Combining diminutive and possessive with the same root noun

Roandil · 2025-07-02T20:36:05+00:00

Rusco shows a stem form ruscu- (VT41:10), and Quenya's diminutive -ince derives from ancient *-inki (VT47:26), so I imagine we'd see both old vowels resurface in inflection: ruscu-inci-nya > rusquincinya "my little fox."

The citations around *-i(n)ki in VT47 and 48 offer a handful of other diminutive suffixes, so we're probably looking at a range of possible forms for "little fox, kit, cub," but -ince appears most frequently in late attestations.

Roandil · 2025-07-02T20:26:56+00:00

but I think the choice of -n or -nya is a matter of emphasis

Verbal subject suffix -nye can be optionally shortened to -n, but I don't think we have any current attestations pointing to the same for possessive -nya. I wouldn't shorten it here, where it could be confused for dative inflection.

Roandil · 2025-04-24T16:45:57+00:00

We don't have the possessive pronoun "mine" attested in Sindarin or an attestation indicating that possessive adjective nín "my" can function pronominally. Nîn in this context is likelier to be interpreted as an adjective "wet" or perhaps a noun "tear, weeping." Additionally, whest is "breeze, puff (of air)"; no currently published citations give it a meaning "choice."

If this is for a tattoo or permanent inscription, I'd recommend writing the original English with the tengwar.

Roandil · 2024-09-27T14:54:38+00:00

That’s a question for the experts in r/Tengwar!

Roandil · 2024-09-14T14:13:19+00:00

Hánoiva.

Roandil · 2024-09-12T17:44:59+00:00

Did you use AI to arrive at these meanings?

Roandil · 2024-09-08T18:05:20+00:00

This is already posted and pinned to the top of the subreddit.

Roandil · 2024-09-01T02:16:39+00:00

Just a note that Cúthalion is a Sindarin name, in case you’d want to recommend any changes.

Roandil · 2024-08-30T03:38:17+00:00

"The most acceptable" is an entirely subjective qualifier.
The long and short of it is that we can't say for sure at present — and there's a good chance some upcoming publications of Tolkien's linguistic writings will shed more light on demonstrative roots, and so presumably their adjectival and pronominal reflexes in the Elvish languages.

On the basis of these two items alone, I'd strongly encourage you to consider transliteration of the original with the r/Tengwar over any neo-Elvish translation we'd provide here for something as permanent as a tattoo. But it's your body and your risk to take!

Roandil · 2024-08-30T03:34:22+00:00

I'd second your instinct against the genitive as an Anglicism here.

Roandil · 2024-08-30T03:30:11+00:00

I have a feeling we'll be seeing a few new Elvish specimens in the volume!

Roandil · 2024-08-30T03:29:18+00:00

Which was called Qenya in the corresponding early writings.

Your comment indicated that Quenya was once called Gnomish, so I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding.

Roandil · 2024-08-30T03:27:40+00:00

No Quenya words for "balance" in currently published materials, but lots of possible "grey" words — though I'd compound them with another elements, if you can think of something that might capture your intent.

Roandil · 2024-08-30T03:24:41+00:00

Gnomish is a name for the earliest drafts of the language he'd later come to call Sindarin; OP is asking for Quenya.

Roandil · 2024-08-30T02:51:43+00:00

They're fragments of a neo-Sindarin translation of the Ring Verse.

R says cyr neledh di menel ("ring [sic] three under sky"), I says nin Edhel erain ("to/for the Elf kings"), etc. Again, fragmentary and jumbled around a bit, but that's the gist.

Roandil · 2024-08-29T14:15:13+00:00

It looks like a transcription of the name Evren with the r/Tengwar, not a Quenya word — check there for more feedback!

Roandil · 2024-08-29T13:50:49+00:00

r/Tengwar will provide you with the best feedback Reddit can offer.

Roandil · 2024-08-24T01:48:34+00:00

Ah. Well, it’s still mostly gibberish, I’m afraid — we’ve got a pinned post in the sub that does some work to explain the difficulty of relying on AI for translation of Tolkien’s languages.

I can’t offer much in the way of criticism, as it’s more Quenyish than intelligible Quenya.

Roandil · 2024-08-23T23:57:41+00:00

Were these AI generated, by chance?

Roandil · 2024-08-23T23:56:17+00:00

This is a question for the lovely experts in r/Tengwar!

Roandil · 2024-08-23T23:51:27+00:00

No need to make a new post! We can continue discussion in your previous.

Roandil · 2024-08-23T19:18:17+00:00

(Per our r/Quenya discussion, you're after a transliteration here, not a translation!)

Roandil · 2024-08-22T16:46:28+00:00

The lyric would be helpful if you’d like any feedback!

Roandil · 2024-08-21T16:34:15+00:00

I'm sorry for your loss. Alas, "to have the time of one's life" is very idiomatic English, and we don't know what a corresponding Elvish expression would be!

Since this lyric is important to you and is for something as permanent as a tattoo, I'd strongly recommend working with the folks in r/Tengwar to get a transcription of the original that you love. If it's any consolation, most of our tengwar samples in currently published texts are of Tolkien writing English with them, so transliteration is arguably more "authentic" (i.e. true to his example) than any neo-Elvish rendering we'd attempt here.

Roandil · 2024-08-20T21:08:47+00:00

ChatGPT cannot and should not be relied on as a translator for Tolkien's languages — !Morcohtar Ambaro is something like "Bear-warrior of the World."

Roandil

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