Names in Middle-Earth, Quick Guide

[Berephon]

Yep, except that in compounds dipthongs typically simplify, meaning it would have been:

Lárhith

Of course, I think this is more of a traditional convention than a formal rule, so you should be fine.

ae rarely simplifies.

[Reddhawk]

ae rarely simplifies.

Yeah, I knew it wasn't a concrete rule, but it is interesting to know that it typically remains unsimplified.

By the way, does the majority of your information come from that "Gateway to Sindarin" book you've mentioned, or are there other sources you employ? I know I typically use Ardalambion and Hiswelókë's Sindarin dictionary. I'm just wondering if you have any other sources that you use or that you might find preferable over these?

[Silverlocket]

(hijack)
Berephon, I tried to reply to your "My LOTRO" announcement a few days ago, but I don't see it there, so: congratulations on your upcoming Hobbitling! Your life is about to get a lot more interesting, not to mention more fun.

(/hijack)


SL

[Berephon]

Yeah, I knew it wasn't a concrete rule, but it is interesting to know that it typically remains unsimplified.

By the way, does the majority of your information come from that "Gateway to Sindarin" book you've mentioned, or are there other sources you employ? I know I typically use Ardalambion and Hiswelókë's Sindarin dictionary. I'm just wondering if you have any other sources that you use or that you might find preferable over these?

Mostly Gateway to Sindarin. We narrowed down the print and Internet resources to two choices, and Salo simply had the best verifiable background, research, and consistency. I should note that at least from a dictionary standpoint, Ardalambion seems to be in agreement with root word definitions more often than not.

(hijack)
Berephon, I tried to reply to your "My LOTRO" announcement a few days ago, but I don't see it there, so: congratulations on your upcoming Hobbitling! Your life is about to get a lot more interesting, not to mention more fun.

(/hijack)

[Dedian]

I've been trying to come up with a surname since I've been able to have one (my champ is level 40 now ), without any luck. In other games, I've liked Fimbulvetr (prelude to Ragnarok, in Norse mythology). I'm not confident that a term from norse mythology would fit in the LOTR universe, so I'm looking for alternatives . Literally it means The Great Winter. I've been trying to follow how all these adjective and noun things fit together, but dunno how one would write that in Sindarin (my character is a Man, so dunno if its even appropriate, but.. I'm not too worried )

[Neoglaurung]

If my memory isn't failing me again I thought that there was a long winter during the scope of LOTR (which would make the lady wandering the south entrance to the Scholar's Stair a bit of a prophet). And if not there's always the Fell Winter when (I think) the Brandywine froze over and wolves wandered down into the Shire. So although unusual for a surname it does reference something from Tolkien literature. Could always say it's a mark of pride for your parents/ancestors enduring the Fell Winter.

[StarSeekerVDS]

In order:

1. Dolheneb, Dúrheneb, Graheneb, Morcheneb
2. Celegaeg, Celegnas, Celegnaith, Celegdil, Lagoraeg, Lagornas, Lagornaith, Lagorthil, Leginaeg, Leginnas, Leginnath, Legindil, Lintaeg, Lintnas, Lintnaith, or Lintdil
3. Olin (or Olind)
4. Elthint, Elthinu (star-spark)

Thank you very much. I'm not sure what the connotations of these each are but I suppose I can do a little research.

[Berephon]

Thank you very much. I'm not sure what the connotations of these each are but I suppose I can do a little research.

Graheneb should actually be Gracheneb and Dúrheneb should be Dúrcheneb. Oops.

[Thoroval]

So now I'm curious about my name. I took "thor" (thoron; meaning eagle) and combined it with "roval" (wing or great wing). However, I thought the double R's that resulted (Thorroval) may be too much so I dropped one of them. Since then I've seen "morroval" (mor + roval = dark wing) in game and started asking myself if I should've kept both R's. While I'm not intent on having a name that strictly adheres to Sindarin (I'm more concerned with it simply fitting in) I'm now curious if my mashing together went too far. So is "thorroval" the only correct spelling? Does dropping the second R in "thoroval" go too far and make it painful for those who know Sindarin well?

[Berephon]

So now I'm curious about my name. I took "thor" (thoron; meaning eagle) and combined it with "roval" (wing or great wing). However, I thought the double R's that resulted (Thorroval) may be too much so I dropped one of them. Since then I've seen "morroval" (mor + roval = dark wing) in game and started asking myself if I should've kept both R's. While I'm not intent on having a name that strictly adheres to Sindarin (I'm more concerned with it simply fitting in) I'm now curious if my mashing together went too far. So is "thorroval" the only correct spelling? Does dropping the second R in "thoroval" go too far and make it painful for those who know Sindarin well?

A final -r sometimes coalesces with an r- that follows it, so your original compound was also correct. Your definiton is also correct. It is either "Swooping Wing," where Thôr is an adjective, or "Wing of the Eagle," where Thôr is a noun. Thoron is also eagle, but in that case, it would be Thorodhroval.

[Dedian]

If my memory isn't failing me again I thought that there was a long winter during the scope of LOTR (which would make the lady wandering the south entrance to the Scholar's Stair a bit of a prophet). And if not there's always the Fell Winter when (I think) the Brandywine froze over and wolves wandered down into the Shire. So although unusual for a surname it does reference something from Tolkien literature. Could always say it's a mark of pride for your parents/ancestors enduring the Fell Winter.

Ah thanks, didn't know about that! My character is of Gondor, so I guess it doesn't apply to me... Maybe I'll go with something more generic like Cold Winter... My feeble attempts at putting that into sindarin, would it be Rhinhiw?

Edit: or... Ringriw (ew )

[Cleitanious]

Crazy request, but I'd really like the answer... what would Elves call a "Rainbow Unicorn" in Sindarin?

[Berephon]

Crazy request, but I'd really like the answer... what would Elves call a "Rainbow Unicorn" in Sindarin?

Eilian Midhras or Ninniach Midhras or Eiliamidhras or Ninniachmidhras. (Rainbow One-horn)

[swedishviking]

What would Thunderblood be in sindarin or quenya?

[gildhur]

Eilian Midhras or Ninniach Midhras or Eiliamidhras or Ninniachmidhras. (Rainbow One-horn)

I'll send you 1g in game if you use the name Eilian Midhras-Gonzalez.

[arinthros]

What would Thunderblood be in sindarin or quenya?

Thunder seems to be non-existent in both Quenya and Sindarin (Berephon can correct me if I'm wrong).

Blood in sindarin is Agar, and in quenya is sercё.

[Berephon]

Thunder seems to be non-existent in both Quenya and Sindarin (Berephon can correct me if I'm wrong).

Blood in sindarin is Agar, and in quenya is sercё.

You are not incorrect.

Closest would be Agaralagos, Iaralagos, or Seregalagos. (Stormblood)

[Cleitanious]

Eilian Midhras or Ninniach Midhras or Eiliamidhras or Ninniachmidhras. (Rainbow One-horn)

Thank you so much. My friend who plays tabletop DnD got her character a unicorn, after nagging the DM for a month or so, wanted to get a better name than the her original idea, which was "sprinkles" lol. Thanks again!

[Stormwaltz]

You are not incorrect.

That's interesting. Is the word's absence just because Tolkien "never got to it," or does it indicate something about elvish history or world-view?

Some years ago, a Japanese friend pointed out that in English, "onion" is a yellow onion, and a green onion is called a "green onion," but in Japanese an "onion" is a green onion, and a yellow onion is called a "yellow onion." Language reflects ecology - yellow onions were native to Europe, and green onions to Asia.

[Berephon]

That's interesting. Is the word's absence just because Tolkien "never got to it," or does it indicate something about elvish history or world-view?

Some years ago, a Japanese friend pointed out that in English, "onion" is a yellow onion, and a green onion is called a "green onion," but in Japanese an "onion" is a green onion, and a yellow onion is called a "yellow onion." Language reflects ecology - yellow onions were native to Europe, and green onions to Asia.

Most of the vocabulary is just what appears in text somewhere. In this case, thunder does not appear in any published texts.

[swedishviking]

well i guess from a linguistic point of view thunder and storm are somewhat of a similar characteristic to each other. Although thunderstorm is a particular type of storm, thunder generally suggests that there is a lightening storm somewhere in the distance...IDK

[Laire]

This seems like this would be the best place to thank Berephon for translating "Jewelled Bell" for me. Mirionnel has been created :P

[Moondog548]

I think I have my sindarin picked out rightly, just need help properly combining the roots and forming the name.

So...

Lang+dress Taur+acharn

"Blade-Girl of the Forest's Vengance" is what it's supposed to be. Am I right so far? And what does that look like all put together?

And while we're at it is there any word on how long it takes for elves to reach physical maturity? Is that the same as humans or greatly exaggerated? I'm assuming they don't pop out fully formed.

[BIGeyedBUG]

And while we're at it is there any word on how long it takes for elves to reach physical maturity? Is that the same as humans or greatly exaggerated? I'm assuming they don't pop out fully formed.

Elves are interesting in that they're hatched as full adults from their eggs, but they only live at most a few days after that, their only purpose to frentically reproduce then die.

Oops, I think that's mayflies, sorry. As far as we know from Tolkien's writings on the subject, physically, Elves seem to have extended pre-adulthoods compared to Men, apparently reaching a kind of adolescence at fifty, and not completely ceasing to mature until their hundredth year.

Mentally though, they mature much faster than Men.

[Berephon]

I think I have my sindarin picked out rightly, just need help properly combining the roots and forming the name.

So...

Lang+dress Taur+acharn

"Blade-Girl of the Forest's Vengance" is what it's supposed to be. Am I right so far? And what does that look like all put together?

And while we're at it is there any word on how long it takes for elves to reach physical maturity? Is that the same as humans or greatly exaggerated? I'm assuming they don't pop out fully formed.

Wow. You want a complicated one.

Lang is one of four words for sword, hathel is blade. Gwên is girl (or virgin), iell and sell are also girl. There is no dress. Taur and acharn are correct.

The definition construct would end up being "Girl of the Blade(sword) of the Vengeance of the Forest" or as you shortened it, "Blade-girl of the Forest-vengeance."

The first part could be: Hathelwen, Hatheliel, Hathelsel, Langwen, Langiel, Langsel, Cristwen, Cristiel, Crissel, Magolwen, Magoliel, Magolsel, Megilwen, Megiliel, Megilsel

The second part would be: Torachar

In order to get the full definition it would inlcude en or uin (of the) between the parts (i.e., Langwen en Torachar or Langwen uin Torachar. However, for a name I would drop it and just use one as a first name and the other as the surname, as I'm sure you were intending.

Or you could make it Torachallangwen.