# Help with an Elvish tattoo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 6, 2008, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969 "2008-12-06T06:40:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/1 "2008-12-06T06:40:10Z")
How do I explain this… My sisters and I are planning to run the Las Vegas Marathon this year. Tomorrow, actually. To commemorate the event, we’re all going to get matching tattoos. Lots of ideas were tossed around, but no one could agree on anything. Finally, we decided on some variation of “Sisterhood” or “sisters”. To avoid one sister’s request of “Sistah power!” or “Sisters Forever!”, we decided to do it in Elvish. Can one of you Tolkien people give me (or show me where to get online) the Sindarin (or quenya, I guess) word for sisters? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/2 "2008-12-06T07:03:14Z")
Elvish Preshly? I mean, I assumed, Las Vegas and all . . . ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/3 "2008-12-06T14:14:11Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Elvish Preshly? I mean, I assumed, Las Vegas and all . . . Wouldn’t an Elvish Preshly at come from Lash Vegash? Sorry to not be of any help; I barely speak English. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/4 "2008-12-06T14:35:18Z")
Of course: [http://home.netcom.com/~heensle/lang/elvish/sindarin/engsind.html](http://home.netcom.com/~heensle/lang/elvish/sindarin/engsind.html) sister/gwathel,muinthel,thél(eth) manhood/gweth group/húd power/polod power(great)/balan powerful/balar,polodren gwathel is probably the closest to Sisterhood. Balanthel would roughly be Sister Power Then I assume you want the [Elvish Script or Tengwar](http://www.omniglot.com/writing/tengwar.htm): Many sources for the actual Fonts, here is one: [Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/9902/fonts.html) Good Luck with the Marathon. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/5 "2008-12-06T14:42:24Z")
[This website](http://home.netcom.com/~heensle/lang/elvish/elvish.html) says it’s “onóre,oselle,seler[selli]” (take your pick, I guess) in Quenya (click on “english-Quenya” at the bottom), or “gwathel,muinthel,thél(eth)” in Sindarin (click on “english-Sindarin” at the bottom). ETA: Not fast (or accurate) enough! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/6 "2008-12-06T14:47:47Z")
If you want Sinarin, **What Exit** has provided the answer. If you prefer the more elegant Quenya tongue, then you would use other terms: sister/onóre,oselle,seler[selli] power(great)/vala,valie(f.) mighty/taura,melca for Sister power, your best bet might be **Valieselli** For Mighty Sisters, it might be **Melcaselli** The link above to Elvish Script supplies Quenya forms, too. I’d recommend contacting an actual Tolkien linguist to make sure the forms are right, before laying needle to skin. ---
**Author:** ![Agonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@Agonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agonist)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/7 "2008-12-06T18:12:07Z")
What, you people don’t count as linguists?😛 Seriously, thanks guys. I think we’re going to go with uireb gwathel (eternal sisterhood - we hope), which we plugged into a letter-to-letter translation site for the script. The race is tomorrow. We’re doing the half-marathon, two of us walking and two of us running. Should be a good day. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/8 "2008-12-07T00:02:38Z")
I should have known that **What Exit?** and **QtM** would’ve beaten me to this thread! Well done, gentlemen… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/9 "2008-12-07T01:47:56Z")
What’s Elvish for “This dish cheap but tasty” ? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/10 "2008-12-07T02:02:48Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I should have known that **What Exit?** and **QtM** would’ve beaten me to this thread! Well done, gentlemen… I think that could almost be an SDMB law. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > What’s Elvish for “This dish cheap but tasty” ? Actually Elves seem to be a little odd about money. So they would probably consult a Hobbit or as it involves a bargain perhaps a Dwarf. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/11 "2008-12-07T02:10:41Z")
> [@freekalette](#): > > Wouldn’t an Elvish Preshly at come from Lash Vegash? No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to mean a short figure with pointed ears and an airplane fixation. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/12 "2008-12-07T14:19:05Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I think that could almost be an SDMB law. > > Actually Elves seem to be a little odd about money. So they would probably consult a Hobbit or as it involves a bargain perhaps a Dwarf. Actuall, when discussing cheap but tasty Elvish dishes, you are probably thinking of Elvish Stew, which usually contains minced Hobbit or Dwarf. > [@](#): > > "A King of Elves there was of old, > Saranrap by name, > Who slew the Narcs at Mellowmarsh > And Sorhed’s host did tame. > > And with him marched the stubby dwarves > Drafted from their mines, > But when the fearsome Battle raged > They hid behind the lines. > > Sing: Clearasil, metrecal, lavoris in chorus > They hid behind the lines! > > Angered was the mighty King > About to raise the dickens, > ‘Just let me get my hands,’ quoth he, > ‘On those half-pint chickens!’ > > Fearful were the chicken-Dwarves, > But mickle crafty too. > King Yellowbac, their skins to save, > The elves did try to woo. > > Sing: Twist-a-cap, reynoldswrap, gardol and duz > The elves he tried to woo! > > ‘If you doubt our loyalty,’ > Yello told the King, > 'Take this gift, a dwarfish sword > That packs a mighty sting. > > ‘Clearasil, it’s called by name,’ > The clever Dwarf spoke on, > ‘Take this bribe, and let us let > Bygones be bygone.’ > > Sing: Cadillac, pickapack, Edsel and coke > Bygones be bygone. > > ‘I accept this wondrous gift > And think you Dwarves are tops,’ > Said he, as he took the sword > And smote him in the chops. > > And since that day it’s said by all > In ballad, lay and poem, > 'Only trust an elf or dwarf > As far as you can throw ‘em!’ > > Sing: Oxydol, geritol, wheaties and Trix. > As far as you can throw 'em!" ~`From _Bored Of The Rings_ copyright by National Lampoon or somebody ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-an-elvish-tattoo/475969/13 "2008-12-07T17:40:54Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to mean a short figure with pointed ears and an airplane fixation. Bwahahaha!! You made my day; thanks! 😃