Which mutation would this use?

Nimlothiel #284

Hi, sorry to bother you all again, only I have a title for a poem I have written (both of which are in Sindarin) and I just need a few things clearing up concerning types of mutation. I would like the title to translate as ‘the lay of life’ and I am unsure which mutation to use for life. Would it be ‘i ‘lîr guil’ or, as ‘glîr’ ends in an ‘r’ would it be ‘i ‘lîr chuil’. There are a few instances of similar phrases throughout my poem and I just want to make sure the mutations are accurate! For liquid mutation, is it only in the instances of prepositions ending in ‘r’ rather than words? And also, do words that end in an ‘n’ trigger nasal mutation when they aren’t prepositions or articles (an, in etc.), and do words that end with a ‘d’ that are not prepositions trigger hard mutations? Or for all of these, is it only prepositions/articles that will trigger these mutations while normal words, regardless of what letter they end in, only trigger lenition? Sorry again for any bother caused, and thankyou!

Ríon Gondremborion #290

Being in a similar camp as you, I actually think that no mutation is needed in this case due to it being a simple genitive phrase - as in Ennyn Durin translating as Doors (of) Durin- so I'd have to say just go with I 'Lîr Cuil. Edit: Concerning the other words causing a following mutation, I'd have to go with a no in all those cases. Now - admittedly - we do see în phain occur in The King's Letter, but we also saw nasal 'v's and the like so I'm not sure if it works as a proper mutation guide :/. It's my belief that mutation arose from the Sindar coupling two words more or less "connected" in meaning, but seeing the effects of mutation not connected in meaning would be something possibly done in err by and elf-child or one whom is rushing to speak, etc.

Once again, please take with a grain of salt, etc.

~The ever-salt-giving Son of a Gondrembor.

Nimlothiel #291

Thankyou very much for taking the time to answer, it is much appreciated! Your answer to definitely make sense using existing Tolkien material however I will maybe research more just to make sure that he didn’t change his mind or anything- as it wouldn’t be the first time!

Ríon Gondremborion #294

Come to think of it, using Ennyn Durin was a lame example as names quite arguably are semi-immune to mutation. However what I said still stands as you need simply shift over to the next two words Aran Moria "King (of) Darkness-Abyss".

Sorry 'bout the redundancy,

~Ríon Gondremborion.

Nimlothiel #295

No worries - thankyou for just taking the time to answer my question in the first place!