Gondolinic Runes: Difference between revisions
From Tolkien Gateway
(New page: {{Unnamed}} A writing system was used in Gondolrin which resembled the Cirth but did not belong to the system of Daeron. Perhaps an invention of Pengolodh or other loremast...) |
m (Bot: CATEGORY and category to Category) |
||
| (10 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{ | {{font|[http://www.geocities.com/otsoandor/Gondolin_Font.htm Gondolinic Runes] by [[Ronald Kyrmse]]}} | ||
The '''Gondolinic runes''' was a writing system was used in [[Gondolin]]. It resembled the [[Cirth]] but did not belong to the system devised by [[Daeron]]. | |||
== Table == | == Table == | ||
| Line 45: | Line 39: | ||
| zh | | zh | ||
| <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">x</em> | | <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">x</em> | ||
| x | | x<ref group="note">This rune is described as ''x'', however, this is an alternate spelling for the Sindarin sound ''ch'', not the English ''x'' (Quenya ''ks''). For ''x'', the letter <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">K</em> was used.</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">n</em> | | <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">n</em> | ||
| Line 51: | Line 45: | ||
| <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">m</em> | | <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">m</em> | ||
| m | | m | ||
| <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">ñ</em> | | <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">ñ</em><ref group="note">This rune seems to be used both for ''n'' and -''ng'' (''ñ'').</ref> | ||
| n, -ng | | n, -ng | ||
| <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">r</em> | | <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">r</em> | ||
| Line 132: | Line 126: | ||
| | | | ||
| <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">Ö</em> | | <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">Ö</em> | ||
| long œ | | long œ<ref group="note" name="d">These runes were used for long ''œ'' and ''y'' respectively, but there are no such accented characters in typesetting, so they are displayed here as double. The sounds they represents are of those that appear in the alphabet, but not attested in any elvish tongue.</ref> | ||
| <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">UU</em> | | <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">UU</em> | ||
| long y | | long y<ref group="note" name="d"/> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
==Notes== | |||
<references group="note"/> | |||
==Structure== | |||
Like the [[Tengwar]] and the Cirth, the forms of these runes show a relation between sound and shape. It is not known if the few similarities to the cirth are coincidental or not. Pengolodh, however, was not aware of the Cirth before he, with the survivors of destroyed Gondolin, migrated to the [[Mouths of Sirion]]. | |||
== | The system provides sounds not found in the known elven languages of the [[First Age]], but it may be that it was designed for notating a variety of languages. | ||
==History== | |||
This system could have been an invention of [[Pengolodh]] or other loremasters, and was employed obviously in Gondolin (or in [[Nevrast]], at earliest). | |||
[[Glamdring]] and [[Orcrist]], the famous swords, had probably inscriptions in that system, because [[Elrond]] (who knew of all types of runes) could read their inscriptions. Elrond was born in [[Arvernien]], while [[Gandalf]] was unable to. | |||
The system of Gondolin was perhaps dropped out of use after its fall, but used for a while in [[Arvernien]]. It is mentioned that there Pengolodh was fascinated by the Certhas Daeron brought by the survivors of [[Doriath]] (perhaps it seemed to him a more perfected system), and adopted it for his works. They seem to have been obsoleted and forgotten by the Third Age, and this is supported by the fact that only Elrond could read the swords' inscriptions. | |||
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
If we accept the values of the runes above, maybe these were the inscriptions of the famous swords of '' | If we accept the values of the runes above, maybe these were the inscriptions of the famous swords of ''[[The Hobbit]]'': | ||
* <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">glamdriñ</em>, ''Glamdring'' (Foe-hammer) | * <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">glamdriñ</em>, ''Glamdring'' (Foe-hammer) | ||
* <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">orkrist</em>, ''Orcrist'' (Orc-cleaver) | * <em style="font-family: Gondolin; font-style: normal;">orkrist</em>, ''Orcrist'' (Orc-cleaver) | ||
==Other versions== | ==Other versions== | ||
This system is an early invention by | This system is an early invention by Tolkien. Its existence is not explicitly stated in the known later texts, but the reference of the swords' inscriptions in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' is evidence that indeed a different kind of runes was used in Gondolin. | ||
{{references}} | |||
[[ | It seems that Tolkien did not consider the existence of this script in the later years. In 1960, while rewriting ''The Hobbit'', he found another explanation of why Gandalf could not read the runes: Glamdring was covered in dark blood when Gandalf found it, explaining why the runes were unreadable until cleaned by Elrond.<ref>{{HM|RB}}, page 799</ref> | ||
[[Category: | |||
{{references}}<small> | |||
::* [[Paul Nolan Hyde]], "Quenti Lambardillion", in: ''[[Mythlore 69]]'' (Summer [[1992]]), pages 20-25 | |||
::* [[Carl F. Hostetter]], "Letters", in: ''[[Mythlore 70]]'' (Autumn [[1992]]), page 23-25 | |||
::* [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Arden R. Smith]], "Early Runic Documents", in: ''[[Parma Eldalamberon 15]]'' ([[2004]]), pages 89-121, especially 111-113 | |||
</small> | |||
[[Category:writing systems]] | |||
Revision as of 10:43, 29 December 2011
 |
The Gondolinic runes was a writing system was used in Gondolin. It resembled the Cirth but did not belong to the system devised by Daeron.
Table
| t | t | p | p | c | ch | k | k | ||
| d | d | b | b | j | j | g | g | ||
| T | th | f | f | S | sh | h | h | ||
| D | dh | v | v | Z | zh | x | x[note 1] | ||
| n | n | m | m | ñ[note 2] | n, -ng | r | r | l | l |
| M | mh | Ñ | nh | R | rh | L | lh | ||
| s | s | z | z | ||||||
| w | w | y | y | ||||||
| H | hw | X | hy | K | ks | ||||
| a | a | e | e | i | i | o | o | u | u |
| A | á | E | é | I | í | O | ó | uu | ú |
| ia | æ | ö | œ | U | y | ||||
| iAi | ǽ | Ö | long œ[note 3] | UU | long y[note 3] |
Notes
- ↑ This rune is described as x, however, this is an alternate spelling for the Sindarin sound ch, not the English x (Quenya ks). For x, the letter K was used.
- ↑ This rune seems to be used both for n and -ng (ñ).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 These runes were used for long œ and y respectively, but there are no such accented characters in typesetting, so they are displayed here as double. The sounds they represents are of those that appear in the alphabet, but not attested in any elvish tongue.
Structure
Like the Tengwar and the Cirth, the forms of these runes show a relation between sound and shape. It is not known if the few similarities to the cirth are coincidental or not. Pengolodh, however, was not aware of the Cirth before he, with the survivors of destroyed Gondolin, migrated to the Mouths of Sirion.
The system provides sounds not found in the known elven languages of the First Age, but it may be that it was designed for notating a variety of languages.
History
This system could have been an invention of Pengolodh or other loremasters, and was employed obviously in Gondolin (or in Nevrast, at earliest).
Glamdring and Orcrist, the famous swords, had probably inscriptions in that system, because Elrond (who knew of all types of runes) could read their inscriptions. Elrond was born in Arvernien, while Gandalf was unable to.
The system of Gondolin was perhaps dropped out of use after its fall, but used for a while in Arvernien. It is mentioned that there Pengolodh was fascinated by the Certhas Daeron brought by the survivors of Doriath (perhaps it seemed to him a more perfected system), and adopted it for his works. They seem to have been obsoleted and forgotten by the Third Age, and this is supported by the fact that only Elrond could read the swords' inscriptions.
Examples
If we accept the values of the runes above, maybe these were the inscriptions of the famous swords of The Hobbit:
- glamdriñ, Glamdring (Foe-hammer)
- orkrist, Orcrist (Orc-cleaver)
Other versions
This system is an early invention by Tolkien. Its existence is not explicitly stated in the known later texts, but the reference of the swords' inscriptions in The Hobbit is evidence that indeed a different kind of runes was used in Gondolin.
It seems that Tolkien did not consider the existence of this script in the later years. In 1960, while rewriting The Hobbit, he found another explanation of why Gandalf could not read the runes: Glamdring was covered in dark blood when Gandalf found it, explaining why the runes were unreadable until cleaned by Elrond.[1]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Return to Bag End, page 799
- Paul Nolan Hyde, "Quenti Lambardillion", in: Mythlore 69 (Summer 1992), pages 20-25
- Carl F. Hostetter, "Letters", in: Mythlore 70 (Autumn 1992), page 23-25
- J.R.R. Tolkien, Arden R. Smith, "Early Runic Documents", in: Parma Eldalamberon 15 (2004), pages 89-121, especially 111-113
