Kinship and Affection Among the Elves: Familial Terminology in Quenya and Sindarin
It has bothered me for quite some time that J. R. R. Tolkien did not develop a complete system of kinship terminology in either Quenya or Sindarin, and some of the words we do have are outdated Qenya and Gnomish which are linguistically incongruous with the later lexicon, so I have taken it upon myself to invent one.
This is primarily for my own usage, but please feel free to use them as well.
NOTE 1: The terms for mother, father, son, daughter, brother and sister as well as the Quenya terms for grandchildren are all from Tolkien’s preexisting lexicon; except for ‘nessa’, which, while an existing Quenya word, normally means ‘young’, but I have extrapolated this colloquial form from ‘hanno’. The rest are all constructed from preexisting words and elements in Quenya and Sindarin. I have not introduced any new elements to either language.
NOTE 2: Due to the Sundering occurring rather early in the elves’ history and, presumably, before they have had enough generations to necessitate such words, I have made it so that it appears that Quenya (Valinórëan) and Sindarin (Endórëan) kinship terminology had developed independently of each other.
Quenya
Mother
Amillë or Amil
Ammë [diminutive]
Father
Atar
Atto [diminutive]
Son
Yondo
Daughter
Seldë or Yeldë
Brother
Háno
Hanno [diminutive]
Onóro
Otorno
Sister
Nésa
Nessa [diminutive]
Onórë
Osellë
Grandson
Inyo [Noldorin]
Indyo [Vanyarin]
Granddaughter
Inyë [Noldorin]
Indyë [Vanyarin]
METHOD: For Quenya, I primarily made use of prefixes to indicate extended familial relationships. For grandparents, I used the reversible root ‘on’ or ‘ono’ (to beget) to indicate grandparents as ascendants. For aunts, uncles and cousins, I used the prefix ‘ara’ (beside) to indicate them as collateral relatives.
Grandmother
Nóamillë
Nammë [diminutive]
Grandfather
Nóatar
Natto [diminutive]
Aunt
Aramillë
Arammë [diminutive]
Uncle
Aratar
Aratto [diminutive]
Female Cousin
Arasellë
Male Cousin
Aratorno
Niece
Araseldë or Arayeldë
Nephew
Arayondo
Sindarin
Note on Sindarin: Due to certain linguistic features of Sindarin, I have made it so that they distinguish between older and younger collateral relatives of the same generation. As for descendants, grandchildren are distinguished as grandchildren from sons or daughters.
Mother
Emel
Emë or Emig [diminutive]
Naneth
Nana or Nanethig [diminutive]
Father
Adar
Ada or Atheg [diminutive]
Son
Ion
Daughter
Sel or Iel
Sister
Muinthel
Neth or Nîth older sister
Nethig younger sister
Brother
Muindor
Hanar older brother
Hawn or Haun [archaic] older brother
Honeg younger brother
METHOD: For Sindarin, I used reduplication to derive the terms for grandparents. This has already been suggested in Gnomish with the word for grandmother ‘mâm’, a reduplication of the word for mother 'mamil’. Aunt and uncle are derived from attaching the diminutive suffix to grandmother and grandfather respectively, as in Latin 'avus’ (maternal grandfather) and 'avunculus’ (maternal uncle, 'little grandfather’). Cousins use the prefix 'ar’ (beside) to indicate collateral relationship. Nieces are distinguished between brother-daughters and sister-daughters while nephews are distinguished between brother-sons and sister-sons.
Grandmother
Ememel
Mêm [diminutive]
Nananeth
Nân [diminutive]
Grandfather
Adadar
Dâd [diminutive]
Grandson
Iondion grandson through a son
Sellion grandson through a daughter
Granddaughter
Iondiel granddaughter through a son
Selliel granddaughter through a daughter
Aunt
Ememig
Mémig [diminutive]
Nananethig
Nánig [diminutive]
Uncle
Adatheg
Dátheg [diminutive]
Female Cousin
Arneth or Arnîth older or same-aged female cousin
Arnethig younger female cousin
Male Cousin
Arhanar older or same-aged male cousin
Arhawn or Arhaun [archaic] older or same-aged male cousin
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 6/?
Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Erestor/Glorfindel (Tolkien), Celebrían/Elrond Peredhel
Characters: Erestor, Glorfindel, Galadriel | Artanis, Elrond Peredhel, Celebrían (Tolkien), Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen Undómiel, Lindir, Saelbeth (Lord of the Rings Movies), Original Female Character(s)
Additional Tags: Memory Loss, Established Relationship, Curses, Rivendell | Imladris, Third Age, Hurt/Comfort
Summary:
After retreating in fear of the reborn hero from the Undying Lands, an enraged Witch-King of Angmar sends a death curse to the Elda who embarrassed him in the battlefield. Although a curse of death falls weakly among the immortal Elves, it did succeed in doing the next best thing: to erase him from the memory of the one he holds most dear, as though he had never even existed.
Another piece I did for this year's trsb ( 3 total!). It feels like an age has passed since I completed this one - but it's finally getting close to the fic reveal. I'm very excited to get to read my pair's (Sylanna on ao3!) finished work.
I draw this for one of my favorite Glorestor author, as I promised before. Based on her masterpiece "The Restless Botanist".
@mastererestor, I hope you will like it! I'm so sorry for the delay. I drew them in my style, but I tried to keep your Erestor's hairstyle. I think his two braids are amazing and lovely :D Thank you so much for your support and your wonderful stories!
Erestor being Caranthir's son (with Haleth) is like my favourite hc right now. And it gets better when Glorfindel falls in love with him, BUT NO ONE KNOWS (expect Elrond and Galadriel) HE IS THEIR SON. glorfindel definitely cries. and gets extremely protective when:
AU! in which everyone in Imladris has a meltdown after discovering Erestor's parentage; because, "dear, clever, amazing, serious Erestor is not only half-elven but son of a kinslayer??"
A fresh little nugget of fiction just for you!
Because Time Has Run Out...
It was a meager wooden crate of belongings that Glorfindel held. He was nearly on the ship, standing on the very last part of the narrow plank. "Well, this is it," he said as he looked down at what was in the box--a flask, a handful of journals, some bells, and a few other odds and ends. "Everything I brought with me." Even the clothing he wore was the outfit he had arrived in when he appeared at the door of the Last Homely House. "I wonder now if I should have brought a memento with me from my second time here." He finally looked up at the person standing before him. "I suppose it will be a lot quieter around here with all of us Noldor going back."
Erestor had his hands folded together, hidden in his long sleeves, dark features making his face appear even more solemn. He only nodded.
"I am going to miss you and your quick wit," added Glorfindel. He shifted his weight to the other leg and hoisted the wooden crate higher. "I fear no one will match your strategic skills in Valinor, and yet, I suppose that means I might start winning games of chess again."
Erestor tried to force a smile, but it ended up looking more like an expression of uncertainty.
"Well. Good-bye, then, Erestor." Glorfindel, hands full, tried to negotiate a handshake, but failed and simply clutched the crate tighter. Erestor bowed his head, and Glorfindel turned and took a deep breath.
"Wait!"
Glorfindel spun around, the top journal fluttering open as he did so. Before he could say anything, Erestor was there, right there, so close, closer than he had been before. Glorfindel's chest tightened; prolonging the farewell was making it harder for him to consider stepping aboard the ship.
"You forgot something," said Erestor, dark eyes glossed over with unshed tears.
Glorfindel looked down into the crate. Everything appeared to be there. He looked up, about to ask the question--and Erestor's mouth pressed against his, lips trembling, eyes closed, hands now reaching out.
The box fell, all the contents and the crate itself toppling off the plank and down to crash onto the lower deck below, just missing Elrond and Galadriel, who looked up in alarm, then smiled knowingly at one another and gathered the journals and trinkets to place them back into the battered but unbroken crate.
"Oh, well--yes, uh, yes," stuttered Glorfindel. "You have always been welcome to join us."
"You know I am Avarin--and half-elven at that," said Erestor. "I cannot sail on my own." He clung to Glorfindel. "Unless my soul be bound, for then it should not be sundered from its other half."
"So..." Glorfindel noticed it was not only Galadriel and Elrond watching them now. He lowered his voice. "Take you?"
"Please." Erestor kissed Glorfindel again, slower this time. "Take me," he spoke, still so close that his lips caressed Glorfindel's.
Glorfindel lifted Erestor into his arms, and kissed him this time. "Now I have everything I need to return home," he said as he carried Erestor off to his--well, their--cabin on the ship.
Y’know from the way people talked about it I was surprised that the Silmarillion was only 300 pages long but now that I’m reading it it’s like. Oh it’s 300 pages long but every page causes you 7 different crises and after reading 10 of them you have to go lie down for a few hours
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