This lesson is covered in more detail in Week 2 of Intermediate Sindarin
Siron: Man ti? In edhil ennas.
Amdiron: In yn Elrond. I eneth dîn Elladan a Elrohir. I chent dîn laeg!
Siron: Na van sad Ivrinel?
Amdiron: Ganna aerlinn nef i noer.
Siron: Who are they? The elves there.
Amdiron: The sons of Elrond. Their names are Elladan and Elrohir. Their eyes are keen!
Siron: Where is Ivrinel? ('At what place is Ivrinel?')
Amdiron: She's harping sea-songs beside the fires.
Now let's look at all the diphthongs (two vowels together) and what they change into when you pluralise a word.
Original vowels |
Non-final position in word |
Final position in word |
ai |
ai |
ai |
ae |
ae |
ae |
au |
au |
oe |
ei |
ei |
î |
ie |
Doesn't exist |
i |
io, iô |
Doesn't exist |
y, ŷ |
ui |
ui |
ui |
Examples
Aith (spearpoint) = Aith (spearpoints)
Taith (mark) = Taith (marks)
Gwaew (wind) = Gwaew (winds)
Taeg (boundary) = Taeg (boundaries)
Naug (dwarf) = Noeg (dwarves)
Naur (fire) = Noer (fires)
Bauglir (tyrant) = Bauglir (tyrants) - neither the diphthong nor the vowel need to change
Eirien (daisy) = Eirin (daisies)
Feir (mortal) = Fîr (mortals)
Iell (daughter) = Ill (daughters)
Ion (son) = Yn (sons)
Bior (follower, vassal) = Byr (followers, vassals)
Cirion (sailor) = Ciryn (sailors)
Duin (river) = Duin (rivers)
Taith (mark) = Taith (marks)
Gwaew (wind) = Gwaew (winds)
Taeg (boundary) = Taeg (boundaries)
Naug (dwarf) = Noeg (dwarves)
Naur (fire) = Noer (fires)
Bauglir (tyrant) = Bauglir (tyrants) - neither the diphthong nor the vowel need to change
Eirien (daisy) = Eirin (daisies)
Feir (mortal) = Fîr (mortals)
Iell (daughter) = Ill (daughters)
Ion (son) = Yn (sons)
Bior (follower, vassal) = Byr (followers, vassals)
Cirion (sailor) = Ciryn (sailors)
Duin (river) = Duin (rivers)
AW
AW is pronounced identically to AU making it a diphthong by pronunciation if not spelling.
When AW appears in a plural, how it changes depends where it appears in the word.
If the word is a single syllable, the AW changes to OE:
Raw (lion) = Roe (lions)
Laws (hair ringlet) = Loes (hair ringlets)
Naw (idea) = Noe (ideas)
But remember not to ever do this to the word Lhaw (pair of ears) as it's already plural!
If the word has more than one syllable, the AW is treated as two separate sounds, and you pluralise the A according to the rules in Lesson 6:
Awarth (abandonment) = Ewerth (abandonments)
Tawar (the material wood, or a forest) = Tewair (some wood, or forests)
When AW appears in a plural, how it changes depends where it appears in the word.
If the word is a single syllable, the AW changes to OE:
Raw (lion) = Roe (lions)
Laws (hair ringlet) = Loes (hair ringlets)
Naw (idea) = Noe (ideas)
But remember not to ever do this to the word Lhaw (pair of ears) as it's already plural!
If the word has more than one syllable, the AW is treated as two separate sounds, and you pluralise the A according to the rules in Lesson 6:
Awarth (abandonment) = Ewerth (abandonments)
Tawar (the material wood, or a forest) = Tewair (some wood, or forests)
Irregular plurals
There are also a few irregular plurals in Sindarin due to how the word was originally formed.
As there are no rules that can be applied to these words, this is here for you to refer to.
Please be aware that two of these words have homonyms (words that are spelt and sound the same but have a different meaning); their plurals are regular. These are Caun = Outcry, Caun = Valour, and Iau = Ravine.
As there are no rules that can be applied to these words, this is here for you to refer to.
Please be aware that two of these words have homonyms (words that are spelt and sound the same but have a different meaning); their plurals are regular. These are Caun = Outcry, Caun = Valour, and Iau = Ravine.
Singular |
Plural |
Meaning |
Ael |
Aelin |
Pool(s) |
Alph |
Eilph |
Swan(s) |
Cair |
Cîr |
Ship(s) |
Caun |
Conin |
Prince(s) |
Cef |
Ceif |
Soil(s) |
Doron |
Deren |
Oak tree(s) |
Drû |
Drúin |
Wose(s), Wild men |
Êl |
Elin |
Star(s) |
Fela |
Fili |
Cave(s) |
Fêr |
Ferin |
Beech tree(s) |
Iau |
Iui |
Corn |
Ôl |
Elei |
Dream(s) |
Orod |
Ered |
Mountain(s) - also has a regular plural Eryd |
Pêl |
Peli |
Fenced field(s) |
Rodon |
Rodyn |
Vala(r) |
Testing your knowledge
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