Useless words

Tom Bombadil #426

Some words are usually without any function in the sentence but giving the speaker time. Filler words, basically. I mean words like actually, basically, ahem and well. Is there any way to translate these words into Quenya?

PS. I know how to translate the word "actually", but I'm especially interested in well and ahem.

Ríon Gondremborion #427

Well,

Filler/Useless words aren't something we can reconstruct in NeoQuenya like we can other parts of the vocabulary: these words evolve over many years of slang. It would be useful if we had been furnished with recordings of adolescent elves, but alas.

The closest we can get is through "Yé" found in "I have found it!" but even that can be glossed as "Lo!/Behold!".

At least, that's my two cents, I'd keep mind until more experienced people show up.

Farewell, Novaer

Ríon Gondremborion Ríon Gondremborion

Tamas Ferencz #428

In my opinion this is something that can evolve over time. If enough people start using NeoQuenya in chats etc. then sooner or later there will be a need for such words, someone will come up with something, which then we'll have a chance to be picked up by other speakers. Unless, of course, in a future publication of Tolkien's writings such a words is magically attested.

Tom Bombadil #429

What about mára? that is a sort of "well", or "nice" ... wait, what about mai? Isn't that already well, and couldn't we use it in the English way?

Tamas Ferencz #430

Possibly. But then others may say you are introducing an English bias by translating an English idiom directly. A non-English speaker may not understand what you're trying to say when you scatter a few mais in your text because in their own language speakers use some other words for fillers.

Of course Tolkien himself was not above using English idioms as template for Quenya expressions, like we discussed in this thread for instance.

Ríon Gondremborion #437

Doing flashcards and I came across this word which I suppose might be something that you're looking for. It's something of a stretch but given it has a very indistinct meaning and it's a very basic sound (heck, it's even more basic than the supposed first word ever spoken by an elf!) this might be used as something roughly resembling an elven "uh".

Edit: Also ran into this one which would probably be less of a stretch to call it a filler word

Tom Bombadil #438

I knew "orro" and did not think about it in this context, but you are right, it could be a filler word for every pessimist, like an English "damned". "E" seems to be right. Thanks for that hint, I will keep it in mind.