craban

noun. bird of crow-kind, *raven

A noun for a large crow-like bird, appearing in its plural form crebain in The Lord of the Rings (LotR/285). Its singular form craban was given in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, where Tolkien described it as “a bird of the crow-kind” and said it was “not an ancient Sindarin word, and probably a loan from some Mannish tongue of NW or from some non-Eldarin Elvish of the same region” (PE17/37). Jim Allen noted its similarity proto-Germanic ✱khrabanaz (An Introduction to Elvish, p. 75). The exact species isn’t clear, but it might be a kind of raven.

craban

noun. kind of crow of large size, raven

Tinnúviel

noun. nightingale

nightingale

alph

noun. swan

alph

noun. swan

n. Zoo. swan.

alph

noun. swan

The Sindarin noun for “swan” derived from primitive ✶alkwā (NM/378; UT/265; Ety/ÁLAK), where first the [[at|ancient [kw] became [p]]] and then the [[os|[lp] became [lf] (spelled lph)]].

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, this word appeared as {alcwi >>} alfa (GL/18), which is perhaps the moment that Tolkien decided that labialized velars became labials in the Sindarin branch of Elvish (though in Gnomish this sound change applied only medially). In Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying this document, the word became alf (PE13/109), and Tolkien stuck with this form thereafter, though eventually revising the spelling to alph once he decide that final [f] was spelled ph. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. alf “swan” appeared under the root ᴹ√ALAK “rushing” (Ety/ÁLAK).

dúlin

noun. nightingale

dúlin

noun. nightingale

A word for “nightingale” appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a combination of N. dû “night” and N. lhinn “tune” (Ety/DOƷ, Ety/LIN², TIN). It appeared as both dúlinn (Ety/LIN²) and dúlin (Ety/TIN). In The Notion Club Papers of the 1940s, Tolkien instead gave duilin “nightingale” as a derivative of primitive ᴹ✶dōmilindē, demonstrating a phonetic development whereby the ancient *m* became *v* and then vanished after the *u*, but the medial i was preserved. However, Christopher Tolkien used the form dúlin in The Silmarillion appendix (SA/dú), and that form is thus better known.

flinc

noun. finch

A word for a “finch” appearing in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure of the early 1950s, derived from primitive ✶philinki (PE21/72, 81). N. flinc also appeared in Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants from 1936, but there the word was unglossed.

gwael

noun. gull

maew

noun. gull

A noun for “gull” first appearing as N. maew in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√MIW “whine” (Ety/MIW). It appeared in later notes as an archaic genitive plural maewion in the phrase S. †glim maewion “(the) voices of gulls” (PE17/97). Its class plural mewrim seems to have appeared in S. Ras Mewrim “✱Cape of the Gulls”, an alternate name for S. Bar-in-Mŷl “Home of the Gulls” (WJ/190). If so, the vowel e would be the result of the sound change whereby *ae* sometimes became *e* in polysyllables.

mŷl

noun. gull

mŷl

noun. gull

A word for “gull” in the name S. Bar-in-Mŷl “Home of the Gulls” (WJ/379); its singular and plural forms would be the same. It might be derived from ✱miulē < ᴹ√MIW “whine”, the basis for other “gull” words, since *iu* became *ȳ* in Sindarin. I’d recommend using the better attested S. maew “gull” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

thorn

noun. eagle

thoron

noun. eagle

thoron

noun. eagle

The Sindarin word for “eagle”, derived from ✶thoronō̆ (Let/427, PE23/141). In notes from 1969 Tolkien gave its plural form as theryn (PE23/139).

Possible Etymology: The form of this word is difficult to explain if it is derived from primitive ✶thoron(ŏ). Since final nasals vanished after vowels, in the ordinary phonetic development of Sindarin it should have become thôr, a form that did appear as variant in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/THOR, KIRIS). Tolkien himself suggested that the (Noldorin) word was a back-formation from the archaic genitive ON. thoronen (Ety/THOR). While this specific genitive form did not survive in (Old) Sindarin, there are plenty of other mechanisms that might result in such a back-formation in Sindarin. For example, David Salo suggested that it could be a back-formation from its plural theryn (GS/291), perhaps also influenced by ancient names where it still appeared, such as Thorondor “King of Eagles”.

A simpler explanation is that the primitive form is actual thoronō, as for example on PE23/141. But that would be inconsistent with Q. soron “eagle”.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s this word appeared as G. thorn (GL/73), which was also the usual form in names of this period. In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s it reappeared as ᴱN. thorn (PE13/154), but in The Etymologies of the 1930s it appeared as N. thoron beside the variant thôr as noted above (Ety/THOR, KIRIS). The names of this period also began to reflect this change, and names after the 1940s consistently show thoron, though the form þorn did appear at least once in later notes (PE22/159).

thoronath

noun. eagles

thôr

noun. eagle

alph

swan

alph (pl. eilph)

alph

swan

(pl. eilph)

amosgarn

noun. robin, (lit.) red-breast

amrent

noun. lark

ar(an)eg

noun. kinglet

corch

crow

corch (i gorch, o chorch), pl. cyrch (i chyrch). Also *craban (i graban, o chraban), pl. crebain (i chrebain). Only the pl. crebain* is attested. The sg. could be either craban, creban or croban**, but the first of these seems the most likely.

corch

crow

(i gorch, o chorch), pl. cyrch (i chyrch). Also ✱craban (i graban, o chraban), pl. crebain (i chrebain). Only the pl. crebain is attested. The sg. could be either ✱craban, ✱creban or ✱croban, but the first of these seems the most likely.

cuen

small gull

cuen (i guen, o chuen) (petrel), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24).

cuen

small gull

(i guen, o chuen) (petrel), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24)

cuen

petrel

(i guen, o chuen) (small gull), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24)

cugu

dove

cugu (i gugu, o chugu), pl. cygy (i chygy)

cugu

dove

(i gugu, o chugu), pl. cygy (i chygy)

dúlinn

nightingale

1. dúlinn (i dhúlinn) (dusk-singer), same form pl. except with article (i núlinn) (SD:302). 2) merilin (i verilin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i merilin), coll. pl. merilinnath. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” ”moerilind” = mörilind. 3) tinúviel (”daughter of twilight”, a poetic kenning) (i dinúviel, o thinúviel), pl. ?tinúvil (i thinúvil), coll. pl. tinúviellath (MR:373, WJ:62)

dúlinn

nightingale

(i** dhúlinn) (dusk-singer), same form pl. except with article (i** núlinn) (SD:302).

emlinn

yellowhammer

emlinn (= "yellow singer"); no distinct pl. form. Also emelin, no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emelinnath. Adj.

emlinn

yellowhammer

(a yellow bird) emlinn (= "yellow singer"); no distinct pl. form. Also emelin, no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emelinnath

gwael

gull

(i ’wael), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwael)

gwaun

goose

gwaun (i **waun), pl. goen (i ngoen = i ñoen). Coll. pl. ?gonath. In ”Noldorin”, the pl. form was guin**.

gwaun

goose

(i ’waun), pl. goen (i ngoen = i ñoen). Coll. pl. ?gonath. – In ”Noldorin”, the pl. form was guin.

heledir

kingfisher

(bird) heledir (i cheledir, o cheledir), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cheledir). Since the final element is derived from primitve -tirno, it may be that the otherwise lost final n would be preserved in the coll. pl. ?heledirnath. The literal meaning of the word is ”fish-watcher”.

heledir

kingfisher

(i cheledir, o cheledir), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cheledir). Since the final element is derived from primitve -tirno, it may be that the otherwise lost final n would be preserved in the coll. pl. ?heledirnath. The literal meaning of the word is ”fish-watcher”.

holl

noun. cock, cockerel, rooster

A neologism for “cock, cockerel, rooster” proposed by Gábor Lőrinczi appearing in the VQP (VQP), derived from primitive ✶khollō̆ “cock” which appeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s (PE21/82).

huil

noun. hen

hŷl

noun. hen

laeglin(n)

noun. greenfinch

A neologism for a “greenfinch” coined by Gábor Lőrinczi and appearing in the VQP (VQP) as a combination of (archaic) laeg “green” and lind “singer”.

m

gull

ŷl (i vŷl, construct myl), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷl).

maew

gull

1. maew (i vaew), no distinct pl. except with article (i maew), coll. pl. maewrim; 2) gwael (i **wael), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwael), 3) mŷl (i vŷl, construct myl), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷl**).

maew

gull

(i vaew), no distinct pl. except with article (i maew), coll. pl. maewrim

merilin

nightingale

(i** verilin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i** merilin), coll. pl. merilinnath. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” ”moerilind” = mörilind.

paen

small gull

1. *paen (i baen, o phaen) (petrel), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phaen). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” poen, VT45:24. 2) cuen (i guen, o chuen) (petrel), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24)

paen

petrel

1. *paen (i baen, o phaen) (small gull), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phaen) Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” poen, VT45:24. 2) cuen (i guen, o chuen) (small gull), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24)

paen

small gull

(i baen, o phaen) (petrel), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phaen). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” poen, VT45:24.

paen

petrel

(i baen, o phaen) (small gull), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phaen) Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” poen, VT45:24.

porochuil

noun. hen

porog

noun. fowl (domestic), *chicken

prôg

noun. fowl, hen

roval

great wing

(pinion, wing), pl. rovail (idh rovail). – Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” *rhoval* pl. *rhovel*.

sommor

noun. duck, waterfowl

A neologism coined by Hialmr on 01-17-2018 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord (VLDS) as a noun form of ᴺS. somma- “to dive, duck”.

thoron

eagle

thoron, pl. theryn, coll. pl. thoronath. The sg. may also appear as thôr (with stem thoron-); thôr is also an adjective ”swooping, leaping down”. In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was therein (LR:392 s.v. THOR).

thoron

eagle

pl. theryn, coll. pl. thoronath. The sg. may also appear as thôr (with stem thoron-); thôr is also an adjective ”swooping, leaping down”. In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was therein (LR:392 s.v. THOR).

tinúviel

nightingale

(”daughter of twilight”, a poetic kenning) (i** dinúviel, o thinúviel), pl. ?tinúvil (i** thinúvil), coll. pl. tinúviellath** **(MR:373, WJ:62)

tuilinn

swallow

(etymologically ”spring-singer”) *tuilinn (i duilinn, o thuilinn), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thuilinn). Form normalized from tuilind in source; the latter would be an archaic form.

tuilinn

swallow

(i duilinn, o thuilinn), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thuilinn). Form normalized from tuilind in source; the latter would be an archaic form.

Tinnúviel

noun. nightingale

nightingale

alf

noun. swan

alf

noun. swan

corch

noun. crow

corch

noun. crow

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “crow” derived from the root ᴹ√KORKA of the same meaning, replacing rejected N. carach derived from ᴹ√KARKA (Ety/KARKA).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. crunc “crow”, probably related to G. crug “beak” (GL/27) and possibly also to ᴱQ. karon “crow” from the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/45). The forms crunc and crwnc “crow” appeared in Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying that document (PE13/111), and ᴱN. crunc “crow” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/141). The word ᴱN. corch also appeared in the same Early Noldorin Word-lists, but was unglossed, so it is not clear whether it was connected to 1930s N. corch “crow”.

cuen

noun. small gull, petrel, sea-bird

A noun appearing as cuen “small gull, petrel” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, a loan word from Ilk. cwên of the same meaning, derived from the primitive root ᴹ√KWǢ (EtyAC/KWǢ). Its Noldorin form N. poen had fallen out of use. It also appeared with the form cuén “a sea-bird” in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s, again as a loan word from Ilkorin (PE22/32).

Neo-Sindarin: Since Ilkorin was no longer a part of Tolkien’s system of Elvish languages in the 1950s and 60s, this word is somewhat questionable, but I think it is worth retaining, reimagined as a loan word from a different language (probably a dialect of Nandorin).

cugu

noun. dove

cugu

noun. dove

A word for “dove” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from ᴹ✶kukūwā based on a reduplicated form of the root ᴹ√KŪ (Ety/KŪ). It replaced a deleted for cû from primitive ᴹ✶kūwā (EtyAC/KŪ).

duilin

noun. nightingale

dúlin

noun. nightingale

dúlin(n)

noun. nightingale

dúlind

noun. nightingale

dúlinn

noun. nightingale

flinc

noun. *finch

gwaun

noun. goose

gwaun

noun. goose

A noun for “goose” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶wān under the root ᴹ√WĀ “blow” (Ety/WĀ), where ancient *ā* became *au*. It had a Noldorin plural form of guin, but if adapted to (Neo) Sindarin its plural would be gwoen: compare Sindarin plural S. noeg of naug “dwarf” (UT/100) vs. its Noldorin plural N. nuig (EtyAC/NAUK).

heledir

noun. kingfisher (bird)

heledir(n)

noun. kingsfisher, (lit.) fish-watcher

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s for a kingfisher derived from primitive ᴹ✶khalatirnō̆ “fish watcher” with variants heledir and heledirn (Ety/KHAL¹, SKAL², TIR). Tolkien also considered and rejected the form haledir without *i*-affection (EtyAC/KHAL¹).

heledirn

noun. kingfisher (bird)

maew

noun. gull

maew

noun. gull

merilin

noun. nightingale

merilin(n)

noun. nightingale

A noun for “nightingale” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, adapted from Ilkorin myrilind “since mori did not = ‘night’ in N” (Ety/TIN). S. dúlin “nightingale” is better attested.

mœrilind

noun. nightingale

poen Archaic

noun. small gull, petrel

A noun for “small gull, petrel” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ᴹ✶kwǣnē under the root ᴹ√KWǢ, but it fell out of use and was replaced by N. cuen, a loan-word from Ilkorin (EtyAC/KWǢ).

tafr

noun. woodpecker (bird)

tavor

noun. woodpecker (bird)

tavor

noun. woodpecker, knocker, woodpecker, knocker; [G.] wood fay

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s for a “woodpecker”, derived from the primitive agental form ᴹ✶tamrō “knocker” (Ety/TAM). It had an (archaic?) variant tafr, pronounced tavr, which became tavor when the final *r* became syllabic.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, G. tavor was a noun for “a wood fay” (GL/69).

tavr

noun. woodpecker (bird)

thoron

noun. eagle

thoron

noun. eagle

thôr

noun. eagle

thôr

noun. eagle

tuilin

noun. swallow (bird)

tuilind

noun. swallow (bird)

tuilinn

noun. swallow (bird)

tuilinn

noun. swallow, (lit.) spring-singer

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s for a “swallow” derived from primitive ᴹ✶tuilelindō “spring-singer” (Ety/LIN², TUY).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had G. {duil >>} G. duiling or duilinc “swallow”, apparently a diminutive form based on (archaic) ᴱ✶du̯il “bird” (GL/31). Tolkien also had deleted G. duil “spring” (GL/31), and in the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon he gave as its cognate ᴱQ. tuilindo “spring-singer, swallow” under the early root ᴱ√TUẎU that was the basis for “spring” words (QL/96). However, Tolkien marked this Qenya form with a “✱” and said it was “not related”, so perhaps Tolkien reimagined word as a derivative of ✱ᴱ√DUYU that was the basis for “bird” words in the Gnomish Lexicon, since initial *d* became *t* in Early Qenya.

ᴱN. {duilen >>} duilin “a swallow” reappeared in the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s (PE13/120) and duilin “swallow” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists from the same period (PE13/142). N. tuilinn “swallow, (lit.) spring-singer” first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, as described above.

khô

noun. crow

A noun translated “crow” (SD/426). Tolkien listed this noun in two forms, khâu and khô, both as examples of seemingly uniconsonantal nouns that prehistorically were biconsonantal (from prehistoric ✶khaw). Most authors have suggested these are simply variations on the same noun illustrating different paths of phonetic development (AAD/18, AL/Adûnaic). Another interesting possibility is that khâu is an (archaic?) subjective form of khô, produced from the usual a-fortification of primitive ✶khaw → ✶khāw, which would develop phonetically in Classical Adûnaic to khâu and khô. As support for this idea, the plural form of khâu is given as khāwī(m), which appears to include the subjective plural suffix -im.

This line of reasoning is quite speculative. Nevertheless, it is probably easier to use the form khô over khâu, since the inflections of khô would be more regular: plural khôi, dual ✱khôwat, objective ✱khôwu, etc.

narak

noun. eagle

A noun attested only in the plural subjective form Narīka “eagles” (SD/251). This formation is peculiar, because it seems to be a neuter subjective form, but the names of animals are generally common-nouns, as pointed out by Andreas Moehn (EotAL/NAR’K). If it were declined as a common noun, the subjective plural should be ✱narkim: compare Nimir “Elf” whose subjective plural form is nimrim (SD/436). Perhaps when Narīka was written, Tolkien had not finished working out the Adûnaic gender and case system.

alkwā

noun. swan

kawāk

noun. crow

khollō̆

noun. cock

kholyē

noun. hen

korok

root. hen

philik

root. finch, finch, [ᴹ√] small bird

This root first appeared as ᴹ√PHILIK “small bird” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. filit and N. fileg of the same meaning (Ety/PHILIK). The root also appeared in the contemporaneous Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants with an extra gloss “sparrow”, a deleted variant spilik-, and some additional (unglossed) derivatives ᴹQ. filinke and N. flinc (PE21/56). The root and these last two derivatives reappeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s, in this document with the gloss “finch” (PE21/71-72, 80-81). Note that a likely early precursor to all these words was G. bilinc “sparrow, bird (small)” (GL/23).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is best to assume the root √PHILIK = “small bird”, with ᴹQ. filit/N. fileg = “sparrow” and Q. filincë/S. flinc = “finch”.

philinki

noun. finch

porok

root. hen

An onomatopoeic root appearing in notes from the late 1960s with variants porok- and korok and the gloss “hen” (VT47/36). It seems to be a restoration of the form ᴱQ. poroke “barn fowl” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/75) with Gnomish cognate G. porog “fowl (domestic)” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/64). ᴱQ. poroke “hen” reappeared in Qenya Word-lists from the 1920s (PE16/132), and primitive ✶porokĭ “fowl” and ✶porokē “hen” appeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s (PE21/82). Thus this root seems to be a pretty enduring notion.

poroki

noun. fowl

porokē

noun. hen

thorono

noun. eagle

alpa

noun. swan

phile

noun. finch

phlinke

noun. finch

khaw

noun. crow

A Primitive Adûnaic word glossed “crow” (SD/426). Tolkien gave two primitive forms of this word, khāw and khăw, which could just be variant forms of the same root ✱KHAW. A more intriguing possibility is that khāw is actually the subjective form of khăw, since this would indicate that this subjective formation dates back to the primitive stages of the language. As evidence of this, the derived plural khāwī(m) (SD/426) does resemble the Classical Adûnaic subjective plural.

Contradicting this conjecture is the fact that khaw, as an animal name, should be declined as a common-noun, using the common subjective suffix -an. Elsewhere, though, Tolkien declined some animal names as if they were neuter nouns, for example narîka as the subjective plural of #narak (SD/251). Perhaps not all animals were common nouns, or perhaps Tolkien’s ideas for the subjective tense were not fully formed when these examples were written.

alpa

noun. swan

Soronto

eagle

Soronto (þ?), masc. name, seems to incorporate soron "eagle"; the ending -to is rare (occurs in suhto, q.v.), here apparently used to derive a masculine name.

Soronúmë

eagle

Soronúmë (prob. þ) (name of a constellation, apparently incorporating soron "eagle") (SA:thoron)

Tindómisel

noun. nightingale

PQ. nightingale

aimenal

noun. lark

alqua

noun. swan

swan

alqua

swan

alqua noun "swan" _(ÁLAK [there spelt _alqa, as in LT1:249/LT2:335], SA:alqua, UT:265, VT42:7). The alternative form alquë ("q") mentioned in early material (LT1:249) may or may not be valid in LotR-style Quenya.

alqua

noun. swan

The Quenya noun for “swan” derived from primitive ✶alkwā (NM/378; PE18/100; UT/265; Ety/ÁLAK).

Conceptual Development: The word ᴱQ. alqa dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was a derivative of the early root ᴱ√ḶKḶ (QL/30), though it had a variant form alqe in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/18). Other than this one exception, Tolkien stuck with alqua throughout his life. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. alqa “swan” appeared under the root ᴹ√ALAK “rushing” (Ety/ÁLAK).

carco

crow

[carco ("k")noun "crow" (KARKA)] (Changed by Tolkien to corco.)

cirinci

no bigger than wrens, but all scarlet, with piping voices on the edge of human hearing

cirinci ("k"), sg. *cirincë, noun: a species of birds, "no bigger than wrens, but all scarlet, with piping voices on the edge of human hearing" (UT:169). The word seems to incorporate the diminutive ending -incë.

corco

crow

corco ("k")noun "crow" (KORKA, see KARKA)

cucua

dove

cucua ("k")noun "dove" (KŪ; in the Etymologies as printed in LR, Tolkien's manuscript was misread as two distinct words **cu and **cua; see VT45:24. According to the same source, an ephemeral word for "dove" was indeed cua, but Tolkien changed it to cucua.)

filincë

noun. finch

A word for “finch” appearing in Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants from 1936 and Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s, derived form the root √PHILIK (PE21/56, 72). See also ᴹQ. filit “sparrow, small bird”.

Conceptual Development: In the early 1930s document Declension of Nouns, Tolkien gave ᴹQ. liri for “finch”.

fion

hawk

fion (1) (fiond- or simply fion-, as in pl. fiondi or fioni) noun ?"hawk" (reading of gloss uncertain; according to Christopher Tolkien the most natural interpretation would be "haste", but this word would have no plural form) (PHI, VT46:9).

halatir

kingsfisher

halatir (halatirn-, as in dat.sg. halatirnen), also halatirno, noun "kingsfisher", etymologically "fish-watcher" (TIR, SKAL2, KHAL1)

lirulin

lark

lirulin noun "lark" (MR:238, 262), changed from aimenel, aimenal

lirulin

noun. lark

A word for “lark” appearing in the manuscript draft of Laws and Customs among the Eldar from the late 1950s (MR/238), also mentioned in the tale Of Finwë and Míriel (MR/262), apparently a combination of the roots √LIR and √LIN having to do with singing.

Conceptual Development: In Laws and Customs among the Eldar this word was first written as Q. {aimenel >>} aimenal before being replaced by lirulin (MR/252 note #6). In documents from the 1910s and 20s, Tolkien gave ᴱQ. ambarin as the word for “lark” (PE13/110, 159).

lómelindë

noun. nightingale, (lit.) dusk-singer

The Quenya word for “nightingale”, a combination of Q. lómë “night” and Q. lindë “song”, more literally “dusk-singer” (MR/172).

Conceptual Development: The word ᴹQ. lómelinde appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above (Ety/DOƷ, LIN², TIN).

maiwë

gull

maiwë noun "gull" (MIW), pl. maiwi in _Markirya. Cf. also the "Qenya" pl. maiwin "gulls" (MC:213)_

maiwë

noun. gull

A noun for “gull” appearing in its plural form maiwi in the Q. Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/222). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. maiwe “gull” was derived from the root ᴹ√MIW “whine” (Ety/MIW).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s the word was ᴱQ. māwe (māwi-) “gull” under the early root ᴱ√MAWA “cry, bleat” (QL/60), also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/60). In Early Qenya Word-lists from the 1920s Tolkien instead had vaiya or {maiwe >>} waiwe “seamew” (PE16/138), but in the version of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from circa 1930, Tolkien used maiwe in its nominative plural form maiwin “gulls” (MC/213).

morilindë

nightingale

morilindë noun "nightingale" (MOR)

porocë

hen; barn fowl

        **porocë** _("k")noun_ "hen; barn fowl" _(PE16:132)_

quáco

crow

quáco ("q")noun "crow" _(WJ:395; _Etym also has corco, q.v.)

quáco

noun. crow

A word in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 for “crow”, derived from primitive ✶k(a)wāk (WJ/395). In notes from the late 1960s Tolkien instead had Q. {koake >>} quácë “frog” < ✶kāwāk, with primitive ✶kā for “crow” (VT47/36).

See ᴹQ. korko for a discussion of earlier forms.

quéne

noun. petrel

sor

eagle

sor, sornë noun "eagle" (LT1:266); rather soron in LotR-style Quenya

sorno

eagle

sorno (þ) noun "eagle" (archaic thorno) _(Letters:427). Also soron. Early "Qenya" has sor, sornë (LT1:266)_

sorno

noun. eagle

soron

eagle

soron (or sornë) (þ) noun "eagle", before an ending sorn- as in pl. sorni, "gen.sg....sornen"; in LotR-style Quenya this would be the dative singular instead (THOR/THORON). SD:290 has the pl.soroni "eagles", changed to sorni as in the Etymologies. Early "Qenya" has the forms sor, sornë (LT1:266)

soron

noun. eagle

The Quenya word for “eagle”, appearing in a number of compounds, derived from primitive ✶thorono and the root ᴹ√THOR(ON) “come swooping down” (PE22/159; Let/427; Ety/THOR; PE21/33). It had couple variants such as sorno (Let/427) and sorne (Ety/THOR), but consistently appeared as soron- in compounds. Its stem form isn’t entirely clear: its most common plural form was sorni (Ety/THOR; SD/290), which is the expected result from the Quenya syncope, but in one place it had the plural soroni and the presence of the variant sorne muddies the waters.

Conceptual Development: This word appeared as ᴱQ. sorne or sor (sorn-) “eagle” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√ŠORO [ÞORO] (QL/86). The form sorn- “eagle” also appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa where Tolkien indicated the primitive form was sorni- (PME/86). The form ᴱQ. soron appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s as a cognate of ᴱN. thorn “eagle” (PE13/154), and Tolkien mostly stuck with that form thereafter, though he occasionally used variants like sorne and sorno as noted above.

In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, Tolkien listed a large number of declined forms for ᴹQ. soron “eagle”, and those declensions used soron- (or sorun-) as their base. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, Tolkien gave plural sorni and genitive sornen indicating a stem form sorn-, but that document also gave sorne as an alternate form of soron “eagle”. Nevertheless, I think from the 1930s forward, it is more likely that Quenya syncope would have come into play in the declension of this word, so it would have plural sorni, dative sornen, ablative sornello, etc. The only noun case where the primitive stem would be preserved would be possessive soronwa.

tambaro

woodpecker

tambaro noun "woodpecker" (TAM)

tindómerel

noun. nightingale

TQ. nightingale

tindómizel

noun. nightingale

PQ. nightingale

tocot

cock

tocot ("k")noun "cock" (PE16:132)

tuilindo

swallow

tuilindo noun "swallow", etymologically "spring-singer" (TUY, LIN2, LT1:269, LT2:338)

ván

goose

ván noun "goose"; pl. váni given (WA-N). Older wán.

wán

goose

wán > ván noun "goose" (WA-N).

ëa

eagle

ëa (3) "eagle" (LT1:251, LT2:338), a "Qenya" word apparently superseded by soron, sornë in Tolkien's later forms of Quenya.

ëaren

eagle

ëaren noun "eagle" or "eyrie" (LT1:251; this early "Qenya" word is evidently no more valid than ëa "eagle" in LotR-style Quenya.)

ailindo

noun. loon [bird], (lit.) lake-singer

A neologism coined by Valerie posted on 2024-08-14 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of ailin “lake” and [ᴹQ.] lindo “singer”.

carniambos

noun. robin, (lit.) red-breast

carnicumbo

noun. bullfinch, (lit.) red-belly

A neologism for “bullfinch” coined by Valerie posted on 2024-11-03 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of carnë (carni-) “red” and [ᴺQ.] cumbo “belly”.

cecet

noun. pheasant

cucuollë

noun. turtledove

A neologism for “turtledove” coined by Helge Fauskanger in his NQNT (NQNT), an elaboration of ᴹQ. kukua “dove”.

falmafilit

noun. budgie, (lit.) wave-bird

A neologism for “budgie” coined by Luinyelle posted on 2025-06-03 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of falma “wave” and [ᴹQ.] filit (filic-) “small bird”.

filiculumpe

noun. ostrich, (lit.) sparrow-camel

A neologism for “ostrich” coined by Dírheron on Discord in 2019, a combination of [ᴹQ.] filit (filik-) “sparrow” and [ᴱQ.] ulumpe “camel”, inspired by Latin “strúthiocamélus”.

hendelúpea cecet

noun. peafowl, (lit.) eye-plumed pheasant

A neologism coined by Dírheron in 2020 as a variant of ᴱQ. keket “pheasant” with the qualifier Q. hende + ᴹQ. lúpe + -a = “eye-plumed”.

hollo

noun. cock, cockerel, rooster

A neologism for “cock, cockerel, rooster” proposed by Gábor Lőrinczi appearing in the VQP (VQP), derived from primitive ✶khollō̆ “cock” which appeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s (PE21/82).

holyë

noun. hen

hó

noun. owl

nyatso

noun. magpie, (lit.) chatterer

@@@ Discord 2022-04-09

porocë

noun. hen, barn fowl, *chicken

quá

noun. duck

russambos

noun. robin

A neologism for “robin” coined by Tamas Ferencz in the VQP (VQP), a combination of russa “red-haired” and [ᴱQ.] ambos “breast”. I prefer adapting ᴱQ. karneambar “robin” as ᴺQ. carniambos.

soroncë

noun. kite, (lit.) little eagle

A neologism coined by Luinyelle posted on 2024-01-14 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a diminutive form of soron “eagle”.

súlendil

noun. kite, (lit.) friend of the wind

A neologism coined by Delle posted on 2023-12-15 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of súlë “wind” and -(n)dil “friend”.

tinwerúmë

noun. starling, (lit.) abundance of stars

A neologism for “starling” coined by Tamas Ferencz, a combination of Q. tinwë “star” and Q. -úmë “large, of quantity”, hence more literally “abundance of stars”.

tocot

noun. cock, *rooster

ealc

noun. swan

Primitive form given as alk-wâ, derived from a stem ÁLAK "rushing" (LR:348); alk-wâ would seem to be an adjectival formation (ending -wâ), so the primitive word probably had the same meaning as the stem: "rushing", later used as a noun "rushing (one)" and applied to an animal. According to Tolkien's later conception, kw should probably have come out as p rather than c in Nandorin; see cwenda.

Primitive a becoming ea is a strange shift with no direct parallels even where it might have been expected, but compare eo from i in meord (and from e in beorn), as well as ie from a in sciella. Perhaps we are to understand that the liquids l, r trigger such changes in a preceeding vowel, but then we might expect for instance *ealm instead of alm as the word for "elm-tree".