Your slip is showing: Γλωσσικές και μεταφραστικές γκάφες (και μικρολαθάκια)

[pontios]

Αν το "extenuating" δεν είναι λάθος, ξενίζει ... η άλλη πιθανότητα είναι ότι η λέξη που είχε στο μυαλό του ο συγγραφέας (or was transcribed incorrectly by someone else) ήταν το "attenuating", που έχει το ίδιο ηχητικό μοτίβο με το "extenuating" (ακούγεται το "tenuating" κομμάτι και στις δύο λεξεις) και ταιριάζει καλύτερα στην πρόταση (strange phrasing, but I can think of "attenuating conversation" as a conversation that attenuates the tension or lightens the mood).

I think a comma would have made sense, too (after "other") ... as no other attenuating/extenuating conversation (without the comma) implies that the main or only conversation that was taking place during the autopsy was also lightening the mood?
Likewise, no other extraneous conversation (without the comma) implies that the conversation taking place during the autopsy was irrelevant to it (it was the only extraneous one taking place).
I think the word "other" confuses?

 

[cougr]

The full paragraph is: "There is very little talking; they discuss only what is essential. There is no other extenuating conversation going on in the room."

Hence, "other" builds on the first sentence, creating the necessary contrast between the "essential" discussion mentioned there.

 

[pontios]

Thanks, cougr.

... extraneous fits the "only what is essential" framing from the preceding sentence.

Attenuating (or Duke_of_Waltham's reading of extenuating itself, as talk that lightens the mood) fits the "most solemn" framing.