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From: iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk (Ivan A Derzhanski)
Subject: Re: Speculation: First word?
Message-ID: <Cyny4o.MHL@cogsci.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: Centre for Cognitive Science, Edinburgh, UK
References: <CyIJIs.Ioz@inter.NL.net> <392frd$hgd@tardis.trl.OZ.AU> <hubey.783647122@pegasus.montclair.edu>
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 1994 23:19:34 GMT
Lines: 25

In article <hubey.783647122@pegasus.montclair.edu> hubey@pegasus.montclair.edu (H. M. Hubey) writes:
>I think the first word must have been something like;
>OUCH! or "flea"; maybe the same word for both.

As the readers familiar with the writings of JRR Tolkien already know,
when the Elves, the first speaking creatures in Middle-earth, awoke at
Cuivie'nen, the sight of the stars was their first impression of Arda,
and they exclaimed _e^l!_ [e:l] `behold!' in joy and amazement.  From
this word, the first word ever uttered in Middle-earth, the Eldarin
root for `star' (_EL_, whence Quenya _elen_, Sindarin _e^l_) was derived.

But what was the first word uttered by Men, when they awoke in the hour
of the first rising of the Sun?  What was the first sensation that caused
them to claim their gift of speech?  We know not, but we can guess that
one of them was bitten by a flea, and he exclaimed _@#$%!_ `ouch!' in
pain and frustration.  From this word, the first word ever uttered by
the Followers, the Proto-World root for `flea' was derived.

Can we now attempt to reconstruct the first Mannish word?

-- 
`That's yer oan problem, Judas', they telt him.  `It's nae concern tae us.'
Ivan A Derzhanski (iad@cogsci.ed.ac.uk/chaos.cs.brandeis.edu)  (The G-- G--)
* Centre for Cognitive Science,  2 Buccleuch Place,   Edinburgh EH8 9LW,  UK
* Cowan House E113, Pollock Halls, 18 Holyrood Pk Rd, Edinburgh EH16 5BD, UK
