godrebh

adverb. abreast; *together-through

The word N. godrebh appeared in a phrase on a draft of Thrór’s Map written in 1936 (TAI/92). The English translation of the phrase implies the meaning of the word is “abreast” but the corresponding Old English translation has “samod þurgh”, which in modern English means “together through”. This make it likely that this word is a combination of N. go- “go” and a variant of N. trî “through” < trē (Ety/TER, WŌ). It is probably derived from primitive ✱wotrĕb(e), where the ancient suffix -be is probably adverbial.

Neo-Sindarin: Most Neo-Sindarin writers update this form to ᴺS. godref to be more consistent with normal Sindarin spellings, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

godrebh

adverb. through together

balan

noun. Power, God

go-

prefix. together

trî

preposition. through

A preposition meaning “through” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ON. trī under the root ᴹ√TER(ES) “pierce” (Ety/TER), so presumably derived from ✱trē with ancient ē &gt; ī as usual in Noldorin and Sindarin. In The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road Christopher Tolkien gave the Noldorin and Old Noldorin forms as trî and trí following the usual orthographic conventions of those languages (LR/392), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne indicated they were both trī in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/18).

ant

noun. gift

ant

noun. gift

balan

noun. Vala, divine power, divinity

gaud

noun. device, contrivance, machine

go-

prefix. together

gwa-

prefix. together (only in old compounds, the living form is go-)

gwa-

prefix. together

gwatha-

verb. to soil, stain

istui

adjective. learned

istui

adjective. learned

pôd

noun. animal's foot

tre-

prefix. through (but denoting completeness when prefixed to verbs, cf. English idioms like "talk something through")

tre-

prefix. through

A prefixal form of N. trî “through” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, appearing as tre- when unstressed (the norm) and tri- when stressed, though there are no examples of the latter (Ety/TER). Presumably this refers to ancient rather than modern stress.

tri

prefix. through (but denoting completeness when prefixed to verbs, cf. English idioms like "talk something through")

trî

preposition. through

tâl

noun. foot

godref

adverb. through together

balan

noun. Vala, Vala, [N.] Power, God

The Sindarin equivalent of Q. Vala, derived from the root √BAL “powerful, mighty” and having a plural form Belain (PE17/48). This plural appears as an element in the day-name Orbelain “✱Day of the Valar [Friday]” (LotR/1110). However, in a 1972 Letter Tolkien said this was actually a phonetic adaptation of the Quenya day-name Q. Valanya, an adjective (“✱of the Vala”) not existing in Sindarin (Let/427), presumably because it conflicts with the plural of Balan.

Conceptual Development: N. Balan “Power, God” (both male and female) appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√BAL with a Noldorin-style plural Belein or Belen (Ety/BAL). The (nasal-mutated) Sindarin-style plural appeared in the name N. Cerch iMbelain “Sickle of the Gods” under the entry for ᴹ√KIRIK (Ety/KIRIK).

Earlier still, in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had both G. Ban “a god” (GL/21) and G. Gwala “one of the Gods, including their divine folk and Children, hence often used of one of the lesser folk as opposed to Ban” (GL/44). The first of these was derived from the early root ᴱ√VANA having to do with beauty (QL/99) and the second from the early root ᴱ√gwal “fortune, happiness” (GL/44). The entry for Ban was deleted from the Gnomish Lexicon itself, but presumably these two early words were blended into later N./S. Balan.

godref

through together

(adverb) godref (AI:92)

godref

through together

(adv.) godref (AI:92)

go

together

(prefix) go-, gwa- (+ lenition) (co-, com-).

go

together

gwa- (+ lenition) (co-, com-).

godref

through together

(AI:92)

godref

adverb. abreast; *together-through

godref

through together

(AI:92)

aenor

noun. god

A neologism for “a god” opposed to “God” (Eru), based on Gnomish ain. A direct adaptation of the Gnomish form would be aen, but that conflicts with aen “should be”; Fiona Jallings suggested the extended form aenor in a Discord chat in August 2019.

eru

noun. God

Eru

god

(the One) #Eru, isolated from Eruchín** **"children of the One" (= Elves and Men; sg. *Eruchen).

eru

god

isolated from Eruchín "children of the One" (= Elves and Men; sg. ✱Eruchen).

Eru

the one

as a name of God: #Eru, isolated from CHILDREN OF THE ONE (Elves and Men) Eruchín** **(sg. *Eruchen)

gaud

device

gaud (i **aud) (contrivance, machine), pl. goed (i ngoed = i ñoed), coll. pl. godath **

gaud

device

(i ’aud) (contrivance, machine), pl. goed (i ngoed = i ñoed), coll. pl. godath

gaud

contrivance

gaud (i **aud) (contrivance, device), pl. goed (i ngoed = i ñoed), coll. pl. godath**

gaud

contrivance

(i ’aud) (contrivance, device), pl. goed (i ngoed =  i ñoed), coll. pl. godath

gaud

machine

gaud (i **aud) (contrivance, machine), pl. goed (i ngoed = i ñoed), coll. pl. godath**

gaud

machine

(i ’aud) (contrivance, machine), pl. goed (i ngoed = i ñoed), coll. pl. godath

ann

noun. gift

n. gift.

ann

noun. gift

The most commonly accepted Sindarin word for “gift” is S. ann, equivalent to Quenya Q. anna “gift”, both derived from ✶annā based on the root √ANA “towards” (PE17/90). It was also an element in the names Melian “Dear Gift” (SA/mel) and Rían “Crown Gift” (Ety/RIG). However, Tolkien experimented with a variety of other forms throughout his life.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. ôn “gift” related to the verb G. antha- “give” (GL/19, 62), both based on the early root ᴱ√ANA “give, send towards” from the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/31). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. {ann >>} ant “gift” under the root ᴹ√ANA “to, towards” (Ety/ANA¹; EtyAC/ANA¹). S. ann “gift” < ✶annā appeared in notes from around 1967 (PE17/90). In Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 Tolkien had S. anw as the equivalent of Q. anwa “gift” (PE22/163), perhaps derived from ✱(h)an-mā.

anw

noun. gift

anw

noun. gift

balan

noun. Vala, divine power, divinity

balan

Vala

pl1. Belain** ** n. Vala.

gaerys

masculine name. Ossë

A Sindarin name for Ossë, a combination of gaer “dreadful” and a reduction of his ancient Sindarin name †Yssi (WJ/400). Tolkien stated that this name “was more often used by the inland Teleri”, who viewed this Maia with more awe and fear. Otherwise he was known as Yssion.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, the Gnomish name of Ossë is G. Oth(a) (GL/18), perhaps derived from G. ô “sea” (GL/61). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, his Noldorin name is N. Aeros >> Oeros (Ety/GOS, EtyAC/GOS), perhaps a combination of N. oer “sea” and the root ᴹ√GOS “dread”.

go-

together

_pref. _together. Q. o-.

gwa-

prefix. together (only in old compounds, the living form is go-)

rodon

noun. Vala

A Sindarin term for the Vala (PE17/33), appearing in its plural form S. Rodyn as one of the days of the week (LotR/1110) and also in the Sindarin name for Valinor: Dor-Rodyn (MR/200). It is derived from the prefixal form rod- of raud “noble” (PE17/118, 186). Its final element might be the augmentative suffix -on, perhaps literally meaning “✱Most Noble”. It could also be the agental suffix -on, as suggested by David Salo (GS/283), but that suffix is usually masculine (WJ/400), whereas Rodon seems to apply to all Valar.

yssi

masculine name. Ossë

Archaic Sindarin name of Q. Ossë, derived from the primitive name ✶Ossai (WJ/400). It was generally replaced by the more elaborate forms Gaerys or Yssion.

yssion

masculine name. Ossë

A Sindarin name of Q. Ossë, a combination of his archaic name †Yssi with the masculine suffix -on (WJ/400).

ant

gift

ant, pl. aint, coll. pl. annath. Also ann (-an at the end of compounds), pl. ain.

ant

gift

pl. aint, coll. pl. annath. Also ann (-an at the end of compounds), pl. ain.

balan

vala

(i Valan), pl. Belain (i Melain). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. form used with the article was "iMbelain" (LR:365 s.v. KIRIK).

bâl

divine power

construct bal, pl. bail (divinity). Note: the word can also be used as an adj. "divine".

golthannen

adjective. learned, educated

istui

learned

istui; no distinct pl. form.

istui

learned

; no distinct pl. form.

pech

noun. nut

A neologism for “nut” coined by Matt Dinse and Hjalmar Holm in VQP (VQP), related to the initial element of Q. peccuvo “nut-hider, squirrel”.

pôd

foot

(of animal) pôd (i bôd, o phôd, construct pod), pl. pŷd (i phŷd).

pôd

foot

(i bôd, o phôd, construct pod), pl. p**ŷd (i ph**ŷd).

rodon

vala

1) Rodon (pl. Rodyn, coll. pl. Rodonnath), 2) Balan (i Valan), pl. Belain (i Melain). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. form used with the article was "iMbelain" (LR:365 s.v. KIRIK).

rodon

vala

(pl. Rodyn, coll. pl. Rodonnath)

telluin

sole of the foot

(i delluin, o thelluin), pl. tellyn (i thellyn). *Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” telloein, tellen (LR:384 s.v. *

tre

through

(adverbial prefix, sometimes = ”completely”) tre-, tri-. For an example of this prefix, see TELL TO END.

tre

through

tri-. For an example of this prefix, see

trî

through

(prep.) trî ;

trî

through

;

tâl

foot

(body-part and unit of measure) tâl (i dâl [LR:298], o thâl), also -dal in compounds; pl. tail (i thail). In LR:390 s.v.

tâl

foot

(i dâl [LR:298], o thâl), also -dal in compounds; pl. tail (i thail). In LR:390 s.v.

tûr

power

tûr (i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. tuir (i thuir), coll. pl. túrath.

tûr

power

(i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. t**uir (i th**uir), coll. pl. túrath.

yssion

ossë

Gaerys (na ’Aerys), ✱Aeros (suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” Oeros, LR:359 s.v. GOS, GOTH)

Aino

god

Aino noun "god", within Tolkien's mythos a synonym of Ainu (but since Aino is basically only a personalized form of aina "holy", hence "holy one", it could be used as a general word for "god") (PE15:72)

eruanna

proper name. [God’s] Grace

A term for God’s grace in Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer (VT43/27-8). It is a compound of Eru “God” and anna “gift”, so a more literal translation would be “✱God’s gift”. It is attested only in the genitive form Eruanno “✱of [God’s] grace”.

erulissë

proper name. [God’s] Grace

A term for God’s grace in early drafts of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer (VT43/27-8). It is a compound of Eru “God” and lissë “grace”. In later drafts of Aia María, this name was replaced by the term Eruanna (VT43/27-28). It is attested only in the instrumental form erulissenen “✱[by means] of [God’s] grace”.

Vala

power, god, angelic power

Vala (1) noun "Power, God, angelic power", pl. Valar or Vali (BAL, Appendix E, LT2:348), described as "angelic governors" or "angelic guardians" (Letters:354, 407). The Valar are a group of immensely powerful spirits guarding the world on behalf of its Creator; they are sometimes called Gods (as when Valacirca, q.v., is translated "Sickle of the Gods"), but this is strictly wrong according to Christian terminology: the Valar were created beings. The noun vala is also the name of tengwa #22 (Appendix E). Genitive plural Valion "of the Valar" (FS, MR:18); this form shows the pl. Vali, (irregular) alternative to Valar (the straightforward gen. pl. Valaron is also attested, PE17:175). Pl. allative valannar *"to/on the Valar" (LR:47, 56; SD:246). Feminine form Valië (Silm), in Tolkiens earlier material also Valdë; his early writings also list Valon or Valmo (q.v.) as specifically masc. forms. The gender-specific forms are not obligatory; thus in PE17:22 Varda is called a Vala (not a Valië), likewise Yavanna in PE17:93. Vala is properly or originally a verb "has power" (sc. over the matter of Eä, the universe), also used as a noun "a Power" _(WJ:403). The verb vala- "rule, order", exclusively used with reference to the Valar, is only attested in the sentences á vala Manwë! "may Manwë order it!" and Valar valuvar "the will of the Valar will be done" (WJ:404). However, Tolkien did not originally intend the word Valar to signify "powers"; in his early conception it apparently meant "the happy ones", cf. valto, vald- (LT2:348)_. For various compounds including the word Vala(r), see below.

Valandil

god-friend, *vala-friend

Valandil masc. name, "God-friend, *Vala-friend" (Appendix A, UT:210, translated in LR:60)

a aina fairë, eru órava (o)messë

God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us

The eighth line of Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto prayer (VT44/12). The first word is the vocative a “O” followed by aina fairë = “holy spirit”. The fourth word Eru is Tolkien’s usual Quenya name for God. The phrase órava (o)messe “have mercy on us” is essentially the same as in the first line; see that entry for discussion.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> a Aina Fairë, Eru órava (o)me-sse = “✱o Holy Spirit, God have-mercy us-on”

Conceptual Development: As in the first line, Tolkien first used the dative ómen for “on us” before revising it to the locative (o)messe (VT44/12, notes on line 8).

a eruion mardorunando, eru órava (o)messë

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us

The seventh line of Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto prayer (VT44/12). The first word is the vocative a “O” followed by Eruion, a name for Christ as the “Son of God”. The third word Mardorunando seems to be a translation of “Redeemer of the World”. The fourth word Eru is Tolkien’s usual Quenya name for God. The phrase órava (o)messe “have mercy on us” is essentially the same as in the first line; see that entry for discussion.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> a Eru-ion Mard-o-runando, Eru órava (o)me-sse = “✱o God-son world-of-redeemer, God have-mercy us-on”

Conceptual Development: Tolkien began two incomplete forms Io >> Yón before settling on Eruion. As in the first line, Tolkien first used the dative ómen for “on us” before revising it to the locative (o)messe (VT44/12, notes on line 7).

atar meneldëa eru órava (o)messë

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us

The sixth line of Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto prayer (VT44/12). The first word is the noun atar “father”. The second word meneldea is the assimilated locative form menelde of menel “heaven”, with an adjective suffix -a added to give the sense “of Heaven”; a similar construction was used in versions IIb-IV of the first line of the Átaremma prayer (VT43/10-11). The third word Eru is Tolkien’s usual Quenya name for God. The phrase órava (o)messe “have mercy on us” is essentially the same as in the first line of this prayer; see that entry for discussion.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> Atar menel-de-a Eru (o)me-sse = “✱Father heaven-in-of God have-mercy us-on”

Conceptual Development: As in the first line, Tolkien first used the dative ómen for “on us” before revising it to the locative (o)messe (VT44/12, notes on line 6).

eru

noun. The One, God

nai eru tye mánata

God bless you

vala

noun. (Angelic) Power, ‘God’, Authority, (Angelic) Power, Authority, God

Nessaron

[day] of the younger [gods]

Nessaron noun *"[Day] of the younger [gods]", sc. Ossë, Oromë and Tulkas (in Tolkien's earlier conception, Ossë was a "god" or Vala). (LEP/LEPEN/LEPEK)

aino

noun. god

Eru

the one

Eru divine name "the One" = God (VT43:32, VT44:16-17), "the One God" (Letters:387), a name reserved for the most solemn occasions (WJ:402). Often in the combination Eru Ilúvatar, "Eru Allfather" (cf. MR:112). Genitive Eruo (MR:329, VT43:28/32), dative Erun (VT44:32, 34). The adjectival form Eruva "divine" (Eruva lissëo "of divine grace", VT44:18) would be identical to the form appearing in the possessive case. Compound nouns: Eruhantalë "Thanksgiving to Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Eruhin pl. Eruhíni "Children of Eru", Elves and Men (WJ:403; SA:híni, cf. _Eruhîn _in Letters:345), Eruion *"son of God" (or "God the Son"?) (VT44:16), Erukyermë "Prayer to Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Erulaitalë "Praise of Eru", a Númenórean festival (UT:166, 436), Eruamillë "Mother of God" (in Tolkien's translation of the Hail Mary, VT43:32, see also VT44:7), Eruontari, Eruontarië other translations of "Mother (Begetter) of God" (VT44:7, 18), Erusén "the children of God" (RGEO:74; this is a strange form with no plural ending; contrast the synonym Eruhíni.) #Eruanna and #erulissë, various terms for "grace", literally "God-gift" and "God-sweetness", respectively (VT43:29; these words are attested in the genitive and instrumental case, respectively: Eruanno, erulissenen).

anna

gift

anna noun "gift" (ANA1, SA), "a thing handed, brought or sent to a person" (PE17:125), also name of tengwa #23 (Appendix E); pl. annar "gifts" in Fíriel's Song. Masc. name Annatar "Lord of Gifts, *Gift-lord", name assumed by Sauron when he tried to seduce the Eldar in the Second Age (SA:tar). Eruanna noun "God-gift", gift of God, i.e. "grace" (VT43:38)

lye

thou/thee, you

lye pron. "thou/thee, you", 2nd person sg. formal/polite (corresponding to familiar/intimate tye, q.v.) (VT49:36) It seems the original stem-form was le (VT49:50), distinct from de as a plural "you", but when initial d became l and the forms threatened to fall together, le was apparently altered to lye by analogy with the ending -lyë and the emphatic pronoun elyë. Stressed lyé (VT49:51). For lye as object, cf. nai Eru lye mánata "God bless you" (VT49:39). Allative lyenna "to you, upon you" (VT49:40-41). Compare the reflexive pronoun imlë "yourself, thyself", q.v. (it did not have to be *imlyë, for the corresponding pl. pronoun indë "yourselves" is distinct anyhow).

nai

be it that

nai (1) imperative verb "be it that", used with a verb (usually in the future tense) to express a wish. The translation "maybe" in Tolkien's rendering of Namárië is somewhat misleading; he used "be it that" in the interlinear translation in RGEO:67. Apparently this is na as the imperative "be!" with a suffix -i "that", cf. i #3. It can be used with the future tense as an "expression of wish" (VT49:39). Nai hiruvalyë Valimar! Nai elyë hiruva! "May thou find Valimar. May even thou find it!" (Nam, VT49:39). Nai tiruvantes "be it that they will guard it" > "may they guard it" (CO). Nai elen siluva parma-restalyanna "may a star shine upon your book-fair" (VT49:38), nai elen siluva lyenna "may a star shine upon you" (VT49:40), nai elen atta siluvat aurenna veryanwesto "may two stars shine upon the day of your wedding" (VT49:42-45), nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto "may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading" (VT49:47). Nai may also be used with a present continuative verb if an ongoing situation is wished for: Nai Eru lye mánata "God bless you" (VT49:39) or literally "be it that God is (already) blessing you". The phrase nai amanyaonnalya "be it that your child [will be] blessed" omits any copula; Tolkien noted that "imper[ative] of wishes precedes adj." (VT49:41). VT49:28 has the form nái for "let it be that"; Patrick Wynne theorizes that nái is actually an etymological form underlying nai (VT49:36)

oiencarmë Eruo

the one's [eru's] perpetual production

oiencarmë Eruo ("k") noun "the One's [Eru's] perpetual production", free rendering: "God's management of the Drama" (MR:471)

ëa

eä

ëa (1) (sometimes "eä")vb. "is" (CO), in a more absolute sense ("exists", VT39:7/VT49:28-29) than the copula ná. Eä "it is" (VT39:6) or "let it be". The verb is also used in connection with prepositional phrases denoting a position, as in the relative sentences i or ilyë mahalmar ëa "who is above all thrones" (CO) and i ëa han ëa "who is beyond [the universe of] Eä" (VT43:14). Eä is said to the be "pres[ent] & aorist" tense (VT49:29). The past tense of ëa is engë (VT43:38, VT49:29; Tolkien struck out the form ëanë, VT49:30), the historically correct perfect should be éyë, but the analogical form engië was more common; the future tense is euva (VT49:29). See also ëala. Eä is also used as a noun denoting "All Creation", the universe (WJ:402; Letters:284, footnote), but this term for the universe "was not held to include [souls?] and spirits" (VT39:20); contrast ilu. One version of Tolkien's Quenya Lord's Prayer includes the words i ëa han ëa, taken to mean "who is beyond Eä" (VT43:14). Tolkien noted that ëa "properly cannot be used of God since ëa refers only to all things created by Eru directly or mediately", hence he deleted the example Eru ëa "God exists" (VT49:28, 36). However, ëa is indeed used of Eru in CO (i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa** "the One who is** above all thrones") as well as in various Átaremma versions (see VT49:36), so such a distinction may belong to the refined language of the "loremasters" rather than to everyday useage.

ainolóra

adjective. godless

ainolórië

noun. godlessness

ainocimië

noun. reverence, piety, godliness

anna, anwa

noun. gift

anwa

noun. gift

arauco

powerful, hostile, and terrible creature; demon

arauco ("k")noun "a powerful, hostile, and terrible creature; demon" (variant of rauco). Tolkien's earlier "Qenya" has araucë "demon" (WJ:415, LT1:250)

o-

prefix. together

A prefix meaning “together” derived from primitive √WO (WJ/367). The modern Quenya form of the prefix is the result of the sound change whereby “unstressed wo was often reduced to o with loss of w” (PE19/106). Note that “when stressed the [primitive] sequence wo was usually changed > wa”, so in theory Quenya might have a variant prefix ✱va- “together” that was the result of an ancient stressed prefix, much like Sindarin go- vs. gwa-. However, there is no sign of such a prefix va- in Quenya. Instead, the short o- became ó- in those rare cases where it was stressed (WJ/367).

In the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 Tolkien said that o- was “used in words describing the meeting, junction, or union of two things or persons, or of two groups thought of as units”, as opposed to yo- used for three or more things (WJ/361, 367). In examples elsewhere, though, o- “together” seems to have a more general meaning in words like olass(i)ë “foliage, collection of leaves” or ombari “company, dwellers together” (NM/117). I would therefore assume yo- is only used when plurality was emphasized, and o- “together” was the default choice otherwise.

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor to this suffix appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s as ᴱQ. ma- “together” derived from primitive ᴱ✶ŋu̯a (GL/40). This was part of a paradigm in which G. go- was the result of unstressed ᴱ✶ŋu̯a, and gwa- was the normal phonological result. There was also an apparently related suffix ᴱQ. -ngwe in the Narqelion poem in phrases like ómalingwe lir’ amaldar = “✱(together) with voices singing gently”, which could also be derived from primitive ᴱ✶ŋu̯a. The Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s had ᴱQ. va- as the equivalent of ᴱN. go- “together”, probably reflecting a change to primitive ✱wa- (PE13/162).

The Etymologies of the 1930s had both ᴹQ. ō̆- and N. go- “together” derived from the root ᴹ√WŌ̆ (Ety/WŌ). In this new paradigm, N. gwa- was the result of stressed primitive wó-. In Quenya primitive wō and unstressed wŏ blended to produce o- “together”, which could be either short o or long ó. In the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) of the 1940s, Tolkien seems to hint that stressed (g)wo- > wá- in Quenya as well (PE19/53). But as noted above there are no examples of prefixal wa-/va- “together” in actual Quenya words from Tolkien’s later writings.

ossë

masculine name. Ossë

One of the greatest of the Maia, master of the seas that wash the shores of Middle-earth (S/30). His Quenya name is derived from his name in Valarin: Val. Oš(o)šai “spuming, foaming” (WJ/400).

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, when ᴱQ. Osse was derived from the root ᴱ√’O’O along with other words related to the sea (LT1A/Ossë, QL/70). In The Etymologies, the name ᴹQ. Osse was derived from the primitive root ᴹ√GOS “dread” (Ety/GOS), perhaps referring to the awe-inspiring nature of the sea. The later derivation of Q. ëar “sea” < √GAY(AR) “awe, dread” was similar (PM/363, WJ/400).

In a list of roots written around 1959-60, Tolkien derived Ossë from an otherwised unattested root OS “making a hissing foaming noise” (PE17/138). His Valarin name did not appear until the Quendi and Eldar essay from this same period (WJ/400).

rauco

powerful, hostile, and terrible creature

rauco ("k") noun "a powerful, hostile, and terrible creature", "very terrible creature", especially in the compound Valarauco noun "Demon of Might" _(WJ:415, VT39:10, cf. SA:raukor. In the Etymologies, stem RUK, the gloss is "demon".)_ Longer variant arauco. The plural form Valaraucar "Balrogs" seems to contain the variant rauca.

ter

through

ter (1), also terë, prep. "through", "throughout" (Notes on CO, UT:317, TER/TERES, Narqelion, VT44:33, 35, VT49:41, 42). The preposition is used both with spatial and temporal reference: ter i·aldar "through the trees" (Narqelion, cf. VT49:42), ter coivierya "throughout his/her life", ter yénion yéni "through years of years" (VT49:42, VT44:33, 35)

ter

preposition. through

The word ter was the common Quenya word for “through” for most (but not all) of Tolkien’s life. The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. pen “through” under the early root ᴱ√PENE, a variant of ᴱ√PERE “go through, pierce; endure, undergo” (QL/73), so probably meaning “through” both spatially and temporally. In ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya drafts from around 1930, Tolkien instead had ᴱQ. ter “through” in the phrase ᴱQ. karnevaite úri kilde hīsen ter nie nienaite (PE16/62, 72), translated “when the sky was red; the Sun gazed through a haze of tears” (PE16/68); this new preposition may have been based on the early root ᴱ√TEŘE [TEÐE] “pierce” (QL/91; PME/91).

Indeed, in The Etymologies from about 1937 Tolkien had ᴹQ. tere or ter “through” under the root ᴹ√TER “pierce” (Ety/TER). This ter “through” continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings from the 1950s and 60s, in phrases like et sillumello ter yénion yéni tenn’ ambarmetta “✱from this hour, through years of years until the ending of the world” (VT44/33) and nai amanya onnalya ter coivierya “✱may your child be blessed through his/her life” (VT49/41).

Most of the later uses for ter “through” seem to be temporal in nature, such as in the phrase vanda sina termaruva Elenna·nóreo alcar enyalien “This oath shall stand in memory of the glory of the Land of the Star” (UT/305), where the verb termar- “stand” is more literally ter + mar- = “through-abide” (UT/317 note #43). However, it I think it is reasonable to assume ter “through” retained its spatial sense as well, given its 1930s connection to the root ᴹ√TER “pierce”, indicating a physical penetration.

tál

noun. foot, foot; [ᴹQ.] bottom, [ᴱQ.] lowest part

The Quenya word for “foot” derived from the root √TAL of similar meaning (PE19/103; VT49/17; Ety/TAL). Given its Sindarin cognate S. tâl (not ✱✱taul) its ancient stem form must have had a short vowel, with the long vowel in the uninflected form the result of the subjective noun case which lengthened the base vowel of monosyllables (PE21/76). Q. tál could also refer to the bottom of things (PE21/21, 76) analogous to English “foot of the mountain” and similar phrases.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was ᴱQ. tala “foot” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√TALA “support” (QL/88), a form also appearing in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/88). In the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s it became ᴱQ. tál with plural tăli indicating an ancient short vowel (PE14/43, 76). In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, ᴹQ. tāl had inflected forms with tal-, again indicating a short vowel in the stem (PE21/21), and likewise with the (1930s-style) genitive form talen in The Etymologies written around 1937 (Ety/TAL). Most of its later appearances also imply a short vowel in the stem, the main exception being the plural form táli in the 1950s version of the Nieninquë “poem”.

uo

together

[uo adv. "together" (PE17:191)]

uo

adverb. together

The adverb uo “together” appeared as a derivative of ✶ówō in a rejected page of notes on the etymology about the prefix o- of the same meaning, probably from around 1959 (PE17/191).

Neo-Quenya: Though the page is rejected, the etymology of ᴺQ. uo “together” remains plausible, so I would retain this adverb for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

wa-

prefix. together

auma

noun. machine

A neologism for “machine” coined by Tamas Ferencz in the 1000W project (1000W) based on ᴹ√GAW “think out, devise, contrive”; compare N. gaud “device, contrivance, machine”. I prefer ᴺQ. indya for “machine”.

eä

Eä

Eä was the word spoken by Eru Ilúvatar by which he brought the universe into actuality.

ossë

Ossë

At least two explanations exist for the name Ossë. In The Etymologies, it is understood as the Qenya word osse ("terror"), deriving from the root GOS ("dread"). A later note pertaining to the name instead suggests it is a name of non-Elvish origin, deriving from Valarin Oš(o)šai ("spuming, foaming"). The same later note mentions that Ossë's Sindarin names were Yssion and Gaerys. In Eriol's Old English translations, Osse is referred to as Saefrea "Sea-ruler". However, this reflects his status as a Vala (Fréa) in the earlier Legendarium.

pecco Reconstructed

noun. nut

In notes from 1969, Tolkien had a word Q. pekkuvo “nut-hider” = “squirrel” (PE22/155). Since √KUB was “hide” in that document, the element pek- must be “nut”. Its form outside of compounds is unclear; the form pecco is a guess, originally suggested in a conversation on Google+ from 2018: gilruin.gitlab.io.

Conceptual Development: The only other “nut” words in Tolkien’s publish writings date back to the 1910s, where Tolkien had ᴱQ. kote (kotsi-) “nut” in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s (QL/48), probably derived from a (hypothetical) early root ✱ᴱ√KOTO given G. cod “nut” (GL/26). This early root conflicts with later √KOT that was the basis for ohta “war” and cotto “enemy”.

saitalë

noun. education

uo

adverb. together

yantaina

adjective. joined

avalô

noun. Power, God

An Adûnaic noun translated as “God” or “Power” (SD/247, 305), the equivalent of (and possibly derived from) Q. Vala. It is probably pronounced [awalō], since the sound [w] in Adûnaic was sometime written “v” (SD/434). It frequently appeared in its plural or subjective plural forms Avalôi(m) “Powers, Gods”.

Conceptual Development: In early drafts of Adûnaic its plural was Avalâi with a long â instead of ô, perhaps indicating an earlier singular form Avalâ closer to Vala. Earlier still this word was given as plural Balāi, a more direct derivative of the Elvish root form ᴹ√BAL.

êru

masculine name. God (the Omnipotent)

The Adûnaic word for God (SD/432), the equivalent of Q. Eru, though Tolkien had not yet coined that name. In the conceptual development of this name, Tolkien first invented it as an Adûnaic word (SD/312), only later adding it to Quenya. In this revised scenario, it is likely that the Adûnaic word was a loan word from Elvish. See Ad. Amân for a similar development.

avalê

noun. goddess

The feminine form of Avalô “God, Power”, translated “Goddess” (SD/428). Like its masculine equivalent, it is probably pronounced [awalē], since the sound [w] in Adûnaic was sometime written “v” (SD/434).

yô Reconstructed

noun. gift

An element in the name Yôzâyan “Land of Gift” (UT/184, SD/241). The final element of this name is zâyan “land”, so its initial element yô most likely means “gift”, as suggested by several authors (AAD/24, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/YAW), though Andreas Moehn points out this word could have the form yôz instead (EotAL/YAW).

annā

noun. gift

ossai

masculine name. Ossë

tāl

noun. foot

wo

root. together

This root was the basis for the prefix Q. o- and S. go- “together”. In the 1910s Gnomish Lexicon, G. go- (unaccented) or gwa- “together” was derived from primitive ᴱ✶ŋu̯a and the Qenya form was ᴱQ. ma- (GL/40-41). In the 1920s the Early Noldorin form was still ᴱN. go- or gwa- but the Qenya form was ᴱQ. va- (PE13/162), probably from primitive ✱wa-. In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave the root as ᴹ√WŌ̆ “together” with derivatives ᴹQ. o- and N. go- or stressed gwa- (Ety/WŌ; EtyAC/WŌ).

In The Etymologies Tolkien explained the go-/gwa- variation in Noldorin as the result of the sound change whereby stressed wŏ became wa in Common Eldarin (Ety/WŌ); Tolkien gave a similar explanation for Sindarin in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/367). Despite stressed wŏ > wa being an ancient change, the wa variant did not survive in Quenya. Tolkien explained the sound change whereby wo became o in Quenya several times: in the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from the 1940s, in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, and in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (PE19/53, 106; WJ/367). The root √WO itself also appeared several times in Tolkien’s later writings (PE17/16, 191; WJ/361), in one place with the variant √WONO (PE17/191).

wō

prefix. together

¤kurwē

noun. power, ability

ówō

adverb. together

kot(h)

root. strive, quarrel

There is evidence that the later form of this root may have been √ÑGOTH. See ᴺ✶kottō for a discussion.

Another variation, √KHOT “be wroth, quarrel; hate” appears in notes on root formations (PE18/62, 85, 87), but its only derivative ✶ok(h)tā could just as easily come from √KOT(H).

In order to retain all the derivatives from The Etymologies, this entry assumes that the root form remains √KOTH.

vo-

prefix. together