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:
- (language of the Elves in Cuiviénen )
- ---
-- (some later merged with Nandorin)
- --- (the early language of all the Eldar )
-- (the language of the Ñoldor and the Vanyar )
- (daily tongue of the Vanyar: closest to archaic Quenya)
- (the "Elven Latin" of Middle-earth)
-- (the early language of all the Lindar )
- (the language of the Teleri who reached the Undying Lands )
- (languages of the Nandor — some were influenced by Avarin)
- (language of the Sindar )
(dialect of Doriath )
(dialect of the Falas and Nargothrond )
(dialects of Dorthonion and Hithlum )
Professor Tolkien also created the Tengwar and Cirth scripts for his languages.
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:
(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.
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 |
Common for all Elves at Cuiviénen
''kwendī'' |
|---|
The Westward March |
Vanyar and Noldor in Aman
''quendi'' |
Teleri during the march
''pendi'' |
Avari , those who stayed at Cuiviénen and from there spread across Middle-earth (many languages)
''kindi'', ''cuind'', ''hwenti'', ''windan'', ''kinn-lai'' |
|---|
The First Age |
Teleri in Aman |
Teleri in Rhovanion , Eriador and Ossiriand ( Nandor ) |
|
|
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The Second Age |
The 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'' |
|
|---|
Languages Of Middle-earth
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 of American Dad! , which is sometimes written in Hiragana . It was invented by Dan Vebber. It is distinguished from the other Elvish, who is the Yiddish Elvis.
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