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Old 09-27-2002, 10:09 PM   #25
Sharkû
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Elessar definitely has three syllables since there are no mute consonants in proper Quenya or Sindarin.

The middle e is short since it does not bear the acute accent.

"Note that consonants written twice, as tt, ll, ss, nn, represent long or 'double' consonants." (App. E)

That (for purposes of stressing etc.) those true "long consonants" count as two is obvious from the example Tolkien gave in the paragraph about stress: periAnnath. Here we have exactly the same case as in Elessar, a short vowel followed by two or more consonants (obviously including 'long' consonants).

It is of no importance to which syllable the ss belongs. It follows the vowel of the second but last syllable, at the core of which is the syllable-defining vowel, and that is what constitutes the stress pattern explained above. It does not say "followed by two (or more) consonants within the very same syllable", and it need not say that.

[ September 28, 2002: Message edited by: Sharkû ]
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