The Sounds

The (reconstructed) pronunciation of sounds in Quenya in the following sections is given in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and with as close an approximation in English or another modern language as possible. IPA symbols are given between square brackets (e.g. [a]). Many IPA symbols are predictable and correspond to standard English usage; some, however, diverge (for these, a guide or the website of the International Phonetic Association may be consulted).

Pronunciation: Vowels and Diphthongs

Vowels

Just as in Latin, two distinct systems of reconstructed vowel pronunciation can be recognized. Both widely diverge in the their views on the quality of short vowels. The first system, which I will label 'Piedmontese', poses that the quality of long and short /i/ and /u/ is the samea. The second, 'Calabrian', proposes that short vowels are more laxb. In this grammar, the 'Calabrian' system is taken to be canonical.

'Calabrian' System

The following are the Quenya vowels, and their pronunciation according to the system where the short stressedaa vowels are more lax than the long ones. In addition, an approximation of the pronunciation is given in English and/or another modern language.

vowel sound example approximation
Short Vowels
/a/ [ä] /'anːa/ gift It. casa, Ru. парта
/e/ stressed [ɛ] /'lenda/ journey En. bed, It. bene, Ru. это
unstressed [ɛ̝] /'aːre/ sunlight
/i/ [ɪ] /'kirja/ ship En. pit, Lat. tribibus, Ru. дерево
/o/ stressed [ɔ] /'rokːo/ horse En. not, It. però, Uk. любов
unstressed [ɔ̝] /'rokːo/ horse
/u/ [ʊ] /'kundo/ prince Ru. сухой
Long Vowels
/aː/ [ɑ̟ː] /'aːre/ sunlight En. bath, Ru. палка
/eː/ [ɛ̝ː] /'neːsa/ sister It. crederci, Ru. человек
/iː/ [iː] /'liːco/ wax En. machine, It. bile, Ru. лист
/oː/ [ɔ̝ː] /'loːke/ snake It. forense, Ru. тост
/uː/ [uː] /'ŋuːle/ sorcery En. brute, It. tutto, Ru. узкий

Nasal Vowels

Rare nasal vowels still appear in Noldorin Quenyac, but were largely ousted in later periods. No available dictionary at the moment clearly marks nasal vowels.

vowel sound example approximation
Nasal Vowels
/ãː/ [ɑ̟̃ː] /'vãːme/1 storm Fr. sans
[ɐ̞̃ː] Lat. tam
/ẽː/ [ɛ̝̃ː] /'tẽːma/ row Pt. (Br.) entro, Lat. censor
/ĩː/ [ĩː] /'rĩːna/ crowned Pt. (E.) vim, Lat. inferōs
/õː/ [ɔ̝̃ː] /'lõːma/ ꜝmoss Fr. non, Lat. consul
/ũː/ [ũː] /'sũːma/2 vessel Pt. (E.) mundo, Lat. monstrum

Phonetic Details

Vowels are produced by the uninterrupted flow of air from the vocal cords through the mouth (as opposed to consonants, which involve a complete or partial interruption of the air flow, →1.11).

The quality of a vowel (its sound) is determined by three factors:

  • height (or 'openness'): the vertical position of the tongue relative to the roof of the mouth: for example, i and u are 'high' ('close') vowels, because the tongue is high in the mouth when they are pronounced; a is a 'low' ('open') vowel;

  • backness: the position of the tongue relative to the back of the mouth: for example, i is a 'front' vowel, because the tongue is positioned towards the front of the mouth when it is pronounced; o is a 'back' vowel; a is a 'central' vowel;

  • roundedness: whether the lips are rounded or not: for example, u and o are 'rounded' because the lips are rounded when they are pronounced; i, e and a are 'unrounded'.

The quantity (length) of a vowel is determined primarily by the duration of its pronunciation, although there are often changes in quality between long and short vowels as well.

Using these variables, the vowel system of Quenya may be represented as follows:

Vowel quadrilateral

Diphthongs

Quenya has six diphthongs, combinations of two vowels that are pronounced in a single syllable. The second part of a diphthong is always either i or u. The resulting syllable is always long for the purposes of metre and accentuation; for details →2.5-6.

diphthong sound example approximation
/aj/ [äi̯] /'lajre/ summer En. high, It. mai
/oj/ [ɔi̯] /'cojre/ spring En. voice, It. poi
/uj/ [ui̯] /'rujne/ fire It. lui
/aw/ [äu̯] /'rawko/ demon En. loud, It. auto
/ew/ [ɛu̯] /'kewra/ renewed It. neutro
/ju/ [i̯uː]d /'sjuːle/ incitement F. viuli

In diphthongs i and u were not pronounced exactly like the equivalent single vowels, but as sounds approximating 'semivowels' [j] and [w] (as in En. you and wave); this was particularly the case when the diphthong preceded a vowel, in which case i/u was pronounced as a glide between the vowel sounds (as in En. hey you and new wave). For the semivowels, also →1.27.

Pronunciation: Consonants

Phonetic Details

Consonants are sounds produced by the complete or partial interruption of the flow of air by a constriction at some point in the vocal tract: the Quenya consonants may be divided into the following categories: stops (labial, velar and dental stops), fricatives, liquids, and nasals (for semivowels, →1.27).

Stops

Stops (or plosives): sounds produced by the complete interruption of the flow of air. Within this category, three groups may be distinguished, depending on the place of articulation:

  • (bi)labial stops /p/ and /b/: the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the lips together;
  • dental stops /t/ and /d/: the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the tongue against the teeth;
  • velar stops /k/ and /g/: the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the tongue against the back of the mouth;
  • palatal stop /c/e: the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth;
  • labiolized velar stopf /kʷ/ (and in some treatments /gʷ/): the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth with a simultaneous rounding and protrusion of the lips;

The stops may be further divided between:

  • voiced stops /b/, /d/, /g/: the vocal cords vibrate;
  • voiceless stops /p/, /t/, /k/, /c/ and /kʷ/: the vocal cords do not vibrate;

The following are the eight stops of Quenya:

stop sound example approximation notes
Labial Stops
/p/ [p] /'parma/ book En. spa
/b/ [b] /'ambo/ hill En. obey, Ru. рыба only after /m/
Dental Stops
/t/ [t̺] /'taːri/ queen En. hospital
/d/ [d̺] /'arda/ realm En. dash, Fi. sidos only after /n/, /l/ and /r/
Velar Stops
/k/ [k] /'kaːle/ light En. skate
[kʷ] /'alkwa/ swan La. quod medially before /w/
/g/ [g] /'aŋga/ iron En. good, Ru. гость only after /ŋ/
[gʷ] /'uŋgwe/ web La. lingua between /ŋ/ and /w/
Palatal Stop
/c/ [c̟] /'caːve/ taste Hu. tyúk, Ic. gjóla
Labiolized Velar Stop
/kʷ/ [kʷ] /'etːa/ word La. quod
Further Notes

Stops /p/, /t/, /k/ don't show marked aspirationg like in En. pot, top and cat. Before a stressed vowel they're more tense.

The Quenya dental sounds (which also include /n/, /l/, /r/, see below) represented sounds much closer to the comparable sound in English, as both had alveolar, and not dental (like in Romance languages), articulationh: the tip of the tongue makes contact with the gum-ridge behind the upper teeth rather than with the teeth themselves.

Perhaps velars showed some frontingj [k̟], [g̟] before /e/ and /i/ to a degree similar to English thick (weaker than in En. key). It is also reasonable to assume that velarized [kʷ], [gʷ] appear before rounded vowels /o/ and /u/.

Fricatives

Fricatives: sounds produced by 'squeezing' air through a constriction at some point in the mouth. Quenya fricatives are diverse, but even though just like stops, they may be voiced and voiceless, only one voiced fricative actually survived.

  • labio-dental fricatives /f/ and /v/: the flow of air is obstructed by pressing the upper teeth against the lower lip;
  • velar fricatives /χ/ and /xʷ/k: the flow of air is obstructed by pressing the tongue against the back of the mouth (with a simultaneous rounding and protrusion of the lips in case of /xʷ/);
  • palatal fricative /ç/l: the flow of air is obstructed by pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth;
  • glottal fricative /h/ represents a rough breathing;
  • sibilants /s/ and /ʃ/m: the flow of air is obstructed by pressing the tongue against the gums;

The following are the eight fricatives of Quenya:

fricative sound example approximation notes
Labio-Dental Fricatives
/f/ [f] /'fende/ door
En. font
/v/ [v] /'vala/ god En. vale
Velar Fricatives
/χ/ [χ] /'naχte/ wound Ge. Bach a) after /a, aː/
b) after 'Calabrian' /o, u/
[x] /'oχta/ war Ge. Buch a) after /oː, uː/
b) after 'Piedmontese' /o, u/
/xʷ/ [xʷ] /'esta/ breeze We. (S.) chwech
Palatal Fricative
/ç/ [ç] /'çalma/ shell Ge. ich
Sibilants
/s/ [s̻̪] /'siːma/ mind Ru. свет, Fr. façade
/ʃ/ [ʃ] /'ceʃare/ interest En. sheep, It. fasce in place of older /θj/
Glottal Fricative
/h/ [h] /'hala/ shade En. height, Ge. Hass
Further Notes

The standard Goldorin has eight fricatives, but in recitations /θ/ could be restored (rather as a borrowed from Sindarin [θ̟] than classical [s̺]n, however).

/s/ is articulated with the tongue blade very close to the upper front teeth, with the tongue tip resting behind lower front teetho. The hissing effect in this variety of s is very strong.

Resonants

The category of resonants consists of the nasal consonants /m/, /n/ and /ŋ/, the so-called 'liquids' /l/ and /r/, and 'semivowels' /j/ and /w/.

Nasals: the air flow is completely obstructed in the mouth, but flows through the nose. The Quenya alphabet has four nasals (all voiced):

  • a labial nasal, /m/: the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the lips together; air escapes throughthe nose;
  • a dental nasal, /n/: the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the tongue against the teeth or gums; air escapes through the nose;
  • a palatal nasal, /ɲ/p: the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth; air escapes through the nose;
  • avelar nasal, /ŋ/: the flow of air is interrupted by pressing the tongue against the back of the mouth; air escapes through the nose.
nasal sound example approximation
Labial Nasal
/m/ [m] /'melo/ honey En. ham, It. mondo, Ru. муж
Dental Nasal
/n/ [n̺] /'naːmo/ judge En. nice, It. nano
Palatal Nasal
/ɲ/ [ɲ] /'ɲaːre/ tale It. bagno, Du. oranje
Velar Nasal
/ŋ/ [ŋ] /'ŋalta/ reflection En. sing, It. anche

Liquids: two Quenya letters belong to the class of liquids /l/ and /r/:

  • a lateral consonant, /l/q: air escapes along the sides of the tongue, but not through the middle of the mouth;
  • a rhotic consonant (or 'tremulant'), /r/: this was pronounced as a rolling, 'alveolar trill' sound, with the tongue vibrating against the gums.
liquid sound example approximation notes
Lateral
/l/ [lʲ] a) /'felja/ mine
b) /'estel/ hope
c) /'kelva/ animal
Ru. лёд a) before /j/
b) finally after /e/, /i/
c) between /e/, /i/ and a consonant
[l̥] /'palta/ palm before /p/, /t/, /k/, /c/, /kʷ/, /s/
[l̺] /'lajma/ plant It. letto in other positions
Trill
/r/ [r̥] /'orto/ mountain before /p/, /t/, /k/, /c/, /kʷ/
[r̺] /'rawko/ demon It. nuora in other positions

Semivowels: the air flow is narrowed in the mouth, but not as constricted as with fricatives. There are two semivowels in Quenya:

  • a palatal semivowel, /j/: the flow of air is narrowed by the tongue at the roof of the mouth;
  • a labial semivowel, /w/: the flow of air is narrowed by the lips.
liquid sound example approximation notes
Palatal Semivowel
/j/ [j̊] /'lacja/ opening En. pure after /p/, /c/
[i̯] /'lajre/ summer cf. Diphthongs in a diphthong
[j] /'jaːve/ fruit En. you, Ru. яма in other positions
Labial-Velar Semivowel
/w/ [w̥] /'alkwa/ swan En. queen after /k/, /t/
[u̯] /'rawmo/ storm cf. Diphthongs in a diphthong
[w] /'fanwa/ veil En. weep, It. uomo in other positions
Further Notes

The unvoicing is 'partial'r: the voicing occurs during only part of the sound (i.e. has a short duration). Hense a more precise realization of /pj/ and /rt/ would be [p⁽j̊] and [r̊⁾t]. In any case, the direction of unvoicing is not marked here for being predictable.

Geminates

Most of the consonants discussed above can be doubled (so-called 'geminates'), e.g. nn, rr, tt: these stand for 'lengthened' versions of the same sounds(cf. the pronunciation of English compounds such as unnamed, part-time). Geminates affect the metrical quantity of a syllable: thus e.g. the second syllable of indemma mind-picture is long for the purpose of metre, even though the e is a short vowel.

Sandhi

As Quenya is a language with strict phonotactics (the rules of sound combinatorics), it is no surprise that in speech when words come in contact they can be altered to make for more befitting flow. Such changes which happen on the boundaries between words or morphemes are called sandhi. For Quenya that includes:

  • removal of final vowels;
  • assimilation to place of final consonants;
  • insertion of consonants after a final vowel.

This section will not include various allophonic assimilations, however, as those are inferrable from the pronunciation tables.

Elision

Most short vowels at the end of a word may be dropped before a word beginning with a vowel or diphthong; this is called elision. That a vowel has been elided might be indicated by an apostrophe ('):

zac' i·fende (= zacë i·fende)

Elision is often not expressed to the eye except in poetry. Available materials are very inconsistent, but even where the elision is not expressed, it seems to have occurred in speaking.

Elision affects only unimportant words or syllables, such as particles, adverbs, prepositions, and conjunctions of two syllables, and the final syllables of nouns, pronouns, and verbs.

The first vowel of a word may be elided when it follows a word ending in a vowel. This is called 'prodelision' or 'aphaeresis'. The clear occurances in Quenya include only:

  • conjunction 'r < ar: cuita'r parë
  • article 'n < in: utúlie'n aure
Note

Conversely, orava (o)messe can be another case of aphaeresis.

In words with final u the elision does not occur. It also doesn't seem to occur with final i before e:

EXAMPLES

Assimilation

'Movable' Consonants


  1. Updated from vangwe

  2. Updated from sungwe