h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Useful Elvish Phrases - A723430
Author: Petkan - U191798

Well, after scooping up some suggestions from the Writing Workshop, I believe that the entry is now ready to take another go on the Peer Review. Let's hear your thoughts on it!

It seems good to me, that is someone who doesn't speak elvish at all or in fact read JRR Tolkien either. Can't see any problems with it at all! but would it be possible to add something a little more about the grammar?

I'd like to see a companion entry on Quenya the language, to complement this phrase list. Perhaps a later project?

I think a pronounciation guide to each phrase would be a worthwhile addition. As you've said, a comprehensive guide to Quenya pronounciation and stress rules would be totally beyond the scope of a simple phrase list, but I think it would be sensible to provide a pronounciation guide for the phrases you list. You can find a set of pronounciation symbols compatible with GuideML here: http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/sampa/home.htm

You could add a link to http://www.geocities.com/lambengolmo/ , which you mention in the WW thread, so people can find out more, if they choose.

You don't translate "Márë Quenyannar quenteli" ??

Well, it would be interesting to see one or more entries on the principles of Quenya as a whole. However, this is an extensive topic to write on, and I don't feel qualified enough for that.

Anyway, a few links to further sources of information will undoubtedly be useful to those who are interested.

As far as pronunciation is concerned, I'll consider adding a guide. I have never put too much thought in that, because the way we pronounce words in my native language (ie Bulgarian) is close to that of Quenya.

Márë Quenyannar quenteli is just what the title says - "Useful Elvish phrases"...


Petkan

Any progress on the pronounciation guide? It would be a neat addition - then we could all practice for the next meet...

-Lucinda (picturing a hundred researchers gabbering away in elvish...)

It wouldn't sound like gabbering though, because it would sound lovely, like water.

Could be nice. And then you could request a status of an Elvish minority
I just read that many people stated they were Elves when asked for nationality in the recent census in Russia. Check it out at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2333487.stm

Cool, but you couldn't really claim to be an elf just because you spoke the language.

No, but they were asked to define their nationality according to how they feel - http://www.otherkin.net - some people feel elvish...

True, but I don't think we could claim minority status by means of learning the language, as was suggested.
If it was on the basis of how we felt we wouldn't need to learn the lanuage at all.
(wish I felt elvish)

"Are you bluish?
You don't _look_ bluish."

I'm certinaly not bluish, but I do have a pet glove.

(my little glovey wuvvey)

Nice

May Balrogs eat you?
That's not very nice. How would that go down in the court of Ingwë then?

It's not supposed to be nice.
It's a curse.

Really? You don's say.

...and my post wasn't serious...

*explains slowly and precisely as if to a child*
I know.

..are you deliberately trying to bait me or what? I find that last post very offensive.

goodbye

*giggles*
Spot which posts are serious and which aren't!

-Lucinda

This is a good entry.

The Table of Phrases needs its own heading. At the moment, it is in the section with the heading Pronunciation.

You have so many footnotes on the phrases that you might consider putting a third column into the table with this information in it.

The title should mention that it is Tolkien's Elvish. And this is only Quenya, one of the two Elvish languages, so you should call it High Elvish.