From: "Helge K. Fauskanger" <helge.fauskanger@n...>
To: elfling@egroups.com
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1999 20:40:10 +0100
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Subject: Re: Elves hearing and language
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Mike wrote:

 > I think it could be possible that the Elves (Quendi) had sounds beyond
or below what we humans listen to.. Any ideas?

Well, anything is possible, but no extraordinary sounds are mentioned in
the sources. Since there are frequent references to the sharp senses of the
Elves, you could indeed argue that they "should" have used sounds humans
can't hear. Yet we must distinguish  fact from fiction here. Tolkien
intended the languages to be "specially pleasant", but observing that
"individuals' personal predilections...varies [read: vary] widely", he
concluded: "I have therefore pleased myself" (Letters:175-176). So Tolkien
obviously didn't use any sounds he himself couldn't hear or even imagine.

- Helge Fauskanger