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
This essay shouldn’t be necessary. These are two greatly misunderstood events in The Fellowship of the Ring, sadly enough. So, if you’re too lazy to read the books (Go read them now! They’re really good books; I promise!) or need your memory refreshed, here’s a quick summary of each. The
The most common and incorrect assumption about Men is that Men of Arda are just like us. Like the Elves, their appearance and strength is based upon their genealogical past. Like the Elves, they have a beginning that is carefully planned out. Men share weaknesses with us, and some of
These are all sources that people have used for Tolkien's Languages that people shouldn't. If you are uncertain of a source that you have been using, contact us and we will check it out for you. Website Title The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth by R. S. Noel Reason(s) This book
Another website with information about Quenya Pronunciation: Elvish Pronunciation Guide Voices in the recordings are Fiona Jallings and Tinwelint. Vowels `C=~C(A/Á) Pronounce them /a/, like the A is in the word “father”. Make sure that the A is pronounced the same at the ends of words too. English speakers often
Because IPA is tricky for people who aren’t familiar with it, I made up a pronunciation transcription system that doesn’t use unfamiliar characters, is largely based on the ways the words are already written, and can be used for all of Tolkien’s languages. You’ll find it used all over the
Because occasionally we need to be able to pronounce our character’s names and what they are saying, here are some pronunciation guides to help you figure it out. Simplified Pronunciation Transcription System Want to be able to read the simplified pronunciation guys for the phrasebooks? This system was designed to
Originally spoken only by the Noldor and Vanyar in Aman, this language was spread to Middle-earth by the Noldorin exiles. It’s looked down on by the Sindar because of the violent history associated with it, but the humans hold it in high regard, using it as we use Latin today:
Dialogue is one of the most important tools a writer can have to build a character. Many authors try to use Elvish to give the dialogue a more authentic feel, and it should work. After all, Tolkien used this trick very successfully. However, there’s a very big difference between Tolkien
Hello writer. I see you have a character who would like to hold a conversation in another tongue. This page will help you figure out what language and dialect you need phrases in. What species is this character? Elf Human (and Hobbit) Dwarf If they are speaking to a fellow