Q. Alcar i Ataren

Q. Alcar i Ataren

Tolkien’s translation of the Gloria Patri prayer into Quenya, composed sometime in the 1950s (VT43/7), first published in the “Words of Joy (Part One)” article in Vinyar Tengwar #43. The translation was abandoned half way through the second line. Tolkien did not provide an English translation of the prayer; following the editors of the “Words of Joy” article, I used a modern English translation of the prayer (VT43/38).

Further discussion can be found in the analysis of the individual phrases. My analysis largely follows that of the “Alcar i Ataren” section (VT43/36-38) of the “Words of Joy” article.

Elements

alcar i Ataren ar i Yondon ar i Airefëan “glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”
tambë engë i et... “as it was [in] the [beginning]...”