A verb for “to try” based on the root √RIK “put forth effort, strive, endeavour” in notes from around 1967 where Tolkien explored the Quenya equivalent of “try harder” = á rike amríkie (PE17/93-94). In those notes he said:
> ... this apparently simple phrase is in fact very idiomatic, and requires a context. Try retains many divergent meanings owing to its derivation from a word originally meaning “sift” > examine, judge, test, whence later in one branch > make tentative motions, trial efforts > attempt > endeavour, make efforts to a given end. Here the last: “put forth effort”, is usually the meaning (PE17/93).
The verb form rike appeared in what seems to be in a draft to these 1967 notes along with a variant rihta, both derivatives of √RIK “strive” (PE17/167).
Neo-Quenya: Based on the above, I would use ric- “try” mainly in the sense “strive, put for effort”. For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use nev- for the sense “try” = “✱seek opportunity, experiment”, a verb that appeared in the draft notes mentioned above (PE17/167); see that entry for discussion. More precisely, I would use ric- “try” when uncertain of whether I was capable of performing the action and it needed concerted effort, where I would use nev- “try” when I believed I was capable, but was uncertain what the result of the action will be.
This verb also conflicts with ric- “to twist”, but I believe the two can coexist since ric- “try” would usually be followed by a verb (rincen mate “I tried to eat”) as opposed to ric- “twist” either used intransitively or followed by a noun (rincen i sicil “I twisted the dagger”).
A verb for “to try” based on the root √RIK “put forth effort, strive, endeavour” in notes from around 1967 where Tolkien explored the Quenya equivalent of “try harder” = á rike amríkie (PE17/93-94). In those notes he said:
> ... this apparently simple phrase is in fact very idiomatic, and requires a context. Try retains many divergent meanings owing to its derivation from a word originally meaning “sift” > examine, judge, test, whence later in one branch > make tentative motions, trial efforts > attempt > endeavour, make efforts to a given end. Here the last: “put forth effort”, is usually the meaning (PE17/93).
The verb form rike appeared in what seems to be in a draft to these 1967 notes along with a variant rihta, both derivatives of √RIK “strive” (PE17/167).
Neo-Quenya: Based on the above, I would use ric- “try” mainly in the sense “strive, put for effort”. For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use nev- for the sense “try” = “✱seek opportunity, experiment”, a verb that appeared in the draft notes mentioned above (PE17/167); see that entry for discussion. More precisely, I would use ric- “try” when uncertain of whether I was capable of performing the action and it needed concerted effort, where I would use nev- “try” when I believed I was capable, but was uncertain what the result of the action will be.
This verb also conflicts with ric- “to twist”, but I believe the two can coexist since ric- “try” would usually be followed by a verb (rincen mate “I tried to eat”) as opposed to ric- “twist” either used intransitively or followed by a noun (rincen i sicil “I twisted the dagger”).