Qenya: Difference between revisions
(Suggested division into sections + added information) |
mNo edit summary |
||
| (3 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{stub}} | {{stub}} | ||
{{quote|Man kiluva lómi sangane,<br>telume lungane<br>tollalinta ruste,<br>vea qalume,<br>mandu yáme,<br>aira móre ala tinwi<br>lante no lanta-mindon?|Early version of ''[[Oilima Markirya]]''}} | {{quote|Man kiluva lómi sangane,<br>telume lungane<br>tollalinta ruste,<br>vea qalume,<br>mandu yáme,<br>aira móre ala tinwi<br>lante no lanta-mindon?|Early version of ''[[Oilima Markirya]]''}} | ||
'''Qenya''' was the original name of the High-Elven tongue which gradually would change into [[Quenya]] of the ''[[The Lord of the Rings|Lord of the Rings]]''. In the earliest versions of the legendarium Qenya was the language of the First Tribe of the Elves, the [[Lindar]] ([[Vanyar]] in the later legendarium). | '''Qenya''' (pronounced [KWEN-ya])<ref>[[John D. Rateliff]], [[Jason Fisher]], [[Patrick H. Wynne]], et al. (mailing list discussion), "a quick question" (#[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mythsoc/message/24071 24071] and related messages; dated 29 January 2013), [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mythsoc/ Mytsoc mailing list] (accessed 30 January 2012)</ref> was the original name of the High-Elven tongue which gradually would change into [[Quenya]] of the ''[[The Lord of the Rings|Lord of the Rings]]''. In the earliest versions of the legendarium Qenya was the language of the First Tribe of the Elves, the [[Lindar]] ([[Vanyar]] in the later legendarium). | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Qenya goes back to at least [[1915]] when Tolkien compiled the "[[Qenya Lexicon]]". | Qenya goes back to at least [[1915]] when Tolkien compiled the "[[Qenya Lexicon]]".<ref name=External>[[Helge Fauskanger]], [http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/quenya.htm#Heading4 External history of Quenya] from [[Ardalambion]]</ref> | ||
Qenya was started by Tolkien who wished to emulate the phonoesthetics of the Finnish language. Early Qenya has been reported to have much more Finnish influences, compared to the later stages.<ref>Harri Perala, ''[http://www.sci.fi/~alboin/finn_que.htm#external History of Quenya From Our Point of View]</ref> | Qenya was started by Tolkien who wished to emulate the phonoesthetics of the Finnish language. Early Qenya has been reported to have much more Finnish influences, compared to the later stages.<ref>Harri Perala, ''[http://www.sci.fi/~alboin/finn_que.htm#external History of Quenya From Our Point of View]</ref> | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
During that time, Tolkien used to write the sound {{IPA|[kʷ]}} simply as a single ''q''. Therefore both spellings Qenya and Quenya are always supposed to be pronounced the same ({{IPA|[ˈkʷeɲa]}}). While writing the ''Lord of the Rings'', Tolkien decided to adopt the romanized spelling ''qu'' and replace ''k'' with ''c''. These changes were mainly aesthetic in order to accentuate the role of Quenya as an "[[Elf-latin]]". This does not alter the pronounciation. | During that time, Tolkien used to write the sound {{IPA|[kʷ]}} simply as a single ''q''. Therefore both spellings Qenya and Quenya are always supposed to be pronounced the same ({{IPA|[ˈkʷeɲa]}}). While writing the ''Lord of the Rings'', Tolkien decided to adopt the romanized spelling ''qu'' and replace ''k'' with ''c''. These changes were mainly aesthetic in order to accentuate the role of Quenya as an "[[Elf-latin]]". This does not alter the pronounciation. | ||
==Difference between Qenya and Quenya== | ==Difference between Qenya and Quenya== | ||
Since the High-Elven language changed throughout Tolkien's lifetime from its conception until late in his life, some [[Tolkienist]]s and linguists deliberately use the spelling "Qenya" (without "u") to differentiate the early version of this language from the later. [[Helge Fauskanger]] used to refer to | Since the High-Elven language changed throughout Tolkien's lifetime from its conception until late in his life, some [[Tolkienist]]s and linguists deliberately use the spelling "Qenya" (without "u") to differentiate the early version of this language from the later. | ||
Such Tolkien linguists note "''a dramatic change''" after which the language somehow stabilized after [[1940]]. One of such changes was that later Quenya does not display the "''number of borrowings and obvious influences of real-world languages''" that Qenya did.<ref>{{webcite|author=[[David Salo]]|articleurl=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/elfling/message/36298|articlename=Re: Bringlast and mustard (Message #36298)|dated=16 July 2012|website=[[Elfling]]|accessed=16 July 2012}}</ref> | |||
[[Helge Fauskanger]] used to refer to the early stage(s) of Quenya as "immature Qenya" in order to make clear that he refers to Tolkien's point of view and not an archaic form of Quenya of [[Valinor]]. | |||
The differentiation between Qenya and Quenya has been criticized as artificial, since it neglects the continuity and gradual evolution of the language; although Tolkien replaced old ideas with newer ones, there is no indication that he divided his conception into stages, and no definite point which separates Qenya from Quenya can be traced. Also, the term "immature" was considered controversial and derogatory.<ref>[[Patrick Wynne]], [http://www.elvish.org/Tengwestie/editorials/20040404.phtml Are Goldogrin and Qenya "primitive"?]</ref> | The differentiation between Qenya and Quenya has been criticized as artificial, since it neglects the continuity and gradual evolution of the language; although Tolkien replaced old ideas with newer ones, there is no indication that he divided his conception into stages, and no definite point which separates Qenya from Quenya can be traced. Also, the term "immature" was considered controversial and derogatory.<ref>[[Patrick Wynne]], [http://www.elvish.org/Tengwestie/editorials/20040404.phtml Are Goldogrin and Qenya "primitive"?]</ref> | ||
{{References}} | {{References}} | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[[Thorsten Renk]], [http://www.phy.duke.edu/~trenk/elvish/eqg.html Early Qenya grammar] (includes comparisons with later Quenya elements) | *[[Thorsten Renk]], [http://www.phy.duke.edu/~trenk/elvish/eqg.html Early Qenya grammar] (includes comparisons with later Quenya elements) | ||
[[Category:Quenya]] | [[Category:Quenya]] | ||
Revision as of 19:25, 30 January 2013
|
This article or section is a stub. Please help Tolkien Gateway by expanding it. |
- "Man kiluva lómi sangane,
telume lungane
tollalinta ruste,
vea qalume,
mandu yáme,
aira móre ala tinwi
lante no lanta-mindon?" - ― Early version of Oilima Markirya
Qenya (pronounced [KWEN-ya])[1] was the original name of the High-Elven tongue which gradually would change into Quenya of the Lord of the Rings. In the earliest versions of the legendarium Qenya was the language of the First Tribe of the Elves, the Lindar (Vanyar in the later legendarium).
History
Qenya goes back to at least 1915 when Tolkien compiled the "Qenya Lexicon".[2]
Qenya was started by Tolkien who wished to emulate the phonoesthetics of the Finnish language. Early Qenya has been reported to have much more Finnish influences, compared to the later stages.[3]
During that time, Tolkien used to write the sound [kʷ] simply as a single q. Therefore both spellings Qenya and Quenya are always supposed to be pronounced the same ([ˈkʷeɲa]). While writing the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien decided to adopt the romanized spelling qu and replace k with c. These changes were mainly aesthetic in order to accentuate the role of Quenya as an "Elf-latin". This does not alter the pronounciation.
Difference between Qenya and Quenya
Since the High-Elven language changed throughout Tolkien's lifetime from its conception until late in his life, some Tolkienists and linguists deliberately use the spelling "Qenya" (without "u") to differentiate the early version of this language from the later.
Such Tolkien linguists note "a dramatic change" after which the language somehow stabilized after 1940. One of such changes was that later Quenya does not display the "number of borrowings and obvious influences of real-world languages" that Qenya did.[4]
Helge Fauskanger used to refer to the early stage(s) of Quenya as "immature Qenya" in order to make clear that he refers to Tolkien's point of view and not an archaic form of Quenya of Valinor.
The differentiation between Qenya and Quenya has been criticized as artificial, since it neglects the continuity and gradual evolution of the language; although Tolkien replaced old ideas with newer ones, there is no indication that he divided his conception into stages, and no definite point which separates Qenya from Quenya can be traced. Also, the term "immature" was considered controversial and derogatory.[5]
References
- ↑ John D. Rateliff, Jason Fisher, Patrick H. Wynne, et al. (mailing list discussion), "a quick question" (#24071 and related messages; dated 29 January 2013), Mytsoc mailing list (accessed 30 January 2012)
- ↑ Helge Fauskanger, External history of Quenya from Ardalambion
- ↑ Harri Perala, History of Quenya From Our Point of View
- ↑ David Salo, "Re: Bringlast and mustard (Message #36298)" dated 16 July 2012, Elfling (accessed 16 July 2012)
- ↑ Patrick Wynne, Are Goldogrin and Qenya "primitive"?
External links
- Thorsten Renk, Early Qenya grammar (includes comparisons with later Quenya elements)
