Learning Something New
Originally posted on January 7, 2008
Laurelin: You were very kind to help me with my Christmas decorating, so I am going to teach you some of my language. It's a very complex language though, and unless you can study with me for many years, you should not expect to master it.
Eron: Elvish? But I don’t….
Laurelin: And I will be a very good teacher, Eron. I can go as slowly as you would like.
Eron: Okay yeah, sounds like fun. Hey wait – are you saying I’m slow?
Laurelin: Oh, no, I would not say anything like that.
Eron: Yes, you would, you tease me all the time.
Laurelin: Perhaps I do. I like to see you smile.
Laurelin: Let us begin your lessons, Eron. Let us say you have just met an elf that you do not know.
Eron: Yeah, happens all the time in my hometown.
Laurelin: I'm going to ignore that, Hallaer (tall one).
Eron: Hey - no calling me names you haven’t taught me yet.
Laurelin: If you meet a strange elf you might say, "Aaye. (Hail) Mae govannen (well met). Sut naa lle umien sina re? (How are you doing today?)
Eron: Aaye. Mae govannen. Sut naa lle umien sina re? OK, so that’s for a stranger elf, what about if I met a pretty lady elf and I wanted to say something charming to please her?
Laurelin: Oh - well in that case, you might say "Vedui', cormamin lindua ele lle (my heart sings to see thee).
Eron: That sounds nice. "Vedui', cormamin lindua ele lle. OK, now we’re friends, this pretty lady elf and I – how would I say hello to a friend?
Laurelin: Mellonamin - Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha. That means: My friend - May the leaves of your life tree never turn brown.
Eron: Oh I get it – like something you might say to your good friend, if he was an Ent!…. But hey, I’m game: Mellonamin - Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha. Sounds like some kind of blessing.
Laurelin: Much of our language is made up of phrases of blessing and good wishes. It is a very loving language sometimes.
Eron: So are there a lot of words for “love” or “one who is loved?”
Laurelin: There are. If your friend were to become more than your friend, you would need to know the proper words. She could be your 'nieve, a lover who is not your life-mate, or if she was more than that, Sh'mai, beloved of my soul.
Eron: A lover who is not a life mate?
Laurelin: Someone you have chosen to be with, to love, but perhaps not forever.
Eron: So it is possible for elves to make a conscious decision about whom they will or will not love?
Laurelin: Elves have a tendency to love easily and often. Like humans, some of us have many lovers in our lifetime. Others - only one. My father was certainly 'nieve to my mother. Although to him - she was his Sh'mai.
Eron: So how have you…. no, never mind. None of my business.
Laurelin: If there is something you would like to know, you must ask, Eron. Why do humans find speaking of love to be so awkward?
Eron: Because this human was getting pretty personal, and he probably shouldn’t.
Laurelin: To answer the question that you cannot ask – No, I have not loved very much. I'm much younger than my sisters. And I have seen how love has affected them so I think I will never look for love.
Eron: Not at all?
Laurelin: Perhaps someday, but I will probably seek out someone from my alar if that day should ever come. I do not believe that a human and an elf can find love easily together.
Eron: (after a long thoughtful silence) We’ve gotten completely off the subject, huh?
Laurelin: Yes, so back to your lessons. What else would you like to learn to say?
Eron: How about…. a friendly way to say “goodbye?”
Laurelin: (soberly) Why would you want to learn this?
Eron: Because… I have to go soon. I can’t stay here hiding out from my problems forever.
Laurelin: I understand. But it is sad to think about how much I will miss my friend.
Eron: I’ll miss you too.
Laurelin: So…. Some friendly goodbyes, then. In my world it is also customary to utter a blessing along with each goodbye. We have many such blessings. I think what I will say to you, when we must part, is, “Lissenen ar' maska'lalaith tenna' lye omentuva” Sweet water and light laughter until next we meet.
Eron: I like the sound of that – because it looks toward our next meeting instead the end of our time together. And I will say to you, “Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta.” (May your ways be green and golden.)
Laurelin: Eron! Where did you learn that? I did not teach you that!
Eron: Mellonamin, I have a confession to make. I have known some of your language since I was a kid. One of the things I used to do to entertain myself when I had to sit around my Grandma’s shop waiting for her, was to try and teach myself Elvish from an old phrase book.
Laurelin: Why did you not tell me?
Eron: Because….. I really wanted to hear you saying all those words. Listening to your voice is really pleasing, but especially when you speak in your own language.
Eron: Forgive me?
Laurelin: (whispers) Yes.
