Some of you may know this already, but last Saint Nicolas’ Day, my grandfather died. We were quite close. He was a brilliant anthropologist and quite gifted at learning languages. If you want to know more about him, do a search on Frank Bessac. I miss him terribly, to the point of distraction. Anyways, I’m taking a semester off of school to mourn, work on Realelvish.net, and hopefully to find a job.
I’ve been burying myself in my website lately, and there have been a lot of updates as a result.
The textbook is back up to date! (I think.) This has been what I’ve been focusing on the most lately. There are several new sections. It now includes a section on the diminutive suffix “-ig/-eg”, on the adjective-making verb suffixes “-ui” and “-weg”, a list of adverbal prefixes that includes the ones found in PE17 (that none of the Sindarin dictionaries have seen fit to include yet), the superlative prefix “ro-“, archaic plurals “-ir” and “-id”, two new types of mutation uncreatively named “H-mutation” and “DH-mutation”, and the abstract suffix “-as”. There also are new chapters on syntax and analogous change to grammar, and an entire chapter on writing in Elven scripts.
http://your-sindarin-textbook.realelvish.net/index.php?id=3
The lessons have been converted to a semester system. Every week students will turn in homework, then spend the rest of the week perfecting the homework and studying up on the next lesson. I’ve designed it to give students just enough of a push to keep working on the lessons, but spaced out so it won’t interfere with real life, hopefully. This should also encourage students to get together and discuss lessons on the forums.
http://your-sindarin-textbook.realelvish.net/index.php?id=4
The class starts February 14th. That is the first day homework is due. For a more complete set of dates, check out the forum calendar:
Because of the work I’ve been putting into the textbook, I’ve been updating the Sindarin Phrase Book like mad.
The “Help!” phrases have been changed to “Rescue Mission” phrases.
http://www.realelvish.net/sindarin_rescue.php
I edited the format of many of the sections to match “Rescue Mission”s easier to search format.
http://www.realelvish.net/sindarin_intro.php
http://www.realelvish.net/sindarin_communication.php
http://www.realelvish.net/sindarin_bartering.php
http://www.realelvish.net/sindarin_warphrases.php
http://www.realelvish.net/sindarin_comeandgo.php
http://www.realelvish.net/sindarin_justforfun.php
Because of their new formats, I’ve discovered some weak points in the phrasebooks and have been slowly filling in the gaps. Eventually I’ll do the same for the Quenya Phrase Book.
Speaking of Quenya, there’s finally a Quenya Pronunciation guide!
http://www.realelvish.net/quenya_pronunciation.php
The Sindarin Name Lists have been updated with hundreds of new names, stemming from the new name suffixes Tolkien described in PE17, and some research that I did in Sindarin agental suffixes.
http://www.realelvish.net/sindarin_namespeople.php
I’m now going to the same college that the creator of I Lam Arth, Aaron Shaw is. Actually, we grew up about 10 miles apart, but never knew it. What an odd coincidence, eh? We’re also about the same age. Something about the Gallatin Valley must make bored teenagers dive into LotR. Anyways, we’re going to discuss my textbook and his articles, maybe produce a few articles of our own.
Galu!