Elvish languages

There are several Elvish languages invented by J.R.R. Tolkien of which Quenya and Sindarin are the most common and well-known (and complete), but there were many variations and dialects surrounding them.

Elvish languages of Middle-earth

The languages originated as follows:

• Primitive Quendian (language of the Elves in Cuiviénen)
  • Avarin
    • Various Avarin languages (some later merged with Nandorin)
  • Common Eldarin (the early language of all the Eldar)
    • Quenya (the language of the Ñoldor and the Vanyar)
      • Quendya (also Vanyarin Quenya) (daily tongue of the Vanyar: closest to archaic Quenya)
      • Ñoldorin Quenya (also Exilic Quenya) (the "Elven Latin" of Middle-earth)
    • Common Telerin (the early language of all the Lindar)
      • Telerin (the language of the Teleri who reached the Undying Lands)
      • Nandorin (languages of the Nandor — some were influenced by Avarin)
        • Original language of Greenwood the Great
        • Original language of Lórinand
      • Sindarin (language of the Sindar)
        • Doriathrin (dialect of Doriath)
        • Falathrin (dialect of the Falas and Nargothrond)
        • North Sindarin (dialects of Dorthonion and Hithlum)

There were also the Tengwar and Cirth scripts.

Pronunciation

Sindarin and Quenya have in most aspects very much the same pronunciation. The following table gives pronunciation for each letter or cluster in international phonetic script and examples:

Vowels

Letter / Digraph	Pronunciation	IPA	Further comment
a	as in father, but shorter. Like fathom	[ɑ]	as in cat
á	as in father	[ɑː]	/
â	(in Sindarin) as in father, but even longer	[ɑːː]	/
ae	(in Sindarin) the vowels described for a and e in one syllable.	[ɑɛ̯]	Similar to ai
ai	a diphthong, similar to that in eye, but with short vowels	[ɑɪ̯]	never as in rain
au	a and u run together in one syllable. Similar to the sound in house	[ɑʊ̯]	never as in sauce
aw	(in Sindarin) a common way to write au at the end of the word	[ɑʊ̯]	/
e	as in pet	[ɛ]	/
é	the same vowel lengthened (and in Quenya more closed; as in German)	S: [ɛː], Q: [eː]	Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound as in English rain
ê	(in Sindarin) the vowel of pet especially lengthened	[ɛːː]	Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound as in English rain
ei	as in eight	[ɛɪ̯]	never as in either (in neither pronunciation)
eu	(in Quenya) e and u run together in one syllable	[ɛʊ̯]	never as in English or German
i	as in machine, but short	[i]	not opened as in fit
í	as in machine	[iː]	/
î	(in Sindarin) as in machine, but especially lengthened	[iːː]	/
iu	(in Quenya) i and u run together in one syllable	[iʊ̯]	later by men often as in English you
o	open as in British got	[ɔ]	/
ó	the same vowel lengthened (and in Quenya more closed; as in German)	S: [ɔː], Q: [oː]	Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound of "long" English cold
ô	(in Sindarin) the same vowel especially lengthened	[ɔːː]	Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound of "long" English cold
oi	(in Quenya) as in English coin	[ɔɪ̯]	/
oe	(in Sindarin) the vowels described for o and e in one syllable.	[ɔɛ̯]	Similar to oi. Cf. œ!
œ	(in Sindarin) as in German Götter	[œ]	in published writing often oe has falsely been used, as in Nírnaeth Arnoediad!
u	as in cool, but shorter	[u]	not opened as in book
ú	as in cool	[uː]	/
û	(in Sindarin) the same vowel as above, but especially lengthened	[uːː]	/
y	(in Sindarin) as in French lune or German süß, but short	[y]	not found in English, as in German "Hütte"
ý	(in Sindarin) as in French lune or German süß	[yː]	/
ŷ	(in Sindarin) as in French lune or German süß, but even longer	[yːː]	not found in English

Consonants (differing from English)

• The letter c is always pronounced like the letter k, even before i and e.; for instance, Celeborn is pronounced Keleborn, and Cirth is pronounced Kirth.
• The letter g is never pronounced in the soft form, as in giant. For instance, Region is pronounced unlike the English word region.
• The letter r is lightly trilled, as in Spanish.
• The digraph dh, as in Caradhras, is pronounced like the th in this.
• The digraph ch, as in Orch, is pronounced as in German ach.

Most samples of the Elvish language are written out with the Latin alphabet, but the languages were written using Tengwar, or occasionally carved in Cirth. Tengwar can, however, be used to write many other languages.

See also: Languages of Middle-earth

External links

• The Tolkienian Linguistics FAQ
• Resources for Tolkienian Linguistics
• Download Vinyar Tengwar 43 with Tolkien's Quenya translation of the Lord's Prayer
• Ardalambion - a very complete source for learning Elvish
• Parma Tyelpelassiva - Quenya and Sindarin courses and compositions
• Elvish.org Publishes the journals Parma Eldalamberon, Tengwestië, and Vinyar Tengwar
• Various Tolkien resources
• Pronunciation guide
• A downloadable course in Quenya
• Learn Tengwar and Sarati
• Elvish fonts for T_EX
• elvish phrases (helps when you are learning to get into the flow)