klingon_story1-10 Exercise 2: Why No Exact Count ================================================= Reasons: - There is no census. Speakers are scattered across many countries. - "Speaks Klingon" has no fixed meaning: a few phrases, reading, or fluent conversation give very different totals. - Estimates come from different years and sources (a dozen in the 1990s, 20-30 in 2009, 30-50 from Duolingo in 2018, about 100 from a 2024 mailing-list guess) and are based on experience, not measurement. - Online learners (Duolingo, courses) count as readers more than speakers. More reliable evidence: - A survey of Institute members, certificate holders and course participants, with a stated definition of fluency. - Test results from the Institute's certification levels. - Attendance and participation records from the annual meeting.