[Centurion_13]

So my holidays started and I have plenty of spare time. I figured it is the perfect time to start learning a language. For a while I debated with myself as to which one I should take up, until I was reading through my lotr book and came accross the poem Namárië also known as Galadriel's Lament.

It struck me that wouldn't it be interesting to learn Quenya and it isnt going to matter much if I learn parts of it a bit wrong because the chances of me actualy conversing with someone in real life with it are virtually nill; and it has been documented enough to be worth learning.

So I finally found a language to learn which also ties in with something else I really enjoy (that ofcourse is reading books by Tokien in the Arda mythos).

Unfortunantly books like "teach yourself Quenya" etc are not likely to be found in the library or even to exist at all (or if they do are not liekly to be widely stocked). so basicaly I am limited to the web and I don't really know of many sites that could help in any way as I have not previously looked and the searches I have done so far have turned up less than desireable results.

So this is where you guys come in. If any of you happen to have links to anything I could find useful then I would appreciate it greatly.


P.S
Hi from the people at 0AD.

[NaurwenT]

You can find a Quenya course if you follow this link

Ardalambion - Quenya Course

Quenya is far from being an easy language to learn, and it requires hard work in order to make real progress. So take it easy. If English is your native language, you shall come across a grammar that will hardly relate to anything you know (unless you are familiar with languages such as Suomi or Latin), but dont get discouraged because of that

[Centurion_13]

That seems very useful.

Thanks and I understand that it is likely difficult to learn as many languages are and that is something I like about learning languages.

And having I have had some experience with latin so hopefully that should help if as you say the grammar is similar.


rep up for the quick help and very useful link.

[NaurwenT]

You're welcome.
There was no need to award me any rep point, it would have been very mean not to have helped you out

If you happen to come across any difficulty with your Quenya studies, just let me know, OK?

Btw, I never said Quenya is "similar to Latin", I meant some of its grammatical features (for example, declensions) can be found in tongues such as Latin or Finnish

[Centurion_13]

I understood what you ment about the latin. I probably just didnt phrase that part of my response very well.

[Rinion]

Council of ELrond also offers a course on QUenya. By the way, I thought Galadriel's lament was in Sindarin.

[rohirwine]

Shan: in any case the starting point are the appendixes from LotR. Did you read them carefully?

[NaurwenT]

Rinion
Namárië is not Sindarin, but Quenya.
The most famous Sindarin text you can find in LOTR is Aerlinn in Edhil o Imladris: A Elbereth Gilthoniel. If you compare one to the other, you'll see how different both elven languages are.

Regarding the Quenya course that can be found at CoE, this workbook is based on the very same course I recomended Shan to use - IMO, the best Quenya course so far out there.

Matteo,
Appendix E is nothing but avery brief summary of basic Quenya phonology. Good enough when attempting to pronounce the names in the elven tongue in a more accurate manner, but nothing else

[NaurwenT]

How's the Quenya course going?
Have already started?

[rohirwine]

Well, not only there is phonology, but also the wonderful part about runes. A must to, imho.

[NaurwenT]

You mean the tengwar, right?
Anyway, the featured chart is a summary of the this writing system. There is a whole lot more to learn in order to write Quenya correctly

[Centurion_13]

Just thought I'd say that I think it is coming along rather well.
Lots to read and learn though and now that I have school again it has slowed down a fair bit but overal what I have done has been most enjoyable.

[Caesar]

What did Tolkien base his languages on? I know that they are original, but what real languages inspired Tolkien's languages?

[NaurwenT]

Tolkien, being a master of languages coined the languages of ME taking some of his favourite tongues as reference.
He liked Finnish and Welsh among other languages such as Latin, Spanish (his favourite Latin descendant), Italian, Old Icelandic - so he based Quenya on Finnish, being Welsh the inspiration behind Sindarin.
In both cases, in a very loosy manner - just echoeing some of the features of these European tongues that were more appealing to him.

[Caesar]

I kew I recognized some traces of latin in Tolkien's languages.

[Yiuel]

I've planned to learn, at some point, to speak Quenya.

It seems difficult, but I'm rather used now to all those grammatical tricks, being myself a conlanger.

(You can see an example of my own language in my signature. People tell me they like it, yet, when I explain it, they stay puzzled :

Dajimmíj nakjawtáwsuv kiwqankewenkír tufqávit. (Thinhedadndasaw)
A nightsky shines upon us, its darkness tearing us apart. (Sea of Miracles)

The original sentence is in Japanese :
Yami no yozora ga, hutari wakatu no ha (Kiseki no umi)

[Caesar]

Quote

I've planned to learn, at some point, to speak Quenya.

I too plan to learn it at some point, but for now it must be put behind my German studies, and my Latin lessons

Quote

Dajimmíj nakjawtáwsuv kiwqankewenkír tufqávit. (Thinhedadndasaw)

It sort of reminds me of an aboriginal language.

[Yiuel]

Well, I have my Japanese studies as well