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'''Common Eldarin''' is the primordial tongue of the [[Eldar]], those [[Elves]] who left for [[Valinor]].
'''Common Eldarin''' is the tongue of the ancient [[Eldar]] of the [[Great March]]. It is the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_common_ancestor last common ancestor] of all known [[Elvish]] languages (broken in [[Quenya]] and [[Common Telerin]] branches).
==Grammatical note==
Common Eldarin presented the ending of -r as a plural marker ofr uninflected verbal stems.<ref>{{PE|19}}, p. 103</ref>


Common [[Eldarin]] split off [[Primitive Quendian]], the original language of all [[Quendi]], or Elves, when the Eldar left [[Cuiviénen]], since their language still evolved during the [[Great March]].  
==Origin==
Common [[Eldarin]] is an evolution of [[Primitive Quendian]], the original language of all [[Quendi]], or Elves, until the Eldar left [[Cuiviénen]] for [[Valinor]]. As the years passed, the language of those traveler Elves became a little different than the one spoken before the March. By the time they reached [[Beleriand]], dialects had already been formed.


Since the Eldar dominate the annals of the [[Elder Days]], all the [[Elvish]] languages that appear, come from that branch. The [[Avarin]] languages possibly followed a wholly different evolution.
Since the Eldar dominate the annals of the [[Elder Days]], all the [[Elvish]] languages that appear, come from this branch. The [[Avarin]] languages possibly followed a wholly different evolution, outside Common Eldarin, and the changes presented here, may not have applied during the evolution of their languages.


Common Eldarin led is the last common ancestor of [[Quenya]] and the [[Common Telerin|Telerin]] languages.
At least at one point, the changes reflected coexisting alternative forms of PQ. For example, the pairs of endings ''[[-ô]]'' (m), ''[[-ê]]'' (f) and ''[[-û]]'' (m), ''[[-î]]'' (f). This is mirrored in the evolution of short ''-u'' becoming ''-o'' and the short ''-i'' becoming ''-e''.
==Evolution==
 
==Evolution from Primitive Quendian==
During the Great March, minor changes to the Primitive Quendian brought the later Eldarin languages. These changes had to do with several developments of the word-forms, usually normalization. For example:
During the Great March, minor changes to the Primitive Quendian brought the later Eldarin languages. These changes had to do with several developments of the word-forms, usually normalization. For example:


Line 14: Line 18:
;"Difficult" consonant clusters, usually those with nasals (like ''bm'' and ''dn''), were rearranged
;"Difficult" consonant clusters, usually those with nasals (like ''bm'' and ''dn''), were rearranged
:PQ: ''[[labmâ]]'' (root [[LAB]]) > CE: ''[[lambâ]]''  
:PQ: ''[[labmâ]]'' (root [[LAB]]) > CE: ''[[lambâ]]''  
:PQ: ''[[stabnê]]'' ([[root]] [[STAB]]) > CE ''[[stambê]]''
:PQ: ''[[stabnê]]'' ([[Sundocarmë|Root]] [[STAB]]) > CE ''[[stambê]]''


;''ʒt'' > ''cht''
;''ȝt'' > ''cht''
:PQ: ''[[maʒtâ]]'' (root [[MAƷ]]) > CE: ''[[mahtâ]]'' (pronounced ''machta'')
:PQ: ''[[maȝtâ]]'' (root [[MAȜ]]) > CE: ''[[mahtâ]]'' (pronounced ''machta'')


;Final short ''-a, -e, -o'' are lost, sometimes producing a long monosyllable as their trace
;Final short ''-a, -e, -o'' are [[apocope|lost]], sometimes producing a long monosyllable as their trace
:PQ: ''[[ndêro]]'' > CE: ''[[ndæ^r]]''<ref>{{HM|LR}}, ''[[The Etymologies]]'' root [[NDER]]</ref>  (''[[kwende]]'' > ''[[quendë]]'' is an exception)
:PQ: ''[[ndêro]]'' > CE: ''[[ndæ^r|ndæ̂r]]''<ref>{{HM|LR}}, ''[[The Etymologies]]'' root [[NDER]]</ref>   
:(''[[kwende]]'' > ''[[quendë]]'' is an exception)


;Final short ''-i, -u'' became ''-e, -o''
;Final short ''-i, -u'' became ''-e, -o''
:PQ: ''[[maʒiti]]'' > CE: *''maʒite''
:PQ: ''[[maȝiti]]'' > CE: *''maȝite''
:PQ: ''[[ranku]]'' > CE: *''ranko''
:PQ: ''[[RAK|ranku]]'' > CE: *''[[ranko]]''


;Other minor changes
;Other minor changes
Line 30: Line 35:


;''a'' infiction in some stems which produced new diphthongs like ''ae, ao''
;''a'' infiction in some stems which produced new diphthongs like ''ae, ao''
:PQ: *''melâ'' ([[root]] [[MEL]]) > CE *''maelâ''<ref>[[Vinyar Tengwar 39]] p. 10</ref>
:PQ: *''melâ'' ([[Sundocarmë|Root]] [[MEL]]) > CE *''maelâ''<ref>[[Vinyar Tengwar 39]] p. 10</ref>


;final long ''-â, -ê, -î, -ô, -û'' became short (later stage)
;final long ''-â, -ê, -î, -ô, -û'' became short (later stage)
:CE: ''[[stambê]]'' > ''stambe''
:CE: ''[[stambê]]'' > ''[[stambe]]''
:CE: ''[[mahtâ]]'' > ''mahta''
:CE: ''[[mahtâ]]'' > ''[[mahta]]''
:CE: ''[[lambâ]]'' > ''lamba''
:CE: ''[[lambâ]]'' > ''[[lamba]]''


At some point, dialects separated the uniformity of that language, and produced the [[Common Telerin]] branch.
At some point, dialects separated the uniformity of that language, and produced the [[Common Telerin]] branch.
Line 42: Line 47:
==External links==
==External links==
*[http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/primelv.htm#Heading9 Common Eldarin discussion under Primitive Elvish] in [[Ardalambion]]
*[http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/primelv.htm#Heading9 Common Eldarin discussion under Primitive Elvish] in [[Ardalambion]]
[[Category:Languages]]
[[Category:Elvish]]
[[fr:encyclo/langues/eldarin_commun]]
[[fr:encyclo/langues/eldarin_commun]]

Revision as of 21:47, 5 August 2013

Common Eldarin is the tongue of the ancient Eldar of the Great March. It is the last common ancestor of all known Elvish languages (broken in Quenya and Common Telerin branches).

Grammatical note

Common Eldarin presented the ending of -r as a plural marker ofr uninflected verbal stems.[1]

Origin

Common Eldarin is an evolution of Primitive Quendian, the original language of all Quendi, or Elves, until the Eldar left Cuiviénen for Valinor. As the years passed, the language of those traveler Elves became a little different than the one spoken before the March. By the time they reached Beleriand, dialects had already been formed.

Since the Eldar dominate the annals of the Elder Days, all the Elvish languages that appear, come from this branch. The Avarin languages possibly followed a wholly different evolution, outside Common Eldarin, and the changes presented here, may not have applied during the evolution of their languages.

At least at one point, the changes reflected coexisting alternative forms of PQ. For example, the pairs of endings -ô (m), -ê (f) and -û (m), -î (f). This is mirrored in the evolution of short -u becoming -o and the short -i becoming -e.

Evolution from Primitive Quendian

During the Great March, minor changes to the Primitive Quendian brought the later Eldarin languages. These changes had to do with several developments of the word-forms, usually normalization. For example:

Medial h was lost
PQ: -hô > CE: -ô
"Difficult" consonant clusters, usually those with nasals (like bm and dn), were rearranged
PQ: labmâ (root LAB) > CE: lambâ
PQ: stabnê (Root STAB) > CE stambê
ȝt > cht
PQ: maȝtâ (root MAȜ) > CE: mahtâ (pronounced machta)
Final short -a, -e, -o are lost, sometimes producing a long monosyllable as their trace
PQ: ndêro > CE: ndæ̂r[2]
(kwende > quendë is an exception)
Final short -i, -u became -e, -o
PQ: maȝiti > CE: *maȝite
PQ: ranku > CE: *ranko
Other minor changes
PQ: wo > CE: wa
a infiction in some stems which produced new diphthongs like ae, ao
PQ: *melâ (Root MEL) > CE *maelâ[3]
final long -â, -ê, -î, -ô, -û became short (later stage)
CE: stambê > stambe
CE: mahtâ > mahta
CE: lambâ > lamba

At some point, dialects separated the uniformity of that language, and produced the Common Telerin branch.

References

  1. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Quenya Phonology", in Parma Eldalamberon XIX (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 103
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, The Etymologies root NDER
  3. ↑ Vinyar Tengwar 39 p. 10

External links

Retrieved from "https://tolkiengateway.net/w/index.php?title=Common_Eldarin&oldid=232269"