# elvin language?



## writeshiek33 (Jul 10, 2012)

ok i have idea for short story what mighht end up as book later time and i am thinking adding elf or two to the piece but need them to speak elvisgh what you use as basisis for elvish langauge i am no liguagist liker tgolkien so cant really make up the laguage blindely also names for most too include inthis


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## Saigonnus (Jul 10, 2012)

I would think it would depend on the story whether or not I would create an "elvish" or "dwarvish" language etc... in most cases the races intermingle so much that most elves and dwarves probably speak the common tongue anyway. I don't think you will necessarily NEED to add Elvish language into the mix if you make it plain in the story that his voice sounds different from regular humans when he speaks in the common tongue. Perhaps you could also make it "challenging" for him to speak in the common tongue (his vocabulary isn't that good) and since there aren't any other elves around to translate, he has to rely on what he does know... and "charades" (acting out what he wants to say)

I would think since the readers won't understand elvish, it would probably be better to just have everyone speak in the common tongue and if you DO have elvish in there, make a way for the readers to know what is happening.


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## Reaver (Jul 10, 2012)

Nevrast: Elvish Dictionary

Elvish :: English to Elvish Dictionary ::



Hope this helps.


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## SeverinR (Jul 11, 2012)

Reaver said:


> Nevrast: Elvish Dictionary
> 
> Elvish :: English to Elvish Dictionary ::
> 
> ...




"Please take into consideration copyright when using"
I'm not sure how much Tolkien Elvish is allowable. 


I've heard Tolkien's people guard his property to the extreme.


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## Reaver (Jul 12, 2012)

SeverinR said:


> "Please take into consideration copyright when using"
> I'm not sure how much Tolkien Elvish is allowable.
> 
> 
> I've heard Tolkien's people guard his property to the extreme.



I wasnt suggesting that writesheik plagarize or use Tolkien's Elfin verbatim...just kind of a good place to start off.


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## Ireth (Jul 12, 2012)

You could always just use Tolkien's technique without going off of his actual language -- just think of a language you like the sounds of and make something up based on that. Tolkien did that with Finnish (Quenya) and Welsh (Sindarin).


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## Chime85 (Jul 13, 2012)

Instead of trying to invent a language, consider how it would sound in your head and describe it to the reader. For example:

"As they spoke, the words of their tongue jutted with each sylable they uttered. It seemed to *insert observer name* that the language consisted mostly of K's and D's. As the conversation hissed, *Insert observer name* noticed their tongue had alot of phlem like sounds to the words"

A rather clumsey example i know, but I'm sure it gives you an idea what I'm on about 

x


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## SeverinR (Jul 13, 2012)

Reaver said:


> I wasnt suggesting that writesheik plagarize or use Tolkien's Elfin verbatim...just kind of a good place to start off.



Wasn't accusing.
I was admitting my mistake.
I used Tolkien elvish in many of my first works, until I learned my warning.
A few words might be allowed, to many would cause a problem that a beginning writer does not need.
Like Spanish and Italian, similar language is not the same.

My thoughts were all these websites have Tolkien languages on them... but they aren't profiting.

So no accusations, just a warning.


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## Steerpike (Jul 13, 2012)

A copyright claim doesn't require that the infringer profit. I would like to see how much copyright protection a made up language has, however.


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## Reaver (Jul 13, 2012)

SeverinR said:


> Wasn't accusing.
> I was admitting my mistake.
> I used Tolkien elvish in many of my first works, until I learned my warning.
> A few words might be allowed, to many would cause a problem that a beginning writer does not need.
> ...



No worries! I was simply clarifying. When I write, I rarely use any fictional language at all. For example:

"He spoke three words in High Elfish."

I leave it up to the reader to imagine what was spoken and how.


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## SeverinR (Jul 13, 2012)

But there are dozens of websites around using Tolkien Elvish(and other languages) but don't attract the ire of the Tolkien defenders. So someone might assume Tolkien language is public domain because of this.

I believe some if not most sites do request permission to use the Tolkien languages.

Taking on Tolkien in court, would probably irritate a very sizable portion of the people we want buying our books. So basically, even if you win, you lose.
I have my chars speak little in Elvish, and change the spelling when I do use Tolkien.


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## Steerpike (Jul 13, 2012)

Asking for permission is safest. I don't know the extent to which Tolkien's Elvish language is protected by copyright (if any). But one thing to keep in mind with respect to any intellectual property issue is who has the money. The Tolkien estate has a lot of it. Even if the language isn't protected by copyright, it's not going to do you much good if it costs you $300,000.00 to $1/2 million to prove it.


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## Jastius (Sep 21, 2013)

here is a free use elvin language generator for role playing games not based upon tolkien.

FR | Language Translator


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## Ayaka Di'rutia (Sep 21, 2013)

Chime85 said:


> Instead of trying to invent a language, consider how it would sound in your head and describe it to the reader. For example:
> 
> "As they spoke, the words of their tongue jutted with each sylable they uttered. It seemed to *insert observer name* that the language consisted mostly of K's and D's. As the conversation hissed, *Insert observer name* noticed their tongue had alot of phlem like sounds to the words"
> 
> ...



That's actually how I've made up a lot of my fantasy languages, by choosing certain letters that are prominent and basing the language around them.


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