These are charts for pronouncing some of the principal languages of Arda using the International Phonetic Alphabet.
Charts
Spelling
|
IPA
|
Notes
|
a |
[a] |
Short vowel.
|
â |
[aː] |
Long vowel.
|
b |
[b]
|
bb |
[bb] |
Geminate consonant.
|
d |
[d]
|
dd |
[dd] |
Geminate consonant.
|
ê |
[eː] |
ê is how ai are pronounced together. There is no short e.
|
g |
[ɡ]
|
gg |
[ɡɡ] |
Geminate consonant.
|
h |
[h]
|
i |
[i] |
Short vowel.
|
î |
[iː] |
Long vowel.
|
k |
[k]
|
kh |
[x]
|
kk |
[kk] |
Geminate consonant.
|
kkh |
[kx] |
Geminate consonant of kh.
|
l |
[l]
|
ll |
[ll] |
Geminate consonant.
|
m |
[m]
|
mm |
[mm] |
Geminate consonant.
|
n |
[n]
|
nn |
[nn] |
Geminate consonant.
|
ô |
[oː] |
ô is how au are pronounced together. There is no short o.
|
p |
[p]
|
ph |
[f]
|
pp |
[pp] |
Geminate consonant.
|
pph |
[pf] |
Geminate consonant of ph.
|
r |
[r]
|
rr |
[rr] |
Geminate consonant.
|
s |
[s]
|
sh |
[ʃ]
|
ss |
[ss] |
Geminate consonant.
|
t |
[t]
|
th |
[θ]
|
tt |
[tt] |
Geminate consonant.
|
tth |
[tθ] |
Geminate consonant of th.
|
u |
[u] |
Short vowel.
|
û |
[uː] |
Long vowel.
|
v |
[v]
|
w |
[w]
|
y |
[j]
|
z |
[z]
|
Spelling
|
IPA
|
Notes
|
a |
[a] |
Short vowel.
|
â |
[aː] |
Long vowel.
|
b |
[b]
|
d |
[d]
|
dd |
[dd] |
Geminate consonant.
|
e |
[e] |
Short vowel.
|
ê |
[eː] |
Long vowel.
|
f |
[f]
|
g |
[ɡ]
|
gg |
[ɡɡ] |
Geminate consonant.
|
gh |
[ɣ]
|
h |
[h]
|
i |
[i] |
Short vowel.
|
î |
[iː] |
Long vowel.
|
k |
[k]
|
kh |
[kʰ]
|
kk |
[kk] |
Geminate consonant.
|
kkh |
[kkʰ] |
Geminate consonant.
|
l |
[l]
|
ll |
[ll] |
Geminate consonant.
|
m |
[m]
|
mm |
[mm] |
Geminate consonant.
|
n |
[n]
|
nn |
[nn] |
Geminate consonant.
|
o |
[o] |
Short vowel.
|
ô |
[oː] |
Long vowel.
|
p |
[p]
|
pp |
[pp] |
Geminate consonant.
|
r |
[r]
|
rr |
[rr] |
Geminate consonant.
|
s |
[s]
|
sh |
[ʃ]
|
ss |
[ss] |
Geminate consonant.
|
t |
[t]
|
th |
[tʰ]
|
tt |
[tt] |
Geminate consonant.
|
tth |
[ttʰ] |
Geminate consonant.
|
u |
[u] |
Short vowel.
|
û |
[uː] |
Long vowel.
|
y |
[j]
|
z |
[z]
|
Spelling
|
IPA
|
Notes
|
a, ä |
[a] |
Short vowel.
|
á |
[aː] |
Long vowel.
|
ai |
[aɪ] |
Diphthong.
|
au |
[aʊ] |
Diphthong.
|
b |
[b]
|
c |
[k]
|
cc |
[kk] |
Geminate consonant.
|
d |
[d]
|
e, ë |
[e] |
Short vowel.
|
é |
[eː] |
Long vowel.
|
eu |
[eʊ] |
Diphthong.
|
f |
[ɸ~f] |
The Vanyar pronounce this [ɸ]. The Ñoldor and Middle-earth pronounce this [f].
|
h |
[x~h] |
There are two pronunciations of this—[x] and [h]—but they are actually allophones of the same phoneme. The Vanyar use [x] in all places. The Ñoldor also use [x] for h, but pronounce it [h] at the beginnings of words. By the Third Age in Middle-earth, h is [h] in every position before a vowel.
|
hl |
[l̥~l] |
Traditionally [l̥]. By the Third Age in Middle-earth, it is pronounced [l].
|
hr |
[r̥]
|
hw |
[ʍ]
|
ht |
[xt, çt] |
Pronounced [xt] after one of a o u, but [çt] after one of e i.
|
i |
[i] |
Short vowel.
|
í |
[iː] |
Long vowel.
|
iu |
[iʊ] |
Diphthong.
|
k |
[k] |
Alternate spelling of c.
|
kk |
[kk] |
Alternate spelling of cc.
|
l |
[l]
|
ll |
[ll] |
Geminate consonant.
|
m |
[m]
|
mm |
[mm] |
Geminate consonant.
|
n |
[n]
|
ñ |
[ŋ]
|
nc |
[ŋk]
|
ng |
[ŋɡ, ŋ] |
Normally [ŋɡ]. If this occurs at the beginning of a word, it is an alternate spelling of ñ and is pronounced [ŋ].
|
ngw |
[ŋʷɡʷ, ŋʷ] |
Normally [ŋʷɡʷ]. If this occurs at the beginning of a word, it is an alternate spelling of ñw and is pronounced [ŋʷ].
|
nk |
[ŋk] |
Alternate spelling of nc.
|
nn |
[nn] |
Geminate consonant.
|
nqu |
[ŋʷkʷ]
|
nw |
[nʷ, nw] |
This is [nʷ] at the beginnings of words, and [nw] elsewhere.
|
ñw |
[ŋʷ]
|
o, ö |
[o] |
Short vowel.
|
ó |
[oː] |
Long vowel.
|
oi |
[oɪ] |
Diphthong.
|
p |
[p]
|
pp |
[pp] |
Geminate consonant.
|
qu |
[kʷ]
|
r |
[r]
|
rr |
[rr] |
Geminate consonant.
|
s |
[s]
|
ss |
[ss] |
Geminate consonant.
|
t |
[t]
|
th |
[θ] |
Alternate spelling of þ.
|
tt |
[tt] |
Geminate consonant.
|
u |
[u] |
Short vowel.
|
ú |
[uː] |
Long vowel.
|
ui |
[uɪ] |
Diphthong.
|
v |
[β~v] |
The Vanyar pronounce this [β]. The Ñoldor and Middle-earth pronounce this [v].
|
w |
[w]
|
x |
[ks] |
This is actually shorthand for cs or ks.
|
y |
[j, ʲ] |
As a consonant in its own right, y is [j]. But immediately after another consonant, y is not a consonant of its own, and palatalizes the preceding consonant or consonant cluster—see the relevant entries in this chart.
|
z |
[z]
|
þ |
[θ]
|
þþ |
[θθ] |
Geminate consonant.
|
palatalized consonants
When a consonant or consonant cluster is followed by y, then the y is not a consonant in its own right and the consonant or cluster preceding it is instead palatalized.
- Not all palatalized consonants are attested in official sources, but many are possible in original Neo-Quenya texts because of Quenya grammar, particularly the -ya adjective suffix. This can be seen in the word Quendya/Quenya itself: Quendë "elf" + ya adjectival suffix = Quendya or Quenya "elvish", where n in ny becomes palatalized, and the pair nd in ndy both become palatalized (as if they were ny+dy).
- Note the absence of cy gy—they are forbidden, instead becoming ty dy. Likewise, the clusters ncy ngy become nty ndy among the Vanyar, or nty ny among the Ñoldor.
Spelling
|
IPA
|
Notes
|
by |
[bʲ]
|
dy |
[dʲ~dʒ] |
gy becomes this. [dʲ] is traditional.
|
fy |
[ɸʲ~fʲ]
|
hy |
[ç~ʃ] |
Gondor pronounces this [ʃ]?
|
ly |
[lʲ]
|
my |
[mʲ]
|
ny |
[nʲ]
|
py |
[pʲ]
|
ry |
[rʲ]
|
sy |
[sʲ]
|
ty |
[tʲ~tʃ] |
cy or ky become this. [tʲ] is traditional. Gondor pronounces this [tʃ].
|
vy |
[βʲ~vʲ]
|
zy |
[zʲ]
|
additional notes
- Syllable stress is not phonemic in Quenya, but the language does have a well-defined syllable stress which is fairly predictable.
- In words with two syllables, the first syllable is stressed.
- In words with three or more syllables, the antepenultimate (third-to-last) syllable is usually stressed. However:
- If the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable is either a long vowel, a diphthong, or ends with a consonant cluster (including x, but not hw or qu or a single palatalized consonant), then this syllable is stressed.
- In the Quenya as studied in Gondor in the Third Age, the sequences ty dy hy (normally [c ɟ ç]) are pronounced [tʃ dʒ ʃ].
Spelling
|
IPA
|
Notes
|
a, ä |
[a] |
Short vowel.
|
á |
[aˑ] |
Long vowel.
|
â |
[aː] |
Extra-long vowel.
|
ae |
[ae] |
Diphthong.
|
ai |
[aɪ] |
Diphthong.
|
au, aw |
[aʊ] |
Diphthong.
|
b |
[b]
|
c |
[k]
|
ch |
[x]
|
d |
[d]
|
dh |
[ð] |
In some circumstances, dh is actually the consonant cluster d-h, pronounced as two separate letters.
|
e, ë |
[e] |
Short vowel.
|
é |
[eˑ] |
Long vowel.
|
ê |
[eː] |
Extra-long vowel.
|
ei |
[eɪ] |
Diphthong.
|
f |
[f, v] |
Pronounced [f] normally, but is [v] before n and at the ends of words.
|
g |
[ɡ]
|
h |
[h]
|
i |
[i, j] |
Short vowel. Pronounced [j] before another vowel.
|
í |
[iˑ] |
Long vowel.
|
î |
[iː] |
Extra-long vowel.
|
l |
[l]
|
lh |
[l̥] |
In some circumstances, lh is actually the consonant cluster l-h, pronounced as two separate letters.
|
ll |
[ll] |
Geminate consonant.
|
m |
[m]
|
mh |
[ṽ] |
An older Sindarin consonant that soon becomes v. Also, in some circumstances, mh is actually the consonant cluster m-h, pronounced as two separate letters.
|
mm |
[mm] |
Geminate consonant.
|
n |
[n]
|
nc |
[ŋk]
|
ng |
[ŋɡ, ŋ] |
Normally pronounced [ŋɡ], but is [ŋ] at the end of a word.
|
nn |
[nn] |
Geminate consonant.
|
o, ö |
[o] |
Short vowel.
|
ó |
[oˑ] |
Long vowel.
|
ô |
[oː] |
Extra-long vowel.
|
oe |
[oe, ø~e] |
Confusingly, this represents two sounds in First Age Sindarin. [oe] is a diphthong, and [ø] is a single vowel. The latter later becomes pronounced and written like e. Perhaps the most famous word known to be spelled with oe as [ø] is "Nirnaeth Arnoediad".
|
p |
[p]
|
ph |
[ff, f] |
Normally pronounced [fː], but is [f] at the end of a word.
|
r |
[r]
|
rh |
[r̥] |
In some circumstances, rh is actually the consonant cluster r-h, pronounced as two separate letters.
|
rr |
[rr] |
Geminate consonant.
|
s |
[s]
|
ss |
[ss] |
Geminate consonant.
|
t |
[t]
|
th |
[θ]
|
u |
[u] |
Short vowel.
|
ú |
[uˑ] |
Long vowel.
|
û |
[uː] |
Extra-long vowel.
|
ui |
[uɪ] |
Diphthong.
|
v |
[v]
|
w |
[w]
|
wh |
[ʍ]
|
y |
[y~i] |
Short vowel. The traditional pronunciation is [y]. By the Third Age, all varieties of [y] become pronounced [i] instead.
|
ý |
[yˑ~iˑ] |
Long vowel.
|
ŷ |
[yː~iː] |
Extra-long vowel.
|
References