Klingon classes for Trekkie fans

Mr Turner's computer course will delight Trekkies

Star Trek fans will be able to indulge their passion for the cult show thanks to a Staffordshire student.

Rik Turner has produced a new interactive computer course to help people learn Klingon as part of his advanced technology degree at Staffordshire University.

He used the TV series and books to prepare and devise the fictitious language for the CD Rom.

While many may believe the language of Klingon is nothing more than a few random words and sounds thrown together, few people realise Klingon is a complete language system loosely based on the dialects of native American Indians

'Technological ability'

Mr Turner said: "The idea of the project was to put together a multi-media CD Rom that would incorporate video, audio, text and graphics.

"The idea was to put it together in such a way that we could learn a foreign language, the language being Klingon."

However there is a serious side to what Mr Turner has achieved.

His tutor, Liz Thurfield, said: "What we are making here isn't so much about content.

"It is the vehicle for Rik showing what he can do. It's his technological ability and knowledge. It's how he offers the multi-media he has been working with."

The university will be holding an open day on Friday.