[Thuriniel]

In the last month, I have been involved in about three discussions about the use of Sindarin/Quenya in fanfiction. So there's my question! I'm curious to know what everyone thinks .

[Thuriniel]

I had one last choice and forgot to update it! Anyone knows how to edit a poll? Or is it not possible?

Anyways, the last choice was:

ALWAYS! The whole dialogue should be written in the Noble Tongue.

[ellisk]

I personally voted the penultimate option (adds atmosphere etc) but I am kind of between that answer and the third to last (used right it can be effective). I use Sindarin in my stories occasionally when I want to emphasize that one character cannot understand another or if it will have particular meaning in the dialogue. I personally don't like to just randomly throw it in for no apparent reason, but I will read a story with long passages of Sindarin if it is good. I consider this 'author's choice.' If they like Elvish, I say good for them. Tolkien used it judiciously and he obviously loved it if he made it up.

I also often use it for family names when the characters are speaking (especially mum and dad). The reason I do that is because there are so many ways people address their parents, especially their mums, that the way I choose to might seem more distracting then having the character say 'nana' or 'naneth.' I mean, I call my mother 'mummy.' Can you see Thranduil saying, Good morning, mummy.' ? That just makes me laugh but 'mother' sounds so stiff to me and 'mom' just isn't a word I've ever heard used and I can't hear Thranduil saying that either. Sindarin is my cop out for that problem I guess.

Edit: another time I use elvish is for elleth and ellon. I just refuse to say she-elf *shudder* and I certainly am not going to put that word in an elven character's mouth. Woman, female and female elf sound equally strange to me in elven character's dialogue's when refering to an elleth. So I stick to Sindarin here. Another cop out maybe but that is definitely better than she-elf.

That's my two cents but I think this is an interesting question and I'm also interested in people's opinions.

[SpaceWeavil]

I seem to have voted with the majority I think it depends on how it's used. I will admit that Grelvish turns me off a fic faster than anything, but generally I don't mind elvish in a fic if it's written properly.

I think it has to be appropriate, for instance if you want to showthat a character doesn't understand what's being said, in a girl-falls-in-ME story. I've also used it where it would bein character for the person to use it, for instance in 'And in the Darkness' I have a Numenorean sorceror who's a bit of a wannabe and who uses Quenya because he thinks it's 'magical'.

[ghettoelleth]

Yes, it should always always always be used in ceremonial situations with translations underneath, translated by really really smart women whom I admire greatly....holycrapthatchixhootersarehuge

[Alassante]

As long as it is not Grey Elvish...

[Thuriniel]

I don't think you guys realize how much better I'm feeling ... !

[inglor]

I love reading it, especially in terms of endearment and mushy talk, it adds atmosphere. I use it VERY sparingly like a word or two b/c A. I'm too lazy to look up the transalations and B. I'm scared of people like Thuri who know Quenya/Sindarin and will call me on proper usage
And I rarely write out of the 1st Age so it doesn't need to be there, they're all speaking one or the other.

Inglor

[Viv]

I think it's a matter of respect for the reader: If you think the reader will be fluent in another language or the bits in the other langauge are sparse and easily understood in context, I don't see a problem with it. In general, though, elvish inserted in a fanfic tweaks me much like gratuitous French in pretentious literature: The author is clearly sending me a "You're too stupid to read me" message. So, generally, I don't.

Edit: I thought about it a bit more, and maybe I spoke too quickly. The languages, like the maps and the histories, are integral to Tolkien's world. Where his languages add to the texture of the world, they're appropriate. I still don't like it, because it excludes me, but I understand the Tolkien-scholar's reason for appreciating the use of Tolkien languages.

[Eruanna]

[Texasgirl]

on ff.net, there was an author who wrote THE ENTIRE chapter in elvish - with no translation, except for a link to one of thoses word-by-word dictionaries. as an author, do you really expect the whole fanfiction world to know elvish outside of 'mae govannen' and 'quel amrun' - i don't even know if those are spelled right!

as a reader, do you enjoy having long sentences that you really can't understand in the middle of the piece?

it's a very delicate balance, precious. very delicate indeed.

[SpaceWeavil]

I did consider writing something in elvish once, but I wouldn't post it. And if I do use anything over a couple of words long, I will either translate it in parenthesis, as I did in And in the Darkness, or in brackets / italics beneath.

Saying that, I think the longest excerpt of elvish in my stuff was actually 'Delilah' in 'Sixth Age'.

[Thuriniel]

To whomever fixed the poll:

THANK YOU SO MUCH !

[ellisk]

[Thuriniel]