(
J.R.R. Tolkien >
Arda >
languages >
Sindarin)
The parts of speech in Sindarin include verbs,
nouns, personal pronouns,
and the following:
I. ARTICLES
Definite:
i = the
e.g. i Drann "the Shire"
i Estel "the Hope"
i Wenyn "the twins"(*)
(*) - Unusual, as normally a plural definite (in) would be employed
here, e.g. i adar "the man" > in edain "the men".
The Plural Definite Article, in triggers nasal lenition,
e.g. tîw "letter" > i thîw "the letters" (representing in tîw)
but i tîw "the letter" (sg.)
en = genitive definite article,
also seen in prepositions
e.g. na "to" > nan "to the"
There is
no indefinite article
II. CONJUNCTIONS
Adversatives:
dan "but"
Copulatives:
a/ar "and"
(N.B. a < as < *a(h))
sa "that"
Disjunctives:
egor "or"
III. ADVERBS, ADJECTIVES & PREPOSITIONS
Please note, Ryszard Derdzinski has compiled an extensive list of attested
adverbs, adjective, and prepositions, in his article Summary of Sindarin
Grammar (available at http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/sindarin_intro.htm
). The lists include numerals; adverbs of place, time, manner, order,
quantity, certainty, and interrogatives; and prepositions. I have not
duplicated these here, because I do not have anything substantive to add to
his work, nor have I asked his permission to duplicate these list on e2.
The following points should be made about these parts of speech, however:
Prepositions:
Prepositions go before the noun in a sentence, and the noun will undergo consonantal mutation (lenition).
Adjectives:
Adjective usually follow a noun, save for indefinite particles, and interrogative and exclamative particles.
Adjectives must agree in number with the noun. They are either descriptive, comparative, or superlative in nature.
Interrogatives & negatives:
Interrogative sentences use interrogative particles and interrogative
adverbs.
Negative sentences use negative adverb la (law before a verb).
Also ú "bad, uneasy, hard". Both la, and ú cause
lenition.
References/sources:
- Derdzinski, Ryszard, Summary of Sindarin Grammar, at http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/sindarin_intro.htm
- Fauskanger, Helge K., Sindarin the Noble Tongue, at http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/sindarin.htm
- -, proposed Sindarin Course, [avail. Online, but URL unknown at present]
- own notes