Lenormand as a language

[Guest]

Lenormand is a language. That's for sure. But I was wondering if we could translate certain phrases into the cards. 

 

At the end of the introduction of her book, Caitlín Matthews writes: "in translating my good wishes for your progress into Lenormand cards, may I wish you Clover + Sun + Anchor". 

 

That's what normally we are required to do: translate the messages from the cards. What about, as an interpretative exercise, do the reverse?

 

For example, as a start: the dating app Tinder would be the Roads + the Heart + the Scythe (options + love + swift decision). 

 

What can you come up with? 

[Guest]

The International Space Station, using Lenormand would be: the Ship + the Stars + the Books (spaceship + space + research).

[HOLMES]

I think the emphasis should be

stars, ship then book followed by letter.

Otherwise as ship sail by the stars.

I still might think follow the stars on your trio be spontaneous hebe

[Guest]

@HOLMES Thank you very much for your input. 

[Albadawn]

This is so interesting, I was thinking of trying a similar exercise myself! I’m more or less new to Lenormand so hopefully I’m not too far off the mark with:

 

Lady + Moon + Stars + Garden

 

A famous female singer performs at an outdoor concert. 
 

Does that work?? 😅

[Marisa Kirisame]

Every divination system can be considered a symbol language, and your suggestion is a great excercise. Now, how would you translate this simple and well-known sentence into Lenormand?

"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"

[HOLMES]

Clover, fox mountain dog ?

[Marisa Kirisame]

Now that I look at it - pretty much! I like how the fox and the dog can be expressed so simply. How can I express "lazy" in Lenormand? Should two or more Lenormand cards be be used? Given that some cards which can express the lack of action have extra symbolism, it might be a bit hard without us knowing the context behind our dog's laziness - is the dog stagnating? Was it let down by something? Or is it immersed in thought?

 

Also, speaking of "the quick brown fox..." - which English sentence would translate into a Lenormand pangram (where you have to use all Lenormand cards at least once)?

Edited April 30, 2021 by Marisa Kirisame
There's no limit in our strife for perfection.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Albadawn said:

This is so interesting, I was thinking of trying a similar exercise myself! I’m more or less new to Lenormand so hopefully I’m not too far off the mark with:

 

Lady + Moon + Stars + Garden

 

A famous female singer performs at an outdoor concert. 
 

Does that work?? 😅

Sure!!!

 

 

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Marisa Kirisame said:

Every divination system can be considered a symbol language, and your suggestion is a great excercise. Now, how would you translate this simple and well-known sentence into Lenormand?

"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"

 

9 hours ago, HOLMES said:

Clover, fox mountain dog ?

@HOLMES got it covered. 😉

Edited April 29, 2021 by Guest
Typo

[Guest]

@Marisa Kirisame I didn't even know about pangram (what a nice concept), let alone composing one. But how would you do it? 

[Marisa Kirisame]

Honestly, I have little clue. Given how Lenormand cards are symbols, I can suggest to approach this problem by looking through literature for relatively short statements with multiple parts, each of which has as many possible interpretations as possible, and checking it for covering all of the Lenormand cards. This approach is closer to the topic's original idea, but we could also try to do it in reverse - that is, arranging a sequence of cards and trying to phrase it in English in a laconic way.

[HOLMES]

I was reading andy b book earlier, and he suggested back then setting up each card with 2 nouns, 2 verbs 

I am not yet there even.

I do think a very wordy example is a bit much.. 

Unless you go noun,verb noun verb then noun for a 5 card sentance?

[Guest]

@Marisa Kirisame & @HOLMES As I wouldn't delve too deeply for my sheer inabilities, I would try something more simple: a game-changing innovation - the Key (significance and answers, so it would be the thing that unlocks the game) + the Sun (success) + the Storks (innovation and change).

 

What do you think? Plausible?

Edited April 30, 2021 by Guest
Typo

[Guest]

When giving presentations on the cards I often used song titles:

 

Birds + Child + Cloverleaf was Three Little Birds (Bob Marley).

 

Clouds + Scythe + High Tower for Skyfall (Adele). 
 

Child + Gentleman + Cross for Son of a Preacher Man (Dusty Springfield)

 

Tree + Sun + Flowers for La vie en Rose (Edith Piaf).

Edited April 30, 2021 by Guest

[HOLMES]

Interesting.

What about .. 

Great balls of fire by jerry lee lewis

Seperate ways elvis presley

Twist and shout? Beatles

[Guest]

The Sun + Bear + Ring for Great Balls of Fire.  
 

The Sun is the card of fire. The Bear next to it would indicate large. There is no round card other than the Ring.

 

The Stars + the Birch Rod + the Serpent would be twist and shout. 
 

I will leave Elvis as I find him offensive. Sorry. 

[HOLMES]

Ohh ok about elvis

 

I was thinking mountain + pathways for seperate ways. Maybe with clouds in there somewhere? 

The song is about a person breaking up, and last verse is about their child crying as it happens. 

 

Hmm i see where you going. 

I figured fire sun would be last. 

Bear, ring sun. Brb

 

 

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, HOLMES said:

I was thinking mountain + pathways for seperate ways. Maybe with clouds in there somewhere? 

The song is about a person breaking up, and last verse is about their child crying as it happens. 

Well a separation is Scythe + Ring.  Severance of a relationship or connection.  You do not need to complicate it. 

 

5 minutes ago, HOLMES said:

Hmm i see where you going. 

I figured fire sun would be last. 

Bear, ring sun. Brb

If the Bear came first, it is not descriptive.  It is the subject.  The Bear as a subject is primarily a significant or influential person, or form of power.  

Edited April 30, 2021 by Guest

[HOLMES]

Thanks  i totally forgot about the scythe!!

[Marisa Kirisame]

How about House of the Rising Sun?

[HOLMES]

House sun easy, but no clue what would be rising ?

[Guest]

The High Tower rises up.
 

That’s why Scythe + High Tower can be a fall from a height. 
 

However, the rising sun is Coffin + Sun and the setting sun Sun + Coffin. These are timing combinations but of course would be appropriate. 

Edited April 30, 2021 by Guest

[Guest]

@timtoldrum The thread about song titles would be awesome, but we can carry on here as well. I love those. 

 

What about Duran Duran's Save a Prayer? Bear (as saving resources) + Cross (religion)?

 

 

[Guest]

10 hours ago, fabfranco said:

@timtoldrum The thread about song titles would be awesome, but we can carry on here as well. I love those. 

I was not intending on making one. When I give presentations or workshops it is just a little exercise I do. For some reason, it seems to help the attendees start seeing the language of the Lenormand cards. 

 

10 hours ago, fabfranco said:

What about Duran Duran's Save a Prayer? Bear (as saving resources) + Cross (religion)?

I would say, Cross + Birch Rod + Bear. 
 

Prayers are the Cross + Birch Rod.