What is the silmarillion?

[me9996]

Originally Posted by Elemmire

No, no, no.

What I mean is the name strikes me as odd. It reminds me of Ancalima, which means "exceedingly bright" and the second half of Turgon and Fingon, which is a ridiculously meaningless version of "cáno" for "commander" or something of the sort.

So... Ancalagon the Black.

Who would call a black dragon "exceedingly bright"?

Oh... I thought that was that elf who...
Never mind.

[Radagast The Brown]

Apparently 'Anca' means jaws, and the second part 'alak' mean 'rushing'. Couldn't find any meaning to the 'gon' in the end.

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

might be related to gond?
jaws of rushing stone?

[Elemmírë]

Originally Posted by Radagast The Brown

Apparently 'Anca' means jaws, and the second part 'alak' mean 'rushing'. Couldn't find any meaning to the 'gon' in the end.

And suddenly it makes sense! Thanks, RtB. I suppose the "on" could just be a masculine ending... Anca-alak-on -> Ancalagon.

Right! Alak, from the same root as "alqua". Heh, someone needs to brush up on her Elvish...

[Pytt]

And I who thought you were superb on elvish languages Ellie

[Elemmírë]

Originally Posted by Pytt

And I who thought you were superb on elvish languages Ellie

Too good for my own good with Quenya, maybe. Trying to analyse Sindarin by using Quenya grammar is officially a bad idea.

[Pytt]

oh, yeah. it's two different ones... *lightning strucks my brain* I should have known that. is it so big diffrences between them?

[Elemmírë]

Well... yes.

A Elbereth Gilthoniel
silivren penna mÃ*riel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-dÃ*riel
o galadhremmin ennorath,
Fanuilos, le linnathon
nef aear, sÃ* aearon!

If my translation is correct, that would become in Quenya something like:

Ai Elentári Tintallë
Rilma silë ve mÃ*ri
Menello alcarë elenion
Haira nómë palan itÃ*rië
alda-fastë endorello
Fanuilos, ten linduvan
falassë sina earo, sÃ*nomë falassë Earo!

Not completely right, though. Couldn't find all the words and had to use others instead. Not sure about the translation I got from the Sindarin anyway... since I couldn't do that myself. Still... you get the idea of what the two look like.

[Pytt]

Yeah. I didn't knew the diffrences were that big. But then I see the problem

is quenya the one most people learn? btw...

[Elemmírë]

I think people start with Quenya. It's more complete than Sindarin. I'd like to start working on Sindarin eventually too... Then I could switch over to Welsh...

[Pytt]

Is welsh so difficult then?
Are we moving over to The Language thread now?

[Elemmírë]

Are we talking about Welsh or about Sindarin and Quenya? I have to know which thread to go to.

Me#, how are you coming with the Silm?

[Pytt]

Well, that I don't know exactly Maybe we shall say this thread for quenya and sindarin and the other for welsh?
(wow, pretty smart if I shall speak myslef

[me9996]

Silmarilon?
Silmarilion?
Silmariloin?
I can spell silmaril but and can't spell the full name of the slim!

[Elemmírë]

Originally Posted by me9996

Silmarilon?
Silmarilion?
Silmariloin?
I can spell silmaril but and can't spell the full name of the slim!

In Quenya, the word Silmaril is short for the full version Silmarillë.

Now, learn that version.

Then learn the plural, Silmarilli.

Then, you tack on "-on" to make it genitive. "Silmarillion" Of the Silmarils.

Or... take Silmaril and then add "lion" to the end.

[Attalus]

Originally Posted by me9996

Silmarilon?
Silmarilion?
Silmariloin?
I can spell silmaril but and can't spell the full name of the slim!

I always remember it by the mnemnonic "million, billion, Silmarillion."

[me9996]

Originally Posted by Attalus

I always remember it by the mnemnonic "million, billion, Silmarillion."

I can't spell that eather...

P.S.
90 seconds... why 90 seconds?...

[Elemmírë]

I don't know how you people get through the Silmarillion more than once...

Em and I are reading it again (outloud with a friend who's never read it before), and I swear it's simply painful!

The description of Alqualondë, friendships... When you know exactly how everything is going to fall out, how do you bear those early chapters...?

[Embladyne]

It is hard. I usually just use it to search for the parts I can't remember clearly rather than rereading it in depth again. And that's another reason I have written notes...so that I can find what I'm looking for with the least amount of pain. Although, it is so good that I can bear reading it again, the tragedy of it all just sinks deeper each time. And I really understand why Tolkien couldn't bear to write about the 4th age.
It is so beautiful, though, as you realize more each time you read it.

[LickTheEnvelope]

I received the Silmarillion from my gf for christmas and have just started reading it. As Pytt said near the beining of this thread: "There are a HELL OF ALOT OF NAMES!"

But if you keep going into the story they start to make alot of sense as the story unfolds. Often I had to go back and check on some of the differenct aspects of the 'Valar' (I think Ulmo is awesome and wish he was more central to alot of the story) but others such as Melkor, Manwe, Yavanna, Tulkas and Orome are mentioned very very often in connection with what they do and who they are.

It is very much the beginning of the world that is host to Middle-Earth and how Illuvatar created all for the Elves and Humans.

The Silmarills were 3 stones made by a elven named Feanor to capture the essence of life... (from the two great trees I beleive?). It is the story oh how the stone came to be captured by Melkor and the history of the goings on around the events.

I am enjoying it greatly!

Thank you all on Entmoot who recommended it a few months ago!!!