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aelin~uial
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Post HELP!
on: April 14, 2005 02:04
I want to learn elvish, but I have no clue how to use the workbooks. They make no sense to me! Please help!
Fallendil
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Post RE: HELP!
on: April 14, 2005 11:24
Learning Sindaring or Quenya isn't easy. However, just read the lessons, memorize the vocabulary, and do the exercises. The exercises are hand checked and you can do them at your own pace. You can also post questions (like this one) here. If you are interested in Quenya, there is also an excelent (and very detailed) course at http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/. Thorsten Renk has made a Sindarin and a Quenya course but, while I have not personally looked at them, I hear that some of their contents are quite controversial.
Ailinel
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Post RE: HELP!
on: April 15, 2005 01:42
Thorsten Renk has made a Sindarin and a Quenya course but, while I have not personally looked at them, I hear that some of their contents are quite controversial.


I have acquired my basic knowledge of Sindarin from Thorsten Renk's course which I found perfectly clear and intelligible, and by the way, very enjoyable!

In the preface Thorsten Renk states unmistakebly that, for lack of attested material, some forms and rules are "to some degree speculation". Reconstructed words and speculative sections are clearly marked within the text.

@ aelin-uial:
If you could explain what you actually don't understand, it would be easier to give some advice.
gwendeth
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Post RE: HELP!
on: April 15, 2005 02:43
The lessons and exercises on COE are very well done - thanks to Gildor-Inglorion and Naneth.

Discussion on 'rules' and 'forms' that are unknown (and will never be known), 'speculative' (I'm not sure I like that word), or uncertain is clear; and if 'Neo-Sindarin' is used n the Workbooks, it is clearly stated as such.

I know Naneth has done much re-writing to use only attested material in the lessons and examples.

What's nice is that we have this forum for questions/answers/discussions and that everyone is willing to help with answers and try to explain why there aren't answers sometimes.

I've not taken any other Sindarin courses - and for my 2 cents worth - COE has the best one 'out there'!

I have looked at Thorsten's course... personally, I've some issues with a few things. Differing viewpoints, however are not only inevitable with JRRT's Elvish languages, but can lead to some good discussion.

As to your question on the workbooks - you just type in the answers, click that you've 'completed' it, and submit it. Either Naneth or Fíriel will check it (or Malinornë if you're studying Qyenya), and put in their comments.

Don't be discouraged if you need to 'redo' the workbook - lol sometimes it took me 2-3 tries to get it!

[Edited on 15/4/2005 by gwendeth]
"Tolo si, a tiro i cherth Eru" "Come now, and see the works of God"
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