Mátengwië

From Tolkien Gateway
Galadriel by Daniel Govar

Mátengwië refers to the "language of the hands" among the Eldar.[1] It was also known as hwermë, and it was not a sign language of its own like Iglishmêk among the Dwarves (although both shared surprising analogies), but part of the corporal expression of the Eldar, which was the first thing they paid attention to when speaking.[2] Men had similar gestures, but with different or opposite meaning. Elves put great attention to the details, so their gestures could change depending even the fingers.[1] Early loremasters did not give much importance to hwermë, but it is said that Pengolodh collected much material concerning gesture-systems before departing from Middle-earth.[3]

Examples[edit | edit source]

  • "Asking for a gift" = one hand palm upwards (opening all fingers indicates great need).[1]
  • "Be at the service or command of someone" = both hand palms upwards.[1]
  • "Prohibition, silence, demanding stop, rejection" = one hand palm forwards (opening all fingers indicates more hostility).[1]
  • "Greeting or welcome" = one hand palm backwards (waving of the fingers towards the signaller indicates emphasis). In casual greeting, the hand was held edge forward.[4]
  • "Peace, completely unarmed" = both arms opened wide below shoulder-level with palms outwards.[1]
  • "Receiving guests" = stand up if seated, even if the host is a mighty king.[5]

In making the one-handed gestures, either hand could be used without change in significance. Using both hands was more emphatic, indicating a command from a community or party, or from an authority via a subordinate.[6]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Mátengwië is Quenya, being a combination of ("hand") + tengwië ("language"). At first, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the term as málambë, but as Patrick H. Wynne explains, lambë refers to "tongue movement", so the term was corrected to a word coming from the TEÑ stem ("indicate, signify").[7]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 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. 9
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, "From Quendi and Eldar, Appendix D" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 39, July 1998, p. 5
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: Appendix D. *Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish (especially Ñoldorin) words for 'Language'", pp. 395, 397
  4. 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, "Notes", p. 13, note 8
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Mirror of Galadriel", p. 354
  6. 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. 10
  7. 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, "Notes", p. 23, note 26
Languages and scripts in Tolkien's works
Elvish Angerthas (Angerthas Daeron) · Avarin · Cirth (Certhas Daeron) · Common Eldarin · Mátengwië · Moon-letters · Nandorin · Primitive Quendian · Quenya (Exilic · Valinorean · Vanyarin) · Sarati · Silvan Elvish · Sindarin (Doriathrin · Falathrin · Númenórean · Mithrimin · Old) · Telerin (Common) · Tengwar
Mannish Adûnaic · Dalish · Drúadan · Dunlendish · Halethian · Northern Mannish · Pre-Númenórean · Rohanese · Taliska · Westron (Bucklandish · Hobbitish · Stoorish)
Dwarvish Angerthas (Erebor · Moria) · Aulëan · Iglishmêk · Khuzdul
Other Black Speech · Old Entish · Orkish · Valarin · Warg-language
Earlier legendarium Gnomish · Gnomic Letters · Gondolinic Runes · Ilkorin · Keladian · Noldorin (Kornoldorin) · Melkian · Oromëan · Qenya · Valmaric script
Outside the legendarium Animalic · Arktik · Goblin Alphabet · Mágol · Naffarin · New English Alphabet · Nevbosh · Privata Kodo Skauta
Real-world Celtic · English (Old · Middle · AB) · Finnish · Germanic · Gothic · Hebrew · Runic alphabet · Welsh
"A Secret Vice" (book) · "The Lhammas" · "The Tree of Tongues" · Sub-creation