e l v i s h p r o n u n c i a t i o n

c o n s t o n a n t s

C
Always has the value of K, never of S; thus Celeborn is 'Keleborn', not 'Seleborn'. I n a few cases, such as Tulkas, Kementari a K is used in the spelling in this book.

CH
Always has the value of CH in Scotch 'loch' or German 'buch', never that of CH in English 'church'. Examples are Carcharoth, Erchamion.

DH
Is always used to represent the sound of a voiced ('soft') TH in English, that is the TH in 'then', not the TH in 'thin'. Examples are Maedhros, Aradhel, Haudh-en-Arwen.

G
Always has the value of English G in 'get'; thus Region, Eregion are not pronounced like English 'region', and the first syllable of Ginglith is as in English 'begin', not as in 'gin'.

*Consonants written twice are pronounced long; thus Yavanna has the long N heard in English 'unnamed', 'penknife', not the short N in 'unamed', 'penny'.*

Vowels

AI
Has the sound of English 'eye'; thus the second syllable of Edain is like English 'dine', not 'Dane'.

AU
Has the value of English OW in 'town'; thus the first syllable of Aulë is like English 'owl', and the first syllable of Sauron is like English 'sour', not 'sore'.

EI
As in Teiglin has the sound of English 'grey'.

IE
Should not be pronounced as in English 'piece', but with both the vowels I and E sounded, and run together; thus Ni-enna, not 'Neena'.

UI
As in Uinen has the sound og English 'ruin'.<

AE
As in Aegnor, Nirnaeth, and OE as in Noegnyth, Loeg, are combinations of the individual cowels, A-E, O-E, but AE may be pronounced in the same way as AI, and OE as in Eglish 'toy'.

EA and EO
Are not run together, but constitute two syllables; these combinations are written ëa and ëo (or, when they begin names, Eä and Eö: Eärendil, Eönwë).

Ú
In names luke Húrin, Túrin, Túna should be pronounced OO; thus 'Toorin', not 'Tyoorin'.

ER, IR, UR
Before a consonant (As in Nerdanel, Cirdan, Girthang) or at the end of a word (As in Ainur) should not be pronounced as in English 'fern', 'fir', 'fur', but as in English 'air', 'eer', 'oor'.

E
At the end of words is always pronounced as a distinct vowel, and in this position is written It is likewise always pronounced in the middle of words like Celeborn, Menegroth.

[Taken directly from J.R.R Tolkien's Silmarillion]

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