Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Fun Stuff:  Calendar

Course Index   
 
Extra Material If You Are Interested. This lesson is optional.

Seasons

Elves use six “seasons”, and don't use months.
   early spring:  coirë (“stirring”)
   spring:       tuilë (“sprouting”)
   summer:     lairë (“growing”, “greenness”)
   autumn:      yávië (“harvest”)
   late autumn:  lassë lanta (“leaf-fall”); or quellë (“fading”); or narqelion (“sun-fading”)
   winter:       hrívë

Months

The Númenoreans had Quenya names for the months.  Their calendar — which started on the winter solstice — is not exactly aligned with our calendar.   The Númenorean month starts roughly 10 days early than our modern month.  But it is reasonable to translate our months using these names.
1st month (“January”):         Narvinyë    (“new sun”)
2nd month (“February”):      Nénimë      (“wet”)
3rd month (“March”):           Súlimë        (“windy”)
4th month (“April”):              Víressë
5th month (“May”):               Lótessë       (“flower”)
6th month (“June”):              Nárië          (“sunny”)
7th month (“July”):                Cermië
8th month (“August”):          Úrimë        (“hot”)
9th month (“September”):   Yavannië   (“harvest”)
10th month (“October”):      Narquelië  (“sun fading”)
11th month (“November”):  Hísimë       (“foggy”)
12th month (“December”):  Ringarë      (“cold”)

This Númenorean calendar (give or take a couple calendar reforms which made all months 30 days long, and adjusted some holidays) is the basis of most Human and hobbit calendars in the Third Age.

Nár” (fire) is closely related to “Anar” (Sun).  The months “Narvinyë”, “Nárië”, and “Narquelië” refer to the Sun, rather than literally fire.   Possibly you could say the Sun is named “The Fire”.

Days of the Week

The Elves, who were fond of groups of 6, had a six-day week.  
The Elves of Aman named the fourth day after the Two Trees.  

The Númenoreans added an extra day, in honor of the Sea, bringing the week to seven days.  They renamed the fourth day to honor the White Tree.  

If you are using these names to translate our weekdays, “Sun-day” and “Moon-day” correspond to Sunday and Monday, and the rest of the days follow in order.

1st day (stars):              Elenya                       (“Saturday”)
2nd day (sun):               Anarya                     (“Sunday”)
3rd day (moon):           Isilya                         (“Monday”)
4th day (two trees):     Aldúya;  4th day (white tree):  Aldëa   (“Tuesday”)
5th day (heavens):       Menelya                    (“Wednesday”)
6th day (sea):                Eärenya                    (“Thursday”)
6th/7th day (Valar):  Valanya or Tárion     (“Friday”)

Holidays:

first day of the year:   yestarë (winter solstice)
spring holiday:            tuilérë
summer solstice:         loëndë
autumn holiday:         yáviérë
last day of the year:    mettarë



Review Summary for Part 1

 « Pronoun Endings «        Course Index         » Next » 

A concise summary of the forms we have learned so far:  

NOUNS:  
The basic plural (“all the ~”, “~ in general”) is formed by adding either -r or -i.
-r after vowel except -ë
-r after -ië
-i replaces -ë
-i after consonant

Possessive Pronouns (when added to the end of nouns)
after   after
vowel   consonant
-nya    -inya    my
-lya    -elya    your (one person, formal/polite)
-tya    -etya    your (one person, informal/familiar)
-lda    -elda    your (a group)
-rya    -erya    his/her/its (This is the “correct” form.)
-lta     elta    their

If the noun is plural, add the plural ending -r after the possessive.  
after    after
vowel    consonant
-nyar    -inyar    my
-lyar    -ilyar    your (one person, formal/polite)
-tyar    -ityar    your (one person, informal/familiar)
-ldar    -ildar    your (a group)
-ryar    -iryar    his/her/its (This is the “correct” form.)
-ltar    -iltar    their

ADJECTIVES:
If the noun is plural, the adjective should also be in the plural:
-a → -ë
-ë-i
-ëa-ië

VERBS:
For any verb, add -r to form the plural (unless there is a plural pronoun ending).

Aorist present (timeless truths)
Basic verb: -ë , -i- if any other ending is added
A Stem:   -a

Continuative present (happening now; is ~ing)
Basic Verb: lengthen vowel (add accent), add -a
A Stem:   lengthen vowel, unless it falls before a consonant cluster; replace -a with -ëa

Past Tense
ends in -ë
There are enough exceptions to the patterns that you should look up the past tense for each verb.

Future Tense:
-uva (replaces the -a on A-stem verbs)

Imperative
Add to basic verbs.
Leave A-stem verbs unchanged.
Use á (do it!) or áva (don't!)
Use the same form to address one or several people.

Subject pronouns, when attached to a verb
-nyë, -n               I
-lyë, -l               you (one person, formal/polite)
-tyë                   you (one person, informal/familiar)
-ldë                   you (a group)
-s,  (rarely -së)      he/she/it
-ltë (variant: -ntë)   they( plural)
The plural pronouns do not need -r added to the verb.  


Examples of Verbs

Aorist Present Tense (general meaning; timeless truths)
Alqua matë lingwë.      A swan eats a fish.
Matis lingwë.          It eats a fish.
Alquar matir lingwi.     Swans eat fish.
Matiltë lingwi.         They eat fish.
Lassë lanta.           A leaf falls.
Lantas.               It falls.
Lassi lantar.           Leaves fall.
Lantaltë.             They fall.

Continuative Present Tense (right now)
Alqua máta lingwë.      A swan is eating a fish.
Alquar mátar lingwi.     Swans are eating fish.
Lassë lantëa.          A leaf is falling.
Lassi lantëar.          Leaves are falling.

Past Tense
Alqua mantë lingwë.      A swan ate a fish.
Mantes lingwë.          It ate a fish.
Alquar manter lingwi.     Swans ate fish.
Manteltë lingwi.         They ate fish.
Lassë lantanë.          A leaf fell.
Lantanë.              It fell.
Lassi lantaner.          Leaves fell.
Lantaneltë.            They fell.

Future Tense
Alqua matuva lingwë.      A swan will eat a fish.
Alquar matuvar lingwi.     Swans will eat fish.
Lassë lantuva.            A leaf will fall.
Lassi lantuvar.           Leaves will fall.

Wish
Nai alqua matuva lingwë!     May a swan eat a fish!
Nai alquar matuvar lingwi!    May swans eat fish!
Nai lassë lantuva!          May a leaf fall!
Nai lassi lantuvar!          May leaves fall!

Uncertainty
Cé lassë lanta.       Maybe a leaf falls.
Cé lassë lantanë.     Maybe a leaf fell.
Cé lassë lantuva.     Maybe a leaf will fall.
etc.

Imperative
Á matë lingwë, alqua!        Eat a fish, swan!
Á matë lingwi, alquar!        Eat fish, swans!
Alquar, áva matë lingwi!      Swans, don't eat fish!
Lassë, á lanta!              Leaf, fall!
Á lanta, lassi!              Fall, leaves!
Áva lanta, lassë!            Don't fall, leaf!

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Pronoun Endings for Verbs

 « Imperative «        Course Index       Notes About Pronouns   

Tolkien changed his scheme of pronouns frequently.  The forms I am using are taken from a late-1960's source, and are Ardalambion's favorite.



A pronoun for the subject of the verb can be (but does not need to be) attached to the end of the verb.  Stand-alone pronouns do exist.



   -nyë, -n          I

   -lyë, -l           you (one person, formal/polite)

   -tyë              you (one person, informal/familiar)

   -ldë             you (a group)

   -s, (rarely -së)      he/she/it /genderless singular

   -ltë (variant:  -ntë)  they (plural)



These are used only if the subject of the verb is not explicitly stated.



Use the “short” form (-n, -l, -s) if no other ending will be added; otherwise use the “long” form.



The plural pronouns (such as –ldë and –ltë) do not need the -r plural ending on the verb.



     lassë lanta    a leaf falls    lanta

     lantas            it falls           lanta- + -s (it)

     lassi lantar   leaves fall    lanta- + -r (verb plural)

     lantaltë         they fall       lanta- + -lte (they)



Practice – Your Turn

Highlight the shaded boxes to see the answers.



┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│                 useful vocabulary                

│ mar-    live (at a location)  (past tense marnë)  │

│ rista-  cut                   (past tense ristanë)│

│ hir–    find                  (past tense hirnë)  │

│ not-    count                 (past tense nontë)  │

│ cen-    see                   (past tense cennë)  │

│ tur-    control, govern, rule  (past tense turnë)

 Alqualondessë            in Alqualondë            │


 Endórë                   Middle-Earth             │
│ sinomë                   here, in this place      │

│ orva                     apple                    │

│ mírë                     jewel                    │

│ cirya                    ship                     │

└───────────────────────────────────────────────────┘





I live here.      Marin sinomë.

I saw a dragon in Alqualondë.     Cennën lócë Alqualondessë.

They found jewels.      Hirneltë míri.

You found jewels.  (polite)     Hirnelyë míri.

You found jewels.  (informal)     Hirnetyë míri.

He cut the apples.     Ristanës orvar.

I will rule Middle Earth!!!     Turuvan Endórë!!!

She is counting ships.     Nótas ciryar.



Extra Material for the Geeks:
The pronoun endings -n, -l, -s, -t could also refer to the object of the verb.
     -n     me
     -l      you (one person, formal/polite)
     -s      him/her/it/genderless singular
     -t      them (plural)

The subject-pronoun would go first, then the object pronoun.
     Hantanyel     I thank you.     hanta- + -nye (I, subject)+ -l (you, object)


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