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Gnomish phrases
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Gnomish & Noldorin
Cirth

l2ck`coz@8l@`acl0l`}`l`2ck`eFz@8lb@`acl0l
i·band a·gwentin laithi / i band cwention laithi
the Book of Lost Tales (p. 11-12)
lac6`@cuSla8
i·lam na·Nguilt
the languages of the Gnomes (p. 13)
lac6`@cuba9c0b@`rba9brRl@`9l`fce0b!Rl@
i·Lam na·Ngoldathon “Goldogrin” di Sacthoðrin
the language of the Gnomes “Goldogrin” [translated] into [Old] English (cover)
8ba`Fl0zR@b@`O`cR`al6`rcR!l@`cR0l
Tol Withernon – ar lim gardhin arthi
the island of Withernon – and many places besides (cover)



l2Rl9Fz@`c4Rl9Fz@
i·bridwen a·vridwen
poetic justice, (lit.) the judgement of fate (p. 64)
lFca8`@c`4c@lb@
i·walt na Vanion
the luck of the Valar (p. 44)



eSl0bf`.D`az`6Sl
cuithos hû le mui
a cat and dog life (p. 27)
.D@`cR`.D
hûn ar hû
between the dog and his bone (p. 49)



l3zfe`cR`l9Sfe
i·fesc ar i·dusc
a red rag to a bull, (lit.) the irritating to the irritable (p. 34)
8Sfe`cR`3zfe
tusc ar fesc
irritable and irritating (p. 49)



l@lr`2cf8`@b`b9br`fcl0
inig bast no odog saith
small bread then great hunger (p. 51)



l4Rbr`@c`eSl9`cRbr
i·vrog na cuid arog
the horse is a swift animal (p. 9)
lFzr`@c`c@`3b3Rl@
i·weg na an fofrin
man is a foolish creature (p. 9)
lFzr`3b3
i·weg fof
man is a fool (p. 9)
lFl@l@`@c`ockRb@
i·winin na gwandron
the women are beautiful (p. 9)



n@l`ecla0l`c6c2Fl9`raz@`lR0c
ôni cailthi a·mabwid glen irtha
He pressed a kiss upon her slender hands (p. 11)
n@l`ecla0l`6c2lR`raz@l`@c@.lRlalb@
ôni cailthi mabir gleni nan·hirilion
He kissed the slender hands of the ladies (p. 11)
@n2ll6c2`az@`fSlac`b@0c
nôbi·i·mab ’len suila ontha
He took the slender hand of his daughter (p. 11)



@D6l`rca6lR`lfcRb0`{@SlR`fcRb0{
nûmi Galmir i·saroth (nuir Saroth)
Galmir sank into the sea (p. 12)



8SR`@cuba9b0Rl6
Tur na·Ngoldothrim
King of all the Gnome folk (p. 15)
8SRlb@8SR
Turion·Tur
King of Kings (p. 15)



@nf`6bRc`}`@bfl`6bRc
nôs mora / nosi mora
good by nature (p. 10)
2zh`6bRc
bess mora
a good wife (p. 15)
2zhl@`6bRb@
bessin moron
good wives (p. 15)
6c2`abh
mab ’loss
a white hand (p. 15)
6c2l@`rabhl
mabin glossi
white hands (p. 15)
8caFl`labh`cR`ockRc`@c@l9Rla
talwi i’loss ar gwandra nan·Idril
the beautiful white feet of Idril [dual] (p. 15)
8cal@`labhl`cR`ockRb@`@c@l9Rla
talin i’lossi ar gwandron nan·Idril
the beautiful white feet of Idril [plural] (p. 15)
lFc@z0`@c9caFl@8`rabh`c@`l9Rla
i·waneth na·dalwint gloss an Idril
the beauty of the white feet of Idril (p. 11)
ac6`alfe
lam ’lisc
a flattering tongue (p. 40)
2cfrbR@`zaz3
basgorn elef
half a loaf (p. 53)



ozrc`@zR8
gwega nert
strength of man (p. 15)
9c@c`@bf8zr
dana nosteg
birthday (p. 61)



rv@`cR`rc@0c
gân ar gantha
young and old, (lit.) young and adult (p. 37)
Rz!l@`rz9Fz0`cR`rc9Fz0S
redhin gedweth’ ar gadwethu
related of kinship and marriage (p. 38)
Rz@@`.z0Rl@
renn hethrin
first cousin (p. 48)
rz9`@nfS
ged nôsu
kinsman (p. 38)



Rlrc`lFl@8
riga i·wint
to twist the face (p. 65)



z@`@l@lf8c`6cl
en nin·ista mai
I am well aware of that (p. 52)
@l@lf8c`3zr
nin·ista feg
I feel ill (p. 52)
cacl0Rc`@l@
a·laithra nin
I forget it, (lit.) it slips from me (p. 52)
aSlf8c`@l@
luista nin
I am thirsty (p. 55)
b@`la8c0l`@l@`1lzr
on iltathi nin pieg
he stuck me with a pin, (lit.) he stuck in to me a pin (p. 51)
boc0`az61`@l@
o·gwath lemp nin
he beckons, (lit.) he shakes a crooked finger for me (p. 53)



D`ola0l`O`ola6`b0Fz@lb@
û gwilthi – gwilm ’othwenion
it is not peace — [the] cessation of battles (p. 45)
S`av`3l@`fll
u lâ fin sî
no room for you here (p. 52)
S`acS9`S`acl0`.cf8c`SEzr
u laud u laith hasta unweg
neither tide not time waits for anyone (p. 53)
S`acS9l@`acl0l@`.cf8c0`SEzr
u laudin laithin hastath unweg
neither tides nor times wait for anyone (p. 53)
S`FlR@`S`Fz0Rl@
u ’wirn u ’wethrin
not unwelcome or welcome (p. 47)

Commentary
These phrases and small sentences were gathered from the Gnomish Grammar and the Gnomish Lexicon, both published in Parma Eldalamberon n° 11. They offer an interesting perspective upon a young Tolkien inventing not only Elvish words but specific ways of speaking.

The text is transcribed in Elvish runes or cirth according to Tolkien’s given valuation in the Angerthas Daeron. We made use of Daniel Steven Smith’s typeface Cirth Erebor.  Open this mode in Glaemscribe

References
Parma Eldalamberon: The Book of Elven-tongues. Edited by Christopher Gilson. Cupertino (California): 1971-  . 🌍 Eldalamberon.

The works of John Ronald Reuel and Christopher Tolkien are under the copyright of their authors and/or rights holders, including their publishers and the Tolkien Estate.
Quotations from other authors, editors and translators mentioned in the bibliography are under the copyright of their publishers, except for those whose copyright term has ended.
Last update of the site: September 22nd 2019. Contact us: