cardassians", "Empok Nor")

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 == Writing system ==
 [[File:Cardassian script.gif|thumb|Cardassian script]]
+[[File:Official Cardassian transcript seal.jpg|thumb|Script used in an official transcript seal]]
-'''Cardassian writing''' is composed of slender rectangular letters usually widening at the top.  Lines of text are written both horizontally and vertically, radiating out from an elaborate circle motif.  Lines of text also incorporate dots.  ({{TNG|Chain of Command, Part II}}; {{DS9|Tribunal|Things Past}})
+'''Cardassian writing''' was composed of slender rectangular letters usually widening at the top.  Lines of text were written both horizontally and vertically, radiating out from an elaborate circle motif.  Lines of text also incorporated dots.  ({{TNG|Chain of Command, Part II}}; {{DS9|Tribunal|Things Past}})
-[[Keiko O'Brien]]'s [[classroom]] aboard [[Deep Space 9]] featured a chart with the [[Human]], [[Ferengi]], [[Bajoran]], and Cardassian alphabet. ({{DS9|The Nagus}})
+[[Keiko O'Brien]]'s [[classroom]] aboard [[Deep Space 9]] featured a chart with the [[Human]], [[Ferengi]], [[Bajoran]], and Cardassian alphabet. ({{DS9|The Nagus|In the Hands of the Prophets}})
-{{bginfo|Cardassian military uniforms include a section of writing in gold on the right chest. It is unknown what this writing means, though by the placement, it may be conjectured that it is the name of the wearer, or of the vessel or unit to which they are assigned, or possibly the Cardassian equivalent of rank insignia.}}
+{{bginfo|Cardassian military uniforms included a section of writing in gold on the right chest. It is unknown what this writing meant, though by the placement, it may be conjectured that it was the name of the wearer, or of the vessel or unit to which they were assigned, or possibly the Cardassian equivalent of rank insignia.|The Cardassian script was designed by [[Doug Drexler]]. (''[[Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before]]'', p.169)}}
 == Military and government ==
-"[[Gul]]" is a rank that seems roughly analogous to the [[Federation]] rank of [[captain]] and "[[glinn]]" is a rank directly below Gul. "[[Legate]]" is a rank above gul (see [[Cardassian ranks]]). ({{TNG|The Wounded}})
+"[[Gul]]" was a rank that was roughly analogous to the [[Federation]] rank of [[captain]]; "[[glinn]]" was a rank below Gul. "[[Legate]]" was a rank above gul (see [[Cardassian ranks]]). ({{TNG|The Wounded}})
-The [[Detapa Council]] is the highest civilian government body, although we are never given a clue as to what the word "Detapa" means. However it could mean civilian or be the name of the location the Council was first constituted.  ({{DS9|The Way of the Warrior}})
+The [[Detapa Council]] was the highest civilian governmental body, although the meaning of the word "Detapa" is unclear. ({{DS9|The Way of the Warrior}})
 == Miscellaneous ==
-"Odo'ital" is Cardassian for "nothing".  [[Odo]] was called odo'ital when he was studied at the [[Bajoran Institute of Science]].  ({{DS9|Heart of Stone}})
+"Odo'ital" was Cardassian for "nothing".  [[Odo]] was called odo'ital when he was studied at the [[Bajoran Institute of Science]]. The Bajorans working at the institute intended to label Odo as "unknown sample", but all specimens had to be labelled in Cardassian, and Odo stated that the Bajorans mistranslated the term by incorrectly using "odo'ital", which literally meant "nothing".  ({{DS9|Heart of Stone}})
-"[[Yamok sauce|Yamok]]" sauce is a common Cardassian condiment. Yamok may refer either to what the sauce is made from, or the actual sauce itself.  ({{DS9|Progress}})
+"[[Yamok sauce|Yamok]]" sauce was a common Cardassian condiment. ({{DS9|Progress}})
-"Nor" seems to carry connotations of either "station" or "base"; [[Terok Nor]] and [[Empok Nor]] have this word in their names in the same position.  ({{DS9|Cardassians|Empok Nor}})
+"Nor" carried connotations of either "station" or "base"; [[Terok Nor]] and [[Empok Nor]] both had this word in their names. ({{DS9|Cardassians|Empok Nor}})
 [[Category:Cardassia]]
 [[Category:Languages]]
+[[de:Cardassianische Sprache]]
+[[fr:Cardassien (langue)]]