A Pronunciation Guide to the Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien

AE

Pronounced like AI, sounds like 'aye'.

AI

Pronounced like 'bye' or 'eye'.

AU

Pronounced like 'sour', not 'tore'.
Ex.- Bauglir would not be 'Bog-leer', but 'Bowg-leer'.

C

Always has the hard K value.
Ex.-Círdan would not be 'Sírdan', but 'Kírdan'

CH

Never pronounced as the CH in 'church', but like the harder CH in 'Bach'.
Ex.- Chithing would not be 'Chithing', but 'Kithing'.

DH

Always represents the TH in 'there', not like the TH in 'thick'.

E

In the middle and at the end of words as an A value, making it a distinct syllable.
Ex.- Lassemista would not be 'Lassehmistah', but 'Lassayemistah'.

EA / EO

Never pronounced as one syllable, always separated.
Ex.- Ea would not be 'Eh' or 'A', but 'Ee-ae'.

EI

Sounds like 'grey'.
Ex.- Feiniel in Aredhel Ar-Feiniel would not be 'Figh-nigh-el', but 'Fee-nigh-el'.

ER / IR / UR

When at the end of a word or before a consonant, pronounced like 'air'.

G

Always sounds like the G in 'get'.
Ex.- Belegaer would not be 'Bele-jar', but 'Bele-gih-er'.

IE

Also not run together like 'peace' or 'niece' but separated. Niece would not be 'nees', but 'nigh-es'.
Ex.- Galadriel would not be 'Gala-dreel', but 'Galad-righ-ell'.

U

Usual English pronunciation applies except in names with a 'Ú'.
Ex.- Túrin would be pronounced 'Too-rin'.

UI

Each letter is pronounced, like 'ruin' or 'Bruin'.
Ex.- Finduilas would not be 'Findoo-lass', but 'Findu-eh-lass'.

These are all of the exceptions in relation to usual English pronunciation. Basically everything else sounds like it looks and most other rules apply.
Ex.- Minas Tirith would not be 'Meenass Teerith', but 'Mine-ass Tire-ith' because of the vowel-consonant-vowel rule.

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