Hi! I love your work, the lessons in khuzdul are amazing! I have a question, or more like I wish to know if the translation I made is correct, I want to get a tattoo with the phrase: "There is good in this world, and it's worth fighting for." in erebor runes neo-khuzdul, I used the dictionary and translated it as: "Tîr galikh nala kîlin, ra hu galad abkhu khama" but I had some trouble finding the correct runes for "n'ala" and "hu" and wanted to make sure before getting anything tattooed. Thanks!
Firstly, thank you for your kind words! It always brings me joy to see people not only enjoying the lessons but actively engaging with the language.
As for your Neo-Khuzdul translation — I believe you’re referring to a version I created almost 10 years ago - back in this post: link - which is great — it shows you’ve been digging into the archives. At the time, I indeed translated the quote as:
Tîr galikh n’ala kîlîn, ra hu galad abkhu’ khama.
In the decade since, I’ve revisited many of these old translations to refine them — not because they were necessarily incorrect, but because there are always subtle improvements to be made as understanding and development of the language deepens. So let’s give this line a little polish.
The improved phrasing is:
Hîr galkh n’ala kiylîn, ra tâti galad abkhu’ khama.
These small adjustments (more detailed info below) — don't change the meaning drastically, but it (in my opinion) fine-tunes the expression to better suit established Neo-Khuzdul grammar and emphasis.
🖋️ A Note on the Quote’s Origin
Interestingly, this is one of those lines that feels as though it could have been written by Tolkien himself, yet it originates from the film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings — The Two Towers.
There’s a certain timeless quality to it, reminiscent of classic lines of literature. In fact, I've always found it bears a passing resemblance to Hemingway’s famous line in For Whom the Bell Tolls:
“The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for.... "
Both convey a deep love for the world, a recognition of its hardships, and a steadfast belief that it remains worth our effort and struggle. This is very much in keeping with Tolkien’s themes of resilience and hope — especially in the face of overwhelming darkness.
🧭 A Note on Context: Movie vs. Book
This quote resonates so deeply with Tolkien’s themes that many people assume it is a direct quote. Interestingly though, it closely echoes the speech Sam gives to Frodo on the Stairs of Cirith Ungol in The Two Towers, where he reflects:
“And we shouldn't be here at all, if we'd known more about it before we started. But I suppose it's often that way. The brave things in the old tales and songs, Mr. Frodo: adventures, as I used to call them.”
While in the book, these words come as a response to Frodo's dread of the Morgul Vale — rather than to the despair of their quest as depicted in the film — the sentiment remains remarkably alike. Sam muses further:
“But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn't. And if they had, we shouldn't know, because they'd have been forgotten.”
The film distills this into a powerful cinematic moment, carrying the same theme of perseverance in the face of overwhelming darkness.
On the Topic of Changes in the Translation:
🧭 Why Hîr instead of Tîr?
While tîr means "there" (as in a nearby or reachable place), hîr is used (among other things) as a temporary subject.
Hîr imzênat! — "There is a knock!"
Hîr ith zud. — "There should be laughter.
Hîr ambâk mazrab. — "There is nothing written."
In none of the above examples, "There" means "a place nearby", but rather serves as a temporary subject. So, hîr strengthens the phrase by properly framing it as an existential observation rather than a locative reference. More on Hîr and other alternatives for "there" in document 46 in the library section of the site, by the way.
The traditional "there" words that define location (yom, yîr, tîr). While Hîr is outside of this diagram alltogether.
🧭 Why galkh instead of galikh?
Galkh is the noun, while galikh is the adjective. Here the noun should have been used.
🧭 Why kiylîn instead of kîlîn?
Kiylîn: "world (commonly used to describe the people that inhabit the world)" - as opposed to "kâmin: world (commonly used to describe the physical earth), Arda".
The change here is a matter of applying crasis (joining of two vowels into another), where "iy" becomes "î". Crasis has not changed much in the 10 years, since that reply, but one of the things that has changed is (optionally) the ability to leave "iy" as is, instead of merging into "î". Essentially the same word, just written differently.
🧭 Why tâti instead of hu?
Originally, I used hu, which is not incorrect (though a form I don't generally use in this function anymore) — but let’s refine it.
"ra hu galad abkhu’ khama" places the emphasis on "it" — as in, this thing is worth fighting for.
"ra tâti galad abkhu’ khama" puts the weight on "is" — leaning slightly more toward underlining this truth.
It’s a subtle distinction, but one worth considering for a permanent mark. Personally, I now favour tâti, as seen in the updated line, but the old one is not entirely wrong (apart from the galikh, perhaps).
So now the final transcription:
💡 Final Tip: It’s always wise to double-check runic inscriptions before committing to something as permanent as a tattoo — especially with Neo-Khuzdul, where a single mark can alter the meaning. As with many conlangs, the language continues to evolve to accommodate new expressions and conversations (and respecting earlier versions).
Ever at your service (and - on this occasion - your runic spell-checker),
