Arktik

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Arktik (or Arctic[1]) was the language spoken by the folk of the North Pole: the Red Elves, the North Polar Bear, and others.[2]

The Arktik sentence[edit | edit source]

A sample of Arktik is seen in one of the letters: Mára mesta an ni véla tye ento, ya rato nea, which the Polar Bear translates as "Good-bye until I see you next, and I hope it will be soon."

Another sample of Arktik was published in 2019 in the deluxe version of the Letters from Father Christmas, dating from 1929:[3] Raiqe! Telkume kiryandon nolo.

Inspiration[edit | edit source]

Although the Letters from Father Christmas are not part of the legendarium, the known sample of Arktik written by Tolkien is actually Qenya, which he had developed by then.[4]

Tolkien linguists sometimes refer to it as Arctic Q(u)enya.[5][6]

External links[edit | edit source]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Baillie Tolkien (ed.), Letters from Father Christmas, "Christmas 1937"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Baillie Tolkien (ed.), Letters from Father Christmas, "November 1929"
  3. Damien, "New Arctic sentence on 1929 envelope published in Deluxe version of the Letters from Father Christmas", Lambengolmor mailing list (accessed 19 March 2024)
  4. Helge Fauskanger, "The Quenya Corpus", Ardalambion (accessed 19 March 2024)
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Notes on Óre" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 41, July 2000, p. 16; J.R.R. Tolkien, "Eldarin Hands, Fingers & Numerals and Related Writings — Part One" (edited by Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 47, February 2005, p. 40
  6. Ryszard Derdziński, "Tolkien's Linguistic Writings and Drafts", Elvish.org (accessed 19 March 2024)
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"A Secret Vice" (book) · "The Lhammas" · "The Tree of Tongues" · Sub-creation
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Races & Peoples: Goblins · Green elves · Red Elves · Snow-elves · Snow-men
Other concepts: Arktik · Goblin Alphabet · Windbeam