# Some questions about elves



## Filip Vladimir (Feb 7, 2010)

Mae Govanenn , 
This is my first post on this forum and I wanted to ask you if elves have green eyes , and what are the differences btw them and humans . 
Vladimir


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## r.j.c. (Feb 7, 2010)

*Re: Elves and Humans*

Elves are mostly described as grey eyed. As far as the difference elves were generally taller fairer and wiser/more understanding of all thing and of course there immortal.


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 8, 2010)

*Re: Elves and Humans*

Thank you for helping me


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## r.j.c. (Feb 8, 2010)

*Re: Elves and Humans*

My pleasure. Just ask anything you wan't to know this is a very good site the members are very helpfull.


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 8, 2010)

*Elves and Sylvan elves*

Mae Govanenn , 
Is there any difference of forest elves than the sylvan elves ?
And what is their language? Is it Quenya ?
Vladimir


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## Elthir (Feb 8, 2010)

Hello! I think Silvan Elves can refer to forest Elves in general, due to the English adjective _silvan/sylvan_ ('relating to or characteristic of wooded regions'), but with respect to _The Lord of the Rings_ at least, I normally think of the wood-elves of Mirkwood and Lórien. I think there could be differences between Silvan Elves of various realms, one of which could be language for example, or perhaps they way they housed maybe, as the _Galadhrim_ were noted for living in trees.

The _Tawarwaith_ (or 'Wood-elves') did not speak Quenya -- actually no Elves in Middle-earth in the Third Age spoke Quenya _as a living language,_ but it could be used in certain circumstances of course, and was, including by Aragorn. Quenya was: _'... still used for ceremony, and for high matters of lore and song, by the High Elves, who had returned in exile to Middle-earth at the end of the First Age.'_ Appendix F

Generally speaking the Elves of Lórien spoke Sindarin, though with an accent. As for the Elves of Mirkwood, Tolkien had various late ideas* -- although in _The Lord of the Rings_ Legolas mentions his 'woodland tongue', this could be interpreted in various ways in my opinion. 

Galadriel knew Quenya of course, and still sang in it for instance, but even her everyday language had long ago become Sindarin, although it's natural enough that some of the Exiled Noldor (again generally speaking) might have spoken a Quenya-influenced style of Sindarin -- since the Noldor spoke Quenya when they first arrived back in Middle-earth.

______________

*The matter of the speech of Mirkwood seems a bit knotty, but we might keep in mind (in any case) that readers have access to various passages JRRT himself had not published.

In a 'late' text published in _Unfinished Tales_ it was said Oropher (father of Thranduil father of Legolas) and some Sindar merged with the Silvan Elves _'adopting their language' _In another late text (same book) it was said that by the end of the Third Age the Silvan tongues had probably ceased to be spoken in Lórien and the Realm of Thranduil. According to another passage (again described as 'late') Sindarin was said to be used in Thranduil's house -- thus used by his son Legolas one would expect -- _'though not by all his folk.'_

And in a letter dated Dec. 1972 (another late example!) Tolkien explained that: _'The Silvan Elves of Thranduil's realm did not speak S. but a related language or dialect.' _

This last mention is pretty late, but anyway, again, _Tolkien himself published_ (Appendix F) that in Lórien at this period Sindarin was spoken, though with an 'accent', since most of its folk were of Silvan origin. So we can say this much, at least.


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 8, 2010)

Ok thank you , this forum is great !


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## Astrance (Feb 8, 2010)

Since you're interested in Elves, then you should read the _Silmarillion_. It's full of exciting tales about the First Age, and a must-read for any Quendi lover.


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 8, 2010)

Ok I will read it . I've finnished lotr and the hobbit and the children of hurin . Now I am reading Roverandom (I thought it was abot elves but nvm ) 
.Then I will read Silmarillion . 
Well I have another question : what do you think elves eat , and if they eat meat ? 
Vladimir


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## Astrance (Feb 8, 2010)

Well, they eat pretty much the same things Men eat. Throughout Tolkien's writings, we see them :
- eating lambas (LoTR)
- having a good, nice, feast in Rivendell (LoTR) with probably many different courses (otherwise it wouldn't be a feast at all)
- drinking water, wine, mirúvor...
- having several feasts in the Silmarillion
etc.

Tolkien did specify the Elves weren't a different specie from Men (not like apes are to Homo sapiens, for example), so they would have the same basic needs Men have.


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 8, 2010)

Ok thanks ... but in my opinion Elves(generally not only in Tolkien's writtings) 
are differenced by men because of their pure soul . Well somone may think I'm crazy , but I just belive that elves still exist they are even humans (that have pure soul love the beauty can't harm innocent things , have many talents , are beauty , and a lot of other things ). 
Well what do you think about this belief ? 
Vladimir(the Elf )


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## Confusticated (Feb 8, 2010)

Elves hunted in Aman where there were no goblins, I assume it was for meat. 

I have wondered if the Green Elves of Ossiriand might have been vegetarians. This based mostly on their calling men 'hewers of trees and hunters of beasts', and this is not proof.



Filip Vladimir said:


> Ok thanks ... but in my opinion Elves(generally not only in Tolkien's writtings)
> are differenced by men because of their pure soul . Well somone may think I'm crazy , but I just belive that elves still exist they are even humans (that have pure soul love the beauty can't harm innocent things , have many talents , are beauty , and a lot of other things ).
> Well what do you think about this belief ?
> Vladimir(the Elf )



Some of those traits might have been found more among Elves than Men, but elves are capable of evil deeds too. When you read 'The Silmarillion' you will learn more.


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## Astrance (Feb 8, 2010)

Yes, our beloved Celegorm wasn't an angel at all  Or many of his brothers, to be fair.

As for the Green Elves of Ossiriand, well, that's a fair possibility. There had to be vegetarian Elves in the lot. But what if _beasts_ meant ferocious beasts, and not game ? That's the way I understood it before — that Men were a clumsy lot that had to resort to killing because they couldn't live peacefully side by side with said beasts.


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## ltnjmy (Feb 9, 2010)

Filip Vladimir said:


> Ok thanks ... but in my opinion Elves(generally not only in Tolkien's writtings)
> are differenced by men because of their pure soul . Well somone may think I'm crazy , but I just belive that elves still exist they are even humans (that have pure soul love the beauty can't harm innocent things , have many talents , are beauty , and a lot of other things ).
> Well what do you think about this belief ?
> Vladimir(the Elf )


 
Welcome !!
You have some great reading in store for yourself in The Similarillon. Yes - some of the elves could be very real baddies !!!

Very sincerely, ltnjmy


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 10, 2010)

Ok , 
I whave another question ...
Who thinks is an elf?(ok I understood that elves can be bad but do you have talents , are you beautiful , do you love all is beautiful , are you wise and are you taller than others do you have something special ...?)and there are many other quayities that i don't have enough time to mentionate . 
So ... I would like to meet other elves .
Vladimir the Elf  
I am not refering to the tolkien elves ....


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 17, 2010)

Hello , 
Can somone tell me what are the differences between elves and hal-elves? (of course the mortality ) 
Vladimir , the elf


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## Astrance (Feb 17, 2010)

Half-elfs are, well, half elf and half human. The only ones Tolkien writes about are Elrond (of course), his twin Elros, their parents Elwing and Earendil, and their grand father Dior Eluchil.


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 17, 2010)

Ok thank you for answering . 
Is there any difference between dwarves and gnomes ? 
Vladimir , the elf .


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## Filip Vladimir (Feb 17, 2010)

Do elves have pointy ears ?


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## Astrance (Feb 17, 2010)

Dwarves are, well, dwarves : small bearded people experts at mining (that's the rough sketch).

« Gnomes » don't exist as such in Tolkien's legendarium. However, he used to call the Noldo « gnomes » in his very first writings, but settled later for the better-sounding « High Elves » (classier, if you're asking me ).

He never says anything about ears. I don't see them as pointed, but others do... so that's just as you wish.

Honestly, read the Silmarillion, it would answer many of your questions.


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## r.j.c. (Feb 22, 2010)

I might be wrong but i think it says there eas are leaf shaped not sure.


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## Elthir (Feb 22, 2010)

Tolkien does not describe Quendian ears as leaf-shaped in any narrative, nor in any text written post-Lord of the Rings. In the late 1930s or thereabouts, JRRT did compare Elven ears to Human ears in a linguistic document called _Etymologies, _where it is said that Quendian ears were more pointed and leaf-shaped than human ears. Generally speaking, this statement appeared in connection with entries for leaf related words and listen (or ear) related words.

Tolkien abandoned _Etymologies_ however, and later (after _The Lord of the Rings_ was published) looked at these words again. If one compares the entries, the direct comparison of ears from _Etymologies _is now 'missing'. But yet this is what he wrote in any case, from the relatively recent publication of _Words, Phrases, and Passages_ (Parma Eldalamberon 17): 

Q lasse 'leaf' (S las); pl. lassi (S lais). It is only applied to certain kinds of leaves, especially those of trees, and would not e.g. be used of leaf of a hyacinth (linque). It is thus possibly related to LAS 'listen', and S-LAS stem of Elvish words for 'ear'; Q hlas, dual hlaru. Sindarin dual lhaw, singular lhewig. 

lasse 'leaf'.

So, whatever that tells you about Quendian ears


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## r.j.c. (Feb 22, 2010)

Galin said:


> Tolkien does not describe Quendian ears as leaf-shaped in any narrative, nor in any text written post-Lord of the Rings. In the late 1930s or thereabouts, JRRT did compare Elven ears to Human ears in a linguistic document called _Etymologies, _where it is said that Quendian ears were more pointed and leaf-shaped than human ears. Generally speaking, this statement appeared in connection with entries for leaf related words and listen (or ear) related words.
> 
> Tolkien abandoned _Etymologies_ however, and later (after _The Lord of the Rings_ was published) looked at these words again. If one compares the entries, the direct comparison of ears from _Etymologies _is now 'missing'. But yet this is what he wrote in any case, from the relatively recent publication of _Words, Phrases, and Passages_ (Parma Eldalamberon 17):
> 
> ...


 

I had a feeling i was wrong. I must have read it in a forum some were.


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## Elthir (Feb 24, 2010)

Well, you were essentially correct I think... Tolkien specifically wrote: more pointed and leaf-shaped ears (than humans) at one 'point' in time anyway, and in _Etymologies_ at least. There's also a letter (written generally at about the same time as _Etymologies_) which people often 'point' to when the question of Quendian ears comes up, but I don't have that citation handy at the moment.


I was only blathering on about the details... again!


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