| From: | Doctor Doom <jch8169@*******.TAMU.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Elven Language |
| Date: | Fri, 17 Feb 1995 01:37:20 -0600 |
> Someone asked if FASA would release an Elven language. The answer is, quite
> simply, no way. The elven language was completely created by the fantasy
> author and linguist J.R.R. Tolkien in the 1940's, and the whole thing,
> including concept is so heavily copyrighted by his estate, noone could even
> really try. I believe that the copyright problems are what prompted FASA to
> call its much hinted at elven tongue "Sperethiel".
Sperethiel is based, at least in part, upon Old Irish -- according to several
individuals with whom I have conversed at the FASA offices, not the least of
which was Herr Dowd himself.
What I am curious is whe'er there is a particular written mode to Sperethiel.
Surely, it would be incredible to suggest that the Elves utilized the Latin
alphabet for their scriptive requirements. I am cognizant of a Gaelic
alphabet -- the more comprehensive Irish lexicons which I have located utilize
it fully; although, I rather speculate FASA may be reluctant to appropriate
it wholesale.
, ,
The Tir Tairngire sourcebook includes within its pages a basic -- /quite/
basic treatment of Sperethiel, sufficient to grant the judicious peruser
a passing familiarity with the language, 'twixt pages 65 and 68.
As to the revered J.R.R. Tolkein's Elven languages, there are technically two
which he created: Sindarian (Grey Elven) and Quenya (High Elven), founded
upon Welsh and Finnish, respectively. My hypothesis would therefore be that
the languages contrast on far more fundamental level than merely the different
handle by which they are known and that this modification in the Elven
language's identity is more than an effort to avert running afoul of copyright
restrictions.
For those interested in a particularly in-depth handling of the Tolkienesque
languages in question, I would highly recommend Ruth S. Noel's, "The Languages
of Middle Earth: A Complete Guide to All Fourteen Languages Tolkien Invented."
Also, anyone with knowledge as to font types for the generation of the
Feanoran Tengwar would be gratefully received (over private mail).
Colonel Count von Hohenzollern und von Doom, DMSc, DSc, PhD.
Doom Technologies & Weapon Systems -- Dark Thought Publications
>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.
<<<
[ Doctor Doom : jch8169@*******.tamu.edu ]
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul
Ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.
-- The Dark Lord Sauron, Inscription of the One Ring
