The Tolkien Translation Game!

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Voronwë the Faithful
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

You are certainly on the right track. I will say that it is a group from one race talking to another member of the same race, talking about group from a different race.

If that makes any sense.
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Inanna
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Inanna »

If I remember, Elves didn't take kindly to men... so a group of Elves talking to an Elf, unhappy about Men. Calling Men "unfriends"? (Unfriends!! Tolkien KEEPS surprising me in his use of language. KEEPS!)

No clue about any specific characters, though.
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by elengil »

Okay, I got super curious and I googled "Silmarillion unfriends" and found the quote. I feel that's sort of cheating so I won't spoil it but I do absolutely agree that Tolkien can surprise me with his words on occasion!
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
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"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Voronwë the Faithful
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

I personally don't think that is cheating, but your mileage may vary.

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"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
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elengil
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by elengil »

Voronwë the Faithful wrote:I personally don't think that is cheating, but your mileage may vary.
Well I figured the point of the game (the fun of it, at least) is seeing if you can *find* the quote in the book, either because you recognize it, or you suss out who must have said it, or where it was said, etc. I mean, I can google anything, that kinda takes the skill out of it.
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Voronwë the Faithful
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

That's reasonable, though I would guess that it is fairly rare that a google search would be of much help in this game.

I will say that I personally have an aversion to people saying they know the answer but not posting it (that is not meant as a criticism of you; others have done so too). In my mind, if you know the answer you should either post it or not say anything. But again, your (the general your) mileage may vary.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
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Jude
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Jude »

If you've found the quote, I would say go ahead and post it - it could take the rest of us ages to find it.
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elengil
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by elengil »

Jude wrote:If you've found the quote, I would say go ahead and post it - it could take the rest of us ages to find it.
...or y'all could google it. :rofl:

oh, alright.
Hidden text.
These folk are hewers of trees and hunters of beasts; therefore we are their unfriends, and if they will not depart we shall afflict them in all ways that we can.
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Inanna
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Inanna »

True. But yes, I agree with elengil.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
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Inanna
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Inanna »

But who’s saying it to whom?
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elengil
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by elengil »

Inanna wrote:But who’s saying it to whom?
I said I found the quote, not the context. :P
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Voronwë the Faithful
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

I'm not sure what the point of putting it behind spoiler tags is.

Your turn.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by elengil »

Next translation:
Perhaps a shadow of fog and trees and deep water, and something that is not available, for you are still afraid. I'm not afraid of anything!
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Jude
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Jude »

Is the last sentence fairly close to the original? Someone being boastful?
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elengil
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by elengil »

Jude wrote:Is the last sentence fairly close to the original? Someone being boastful?
The key words are very close, but the meaning has changed about 180.
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Jude
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Jude »

So the speaker is afraid? Of something specific?
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elengil
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by elengil »

Jude wrote:So the speaker is afraid? Of something specific?
lol 180 the other way - rather than the speaker indicating lack of fear, speaker is saying hearer(s) should not be afraid
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Jude
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Jude »

Hmm... is this one of Strider's pep talks during the journey between Bree and Rivendell?
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elengil
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by elengil »

Nope
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Re: The Tolkien Translation Game!

Post by Frelga »

Tom Bombadil?
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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