The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 2 September 2007
  • Updates planned: 2

Linnods

An Elvish form of verse

"Ónen i-Estel Edain, ú-chebin estel anim"
Gilraen's linnod
from The Lord of the Rings Appendix A I (v)
The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen

A form of poetic rhythm, of which the only documented example is that of Gilraen the mother of Aragorn, quoted above. Tolkien himself gives us little detail about the linnod form, but it has been theorised1 that the word comes from the Elvish for 'seven-chant' (it is notable that Gilraen's linnod consists of two segments of seven syllables each). On that basis, a linnod appears to be a verse-form intended for rendering short and pithy sayings.


Notes

1

Specifically, by Patrick Wynne and Carl F. Hostetter, as quoted in The Lord of the Rings: a Reader's Companion.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 2 September 2007
  • Updates planned: 2

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2007. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by myDISCprofile, the free online personality test.
Explore the benefits of using a personality profile to discover yourself and make the most of your career.
The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Menu
Homepage Search Latest Entries and Updates Random Entry