The Silmarillion ch.5: Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalie

[azalea]

Originally posted by Artanis
hadn't noticed that detail before. Does it mean that there were in fact 3 languages? Quenya as spoken by the Noldor and the Vanyar, a variety of Quenya spoken by the Teleri in Aman, and Sindarin as spoken by the Teleri back in Beleriand?

I wasn't clear about that, either. Perhaps it means either that they had a dialectical difference rather than an entirely separate language, or it was just that they continued to speak Sindarin rather than to speak Quenya.

I like the point that FM brought up about the different elves and their proximities to the Valar seeming to equate to their "blessedness." It is rather complex. I think someone said somewhere that maybe the elves became nobler because of their relationship w/ the Valar. Rather than the traits being inherent, they were aquired/ developed over the long years of interaction w/ the Valar (you take on the traits of the company you keep). The Moriquendi, therefore, would have unfortunately missed out on this. Perhaps that is why Elwe changed so, because of all the Eldar, his relationship with Melian would naturally have been of a deeper nature than "leige," if you will, and so the bestowing of grace (or whatever) would have been greater and quicker. (Or his glow was because she was a heck of a lover ).

Anyway, that theme also brings me back to the "mythology" idea: divine intervention being the explanation for the diaspora of the elves, as it were; the reason for the different elves in different places all over ME, with different customs and loyalties, and different fates.