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snurtz — TUTORIAL: How to write Elvish
Published: 2007-08-29 18:07:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 111870; Favourites: 996; Downloads: 5503
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Description
If you use this tutorial to make a deviation of any kind, kindly comment below and tell me so. I'd love to view your work,
it, and possibly critique it, if you so desire. You don't have to credit me in the comments, seeing as I didn't actually create Elvish, but I really want to see if you used it. 
This took me like, 2 or 3 days. But that's just because I'm distractable.
I also have this available as a Word document, if you want it for printing purposes. Sorry, the computer the Word document was saved on is LONG gone!!!
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References:
The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth by Ruth S. Noel
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
thanks to for this fabulous workbook !!! I suggest comparing my tutorial and this workbook to get a more rounded view on how to write in Elvish!
NOTE: The workbook is a pdf, just to let you know. Apparently this workbook has disappeared!!!Elvish fonts found at [link] ... They're fabulous, but make sure you use the character map pdf that comes with it, or what you think says "mellon" will actually say ldfyywhw! And yes, that's what it will actually say.
If there is anything else you want to know, just tell me!
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P.S.- Want a REAL challenge?? Translate THIS! [link]
P.P.S.- I just noticed this, I messed up the example for Quenya, with the word "Elemmire"... The Tehtar are pretty much all in the wrong place. The "practice" example is correct, however.
P.P.P.S.- OHOHOH. If you wanna learn real elvish, go here, it's a great website!!! [link] ...or you can get the book The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth [link] by Ruth S. Noel, it's veeeery helpful.
P.P.P.P.S.- I like P.S... hehehe. Check out this website by .
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I take requests/commissions on Elvish calligraphy such as this. Right now it’s free because I’m not a greedy person, but I don’t know how long it will stay that way. Please see my journal [link] for more information.
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Thank you to everyone for the comments and the
s!
Related content
Comments: 255
thanks you, thank you, thank you! 
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hehe you're welcome
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thanks, I will. and again. THANK YOU!!!!! I'll note you if i post anything.
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Hey...I was wondering if you had the word document for printing? I've been look EVERYWHERE for a really good guide to writing in Elvish and this is the best by far! I would totally love to have a copy of this...any chance you still have the printable version?
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I don't have it anymore 
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Haha...that's okay. It didn't hurt to ask though. Thanks!
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I know you did this several years ago, but I do have to say to you, I absolutely love this tutorial. Thank you so much for posting it.
I learned to write elvish a little differently, so it will be fun to try out this way.
Hannon le.<3
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No problem
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It's really fun finding people that can write and speak elvish.
I actually have a pen pal in Australia that I write to in Sindarin (I'm not very good at it, as I learned to speak Quenya first from my mum and only had a crash-course in writing at a LotR convention before I tried writing to her the first time. 
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Haha, thanks! I'm very misleading, though... wanna know a secret? I don't know how to speak Sindarin OR Quenya xD
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Well, you more than make up with your skill in elvish calligraphy.
But if you do want to translate your stuff into the language, [link] is a good start, as well as "The Languages of Tolkien's Middle Earth" by Ruth S. Noel is an excellent guide book to the grammar. :3 The book has an ok set of letters, but not very in-depth on where and how to use them.
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Ooh, I have that book! I should find it...
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I love that book. It's my mini bible for elvish.<3
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Just so you know, this tutorial is incredibly intimidating. I feel like a child when I see elegant complexity of that intensity. I want to hide under a rock.
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It took me a while to learn... don't be intimidated; just take it slowly. It's not easy to learn another writing system. I've known how to read and write Tengwar for about 6 years now, and it's still slow going to read it.
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You as a person, are intimidating.
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hi you said that you had a word document were would I be able to find that also will it look the exact same as your picture?
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That computer is long gone... sorry
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Were you able to get a new Word document of this? Cause if you were, I'd love to be able to print this off!
Also, thank you so much for making this! It further explained the elvish alphabet and how to use certain letters (for example, the "r"s) when writing in Quenya form.
You are officially on my list of favorite people.
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Sorry, the computer that the Word document was on is gone forever
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YOu know I love you for this right? 
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Happy New Year dear! Sorry it's taken me ages to reply
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I dont understand like when at the begin of a sentence there is an A, but the a in elvish has to go up above another letter. But how do you write that A then.? i cant put it anywhere.
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If you're writing in Sindarin form, the A should go above the following consonant. If there is not a following consonant, there is a little place holder you can use instead. It looks like a lowercased i, minus the dot. Just put the A on top of it.
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but im writing in Quenya style
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Then use the placeholder for your first vowel. Look at the section labeled "The Tehtar".
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I didn't read alll the way through the comments, so I'm sorry if someone else has said this already.
If you look at them, you can see patterns, e.g. doubling the curly-strokes makes it voiced, etc. As a result, I prefer to write American English---which obviously doesn't have much of an in-universe history 
I also cheat a little on where I put the vowels: I usually write names with the vowels on the preceding character, mostly because I'm a Teresa.
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Yep, there are definitely linguistic patterns in Tolkien's Elvish. It's veryyyyy cool.
And I think Tolkien did that with names, too... a little...
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Can I get de Word document? XD I wanna study it and so something *-*
Please let me have the word document *-*
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Oh snap. It has been lost. In the abyss of my parents' old computer.
Hmm, I'm sure there's some way I can get a printable version to you...
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*-* omg your are awesome thanks, i will wait and if you get it, let me know so i can note you with my email so you can send it to me or the way you like to do it ^^
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This is very good.
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Where do I get it? Hehe.. Thanks loads!
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This is inspiring. Having to thumb through the appendices always put me off learning the Tengwar, but I'm starting to think I should give it another go.
P.S. The links are great.
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hmm... now i want to speak fluent elvish just to confuse people on the street
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I found a slightly simpler guide on the internet four years ago. A few weeks later, and I could write elvish! I use it to jot down notes to myself, knowing that nobody else can POSSIBLY read them! So if I'm angry at someoe...
Seriously, this works, people. Copy down the most useful letters, and practice them until you know them all. Then write. I can write in Elvish now almost as fast as I can write in English.
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If you ever find that slightly simpler one again, let me know so I can link to it in the author's comments
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Hantalyé an sina alta carma!
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lol, I'm a bum. I don't know how to SPEAK Elvish, just write the Tengwar...
But I have lots of free time tomorrow, I might do that...
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