/r/Tengwar

Photograph via snooOG

A subreddit for anything related to J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional writing systems Tengwar, Cirth and Sarati.

Feel free to post anything related to Tolkien's scripts: Transcription requests/verifications, questions, discussions, etc.


Resources for learning Tengwar:


If you want a translation to one of Tolkien's Elvish languages try these subreddits:


Make sure you have a working Tengwar font installed if you see a strange flair, such as "1x{$y6E" or Unicode placeholders.
See here for a list of suitable ones.


Stay away from these sites:


Other Tolkien related subreddits:


Other subreddits about fictional scripts:

/r/Tengwar

13,390 Subscribers

2

Tattoo Assistance

This reads Melissa. Matthew. Allen. Sharleen.

Is there anything that needs to be changed? I enjoy the font. This is a portion of a tattoo I am working towards.

7 Comments
2024/12/02
04:44 UTC

18

Anyone translate this message a guest left?

A guest left it in response to an (English) general greeting. Could someone translate/transcribe? I’m unsure if it’s straight transliteration or actual elvish words.

5 Comments
2024/12/02
01:34 UTC

1

Looking for confirmation on a tattoo.

I want to get my family names as a tattoo. I have already had help with the first part of the tattoo "even darkness must pass" .

I have looked on tecendil with font telecontar, but I have been reading that this is a literal translation of English to Tengwar and not really accurate.

I was looking to get:

Melissa. Matt. Al. Shar

I want to make sure this is accurate. Could someone help with the translation?

5 Comments
2024/12/01
20:21 UTC

10

Learning help

How would yall right the word Myself? Tecendil says the top one is correct, but I’ve always flipped the S upside down for a vowel. I also apparently may not know how vowels vs consonants work, since the bottom was my original spelling before I checked myself (no pun intended)

3 Comments
2024/12/01
14:33 UTC

8

Old gift transcription help

3 Comments
2024/12/01
05:32 UTC

5

Soft CH?

I am still a month out from receiving my copy of PE 23, so do forgive if this is information clarified within that volume, but deductive reasoning would suggest that if Formen is 'F', Parma is 'P', and Extended Parma is 'PH'... then by the same pattern, Aha (or is it Harma?) is 'SH' and Calma is 'CH'... so is a soft CH, as in "chute" or "cache" meant to be represented with an Extended Calma?

4 Comments
2024/11/30
16:29 UTC

11

Is this correct spelling of Melkor?

hey guys, I just made an appointment for my first tattoo... it was always going to be some variation of this and I've finally decided on it... before I make this permanent, I just want to double check to make sure it's correct spelling

12 Comments
2024/11/29
12:56 UTC

19

Running your computer in Tengwar?

I've been messing around with converting my computer experience to Tengwar, and hit something of a success milestone!
Thought I'd share, and see if anyone else has done anything similar.

Successfully got my computer running system software with text in Tengwar!

9 Comments
2024/11/29
10:46 UTC

8

Ring in need of translating.

Here's the story.

My grandfather has been a fan of Tolkien throughout his life, introducing his children and grandchildren to his works. He passed away a year ago and we recently came across a ring, which was odd because he was known personally not to wear them. Then we saw the inscriptions.

We do not know what they say nor how to translate it, but we are sure it's Tengwar.

We have a feeling that it was a custom-made ring with a custom inscription. The problem is that he spoke both English and French, so there might be a chance that the original text was translated from French to Tengwar.

Can anybody help us with this? It would be a giant help and honestly, a nice story to have.

Thank you!

Start

Middle

End

Start?

Middle?

End?

6 Comments
2024/11/28
13:22 UTC

5

Accurate Tecendil transcription of short-letter for a gift?

I wish I'd found this subreddit before. But I discovered Tecendil somewhere else and although I researched about how to make a good transcription, I didn't know for sure where to double-check it and was on a rush, plus I have very basic knowledge about LotR, but the person I was sending this gift to, who's very important to me, is a lifetime fan. I explained the whole story of this gift on r/lotr, if you wanna check it out, and that's where someone told me to ask about the transcription here.

In the image you can see what Tecendil generated as a transcription of what I wrote. It's very short and probably sucks, cause truth being told I'm a terrible writer - unlike the person I wrote this for - but long story short I wanted to tell him about my feelings through something I wrote myself cause we've sent each other things we've written since we became friends many years ago, and as he's always told me he's fascinated about Tolkien's writing systems and has learned that in some level (as far as I know), I had the idea of doing the transcription. Again, I researched it the most I could, but my knowledge is limited and my intelligence isn't much different tbh - I have a brief idea of the difference between translating and transliterating, etc, but it's all quite confusing for me.

I already sent it, hand-written with ink in an old-style paper, so there's no way to fix it, but I'd like to know how this transcription turned out so that depending on how it did, I'll have to revivify my creativity to make up a new solution for the content I wanted to pass on to be successfully understood, if you know what I mean.

Here's what Tecendil gave me and below what I wrote in English. I'm sad I couldn't double-check it before sending it but glad I found you guys though, at least I won't be caught by surprise if the letter is unreadeable hahaha thanks in advance everyone!

https://preview.redd.it/96hyqvozoj3e1.jpg?width=1293&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4aef2a1d14930f0b5a56c3bf9077f6e88cf79b7

^(An entire ocean couldn’t keep you away from my mind)

^(And all this time couldn’t make me stop missing you)
^(I thought I was so sure of so many things)
^(That I couldn’t see what was right beside me)
^(I’m sorry for taking so long to finally realize)
^(I’d rather give away certainties and face the most intimate fears in my life)
^(Than living it in all safe plans and not share it with you)
^(By all meanings I know myself)
^(I want to be in your arms and nobody else)
^(My heart is yours, my angel)

9 Comments
2024/11/28
01:32 UTC

18

My attempt at Psalm 30:5 (would that be "Linn 26:5"?)

2 Comments
2024/11/27
18:17 UTC

4

Is this translation correct? I know the quote is slightly changed but I want to make sure the wording is right

3 Comments
2024/11/27
00:09 UTC

3

Can you read me?

Hi all - is this a case where Tecendil doesn't know whether y is a vowel or a consonant? In other words, shouldn't yanta be used in "you"?

https://preview.redd.it/tgqdanzpn93e1.png?width=1326&format=png&auto=webp&s=5c9476897b7148a596074b0a3d8a33267a745ba9

9 Comments
2024/11/26
15:42 UTC

106

First few paragraphes of the Silmarillon

AINULINDALË The Music of the Ainur There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Ilúvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made. And he spoke to them, propounding to them themes of music; and they sang before him, and he was glad. But for a long while they sang only each alone, or but few together, while the rest hearkened; for each comprehended only that part of me mind of Ilúvatar from which he came, and in the understanding of their brethren they grew but slowly. Yet ever as they listened they came to deeper understanding, and increased in unison and harmony. And it came to pass that Ilúvatar called together all the Ainur and declared to them a mighty theme, unfolding to them things greater and more wonderful than he had yet revealed; and the glory of its beginning and the splendour of its end amazed the Ainur, so that they bowed before Ilúvatar and were silent. Then Ilúvatar said to them: 'Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will. But I win sit and hearken, and be glad that through you great beauty has been wakened into song.

12 Comments
2024/11/26
12:45 UTC

3

Help required

Hello, my dear friends.

I am an avid Tolkien fan and have an idea for a project to eternalize some names in my story. I am a Brazilian physician and am working on my PhD thesis on palliative care for severely vulnerable populations.

I've already successfully palliated patients and their families into a peaceful and arguably happy passing.

It is my personal belief that true death happens upong forgetting, so I want to fixate the names of these souls on my body (tattoo). I wanted to do this in Elvish to fulfill my duty as a nerd as well.

I come here in humble request for your help in translating the names accurately.

I didn't feel comfortable using the translation tools due to the disclaimer in this subreddit's "readme"

Could you help me?

Cheers!

4 Comments
2024/11/26
06:14 UTC

15

First attempt

4 Comments
2024/11/25
13:10 UTC

2

We shall not rest nor let the darkness remain

CGPT translates it as "Ú-chebin amar, ú-dano i dûr." Is this correct?

5 Comments
2024/11/25
03:07 UTC

4

Hi! Need help for a tattoo in Tengwar saying Don’t Panic

Hi guys! Got redirected here from r/lotr. I really want a small tattoo of the phrase Don’t Panic in Tengwar. I know nothing of the language, but I do know that online translators basically do transliterations.

Could someone here help with a translated phrase for this! That’ll be awesome ☺️

Also, hope mixing the fandoms is okay. Am a huge fan of both book series. TIA!

7 Comments
2024/11/24
16:40 UTC

4

English to Elvish

good day everyone, I would like to know if these sites are accurate on their translation?

I'm trying to translate "I etch my legacy where light and shadow meet, A soul forged in struggle, unyielding, complete. With sword and shield, I adapt and transcend, My crown and armor guide me until the end." and wanted to get the accurate translation for getting a tattoo. thank you very much.

translator links

  1. https://www.jenshansen.com/pages/online-english-to-elvish-engraving-translator
  2. https://www.tecendil.com/

https://preview.redd.it/1norgiviqr2e1.png?width=608&format=png&auto=webp&s=4b769d2379e0df240fa29d552148b1a9160fbf10

https://preview.redd.it/s509tiviqr2e1.png?width=783&format=png&auto=webp&s=9383ca02ecc9f2950995e90421af9dc31364bac9

6 Comments
2024/11/24
03:29 UTC

78

Any idea what this says?

My parents worked on rings of power and this was one of the crew gifts, and they've already forgotten what it says. I've been trying to figure it out but I'm much more familiar with dwarvish

17 Comments
2024/11/24
02:24 UTC

6

Small Tengwar text corpus for everyone!

A few years ago I went on a trip and kept a journal of my daily activities almost entirely in Tengwar, mostly to practice my Tengwar and to have notes to look back on years later.

I realized y'all might appreciate having a handwritten corpus of Tengwar script to practice reading, so here it is if you want it :)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pksEtgwhZZHwmQpS6

If folks like this, I'm on another trip right now and could share the album for that journal as well

1 Comment
2024/11/23
09:43 UTC

4

Elvish Phrase for a Gift

9 Comments
2024/11/23
02:38 UTC

5

Regarding "LL"

I'm slightly unclear whether a double L should be represented in English mode with Alda, or Lambe with an underbar. Tecendil's handbook lists Alda as LL in its section on English, but its automated transcriptions use an underbarred Lambe. I thought perhaps it could be for LL pronounced like Y, but I can think of no immediate examples in English. McKay's textbook does reference examples where Alda is used for LL as in "tall" but suggests a theoretical use of it for LD in Tolkien's "original mode" and labels it "seldom used" in the "common mode" for the same.

https://preview.redd.it/0rjd6mf51j2e1.png?width=1152&format=png&auto=webp&s=a842821f62d15944ad4b6bf01b1dabb098d0541d

https://preview.redd.it/snago5z61j2e1.png?width=1152&format=png&auto=webp&s=27bd0ab469b3a0ffb154603d197c00a2dc376c81

Here is my use-case example. Guidance on which is the proper way to do it, greatly appreciated.

12 Comments
2024/11/22
22:19 UTC

2

Is this translation correct?

Hi there, I would really appreciate it if someone could confirm that this Tengwar says what it's supposed to before I get it tattooed TIA

3 Comments
2024/11/21
18:56 UTC

8

Tattoo

Hi everyone wondering if anyone could tell me if this translation is correct for a tattoo thanks

4 Comments
2024/11/22
00:07 UTC

4

Cirth Tattoo Translation Help

Hey all! I’m looking to get a tattoo of Tolkien’s illustration of Smaug and thought it would be cool to have the quote:

“So comes snow after fire”

Below it in Cirth. When in doubt I think it would be fitting to use the letters from Erebor.

I’ve tried to do some searching myself but for a tattoo I’d definitely like some second opinions haha.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

1 Comment
2024/11/21
17:34 UTC

3

Translation help needed

https://preview.redd.it/p9ow1l4ec92e1.jpg?width=696&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=375edcb90bd8cf2c81921fc1dc1bbae29e01aa9e

Someone very important to me sent me this. I'd really appreciate any help translating it.

2 Comments
2024/11/21
13:36 UTC

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