Two Language Related

Q I

Were the languages in Tolkien's books original creations or were they based on existing languages?
https://www.quora.com/Were-the-languages-in-Tolkiens-books-original-creations-or-were-they-based-on-existing-languages/answer/Hans-Georg-Lundahl-1

Hans-Georg Lundahl

none/ apprx Masters in Latin (language) & Greek (language), Lund University

23.IV.2024

St. George's Day

Both.

None of them was based on a single already existing language, so in that sense they were all original creations.

All of them took into account knowledge Tolkien had and used subconsciously perhaps also familiarity he had with several different languages.

Q II

About what time, can we assume, the last (non-immigrant, obviously) native speaker of a celtic language would have died in central Europe? Like around 700 AD?
https://www.quora.com/About-what-time-can-we-assume-the-last-non-immigrant-obviously-native-speaker-of-a-celtic-language-would-have-died-in-central-Europe-Like-around-700-AD/answer/Hans-Georg-Lundahl-1

Answer requested by

Dear son I Have [a question for you]

Hans-Georg Lundahl

amateur linguist

23.IV.2024 (updated)

St. George's Day

I would say, probably earlier.

By 700 AD, Austria and Bohemia were involved in Germanic and Slavic languages.

In the time of Odoacar, there were Roman citizens surviving under St. Severine of Noricum, they were then transposed to Naples. If anyone of them still spoke Celtic, which is doubtful, they would have lost it in Naples, or if remaining also lost it, to Germanic, later also Slavic.

However, the Vita Sancti Severini does not suggest any bilingualism in Celtic / Latin for the native population, as far as I can recall it.

When Irish monks arrive, they adapt to Latin, but even if they had been meeting speakers of Celtic, it would not have been the same Celtic, as the Irish monks were speaking Goidelic while Gaulish (and other Continental Celtic) was more like Brythonic.

UPDATE:

Noric is attested in two inscriptions. The one from Ptuj is dated as “provincial Roman” and the one from Grafenstein is dated as 2nd. C.

Noric language - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noric_language

Indogermanistik Wien: Quellentexte: Ptuj (Pettau, Poetouio)
https://web.archive.org/web/20070504161616/http://www.univie.ac.at/indogermanistik/quellentexte.cgi?49

Indogermanistik Wien: Quellentexte: Grafenstein
https://web.archive.org/web/20070504162317/http://www.univie.ac.at/indogermanistik/quellentexte.cgi?3

A Third to go with the First:
and even a Fourth, Fifth, now

Q III

Did J.R.R. Tolkien create a written language for his elvish characters, such as Quenya and Sindarin?
https://www.quora.com/Did-J-R-R-Tolkien-create-a-written-language-for-his-elvish-characters-such-as-Quenya-and-Sindarin/answer/Hans-Georg-Lundahl-1

Hans-Georg Lundahl

avid reader back when I had better sleep than now

25.IV.2024

No, he created two written languages, Quenya and Sindarin, in earlier stages Qenya and Goldogrin, and then he created elvish characters for them.

Btw, Noldor like Fëanor ceased to be the main carriers of Goldogrin (later Sindarin) and became instead the easternmost speakers of Quenya.

He was largely language first, characters and stories to fit their mood.

Q IV

What is the real-life term for "Elvish"? Is it the same as Sindarin or Quenya from The Lord of the Rings, or is it a distinct language?
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-real-life-term-for-Elvish-Is-it-the-same-as-Sindarin-or-Quenya-from-The-Lord-of-the-Rings-or-is-it-a-distinct-language/answer/Hans-Georg-Lundahl-1

Hans-Georg Lundahl

none/ apprx Masters in Latin (language) & Greek (language), Lund University

25.IV.2024

Elvish or Eldarin is a language family, to which Sindarin and Quenya both belong.

Elvish is how they are referred to in this fiction, since the populations supposed to speak either Quenya or Sindarin or some other related natively are mostly elves.

There are no populations outside that fiction to speak either of them natively yet.

Q V

In your opinion, which real world language is most similar to Tolkien's Elvish languages (Quenya and Sindarin)?
https://www.quora.com/In-your-opinion-which-real-world-language-is-most-similar-to-Tolkiens-Elvish-languages-Quenya-and-Sindarin/answer/Hans-Georg-Lundahl-2

Hans-Georg Lundahl

Studied Latin (language) at Lund University

2.V.2024

For Quenya, I’d say Homeric Greek and Finnish.
For Sindarin, I’d say Welsh and Spanish.
For both, I’d say, add a touch of Classic Latin (the antepaenultima law).

All of above applies first and foremost to sound. You will not find much word similarities on these lines. Swan is alqua in Quenya and alph in Sindarin, the inspiration so to speak is Icelandic álft. With a drop of the final T, it fitted Sindarin sounds, then back to Proto-Eldarin and forward to Quenya, that gives alqua. Lithuanian ranka means both hand and arm, and it perfectly fits Quenya, which spells it ranca. Not sure what Sindarin for it is.