Name Translations for Bookish Themes

Harper #3599

Hello there!

I am currently trying to build a character for a campaign, and they need a secret elvish name. This character is furtive and bookish in nature, an erudite and librarian, but I am struggling on putting together names in Quenya and Sindarin. Language and grammar are concepts that both interest me and confuse me, but I am going to do my best!

My first attempt in Queyan is putting together a name meaning: 'hidden leaf' like the missing page of a book: halda + lassë

Would it be Haldalas?

And my first attempt in Sindarin for 'hidden leaf' is: dolen + lass

Would it be Lasdolin?

Their name in Common Tongue is 'Page', so I am trying to build something within that theme.

Rínor #3600

Hello and welcome! While I can't help with Quenya I can help with Sindarin. I must not that name construction is one of the hardest parts as there are 140 rules to go through.

I can offer Thurilas, as far as I know sd does not happen in Sindarin. You could also do Hallas [veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady].

I believe having lass + dolen would yield Lannolen.

Also N. parf “book”, ᴺS. parlas “parchment, document” and ᴺS. palt “wide flat leaf; page of book”.

Harper #3608

Mae govannen!

Thank you so much for reaching out with your help. It is absolutely a confounding effort, but I am really enjoying the puzzle aspect of it. I'm still reeling over the fact that there are 140 rules to go through!! I was completely off with my first guesses, but I'm looking forward to learning!

Thurilas would have more of the regal tone that I am going for, but I am unsure how to pronounce it in Sindarin. What would be the phonetical spelling of the name?

What would be the result of the construction of parf and palt with dolen?

Rínor #3609

I can give you the IPA but it is very subjective as each person pronounces things differently. 'θu.ri.las.

  • th is always pronounced th in English think, and never like th in English these.
  • u is most like u in English put or the vowel sound in the word good. It is never pronounced like uin English gut, or like u in English rude.
  • r is always trilled or at least flapped wherever possible, like in Scottish English.
  • i is usually pronounced as the i in sick.
  • l is l
  • a is most like a in English father or a in Spanish mambo.
  • s is always pronounced like s in English safe, and never like s in English ease.

I will have to look into the other name construction.

Harper #3610

That actually totally worked!! Having the sounds broken down into familiar words really helped me read the name with the intended phonetics! I think it will help me read more of Sindarin too.

Thank you so much, Rínor, you're the best! I'm invigorated.

I put the IPA into this IPA to Speech reader and think it came out pretty close!

Link: ipa-reader.xyz