as taken from Dragon Magazine #279 "An Elven Lexicon" by Sean K. Reynolds Compiler's Note: As a service to D&D players, Dragon Magazine fans, conlangers and fantasy role-playing gamers everywhere, I have codified and reduced the article that introduced this language into the basics. This is not my original work, but a presentation of just the bare essentials and mechanics of this fantasy language.

Alphabet and Punctuation

Mr. Reynolds theorized that the Elven alphabet was influenced by the fact that the Elves record their language on natural materials like bark. He supposed that meant that there were mainly curving lines and gentle arcs. Elven punctuation looks like a mess to a non-Elf, filled with curliques and scrolling marks. A comma in Elven is the same as a comma in English. A period is a vertical line with curves at either end: An exclamation point is a curved line with a loop: . Questions are flanked by a pair of parallel curved lines: Possesives are indicated with a cord-like symbol ( ) after the owner, indicating that the next item mentioned is the item possessed. One mark used in Elven that has no English equivalent is the "cren" mark ( ), which indicates something of importance.

Basic Grammar

Elven consists of mainly open vowels and soft consonants with few hard sounds. It has lilting flow that is rather musical. Mr. Reynolds wrote that modifying words can be put before, or after, the word they modify, depending on the importance the writer or speaker puts on them. For example, if a writer wanted to describe how the moonlight reflected a hero's magic sword like "liquid pieces of silver", emphasizing the moon theme, he might write: Felosia nodel ivae lerret mithral kerym don alus [Felosia's moon light magic mithral sword silver liquid] But, if he wanted to emphasize how the light from the sword was like tears ("silver liquid") shed for fallen comrades, he might say: Felosiamithral don kerym lerret alus nodel ivae [Felosia's mithral silver sword magic liquid moon light] Generally, the Elven sentence follows the order of Subject Verb Object, though the Subject may be omitted if it is understood or part of a command.

Other notes:

Mr. Reynolds wrote in his article that Elves usually use natural materials, like wood and bark, and are prefer to use as much of the surface as possible, while still making it as attractive as possible, so as not to waste any of the material used. Elven calligraphy and painted figures are often found on paper and are as beautiful, if not more so, as their carvings. They also use color with their painted characters to make the item even more attractive. Sometimes extra vowels are inserted at the end of words or between words to enhance the "flow" or keep the "rhythm" of a sentence. The vowel used is dependent on the individual tastes of the speaker or writer. Non-Elves usually forget this habit. That small mistake has often allowed Elves to identify outsiders who have otherwise excellent disguises.

Sample phrases:

The elf says the magic sword we want is in the lich's tomb. 
Esir hinual kerym lerret quen teshuel aul morenial mormhaor 
[Elf speak sword magic we take in tomb important-undead.] 

A red dragon! Scram! 
Harsan hakarmaskannarNehel sekkar 
[Red dragon! You flee!] 

Gimli, hit the orc with your axe! 
Gimli, enyor hakavarn faer neheli shaalth 
[Gimli, battle orc with you's axe.]

Word List: