Mátengwië: Difference between revisions
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'''Mátengwië''' refers to the "language of the hands" among the [[Eldar]].<ref name=Palta>{{VT|47a}}, p. 9</ref> It was also known as '''''hwermë''''', and it was not a sign [[Languages|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 gave | '''Mátengwië''' refers to the "language of the hands" among the [[Eldar]].<ref name=Palta>{{VT|47a}}, p. 9</ref> It was also known as '''''hwermë''''', and it was not a sign [[Languages|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 gave attention to when speaking.<ref>{{VT|39a}}, p. 5</ref> | ||
==Examples== | ==Examples== | ||
Revision as of 14:15, 26 December 2021
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 gave attention to when speaking.[2]
Examples
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. Some known examples are:[1]
- "Asking for a gift" = one hand upwards (opening all fingers indicated great need)
- "Be at the service or command of someone" = both hands upwards
- "Prohibition, silence, demanding stop, rejection" = a hand palm forwards (opening all fingers indicated menace)
- "Peace, completely unarmed" = both arms opened wide below shoulder-level with palms outwards
Etymology
Mátengwië is Quenya, being a combination of má ("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 correct term was one coming from the TEÑ stem, related to "indicate, signify".[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 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
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "From Quendi and Eldar, Appendix D" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 39, July 1998, p. 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, "Notes", p. 23, note 26
