Mae govannen nan mbar Thorond!
Ai merilyë hirë issë eldalambion, utúlielyë mára nomenna! Ai umilyë quetë i lambë Noldoiva var i lambë Sindaiva nanmerilyë ista, len orë cé cenda parmat nóleva. Ai polilyë hanya sinë lambi, merin sa haryalyë alassë cendala i
quetar ar líri!
Ae aníral hired ist o laim edhellin, tullil na had vaer! Ae ú-bedil pedi i lam in-gelydh egor i lam edhellen dan
aníral istad, cenithal aen nan berf in-geliad. Ae geril hannas uin laim hin, aníron gerithal 'lass
cenel i nern a 'lîr!
If it is your wish to find knowledge about the Elvish languages, you have come to a good place! If you do not speak Quenya or Sindarin,
you should take a look at the language courses. If you are able to understand these languages, then I wish you joy in reading through
the poems and texts!
In other matters
If you like Fantasy beyond Tolkien's work, you might like our movie project.That's right - we're producing our very own Fantasy series! Get a glimpse on the project with the eleventh episode teaser here:
Or watch the ninth (44:58 min) episode 'Samhain' on YouTube or on DVD:
More information and the other episodes on the page of Clíodhna - the witch of Gleann an Phéine or the project Facebook page
.
Parma Tyelpelassiva - The book of silver leaves
Contents
Nern a glîr edhellin - Sindarin texts and poetry
I vrennil vain ben-dihenada translation of 'La Belle Dame sans Merci' by John Keats.
Thia sui balan enni...
a translation of a classical Greek poem by Sappho.
Thinnant Ithil
another poem by Sappho.
Calligraphy by Evenstar on Ambar-Eldaron
I nennin
a slightly depressing poem by myself.
Aduial
a haiku-like poem by myself.
Cuil nîn prestannen
a lovesong by myself.
Tengwar transcriptionl by Taramiluiel
Man râd bedithon aen?
the dilemma of a young elf-maiden; written by myself.
Tengwar transcriptionl by Taramiluiel
Laer al Lothiel
a lovesong, written by myself.
In oer Ivann
an autumn-poem by myself.
Rath Fair
a translation of the song 'Man's Road' by America.
Gûr nîn abronatha
a translation of the song 'My heart will go on' from the 'Titanic' soundtrack.
Erin daen Hithaeglir
a complete short story in Sindarin.
Lindārin ye pentai ye lindi - Telerin texts and poetry
Volaia sad lament, written by myself.
Lassi vanuai
a lament about the arrival of winter, written by myself.
If you'd like to learn what we know about Telerin grammar, vocabulary and phonology from Tolkien's notes, I'd recommend a look into Teleri lambëo minaþurië by Roman Rausch.
Quentar ar líri Quenyava - Quenya texts and poetry
Cenna nin tan ve Vala...the Quenya version of Thia sui balan enni.
Isil unútië
the Quenya version of Thinnant Ithil.
Calligraphy by Evenstar on Ambar-Eldaron
Earo
a translation of 'On the sea' by John Keats.
Númenna
a translation of the song lyrics of 'Into the West'.
Ulúlië
a poem about nature by myself.
Calligraphy by Evenstar on Ambar-Eldaron
Lala
a translation of the song lyrics of 'Lachen' by Rosenstolz.
Quenta Sorondo
a short story in Quenya - a Noldo tells about his life.
Calligraphy by Evenstar on Ambar-Eldaron
Quenta Maewen Sorondoyëo
an Elvish fairy-tale story of a great love.
Quenya and English text as *.pdf.
Calligraphy by Evenstar on Ambar-Eldaron
Bêthî 'n Adûnâyê- Adûnaic texts and poetry
Azrubêla song to a faraway beloved one.
Perf en-geliad edhellin - Sindarin, Quenya and Adûnaic courses
So you want to learn Elvish?a little bit of philosophy you should read before downloading a course
Pedin Edhellen
is a Sindarin course in the style of a traditional language course, i.e. it comes in 22 lessons, each with grammar, vocabulary and an example text to practice translation.
Enjoy the original and latest English version
Pedin Edhellen in other languages:
German version 2.0 (as *.pdf) on Caras-Galadhon or sindarin.de
Polish version (as *.html) on Gwaith-i-Phethdain
Hungarian version (as *.pdf.gzl) on Glanthor's Site
Portuguese version 3.0 (as *.pdf) on Ardalambion Brazil
Russian version (as *.pdf.zip), on Rómenquendion
Spanish version (as *.html) on Valier
French version 2.0 (as *.pdf) on Ambar Eldaron
Chinese version (as *.pdf)
Quetin i lambë eldaiva
is the Quenya equivalent of Pedin Edhellen - if you enjoy learning from a non-technical course, you should try it!
Enjoy the original and latest English version
Quetin i lambë eldaiv in other languages:
German version (as *.pdf) on Lambion-Ardava
Italian version part I (as *.pdf), on this site
Russian version (as *.pdf.zip), on Rómenquendion
Slovak version (as *.pdf), on Elfština
Spanish version (as *.html), on Valier
Korean version on Eldarin Cafe
French version 1.2 (as *.pdf), on Ambar Eldaron
Ni-bitha Adûnâyê
is an introduction to Adûnaic, the language of Númenor. It comes in 8 lessons with grammar, vocabulary and exercise texts.
English version 1.0 (as *.pdf.gz) from this site
Polish version (as *.html) on Elendili
Most of the files are compressed using gzip, i.e. they cannot be opened directly but need to be uncompressed first!
Reviews of other resources
Here are my thoughts about other secondary sources for the study of Elvish. While I try to provide references to Tolkien where appropriate, I acknowledge that much of what I say reflects interpretation of fact, not necessarily fact itself - Tolkien is not around any more to say his opinion.
David Salo: 'A Gateway to Sindarin'
Tengwesta eldalambion - Investigations into Elvish grammar
(*) indicates articles which need some revision to accomodate new information but are otherwise essentially correct
(**) indicates articles that contain information and speculation which has been contradicted by new information and which hence need more substantial revision
Quenya
The Quenya Pronominal Systeman overview over the various conceptual developments in Q(u)enya pronouns from the Early Qenya Grammar to late Quenya paradigmata
Spanish version (as *.pdf) on Valier
German version on this site
The Quenya Past Tense
a compilation of all relevant forms from the early Qenya Lexicon to late sources
The Quenya Perfect Tense
a compilation of all relevant forms in late sources (the early material does not have such a form)
French version on Tolkiendil
Q(u)enya Minor Phrase Index
a list of small phrases by Tolkien cited in the discussion of other forms
What is Vanyarin Quenya like?
an attempt to gather all available information about the elusive Quenya dialect of the Vanyar
French version on Tolkiendil
Analogical leveling in Quenya compounds (and prefixed words)
a tentative answer to the question if original initial consonants reappear in a compound or with a prefix
Spanish version on Valier
French version on Tolkiendil
Sindarin
The Sindarin Past Tensea classification of past tenses found in LOTR and post-LOTR material
French version on Tolkiendil
A rouge's guide to Sindarin word reconstruction
describing how one can find Sindarin forms from primitive Quendian roots
German version on Lambion-Ardava
Spanish version on Valier
French version
Mutations in Sindarin (**)
a comprehensive analysis of the different mutations types seen in Sindarin
also published on I Lam Arth
The Sindarin Verb System (*)
a comprehensive analysis of what is known about the various tenses and other forms of the Sindarin verb
also published on I Lam Arth
German version on Lambion-Ardava
Spanish version on Valier
French version on this site
The Sindarin Case System
a careful analysis of the available examples how the various cases are formed for the Sindarin noun
Spanish version on Valier
Czech translation on Calwen's Site
French version on Tolkiendil
Common Eldarin views on the Sindarin pronominal system (**)
a comprehensive analysis of the attested pronouns in Sindarin and the relation to their known Quenya counterparts
also published on I Lam Arth
Spanish version on Valier
German version on Lambion-Ardava
Noldorin
Intensifying prefixes in the Etymologiesa careful analysis of two different ways of intensification which are at times confused and often (mis-)identified as the comparative
an expanded version of this article is published on the Tengwestië website
Spanish version on Valier
Compounds in the Noldorin of the Etymologies
an attempt to list all compounds in the Etymologies, classify them and understand the phonological developments of compounding in Noldorin.
Early Noldorin plural patterns
an investigation of the transition period from pluralization by ending to pluralization by vowel affection based on the Early Noldorin fragments presented in Parma Eldalamberon 13
Goldogrin
The Goldogrin Grammar - an Introductionan attempt to provide a summary of the grammar of this little known early creation of Tolkien.
Work in progress!
Tengwar
On the Origin of the Tehtar-Mode for Sindarinan answer to the question if Elves ever wrote Sindarin in a Tehtar-Mode.
General or Other
Early Qenya Grammar (**)an analysis of the material contained in Parma Eldalamberon 14
also published on I Lam Arth
Spanish version on Valier
German version on Lambion-Ardava
Agental suffixes and gender distinction in the Etymologies
a survey of many suffixes and blendings leading to nouns from verbs
French version on Tolkiendil
Agental suffixes and gender distinction in the Qenya Lexicon
a survey of many suffixes and blendings leading to nouns from verbs
French version on Tolkiendil
The Eldarin Numerals
an overview of number words throughout the development of Tolkien's languages, also addressing the question of decimal and duodecimal counting
A brief history of 'and' in Elvish
an overview about etymology and usage of 'and' throughout the various conceptual phases of Elvish
French version on Tolkiendil
The verb 'to be' in Tolkien's Elvish languages (*)
an overview of what is attested about the verb 'to be' in various Elvish languages and how Tolkien's ideas about this verb changed over time
Spanish version on Valier
Impersonal constructions in Elvish
an investigation into sentences without explicit subject
French version on Tolkiendil
Spanish version on Valier
Glass a lalaith - Joy and laughter
When Elvish leads to problems...a collection of interestingly ambiguous sentences.
52 ways of saying 'I love you' in Quenya...
... and as far as I know they all may be grammatically correct.
Tolkien - slightly out of context
a collection of cartoons drawn by Maewen.
Quenya quétina - Spoken Quenya
I would like to stress here that I do not consider myself an expert in the pronounciation of the Elvish languages(and the following recordings of Quenya are presumably not correct in every detail), nevertheless I felt it would be
interesting to do some recordings and see what comes out of it.
Namárië
Galadriel's Lament, one of the most important parts of the Quenya corpus.
Et Earello...
Elendil's words when he reached the shore of Middle-Earth.
Ulúlië
one of my owen Quenya poems.
Isil unútië
a poem by Sappho.
For a larger variety of spoken Elvish texts, you might want to take a look at Arðon Ellammath by Florian Dombach or Tolkien's linguistic cellar by Bertrand Bellet and Benjamin Babut.
Edhellen 'lirnen - Sung Elvish
I am not a good singer myself (I am a harper), but Maewen (Katharina Golz) has made very nice recordings of some of my songs:
Sindarin songs
Rath Fair(Original text and melody by America, Sindarin translation by myself)
I Nennin
(Text and translation by myself, melody by Maewen)
Gûr nîn abronatha
(Original text and melody from the 'Titanic' soundtrack, Sindarin translation by myself)
Naergon am Moromir
(Translation and melody by Maewen)
Laer Glanwen
(Original text by Michael Issakowsky, melody by Matwej J. Blanter, translation by Maewen and Aranhael)
Laer Mithrandir o Lórien
(Original text by J.R.R. Tolkien, melody by Caspar Reiff, translation by Maewen)
Quenya songs
Umin harya lúmë(Original text by Gerhard Gundermann, translation and melody by Maewen)
Ulúlië
(Text and translation by myself, melody by Maewen)
Lala
(Original text and melody by Rosenstolz, translation by myself)
Fainala lómi
(Original text and melody by Rosenstolz, translation by myself)
Non-Tolkien languages
A brief analysis of casta and cahuengaabout the two most prominent languages featuring in Marion Zimmer Bradley's 'Darkover' novels
Nati sanyeva - Legal Matters
The purpose of this site is to summarize my work in and about the Elvish languages created by J.R.R. Tolkien. This work is based on his published texts. I make no claim that the ideas I present here necessarily reflect Tolkien's ideas, although I certainly aim for this ideal. In especial, no claim is made that Sindarin or Quenya are taught in any sense 'correctly' in my works. Furthermore, I do not assume responsibility for material presented on external links. Unless indicated otherwise, I am the author of the texts presented on this site. Any of the texts may be printed and used for study in small groups on a non-commercial basis. Any commercial use of my work as well as any copy exceeding the right of scientific citation is expressedly forbidden.
Maquettar - Questions and Contact Information
If you'd like to have a text translated into Elvish, please do not contact me, I can't do it (sorry, not even wedding rings or tattoos) because I get too many requests of this type. If you'd like feedback for your own translations, the quickest way is to join thewhich I read and answer frequently, but in addition you'll also get feedback from a lot of other knowledgeable people. For the same opportunity in German language, I recommend posting the question in the
which I also read and answer frequently, but which is also visited by many knowledgeable people. Finally, if you wish to talk to me directly, please write to
thorsten(AT)science-and-fiction.org
but allow for about a week till you get an answer. I do get a lot of mail with regard to Elvish, I try to answer all adequately but sometimes that takes too much time - sorry for that.