This essay/rant is mostly based off of an essay by a friend of mine whose website vanished from the internet because she’s moved on. Or died. I have no idea, she’s just gone. Farewell Nurvingiel, you were a great writer and your essay on using foreign languages in story-telling was
Elves are all pretty people with pretty hair and pretty eyes and pretty bodies and pretty fortune telling telepathic powers and pretty neat magic and pretty cool action scenes, right? Wrong! Contrary to popular belief in the fan fiction/RPG world, Tolkien’s Elves aren’t just prettier, more magical, cooler versions of
Since this poem is for Boromir, a Gondorian, I’ve put it in the Gondorian dialect of Sindarin. You’ll notice that it leans heavily of Quenya loanwords and uses slightly different mutations than other dialects of Sindarin. Boromir’s Riddle Original English by J. R. R. Tolkien Cesto1 grist *rangen:2 Mi Imladris
Original poem: The Lady of Shalott by Lord Alfred Tennyson. Translated into Sindarin by Fiona Jallings Painting by John William Waterhouse Part 1 Sindarin Literal English Original English Bo ath-rant dorthar breniel rídhien1 i-thair theriel, Hammar dawar, govenir ell2; A thrî rîdh i ven hiriel Am marad Camelod; Adh in
The Fall of Gil-galad Original English by J. R. R. Tolkien Gil-galad aran edhellen. I thelegain linnar o then: I âr vedui dôr vain a lain Min eryd ar i aearon. Megil dîn and, ecthel dîn laeg, Thôl hílol dîn palan-dirnen: In gîl ú-enedui menel Tirnin bo thand gelebren dîn.
Lament for the Rochirrim Original English by J. R. R. Tolkien Mi van si i roc ar i rohon? Mi van i rom i ialla? Mi van i thôl ar i angrenhammad1 ar i finnel valu i ‘linga? Mi van i gam erin lain en-gannel ar i naur garan i
The Fisherman’s Lament Tailel danner fain erin gloss iúriel enni. Lebidel pannel an gaded i dhuin rhîw. Caimmen eniver le mabed le chebed dan ethiriassel2. Ben i naergon hen óren nen erui. Your feet fell fair upon the snow as you ran to me. Your fingers, you opened to catch
Kingsfoil Original English by J. R. R. Tolkien Ir i thûl vorn thuia A nguruthos gala A galadath gwannar Tolo athelas! Tolo athelas! Cuil ‘ni phin firiel Min gam aran hadhel! When the black breath blows And death’s shadow grows And all lights pass, Come athelas! Come athelas! Life to
Why Read the Books? Many fans like to try their hand at writing The Lord of the Rings fan fiction after seeing the movie. I suppose they figure, “Hey, it’s the movie of the book, right? There can’t be that many changes, right?” Luckily, they are wrong. The books are
I see it all over the Lord of the Rings fan fiction world, and it makes me sigh. “It” is irrational dialogue. So, I present to you a few simple steps to writing authentic dialogue for the peoples of Middle-earth. Here’s a sample; right now it is modern sounding and