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Elvish languages are constructed languages used typically by elves in a fantasy setting.

Elvish languages of Middle-earth

Author J. R. R. Tolkien created many languages for Elves to complement his books set in the fictional world of Arda. His interest was primarily philological, and he said his stories grew out of his languages. Indeed, the languages were the first thing Tolkien ever created for his mythos, starting with what he originally called "Qenya", the first primitive form of elvish. This was later called Quenya (High-elven) and, along with Sindarin (Grey-elven), is one of the two most complete of Tolkien's languages. In addition to these two he also created several other (partially derived) languages.

In Tolkien's mythology, these languages originated as follows:

Professor Tolkien also created the Tengwar and Cirth scripts for his languages.

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 | |never as in cat |- |á |as in father | |/ |- |â |(in Sindarin) as in father, but even longer | |/ |- |ae |(in Sindarin) the vowels described for a and e in one syllable. | |Similar to ai |- |ai |a diphthong, similar to that in eye, but with short vowels | |never as in rain |- |au |a and u run together in one syllable. Similar to the sound in house | |never as in sauce |- |aw |(in Sindarin) a common way to write au at the end of the word | |/ |- |e |as in pet | |/ |- |é |the same vowel lengthened (and in Quenya more closed; as in German) |S: , Q: |Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound as in English rain |- |ê |(in Sindarin) the vowel of pet especially lengthened | |Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound as in English rain |- |ei |as in eight | |never as in either (in neither pronunciation) |- |eu |(in Quenya) e and u run together in one syllable | |never as in English or German |- |i |as in machine, but short |* |not opened as in fit |- |í |as in machine | |/ |- |î |(in Sindarin) as in machine, but especially lengthened | |/ |- |iu |(in Quenya) i and u run together in one syllable | |later by men often as in English you |- |o |open as in British got | |/ |- |ó |the same vowel lengthened (and in Quenya more closed; as in German) |S: , Q: |Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound of "long" English cold |- |ô |(in Sindarin) the same vowel especially lengthened | |Rural Hobbit pronunciation allows the sound of "long" English cold |- |oi |(in Quenya) as in English coin | |/ |- |oe |(in Sindarin) the vowels described for o and e in one syllable. | |Similar to oi. Cf. œ! |- |œ |(in Sindarin) as in German Götter |* |in published writing often oe has falsely been used, as in Nírnaeth Arnoediad! |- |u |as in cool, but shorter |* |not opened as in book |- |ú |as in cool | |/ |- |û |(in Sindarin) the same vowel as above, but especially lengthened | |/ |- |y |(in Sindarin) as in French lune or German süß, but short |* |not found in English |- |ý |(in Sindarin) as in French lune or German süß | |/ |- |ŷ |(in Sindarin) as in French lune or German süß, but even longer | |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 within the fiction the languages were written using Tengwar, or occasionally carved in Cirth. Tengwar can however be used to write many other languages.

The relationship between the Elvish languages

Below is given a simplified diagram over how the Elvish languages are said have developed from their common origin, Quendian. Where this is known, the descendant of the Quendian word kwendī 'people' is shown in italics for each language.

Time Period Language
The Awakening Quendian
Common for all Elves at Cuiviénen
kwendī
The Westward March Quenya
Vanyar and Noldor in Aman
quendi		 Common Telerin
Teleri during the march
pendi		 Avarin
Avari, those who stayed at Cuiviénen and from there spread across Middle-earth (many languages)
kindi, cuind, hwenti, windan, kinn-lai
The First Age Amanya Telerin
Teleri in Aman		 Sindarin
Teleri in Beleriand (Sindar), as well as the exiled Noldor after the speaking of Quenya was banned in Beleriand by Elu Thingol.
*-bind, *-bin		 Nandorin
Teleri in Rhovanion, Eriador and Ossiriand (Nandor)		    
The Second Age SilvanThe origin of the Silvan language is uncertain. Some sources state that the Silvan language was Avarin in origin, some that it descended from the language of the Nandor. Culturally, the Silvan Elves were certainly a mix of Avari, Nandor, and Sindar.
The Wood-elves of the Vale of Anduin
penni		  

See also: Languages of Middle-earth

Other Elvish languages

Since Tolkien, others have invented Elvish languages in their own fiction. Several borrow sounds and forms (or even whole words) from Tolkien's Elvish languages, especially Quenya, while others are quite distinct.

  • Ssamath, the language of the Dark Elves or Drow of Dungeons & Dragons,
  • Common Elvish, the language of the surface Elves of D&D (of which there is several dialects)
  • Eltharin, the language of the elves of Warhammer:
    • Fan-Eltharin, the language of the Wood Elves
    • Tar-Eltharin, the language of the Sea Elves and High Elves
  • Elvish language of Andrzej Sapkowski's Hexer saga, based on Welsh and English
  • The Ancient Language The language of the elves in Eragon Also spoken by the riders.

The Elvish language is also used in some of Finnish opera-metal band, 'Nightwish's lyrics. One such example is the usage of 'Elbereth' in Wishmaster.

External links

Middle-earth languages

Lenguaje élfico | Linguae Elbicae | Alviske språk | エルフ語 | Język elfów | Limba elvish | 精靈語

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Elvish languages".

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