Christopher Gilson

I will delve into what Tolkien meant by: “Nobody believes me when I say that my long book is an attempt to create a world in which a form of language agreeable to my personal aesthetic might seem real.”

I hope you will join me for a weekend of exploring Tolkien's worlds from many points of view.

I am going to bea keynote speaker at the Prancing Pony Podcast Moot 2025 this December 18-21. The theme of the moot is “Creating Historical Depth within Fantastical Worlds.”

theprancingponypodcast.com/moot/

My working title is:
“From Words to Worlds: Elvish Roots of Tolkien’s Mythology.”

theprancingponypodcast.com/moot/

"Parma Eldalamberon 18: Tengwesta Qenderinwa and Pre-Fëanorian Alphabets, Part 2" is available again on demand at:

The Great British Bookshop:
www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/products/par...

and at Barnes and Noble:
www.barnesandnoble.com/s/parma%20el...

It's not complex -- just explicit.

"Parma Eldalamberon 12: Qenyaqetsa: The Qenya Phonology and Lexicon" is available again on demand at:

The Great British Bookshop:
www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/products/par...

and at Barnes and Noble:
www.barnesandnoble.com/s/parma%20el...

"Parma Eldalamberon 17: Words, Phrases & Passages in _The Lord of the Rings_" is available again on demand at:
The Great British Bookshop:
www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/products/par...
and at:
Barnes and Noble:
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/parma-elda...

“Parma Eldalamberon 19 : Quenya Phonology” is available again on demand at
Barnes and Noble:
www.barnesandnoble.com/s/parma%20el...
The Great British Bookshop:
www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/search?type=...

“Parma Eldalamberon 20 : The Qenya Alphabet” is available again on demand at
Barnes and Noble:
www.barnesandnoble.com/s/parma%20el...
The Great British Bookshop:
www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/search?type=...

“Parma Eldalamberon 21 : Qenya Noun Structure” is available again on demand at
Barnes and Noble:
www.barnesandnoble.com/s/parma%20el...
The Great British Bookshop:
www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/search?type=...

I'm trying to decide whether to propose a presentation on "Qenya and Phonetic Fitness" or "Qenya and Glottochronology." The former could focus more on Tolkien's linguistic thoughts during World War I, but the latter could more likely arrive at a cogent point in 20 minutes.
Ve si, ve sa ...

YouTube video by Delle, nandaro londello Líre Itarildeo (translation into Quenya by Christopher Gilson of "I don't know how to love him" )

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMbb...

YouTube video by FILhOrnmusic LOTR | Rings of Power - Golden Leaves

I like this cover of "Golden Leaves" from _Rings of Power_

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-TV...

Hopefully I can keep this going. I'm working now on making volume 21 available. Support from the community of Tolkien's readers helps 💙🦋

Parma Eldalamberon 22: The Feanorian Alphabet, Part 1 & Quenya Verb Structure:|Paperback "The Feanorian Alphabet, Part 1" is a description of this writing system dating from the late 1930s. Four modes of use are described - Lindarin Qenya, Parmaqestarin, Old Noldorin, and Beleriandic. The...

Thanks to @cgilson75.bsky.social for making Parma Eldalamberon Volume 22 available to order by print-on-demand again!
U.S. here: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/parma-elda...
U.K. here: www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/products/par...

Parma Eldalamberon 23: The Feanorian Alphabet, Part 2 & Eldarin Pronouns:|Paperback "The Feanorian Alphabet, Part 2" includes three descriptions of this writing system, dating from around 1948 to 1951. Four modes are explained detailing usage in Beleriand, Númenor, Arnor and G...

Parma Eldalamberon, No. 23, "The Feanorian Alphabet, Part 2" and "Eldarin Pronouns" by J. R. R. Tolkien, is now available from:
Barnes and Noble:
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/parma-elda...
The Great British Bookshop:
www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/products/par...

They've turned the page on and off a couple of times now, so it may be a stop-gap measure because of receiving a lot of orders all at one. That they seem to be shipping the orders they receive in due course is a hopeful sign :)

What Tolkien alluded to was the "inner consistency of reality" and as we know "real" legends and languages are not consistent in the ways that most people seem to demand from invented legends and languages.

Since Tolkien is talking about the LotR being the culmination of what he started in 1914, I don't think this contradicts your point about his drawing on non-Germanic sources.

>> "… trembled at: …"
"… to be told that I have succeeded, at least with those who have still the undarkened heart and mind."

There is also this:
"Having set myself a task, the arrogance of which I fully recognized and tremble at: being precisely to restore to the English an epic tradition and present them with a mythology of their own: it is a wonderful thing to be told that I have succeeded, ..." Letter 180 (1956).

If you try the link I gave above, it should work now.

Do male elves have long or short hair? I've noticed that almost every fan drawing of elves (as well as their portrayals in the movies) show them with long hair, both the men and the women. But did Tolkien ever write anything that proved...

Tolkien did say the hair part, if anecdotally. See some quotes here: scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/33...
But a premise of the LotR is that Elves became more culturally static as an effect of the Rings, allowing for a prior lack of historical uniformity, even for individual Elves.

I heard from my on-demand printer, and they are holding up further publication of PE until I provide a legal form showing I have permission to reproduce works by Tolkien. This was unexpected but is a legitimate request. I apologize for the inconvenience to anyone who already ordered a copy of PE 23

Thanks for the heads-up!
I've contacted them, but haven't heard back yet. Perhaps there was too much demand all at one for them to handle. But I'm sure they will fix this eventually.

Parma Eldalamberon, No. 23, "The Feanorian Alphabet, Part 2" and "Eldarin Pronouns" by J. R. R. Tolkien, is now available on demand:
app.thebookpatch.com/BookStore/pa...

YouTube video by Bear McCreary - Topic Golden Leaves (feat. Benjamin Walker)

Also available here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wlJ...

#Tolkien #Quenya #lyrics #RingsOfPower Bear McCreary

Golden Leaves (feat. Benjamin Walker) Listen to Golden Leaves (feat. Benjamin Walker) on Spotify. Song · Bear McCreary, Benjamin Walker · 2024

open.spotify.com/track/0Zajq1...

I couldn't swing that as well this year, but I'm hopeful for the future :)