This lesson is covered in more detail in the Intermediate Sindarin course
Ivrinel: In yrn sí vi Imladris û hui yrn vi Lothlorien.
Siron: Amman?
Ivrinel: Sevim vellyrn. Ti mellin a gelebrin.
Siron: Myrn in thys a lais vi Taur-nu-Fuin! Man i naid hain, Amdiron?
Amdiron: Crist an Edain o Rohan, dagrad yrch a geraif.
Ivrinel: The trees here in Rivendell are not like trees in Lothlorien.
Siron: Why?
Ivrinel: We have mallorns. They are golden and silvery.
Siron: Bushes and leaves are black in Mirkwood! What are those, Amdiron?
Amdiron: Swords for Men of Rohan, to battle orcs and wolves.
To be able to write in Sindarin, you need to know and learn the rules that govern the pluralisation of nouns.
I have split this into two lessons - one for single vowels and the letter S, and one for diphthongs (ae, ai etc.) There are examples for all, and some for you to have a go at yourself at the end of each lesson.
I have split this into two lessons - one for single vowels and the letter S, and one for diphthongs (ae, ai etc.) There are examples for all, and some for you to have a go at yourself at the end of each lesson.
Non-final and final position
As you read a word from left to right the final vowel is the vowel in the rightmost position.
e.g. in the word 'Rose' the letter O is non-final, and the letter E is final as it is the last vowel in the word.
In the word 'Ham' the letter A is final because it is the last (and only) vowel in the word.
e.g. in the word 'Rose' the letter O is non-final, and the letter E is final as it is the last vowel in the word.
In the word 'Ham' the letter A is final because it is the last (and only) vowel in the word.
Vowel changes
Original vowel |
Non-final position in word |
Final position in word |
a, á, â |
e |
ai/e*/i* |
e, é, ê |
e |
i, í, î |
i, í, î |
i |
i, í, î |
o, ô |
e/o* |
ui/y, ŷ |
u |
y |
y |
ú |
ú |
ú |
û |
Doesn't exist |
ui |
y, ŷ |
Doesn't exist |
y, ŷ |
Final position A -> E
There are some words whose final A changes to an E rather than AI.
This happens when the final A is followed by a consonant cluster of two or more consonants that aren't a single consonant sound. Words ending in M and NG also take the E plural rather than AI, e.g. Cem (hands).
Examples:
Bardh (home) = Berdh (homes)
Carf (weapon) = Cerf (weapons)
Narn (tale) = Nern (tales)
Parch (naked) = Perch (naked)
Parf (book) = Perf (books)
Sarn (small stone, gem) = Sern (small stones, gems)
Úgarth (misdeed, sin) = Úgerth (misdeeds, sins)
This happens when the final A is followed by a consonant cluster of two or more consonants that aren't a single consonant sound. Words ending in M and NG also take the E plural rather than AI, e.g. Cem (hands).
Examples:
Bardh (home) = Berdh (homes)
Carf (weapon) = Cerf (weapons)
Narn (tale) = Nern (tales)
Parch (naked) = Perch (naked)
Parf (book) = Perf (books)
Sarn (small stone, gem) = Sern (small stones, gems)
Úgarth (misdeed, sin) = Úgerth (misdeeds, sins)
Final position A -> I
There are six words in Sindarin whose final A changes to an I. They are:
Fela (sett, boring, tunnel) = Fili (setts, borings, tunnels)
Madha (mud) = Medhi (muds)
Nadha (bond, fetter) = Nedhi (bonds, fetters)
Thala (stalwart, steady, firm) = Theli (stalwart)
Thela (spearpoint) = Theli (spearpoints)
Tara (tough, stiff) = Teri (tough, stiff)
With the exception of Fela - whose plural is Fili not Feli - any other vowels in these words are treated as normal.
Fela (sett, boring, tunnel) = Fili (setts, borings, tunnels)
Madha (mud) = Medhi (muds)
Nadha (bond, fetter) = Nedhi (bonds, fetters)
Thala (stalwart, steady, firm) = Theli (stalwart)
Thela (spearpoint) = Theli (spearpoints)
Tara (tough, stiff) = Teri (tough, stiff)
With the exception of Fela - whose plural is Fili not Feli - any other vowels in these words are treated as normal.
Non-final position O remaining O
If the word is a compound (a word made up of two or more words) the first O does not change
Morchant (shadow cast by light) = Morchaint (shadows cast by light)
Rochben (horselord, rider of Rohan) = Rochbin (horselords, riders of Rohan)
Morchant (shadow cast by light) = Morchaint (shadows cast by light)
Rochben (horselord, rider of Rohan) = Rochbin (horselords, riders of Rohan)
Final position O -> UI/Y
There is evidence to suggest (see here for an in depth discussion) that monosyllabic words with final O should change to UI rather than Y, e.g.
Thôn (pine tree) = Thuin (pine trees)
Roch (horse) = Ruich (horses)
Words with more than one syllable would retain final O to Y, e.g.
Thoron (eagle) = Theryn (eagles)
Thôn (pine tree) = Thuin (pine trees)
Roch (horse) = Ruich (horses)
Words with more than one syllable would retain final O to Y, e.g.
Thoron (eagle) = Theryn (eagles)
Final SS
Original consonant |
Final position in word only |
SS |
S |
If a word has SS anywhere else inside it, e.g. Lossen (snowy) the SS remains as it is.
Because the double consonant SS reduces to the single consonant S, this counts as a single consonant when working out whether a final A should be E or AI. In other words the plural of Rass (horn) is Rais not Res.
Because the double consonant SS reduces to the single consonant S, this counts as a single consonant when working out whether a final A should be E or AI. In other words the plural of Rass (horn) is Rais not Res.
Examples
Bar (house) = Bair (houses)
Adan (Man) = Edain (Men) - this is the Race of Man, as in "I am a Man, not an Elf" rather than "he's a man, she's a woman".
Hên (child) = Hîn (children) - the lengthened vowel indicated by the accent stays long
Benn (man) = Binn (men)
Leber (finger) = Lebir (fingers)
Lim (fish) = Lim (fish).
Gildin (silver spark) = Gildin (silver sparks)
Solch (edible root) = Suilch (edible roots)
Torog (troll) = Teryg (trolls)
Haru (wound) = Hery (wounds)
Amlug (dragon) = Emlyg (dragons)
Drúadan (wild man, Wose) = Drúedain (wild men, Woses).
Hûn (heart) = Huin (hearts)
Mŷl (gull) = Mŷl (gulls)
Lass (leaf) = Lais (leaves)
Adan (Man) = Edain (Men) - this is the Race of Man, as in "I am a Man, not an Elf" rather than "he's a man, she's a woman".
Hên (child) = Hîn (children) - the lengthened vowel indicated by the accent stays long
Benn (man) = Binn (men)
Leber (finger) = Lebir (fingers)
Lim (fish) = Lim (fish).
Gildin (silver spark) = Gildin (silver sparks)
Solch (edible root) = Suilch (edible roots)
Torog (troll) = Teryg (trolls)
Haru (wound) = Hery (wounds)
Amlug (dragon) = Emlyg (dragons)
Drúadan (wild man, Wose) = Drúedain (wild men, Woses).
Hûn (heart) = Huin (hearts)
Mŷl (gull) = Mŷl (gulls)
Lass (leaf) = Lais (leaves)
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