Angerthas Daeron

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Cirth Erebor by Dan Smith


Angerthas Daeron (S. 'Daeron's Runes') was the full extension of the Certhas Daeron which was used by the Elves of Eregion to represent Sindarin and other languages.[note 1]

Structure[edit | edit source]

They were renamed Angerthas because the Certhas of Daeron were extended and added several more cirth. The adding of 2 whole new rows (CH-row and QU-row) was attributed to them.

The addition of these caused the following: a new certh for h to replace the previous certh # which became ch. This certh was preferred for ch because its shape seemed to be between the shapes of the T and K cirth (8 T + e K > # CH), to represent how the ch sound also (phonologically) exist between t and c. There was also a new certh for nd, which as Tolkien notes, its form wasn’t much related to the dental cirth.

Some of the new letters were used for sounds of Quenya (and other tongues) not found in Sindarin. In that stage, the Angerthas reached its fullest extent, but for most forms of writing other than carving, the Tengwar were used.

Table[edit | edit source]

1 p 8 t #[1] ch e c i[2] kw R r f[3] s/h
2 b 9 d $ j r g o gw T rh
3 f 0 th % sh t kh p chw a l g[3] h/s
4 v ! dh q zh y gh Q ghw s lh
5 hw @ n w nj u ñ W ñgw d ng h[4] ss/z J nd
6 m E ñw
7 mh
l i S u z e c a b o
D ú x é v á n ó .[5] h
G y m œ
F w

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. This certh was used for h, but was chosen for ch, as it occurred phonologically between sounds t and c, and its shape looked intermediate between the Cirth 8 and e. Not to be confused with Sindarin ch!
  2. Since it represents the labialised sound kw (also spelled qu), its shape was maybe a mixture of the Cirth 8 and 1.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Tolkien shows two distinct signs for s as indifferent. Their exact use can’t be guessed and isn’t obvious like the relation of the tengwar Silmë and Silmë Nuquerna.
  4. Tolkien gives the value z to that letter (in alien systems?), but notes it was ss when used in Quenya and Sindarin.
  5. Maybe near that time, this new certh was made for the value of h, similar in shape to the former # (and to the tengwa Hyarmen 9).

History[edit | edit source]

By the Second Age the Tengwar were the dominant writing script, but the Gwaith-i-Mírdain used the runes in formal documents, as a "matter of lore".[1][note 2] The Noldor made use of the cirth and made a name for them in Quenya, Certar.

The Dwarves of Moria adapted this system to Angerthas Moria, as they were ideal for carved inscriptins, which they preferred.

Notes

  1. Cf. Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, entry "Angerthas Daeron". Jim Allan in An Introduction to Elvish also identifies "Angerthas Daeron" with the writing of Eregion, but later gives the name "Angerthas Eregion" to their "full expansion". In the chronological table, he uses only the name "Angerthas Eregion" while the previous versions are dubbed "Early Daeron" and "Late Daeron".
  2. The text explains this by saying that Celebrimbor was a descendant of Daeron; however this was written before deciding that he was the son of Curufin.

References

Languages and scripts in Tolkien's works
Elvish Angerthas (Angerthas Daeron) · Avarin · Cirth (Certhas Daeron) · Common Eldarin · Mátengwië · Moon-letters · Nandorin · Primitive Quendian · Quenya (Exilic · Valinorean · Vanyarin) · Sarati · Silvan Elvish · Sindarin (Doriathrin · Falathrin · Númenórean · Mithrimin · Old) · Telerin (Common) · Tengwar
Mannish Adûnaic · Dalish · Drúadan · Dunlendish · Halethian · Northern Mannish · Pre-Númenórean · Rohanese · Taliska · Westron (Bucklandish · Hobbitish · Stoorish)
Dwarvish Angerthas (Erebor · Moria) · Aulëan · Iglishmêk · Khuzdul
Other Black Speech · Old Entish · Orkish · Valarin · Warg-language
Earlier legendarium Gnomish · Gnomic Letters · Gondolinic Runes · Ilkorin · Keladian · Noldorin (Kornoldorin) · Melkian · Oromëan · Qenya · Valmaric script
Outside the legendarium Animalic · Arktik · Goblin Alphabet · Mágol · Naffarin · New English Alphabet · Nevbosh · Privata Kodo Skauta
Real-world Celtic · English (Old · Middle · AB) · Finnish · Germanic · Gothic · Hebrew · Runic alphabet · Welsh
"A Secret Vice" (book) · "The Lhammas" · "The Tree of Tongues" · Sub-creation