[Addendum: This story is, of course, too silly to be fully true. They’re not looking for Klingon interpreters. See actual story here, thanks to notna in the comments. It’s a good story, though.]
[Further addendum: Well, it’s no longer true at all. According to today’s NY Times story “Search for Klingon Interpreter Called Off,” Multnomah County has delisted Klingon following the flood of delighted publicity: “‘It was a mistake, and a result of an overzealous attempt to ensure that our safety net systems can respond to all customers and clients,’ Multnomah County chair Diane Linn said in a news release.” Thanks for the tip, Bonnie!]
From SFGate.com:
Star Trek fans fluent in Klingon take note — there’s a job opening in Oregon for you.
The fictional language of the popular TV and movie science fiction series is one of about 55 languages needed by the office that treats mental health patients in metropolitan Multnomah County.
“We have to provide information in all the languages our clients speak,” said Jerry Jelusich, a procurement specialist for the county Department of Human Services, which serves about 60,000 mental health clients.
County research has shown that Klingon has gone from being a fictional tongue to what many people — and not just fans — consider a complete language, with its own grammar, syntax and vocabulary.
If a patient speaks only Klingon, the county is obligated to respond with a Klingon interpreter….
I think any comment of mine would be superfluous. (Via Polyglut.)
David observed, I think rightly, that the patient in question probably only *thinks* s/he is speaking Klingon.
I asked him how long it would be before somebody called him up for a Sindarin-speaking patient. He only groaned.
A new urban legend 😉
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/5/11/7032/18347
Sigh. Too good to be true. Thanks.