# How do you pronounce Feanor?



## Theif

I always have trouble pronouncing the elvish names - can anyone tell me how exactly you pronouce 'Feanor?'


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## Gothmog

according to the Silmarillion, EA constitute two syllables. So I pronounce it Fe-a-nor.

Hope that helps.


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## Talierin

I've always said it Fee-nor, but that's just me. Probably what Gothmog said is correct.

One important thing to remember about the Elven tongues is that C is always said like a hard K. So it's Kel-leh-born, not Sel-leh-born.


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## Grond

No offense Tal, but the texts make it clear that, "ea and eo are not run together, but constitute two syllables;..." From Note on Pronunciation in The Silmarillion. 

Gothmog, you're correct but you give no indication as to the pronunciation of the middle a. It is an "uh" sound, thusly Feanor should be pronounced....Fee-uh-nur.

By the way, I should know, I heard his named cursed often enough in Angband. My boss hated his guts but just loved to bait him. He was really pleased with how that whole Silmaril stealing thing went... except for that scene with Ungoliant anyway.

Another matter on pronunciation... does anyone realize that Celeborn and Celebrian are pronounced, Keleborn and Kelebrian. That sucks to me. I always pronounced it with an s sound and not a k sound... but it's right there in the Note on Pronunciation in The Sil, "C always has the value of k, never of s; Celeborn is 'Keleborn', not 'Seleborn'..." What a bummer.


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## Cian

Just like Kírdan and ... Kian


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## Gothmog

Grond,
Thanks for the clarification, I slipped up there.


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## ratodelmorte

*proper tolkish*

in the appendices, i am sure you will note:

the proper pronouncement of a dipthong

ea=ay as in fay(death seeking) thus
'
FEANOR=FAYNOR


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## Grond

ratodelmorte, I must disagree. In Appendix E, Vowels, the text states, "In Quenya ui, oi, ai and iu, eu, au are dipthongs (that is, pronounced in one syllable). All other pairs of vowels are dissyllabic. This is often indicated by writing ea (Ea), eo, oe." 

That definitiion states that ea is dissyllabic which would make it Fee-a-nur.

Further proof of this is found in the Silmarillion, Note on Pronunciation where the author states.

VOWELS
...EA and EO are not run together, but constitue two syllables; these combinations are written ea and eo (or, when the begin names Ea and Eo: Earendil, Eonwe). The proof is in the pudding or in this case... the texts.


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## ratodelmorte

*ee-a versus ay*

is this before or after the great vowel change?
grond may have swung...but glamdring still holds fast
i will look in my texts tonight, if i am wrong i am wrong
i will excuse myself in saying that tolkien's langauge
often went over my head, i'll say that and have done with it.

i will see, later if you, my friend, are right...if you are, the pats
on the back goto you, if not,....i will post again....see my views on morgoth and ancalagons question of free will...and get back to me,
perhaps i humanize the characters, but that is what escaping to middle-earth is about, the characters over the years have become great friends, always waiting for the day for us to pick them up, and for a while...believe they are real.


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## Grond

My apologies ratodelmorte for not properly welcoming you to the forum before I disagreed with your assertion. That is unforgivable and your pardon is asked. 

Welcome to the forum. Grond is a student of the Master Tolkien and, like you, sometimes is confused by some of the author's winding myriad of languages, pronounciations and scripts. So..... Grond could be wrong, but I don't think so.


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## Cian

_Fëanor_ is tri-syllabic, and a hybrid name. The Quenya form is _Fëanáro_ Cheers


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## Tar-Steve

I'm still wondering about the last vowel sound. Is it
"nur" or "nor" (rhyming with "or")?


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## Cian

CT says it like "or" to my ear, seemingly in agreement with Appendice example: as in "for".


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## Brent

*How do you pronounce Feanor*

You pronounce it
feh'anor


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## Cian

Yes a good way to represent the initial sound Brent. And welcome btw.


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## Brent

I knew my Beowulf phonetic notes would come in handy


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