The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Devised as part of the Tengwar script in Valinor during the Years of the Trees
Origins
Part of a writing system invented by Rúmil, and further developed by Fëanor
Race
Part of a writing system devised by the Elves
Pronunciation
loo'va
Meaning
'Bow'1

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  • Updated 30 August 2021
  • This entry is complete

Lúva

The ‘bow’ of the Fëanorian characters

Each of the twenty-four standard Fëanorian tengwar of the Elvish alphabet was composed of two basic elements: a straight telco or stem, from which curved a rounded 'bow' shape known as a lúva. The nature of the bow defined the téma, or sound-series, to which a character belonged. Some curved upwards and leftwards from the stem, while others curved downwards and to the right. The lúva was sometimes 'closed' (with a horizontal bar connecting it back to the telco) or sometimes left 'open'.

For instance (using the conventions of the Third Age) all the tengwar with an open lúva curving down and right belonged to the tincotéma, the series of 't' sounds, while all those with a closed, upward, left-curling lúva were part of the calmatéma (sounds related to 'k').

Though the direction and structure of the lúva was always constant within a series, it was often 'doubled' within that series (that is, a second bow would be drawn curving out from the first). For instance, the character tinco ('t') had a single lúva, while the 'voiced' version of the same sound, ando ('d') had a double bow.


Notes

1

The word lúva is conventionally translated 'bow', but in the special sense of a bowed or bent line, deriving from a root word meaning 'curve' or 'bend'. It is not directly related to 'bow' in the sense of a weapon for firing arrows (which would be either quinga in Quenya or in Sindarin).

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 30 August 2021
  • This entry is complete

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