Reading Texts
Sindarin Grammar 1
Course 1 · Chapter 10 · Reading the Texts
The last chapter uses everything so far on the real thing: the few surviving Sindarin texts. You will find that the grammar explains much of them, and that a few words stay out of reach. That is the honest state of Sindarin, and knowing it is part of knowing the language.
A Method for Reading
- Find the verb and the noun phrases. The verb often carries its subject as an ending (Chapter 6).
- Undo the mutation on each first consonant (Chapter 4): chîn → hên.
- Undo vowel changes for plurals and verb endings (Chapters 3 and 7): nerin → nor-.
- Look up the stem, then re-apply the tense and person.
- Label the result attested or reconstructed, as this course has done on every form.
Text 1: The Doors of Moria
Ennyn is "doors" (an old plural), Durin follows it for "of Durin" (Chapter 9), Aran Moria is "Lord of Moria". Pedo and minno are imperatives in -o (Chapter 7) joined by a "and".
Text 2: The Hymn to Elbereth
The hymn begins A Elbereth Gilthoniel "O Elbereth Starkindler". Two phrases from it use this course's grammar:
Le linnathon is a good test: the pronoun (Chapter 6), the verb stem linna- (Chapter 7) and the -tha future (Chapter 8) are all visible. The ending -on is a form that appears in one summary, not the other, so even a famous line shows the disagreement.
What We Do Not Know
- The past tense, dual number and many pronouns are inferred, not documented.
- The mutation rules have several rival versions (Chapter 4).
- The vocabulary is limited to what Tolkien recorded; new words are fan-made, and are usually called Neo-Sindarin.
- Tolkien changed his mind over the decades, so sources from different periods may conflict.
Where to Go Next
| Resource | What it is good for |
|---|---|
| Eldamo | Word-by-word dictionary with the source for each form (eldamo.org) |
| elvish.org (Derdzinski) | The summary of the grammar used in Chapters 6 to 9 |
| Real Elvish Academy | A learner's course, partly Neo-Sindarin (used in Chapters 5 to 9) |
| Tolkien's journals | Vinyar Tengwar and Parma Eldalamberon, which publish the notes |
| This site | Tolkien's Languages 6 for the Sindarin sounds; Quenya has its own course |
Recap of the Course
| Chapter | Key point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Evidence comes in layers: published, edited, reconstructed, fan-made |
| 2 | Sounds and spelling: c = /k/, dh = /ð/, y a vowel |
| 3 | Nouns: article i / in; plurals by vowel change (adan / edain) |
| 4 | Mutation: the first consonant changes after trigger words |
| 5 | Adjectives follow the noun and soften |
| 6 | Pronouns: free words and endings; the sources disagree |
| 7 | Present tense and imperative (-o); "to be" is left out |
| 8 | Future -tha; past -nt and changed stems |
| 9 | Order, questions, negation, joining words |
- "You can write anything in Sindarin." Only simple sentences, and with caveats.
- "Sindarin is fully described." It is a partial language with many gaps.
- "One course can teach all of it." Cross-check every form against Eldamo.
Hands-On Exercises
Use the five-step method on i chîn and nerin: undo the mutation or vowel change, name the stem, and label the result.
📄 View solutionTake le linnathon apart piece by piece and name the chapter that explains each piece.
📄 View solutionWrite a short plan for how you would check a new Sindarin sentence before using it: which three sources would you consult, and what would make you reject it?
📄 View solutionChapter 10 Quick Reference
- Reading method: find the verb, undo mutation, undo vowel changes, look up the stem, label the result
- Attested texts: the Moria inscription, the hymn to Elbereth
- Gaps: past, dual, pronouns, mutation rules, vocabulary
- Check everything against Eldamo; prefer attested phrases