Quenya 

-u

suffix. dual ending

Derivations

  • “dual ending for pairs” ✧ Let/427
    • YU “both, both, [ᴹ√] two”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ū > u[-ū] > [-u]✧ Let/427

Variations

  • u ✧ Let/427

nu

under

nu prep. "under" _(LR:56, Markirya, Nam, RGEO:66, MC:214; the _Etymologies alone gives no [q.v.] instead). In Mar-nu-Falmar, nuhuinenna, q.v. Prefix - in nútil, q.v.

ui

no

ui interjection "no" (originally an endingless negative verb in the 3rd person aorist: "it is not [so]"; see #u-). Apparently this is the word for "no" used to deny that something is true (compare , which is rather used to reject orders, or to issue negative orders). (VT49:28) Compare uito.

ú

without, destitute of

ú (1) adv. and prep. "without, destitute of" (VT39:14). Usually followed by genitive: ú calo "without light" (cala). In one source, ú is seemingly also used as a negative verb "was not" (VT49:13), but Tolkien revised the text in question.

ú

preposition/adverb. without, destitute of

@@@ with object of the preposition in the genitive: ú calo “without light”

Derivations

  • Ū “denial of fact, privation, negative element, denial of fact, privation, negative element, [ᴱ√] not” ✧ PE17/143
  • awa- “away” ✧ PE17/144
    • WĀ/AWA “away (from); go (away), depart, pass away, move (from speaker); before (of time), ago, away (from); go (away), depart, pass away, move (from speaker); before (of time), ago; [ᴹ√] forth, out” ✧ PE17/143; WJ/365

Element in

  • Q. ú- “no, not, un-, in-; hard, difficult, bad, uneasy; hardly, with difficulty, ‘badly’” ✧ PE17/143; VT39/14
  • Q. ú calo “without the light” ✧ PE17/143; VT39/14
  • Q. ú calmo “without the light” ✧ PE17/143 (ú calmo)
  • Q. úvanë(a) “without beauty” ✧ PE17/144; VT39/14

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
Ū > ú[ū]✧ PE17/143
awa- > ǝu > ū[awa-] > [ū]✧ PE17/144

Variations

  • ū ✧ PE17/143; PE17/144; PE22/168; VT39/14
Quenya [PE17/143; PE17/144; PE22/168; VT39/14] Group: Eldamo. Published by

au-

without

au- (3) privative prefix, = "without" (AWA)

ú-

prefix. no, not, un-, in-; hard, difficult, bad, uneasy; hardly, with difficulty, ‘badly’

Cognates

  • S. ú- “no, not, negative; impossible, no, not, negative; impossible; [N.] bad-” ✧ PE17/062

Derivations

  • UG “dislike” ✧ PE22/160
  • Ū “denial of fact, privation, negative element, denial of fact, privation, negative element, [ᴱ√] not” ✧ VT42/33

Element in

  • ᴺQ. úpuhta- “to fornicate”
  • ᴺQ. úhep- “to lose, (lit.) to un-keep”
  • ᴺQ. únet- “to lose, (lit.) to un-get”
  • Q. úcalima “dim, murky, dim, murky, *not bright” ✧ PE22/156
  • Q. úcar- “*to trespass, do wrong, sin”
  • Q. úcarë “*sin, debt, trespass”
  • Q. úcárima “hard to do, difficult” ✧ PE22/156
  • Q. úcarnë “not red” ✧ PE22/152
  • ᴺQ. úcim- “disregard”
  • ᴺQ. úfailië “unrighteousness”
  • Q. úfantima “not concealable”
  • Q. úfanwëa “not veiled, unveiled”
  • ᴺQ. úhandë “unreason, incomprehension”
  • Q. úχarin “unmarred” ✧ PE17/150
  • Q. Úlairi “Ring-wraiths, (lit.) ?Un-living, Un-summer”
  • ᴺQ. úlaita- “to dishonour”
  • ᴺQ. úlévima “paralyzed, lame”
  • Q. Úmaiar “Evil Spirits”
  • Q. úmaitë “clumsy(-handed), unskilled”
  • Q. Úmaneldi “*Elves not of Aman”
  • Q. Úmanyar “Those not of Aman”
  • Q. úmara “bad, ill-used, evil, sinister” ✧ VT49/15
  • Q. úmárë “not good = evil” ✧ PE22/152
  • Q. únat “thing impossible to be or to be done”
  • Q. únehta “*atom”
  • Q. Úner “Noman” ✧ UT/211
  • Q. únotë(a) “not counted, uncounted” ✧ PE17/143; VT39/14
  • Q. únótima “numberless, innumerable, countless, difficult/impossible to count” ✧ PE17/062; PE17/063; PE17/143; PE22/156; PE22/160; VT39/14; VT42/33
  • ᴺQ. únut- “to untie”
  • Q. únyárima “impossible to recount”
  • Q. úpa “dumb [unable to speak]”
  • Q. úpahtëa “speechless”
  • ᴺQ. úpoica “unclean”
  • ᴺQ. úqua “nothing”
  • ᴺQ. úquen “nobody, no one”
  • Q. úquétima “unspeakable, impossible to say or put into words, unpronounceable”
  • Q. úsahtië “inducement to do wrong, *temptation”
  • Q. úsië “on the contrary” ✧ VT49/18
  • Q. úsir “on the contrary” ✧ VT49/18
  • ᴺQ. útancië “uncertainty”
  • ᴺQ. útulya- “to mislead”
  • ᴺQ. útúrima “unruly”
  • Q. úvana “marred”
  • Q. úvanë(a) “without beauty”
  • Q. úvanima “not fair, ugly; hard to call beautiful, hideous” ✧ PE17/143; PE22/156; VT39/14
  • Q. úvanimo “monster, corrupt or evil creature”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
UG > ú[ugu-] > [uɣu-] > [ū-]✧ PE22/160
û > ú[ū-]✧ VT42/33

Variations

  • ū- ✧ PE17/062; PE17/144; PE22/152; PE22/156
  • ū ✧ PE22/156; PE22/167; VT44/04
  • ú ✧ PE22/160; VT42/33
  • Ú- ✧ UT/211 (Ú-)
Quenya [PE17/062; PE17/063; PE17/143; PE17/144; PE17/150; PE22/152; PE22/156; PE22/160; PE22/167; UT/211; VT39/14; VT42/33; VT44/04; VT49/15; VT49/18] Group: Eldamo. Published by

no

under

no prep. "under" (NŪ; all other sources give nu instead. In early "Qenya", no meant "upon"; MC:214)

ava-

without

ava- (3) prefix "without" (AR2, AWA). In some cases apparently used as a mere negation prefix: The form avalerya in VT41:6 is seemingly a negated form of the verb lerya- "release, set free"; the verb avalerya- is suggested to have the same meaning as the root KHAP = "bind, make fast, restrain, deprive of liberty". Likewise, the verb avalatya- from the same source seems to mean "to close, shut", this being a negated form of a verb *latya- "open" (q.v.)

il-

verb. no, *un-

il- (prefix) "no, *un-" (LA); cf. ilfirin "immortal" (vs. firin "dead"). This prefix "denotes the opposite, the reversal, i.e. more than the mere negation" (VT42:32). But il- can also mean "all, every"; see ilaurëa, ilqua, ilquen.

nec-

prefix. without

Derivations

  • NEK “divide, separate, part; deprive” ✧ PE17/167

Element in

  • ᴺQ. necermëa “insubstantial, immaterial”
  • ᴺQ. necestel “hopelessness, despair, desperation”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
NEK > nec-[nek-]✧ PE17/167

-t

suffix. dual ending

Cognates

  • Ad. -at “dual suffix”
  • S. -ad “dual”

Derivations

  • -t “dual ending”
  • ata “numerative dual ending” ✧ Let/427

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ata > t[-ta] > [-t]✧ Let/427

Variations

  • t ✧ Let/427
  • -t ✧ PE17/057; PE17/075; PE17/076; PE17/190; PE22/161; VT49/48
Quenya [Let/427; PE17/057; PE17/075; PE17/076; PE17/190; PE22/161; VT49/48] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-nna

to, at, upon

-nna "to, at, upon", allative ending, originating from -na "to" with fortified n, VT49:14. Attested in cilyanna, coraryanna, Endorenna, Elendilenna, númenórenna, parma-restalyanna, rénna, senna, tielyanna, q.v. If a noun ends in -n already, the ending -nna merges with it, as in Amanna, formenna, Elenna, númenna, rómenna as the allative forms of Aman, formen, elen, númen, rómen (q.v.). Plural -nnar in mannar, valannar, q.v.

-enca

without, -less

-enca suffix "without, -less" (PE17:167), cf. nec-, q.v.

nec-

without, -less

nec- prefix "without, -less" (PE17:167), cf. -enca, q.v.

pen

without, not having

[pen prep. "without, not having" (PE17:171). Cf. Ú #1.]

beneath, not touching, under

(3) prep. "beneath, not touching, under" (PE17:95)

-nna

to

-n (1) dative ending, originating as a reduced form of - "to", related to the allative ending -nna (VT49:14). Attested in nin, men, ten, enyalien, Erun, airefëan, tárin, yondon (q.v.) and also added to the English name Elaine (Elainen) in a book dedication to Elaine Griffiths (VT49:40). The longer dative ending -na is also attested in connection with some pronouns, such as sena, téna, véna (q.v.), also in the noun mariéna from márië "goodness" (PE17:59). Pl. -in (as in hínin, see hína), partitive pl. -lin, dual -nt (Plotz). The preposition ana (#1) is said to be used "when purely dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that it can replace the dative ending, e.g. *ana Eru instead of Erun for "to God". In some of Tolkiens earlier material, the ending -n (or -en) expressed genitive rather than dative, but he later decided that the genitive ending was to be -o (cf. such a revision as Yénië Valinóren becoming Yénië Valinórëo, MR:200).

-ro

he

-ro pronominal ending "he", in antaváro, q.v. In Tolkiens later Quenya, the ending -s covers both "he", "she" and "it".

ala

not

ala, #ála (1) imperative particle á, a combined with the negation , -la "not" to express a prohibition (VT43:22; see #1). Also with 1st person suffix -lyë (alalyë and álalyë, VT43:10, 22, VT44:8) and 1st person pl. object suffix - (alamë and álamë, "do not [do something to] us", as in ála tulya, "do not lead us", VT43:12, 22). In the essay Quendi and Eldar, negative imperatives are rather indicated by áva, q.v., but this form can well coexist with ala, #ála.

ala-

not

ala- (2) negative prefix "not", "un-", reduced to al- before a vowel (VT42:33, GALA, VT45:25), though the example Alcorin would suggest that al- can sometimes appear before a consonant as well. In a deleted entry in Etym, al(a)- was defined as "not" and said to be a "pure negative" (VT45:5). In alahasta, Alamanyar, alasaila, Alcorin.

ana

to

ana (1) prep. "to" (VT49:35), "as preposition _ana _is used when purely _dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that the preposition ana can be used instead of the dative ending -n (#1, q.v.) Also as prefix: ana- "to, towards" (NĀ1); an (q.v.) is used with this meaning in one source (PE17:127)_

essë

he

essë (2) pron? "he" (and also "she, it"?), possible emphatic 3rd sg. emphatic pronoun, attested in the sentence essë úpa nas "he is dumb" (PE17:126)

la

no, not

la negation "no, not" (see ); also prefix la- as in lacarë, q.v. (VT45:25)

lacaraite

adjective. impossible

Quenya [PE 22:156] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

lacaraitë

adjective. impossible, *inactive; impossible

Changes

  • alákăraitelắkăraite “impossible” ✧ PE22/156

Elements

WordGloss
la-“not, in-, un-”
caraitë“active, busy, active, busy; [ᴹQ.] able to make, handy, crafty, craftsmanlike, skilled”

Variations

  • lắkăraite ✧ PE22/156
  • alákăraite ✧ PE22/156 (alákăraite)

no, not

(1) adv. "no, not" (LA, VT45:25) According to VT42:33, is the stressed form, alternating with la when the negation is unstressed. In another conceptual phase of Tolkien's, had the opposite meaning "yes" (VT42:32-33), but this idea is contradicted by both earlier and later material: usually is conceived as a negation. The negation can receive tense markers and be used as a negative verb "when [another] verb is not expressed" (VT49:13), apparently where the phrase "is not" is followed by a noun or an adjective as a predicate, or where some verb is understood, as in English "I do not" (i.e. "I do not do whatever the context indicates"). With pronominal endings la- in the aorist, e.g. lanyë "I do not, am not" (etc.) (Tolkien abandoned the form lamin.) Exemplified in the sentence melin sé apa lanyë *"I love him but I do not [love] him" (another person) (VT49:15). Present tense laia, past lánë, perfect alaië, future lauva.

na

to, towards

na (2) prep. "to, towards", possibly obsoleted by #1 above; for clarity writers may use the synonym ana instead (NĀ1). Originally, Tolkien glossed na as "at, by, near"; the new meaning entered together with the synonyms an, ana (VT45:36).

se

he, she, it

se (1) pron. "he, she, it" also object "him, her, it", 3rd person sg. Used "of living things including plants" (VT49:37; the corresponding inaimate pronoun is sa). The pronoun comes directly from se as the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed form , VT49:51, attested in object position in melin sé "I love him" (VT49:21). Ósë "with him/her", VT43:29; see ó-. Long dative/allative sena "[to/for] him" or "at him", VT49:14, allative senna "to him/her" (VT49:45, 46). Compare the reflexive pronoun insë *"himself, herself".

yuitë

adjective. dual

An adjective for “dual”, a combination of yu- “both” and the suffix -itë. Also used as a grammatical term.

Elements

WordGloss
yu-“both, both, [ᴱQ.] twice”
Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Sindarin 

nu

preposition. under

With suffixed article, see also nuin

Sindarin [Ety/378, etc.] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nu

preposition. under

Derivations

  • NŪ/UNU “down, under; go down, sink”

Element in

Sindarin [S/106; UTI/Emyn-nu-Fuin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ú

prefix. no, not (negative prefix or particle)

Sindarin [WJ/369, LotR/A(v)] Group: SINDICT. Published by

uin

preposition. of the

Sindarin [SD/129-31] o+i. Group: SINDICT. Published by

ú-

prefix. no, not, negative; impossible, no, not, negative; impossible; [N.] bad-

Cognates

  • Q. ú- “no, not, un-, in-; hard, difficult, bad, uneasy; hardly, with difficulty, ‘badly’” ✧ PE17/062

Derivations

  • UG “dislike” ✧ PE22/160
  • Ū “denial of fact, privation, negative element, denial of fact, privation, negative element, [ᴱ√] not” ✧ VT42/33

Element in

  • S. ú-chebin estel anim “I have kept no hope for myself” ✧ LotR/1061
  • S. Udalraph “Stirrupless” ✧ UT/313
  • ᴺS. úgan(n) “gutless, faint-hearted, diffident”
  • S. úgarol “not now doing or making, idling” ✧ PE17/144
  • S. úgarth “trespass, *(lit.) misdeed” ✧ VT44/28
  • ᴺS. úgethiol “boring, (lit.) not interesting”
  • S. uin gar “I do not make” ✧ PE17/145
  • ᴺS. úlam “dumb, unable to speak, (lit.) untongued”
  • S. úlan(n) “narrow, (lit.) not broad” ✧ PE17/144
  • S. Úmarth “Ill-fate”
  • S. únodui “countless” ✧ PE17/144

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
û > ú[ū-]✧ VT42/33

Variations

  • ū- ✧ PE17/062; PE17/144; PE17/144
  • ú ✧ PE17/145; PE22/160; VT42/33; VT44/28 (ú)
  • U- ✧ UT/313
  • ū ✧ WJ/369
Sindarin [LotR/1061; PE17/062; PE17/144; PE17/145; PE22/160; UT/313; VT42/33; VT44/28; WJ/369] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ú-

prefix. impossible

Sindarin [PE 22:160] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

û

interjection. no

adv. or interj. no, not (of fact).

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:144] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-ad

suffix. dual

The Sindarin dual was almost certainly derived from the same primitive form ✶ata as the Quenya dual ending -t, indicating this ending was ancient in form. The other Quenya dual, -u, would not have been active in Sindarin since final vowels were lost.

Tolkien stated (Let/427) that this ending was archaic and lost, but did not state when it disappeared. The ending may have still been active in the First Age. The ending appears in the day-name Orgaladhad “Day of the Two Trees”. Since the Sindar had no direct experience with the trees, this word was likely adopted from its Quenya cognate Aldúya when the Noldor and Sindar were reunited.

Cognates

  • Q. -t “dual ending”

Derivations

  • ata “numerative dual ending”

Element in

  • S. Methiriad “?End of Two Rivers”
  • S. nobad “thumb and index finger as a pair, *(lit.) pickers”

Variations

  • -d ✧ Let/427

nuin

preposition. under the

Sindarin [Ety/378, etc.] nu+i. Group: SINDICT. Published by

pen-

without

(ben-) _ pref. _without,**less. pen-adar 'fatherless'. >> ben-, ú-

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:34:144] < PENE lack. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

di-

prefix. beneath, under

The only known usage of this word is as prefix, but VT/45:37 lists it as a unitary word di

Sindarin [di-nguruthos LotR/IV:X, RGEO/72, Letters/278, VT] Group: SINDICT. Published by

pen

preposition. without, lacking, -less

Sindarin [Iarwain ben-adar LotR/II:II] Group: SINDICT. Published by

al

not

al- (prefix) as in alfirin "not-mortal", immortal.

al

not

(prefix) as in alfirin "not-mortal", immortal.

al-

prefix. not

pref. not. >> alfirin

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:101:146] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

an

preposition. to, towards, for

With suffixed article and elision in aglar'ni Pheriannath

Sindarin [LotR/II:IV, UT/39, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

an

to

_ prep. _to, for. naur an edraith ammen! 'fire [be] for rescue/saving for us'. aglar an|i Pheriannath  'glory to all the Halflings'.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:38:102:147] < _ana _< ANA/NĀ to, towards – added to, plu-. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

an

to

(prep.) an (+ nasal mutation), with article ni "to the" (+ nasal mutation in plural).

an

to

(adverbial prefix) an-. 3)

ava

will not

(i ava, in avar).

baw

interjection. no, don't!

Sindarin [WJ/371] Group: SINDICT. Published by

baw!

no

! (interjection expressing refusal or prohibition, not denying facts) baw! (dont!) Prefix

baw!

no

(don’t!) Prefix

beneath

, unstressed di (in, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

beneath

unstressed di (in, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

e

pronoun. he

The meaning "he" is deduced from the apparent function of this word in the so-called "King's Letter", but it also seems possible to interpret it as "indeed" (as in Q. e, LR/63, VT/45:11), used here in a way of formal address expressing the wishes or the will of the King

Sindarin [SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

e

he

1) e (SD:128-31), 2) ho, hon, hono. (The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly ho is the nominative ”he”, whereas hon is the accusative ”him”. Hono could be an emphatic form. It may be that all of these pronouns, except e, are ”Noldorin” and were not maintained in Sindarin proper.)

e

pronoun. he

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. e “he, she, it”

Element in

Sindarin [AotM/062; SD/129] Group: Eldamo. Published by

e

he

(SD:128-31)

en

of the

e- (sg. genitival article)

ho

he

hon, hono. *(The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly ho is the nominative ”he”, whereas hon is the accusative ”him”. Hono could be an emphatic form. It may be that all of these pronouns, except e, are ”Noldorin” and were not maintained in Sindarin proper.)*

law

adverb. not

Derivations

  • LA “no, not; negative; not to be”
Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

na

to

e _ prep. _to, towards (of spacetime). n' before vowels. >> nan 2

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:147] < _nā _< ANA/NĀ to, towards – added to, plu-. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

na

preposition. to

prep. to Na-chaered palan-díriel lit. "To-distance (remote) after-gazing" >> na-chaered, nan 2

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:20-1:25] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

nan

preposition. of

o

from

(od), followed by hard mutation; with article uin ”from the, of the” (followed by mixed mutation according to David Salo’s reconstuctuons). (WJ:366) Not to be confused with o ”about, concerning” (q.v. for this meaning of ”of”). 2) na (followed by lenition), with article nan (followed by ”mixed mutation”, according to David Salo’s reconstruction). The preposition has various meanings: ”with, by, near” and also ”to, toward, at; of” 3)

said

not common

(lenited haid; no distinct pl. form) (separate, private, excluded) (VT42:20)

nu

under

1) (prep.) nu, followed by lenition (with article nuin ”under the”, followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salos reconstructions), 2) , unstressed di (beneath, in) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

nu

under

followed by lenition (with article nuin ”under the”, followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salo’s reconstructions)

ú

not

(adverbial prefix) ú-, u- (followed by lenition, e.g. ú-chebin ”I do not keep”) (without). Verb

ú

not

u- (followed by lenition, e.g. ú-chebin

ú

without

(adverbial prefix) ú-, u- (e.g. udalraph ”without stirrups; stirrupless”, uluithiad *”without quenching” (SD:62) = ”unquenchable”). The prefix ar- has a similiar meaning, as in:

ú

without

u- (e.g. udalraph ”without stirrups; stirrupless”, uluithiad ✱”without quenching” (SD:62) = ”unquenchable”). The prefix ar- has a similiar meaning, as in:

no, not

also ú

under

unstressed di (beneath, in) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

ar

without

(adv. prefix) ar- (outside)

ar

without

(outside)

pen

without

1) pen (lenited ben) (lacking, -less) (WJ:375) Not to be confused with the pronoun pen ”one, somebody, anybody”. When prefixed to a noun, the resulting phrase can be treated as an adjective in that it is lenited (pen- appears as ben-) where an adjective would be lenited. 2)

pen

without

(lenited ben) (lacking, -less) (WJ:375) Not to be confused with the pronoun pen ”one, somebody, anybody”. When prefixed to a noun, the resulting phrase can be treated as an adjective in that it is lenited (pen- appears as ben-) where an adjective would be lenited.

Telerin 

-o

suffix. of

Cognates

  • Q. -o “of; genitive ending” ✧ WJ/369

aba-

prefix. not

Cognates

  • Q. ava- “negation (refusing or forbidden)” ✧ WJ/370

Derivations

  • BĀ/ABA “refuse, forbid, prohibit, say nay (in refusal or denial), refuse, forbid, prohibit, say nay (in refusal or denial), [ᴹ√] deny; away, go away, depart” ✧ WJ/370

Element in

Variations

  • aba- ✧ WJ/371

Black Speech

u

preposition. to

Element in

Black Speech [LotR/0445; PE17/078; PM/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Adûnaic

u

pronoun. he

A well-attested pronominal prefix, the masculine singular pronoun “he” (SD/433). See the entry on pronominal-prefixes for more discussion. Tolkien said that it had another variant hu- (SD/433), but this variant was only appears in the early and rejected hunekkū, which was changed to unekkū (see nakh-). Tolkien further indicated that the form u- primitively had an initial consonant [ɣ] or [ʔ] that was lost (SD/433).

Derivations

  • √Ad. ƷU “he”

Variations

  • u-/hu- ✧ SD/433

Khuzdûl

-u

suffix. of, in

Element in

  • Kh. bund “head” ✧ PE17/036
  • Kh. Bundushathûr “Cloudy-head” ✧ PE17/036; TI/174

Variations

  • u ✧ PE17/036; TI/174
Khuzdûl [PE17/036; PE17/047; TI/174] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ul

suffix. of

Element in

  • Kh. Azanulbizar “Dimrill Dale, (lit.) Rills of the Shadows” ✧ RC/269

Variations

  • |ul ✧ PE17/047
Khuzdûl [PE17/047; RC/269] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive elvish

ū

interjection. primitive negative interjection

Derivations

  • Ū “denial of fact, privation, negative element, denial of fact, privation, negative element, [ᴱ√] not” ✧ PE17/143

Derivatives

  • S. û “no, not, no, not, [G.] nor” ✧ PE17/144

Element in

  • uklā “gloom, gloomy” ✧ PE18/088

Variations

  • ū̆- ✧ PE18/088
Primitive elvish [PE17/144; PE18/088] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ū

root. denial of fact, privation, negative element, denial of fact, privation, negative element, [ᴱ√] not

A negative root first mentioned as ᴱ√Ū “not” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with various derivatives in Qenya and Gnomish (QL/96, 98; GL/73). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it became {ᴹ√ƷŪ >>} ᴹ√ or ᴹ√ “no, not”, and in this document had “evil connotations” (Ety/GŪ, MŪ; EtyAC/ƷŪ), but in later writings it again became √Ū (PE17/143; PE22/153). For much of its existence this root was in competition with invertible √LA for negation, but in notes from 1959 Tolkien decided √Ū was the only negative root (PE17/143), though √LA was briefly restored in 1969 (PE22/160) only to be abandoned again (VT44/4). For a full history of Tolkien’s shifting conceptions of negation in Elvish, see the Quenya entry on the negative.

Derivatives

  • ū “primitive negative interjection” ✧ PE17/143
    • S. û “no, not, no, not, [G.] nor” ✧ PE17/144
  • UMU “not, expressing privation, not, expressing privation; [ᴹ√] negative stems”
    • ᴺQ. munta “nothing, *zero”
    • Q. ui- “to not be, to not do” ✧ VT49/29
    • Q. um(ba)- “[unglossed]” ✧ PE17/172
    • ᴺS. ont “no, none”
    • ᴺS. unt “nothing”
  • Q. ú “without, destitute of” ✧ PE17/143
  • Q. ú- “no, not, un-, in-; hard, difficult, bad, uneasy; hardly, with difficulty, ‘badly’” ✧ VT42/33
  • ᴺQ. ui(y)a “no, not any, not (a); none”
  • Q. úna “deprived of, destitute, forlorn” ✧ PE17/143
  • S. ú- “no, not, negative; impossible, no, not, negative; impossible; [N.] bad-” ✧ VT42/33

Variations

  • Ú ✧ PE22/153
  • ū ✧ VT42/32
  • û ✧ VT42/33
Primitive elvish [PE17/143; PE17/145; PE17/188; PE22/153; VT42/32; VT42/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

suffix. dual ending for pairs

Derivations

  • YU “both, both, [ᴹ√] two”

Derivatives

  • Q. -u “dual ending” ✧ Let/427

Variations

  • ū ✧ Let/427
Primitive elvish [Let/427] Group: Eldamo. Published by

we

root. dual

A primitive “dual” element mentioned in notes on numbers from the late 1960s, contributing to the forms of primitive ✶enekwe “six” and ✶yun(e)kwe “twelve” in the Quenya branch of Elvish, as well as the ancient 1st person inclusive pronoun ✶ñwe (VT48/10). It was probably related to the ancient dual suffix ✶ (Let/427). It was also likely a later iteration the dual root ᴱ√WI from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s which was likewise connected to dual U (QL/33). This early root was mentioned in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon as ᴱ✶u̯i (GL/45).

Variations

  • we ✧ VT48/10
Primitive elvish [VT48/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-t

suffix. dual ending

Derivatives

  • Q. -t “dual ending”

Variations

  • t ✧ VT49/50
Primitive elvish [VT49/50] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

nu

preposition. under

With suffixed article, see also nuin

Noldorin [Ety/378, etc.] Group: SINDICT. Published by

interjection. no

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ “no, not” ✧ Ety/MŪ

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ > [mū]✧ Ety/MŪ
Noldorin [EtyAC/MŪ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nuin

preposition. under the

Noldorin [Ety/378, etc.] nu+i. Group: SINDICT. Published by

no

preposition. under

With suffixed article, see also nuin

Noldorin [Ety/378, etc.] Group: SINDICT. Published by

no

preposition. under

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. nu “under” ✧ Ety/NU

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NU/UNU “*down, under” ✧ Ety/NU

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NŪ̆ > no[nu] > [no]✧ Ety/NU

al-

prefix. no, not

Noldorin [Ety/367] Group: SINDICT. Published by

an

preposition. of

Element in

Noldorin [WR/287; WR/379; WR/388] Group: Eldamo. Published by

heltha-

verb. to strip

The form helta- in the Etymologies is a misreading according to VT/46:14

Noldorin [Ety/386, VT/46:14] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ho

pronoun. he

Noldorin [Ety/385, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ho

pronoun. he

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶sū̆/sō̆ “masc., he” ✧ Ety/S
    • ᴹ√S “demonstrative stem” ✧ Ety/S

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶sū̆/sō̆ > ho[so] > [ho]✧ Ety/S

Variations

  • hon ✧ Ety/S
  • hono ✧ Ety/S

hon

pronoun. he

Noldorin [Ety/385, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

hon(o)

pronoun. he

hono

pronoun. he

Noldorin [Ety/385, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nan

preposition. of


Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Primitive adûnaic

ʒu Reconstructed

root. he

A Primitive Adûnaic form attested as u “he” (SD/435), but given the later Adûnaic pronoun Ad. u or hu “he”, the actual primitive pronoun may have been ✱ƷU [ɣu], ✱ʔU or ✱HU [xu], as Tolkien indicated in a footnote (SD/433, note #7). The suffix -u was also a common feature of Classical Adûnaic masculine-nouns.

Derivatives

  • Ad. u “he”

Variations

  • u ✧ SD/435
Primitive adûnaic [SD/435] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

nu

preposition. under

Cognates

  • N. no “under” ✧ Ety/NU

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NU/UNU “*down, under” ✧ Ety/NU

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NŪ̆ > no[nu] > [no]✧ Ety/NU

Variations

  • no ✧ Ety/NU
  • nau ✧ EtyAC/NU
Qenya [Ety/NU; EtyAC/NU; LR/047; LR/056; SD/246; SD/310] Group: Eldamo. Published by

au-

prefix. without

no

preposition. under

ava-

prefix. without

Derivations

  • ᴹ√AWA “away, forth; out” ✧ Ety/AR²; Ety/AWA

Element in

  • ᴺQ. avamarwa “homeless”
  • ᴹQ. avanóte “without number, numberless” ✧ Ety/AR²; Ety/AWA
  • ᴹQ. avaqet- “to refuse, forbid”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√AWA > ava-[awa-] > [ava-]✧ Ety/AWA

Variations

  • au- ✧ Ety/AWA
Qenya [Ety/AR²; Ety/AWA] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

al

prefix. without

Derivations

  • ᴹ√LA “no, not; to be not” ✧ Ety/AR²

Derivatives

  • N. al- “no, not”

Element in

  • N. Alchorin “Not-of-Kôr” ✧ Ety/AR²
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/AR²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

u

adverb. no, not, nor

Derivations

  • ᴱ√Ū “not”

Element in

Variations

  • u – u ✧ GL/73
Gnomish [GL/47; GL/52; GL/53; GL/73] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ui

suffix. dual

-tt

suffix. dual

Cognates

  • Eq. -t “dual” ✧ GG/10

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶-ttǝ “dual” ✧ GG/10

Derivatives

  • G. -th “plural suffix” ✧ GG/10

-wi

suffix. dual

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶u̯i ✧ GL/45
    • ᴱ√WI “dual”

Element in

  • G. gadwi “twins” ✧ GL/37

Variations

  • -wi ✧ GG/11; GL/37 (-wi); GL/45
  • -ui ✧ GL/45
Gnomish [GG/11; GL/37; GL/45] Group: Eldamo. Published by

a

preposition. of

a(n)

preposition. of

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶ā ✧ PE13/108

Element in

Variations

  • ✧ GG/07; GL/17; GL/49; LT1A/Uolë Kúvion; LT1I/Gilfanon
  • an ✧ GG/11; GL/26; GL/26; LT2A/Cûm an-Idrisaith
  • a ✧ GG/11; GL/34; GL/46; GL/64; LT1A/Cûm a Gumlaith; LT2A/Falasquil; LT2A/Teld Quing Ilon; LT2A/Tôn a Gwedrin; PE13/093; PE13/108
Gnomish [GG/07; GG/11; GG/12; GL/17; GL/26; GL/34; GL/46; GL/49; GL/64; LT1A/Cûm a Gumlaith; LT1A/Uolë Kúvion; LT1I/Gilfanon; LT2A/Cûm an-Idrisaith; LT2A/Falasquil; LT2A/Teld Quing Ilon; LT2A/Tôn a Gwedrin; PE13/093; PE13/108] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nan

preposition. of

o-

conjunction. he

Element in

  • G. o·gwath lemp nin “he beckons, (lit.) he wags a finger at me” ✧ GL/53 (o·gwath lemp nin*)

Variations

  • ✧ GL/53 ()

on

pronoun. he

Element in

Gnomish [GL/51; GL/62] Group: Eldamo. Published by

to

proper name. To

Cognates

  • Eq. Tombo “Gong (of the Children)” ✧ PE15/07

Early Noldorin

na

preposition. of

Element in

Early Noldorin [LB/275; SM/026] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

u

root. dual

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

ū

root. under

The root ᴱ√Ū⁽¹⁾ “under” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a reduced form of {ᴱ√UGU >>} ᴱ√UƷU, with derivatives like ᴱQ. ū “beneath” and ᴱQ. umbe “dale, dell” (QL/96-97). It also had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. um⁽⁾ “lowlying” and G. umbel “a dell” (GL/74). Tolkien noted that ᴱ√Ū also meant “not”, and contrasted ᴱ√Ū¹ “under” with ᴱ√ (ᴱ√NUHU) of similar meaning (QL/68, 96). Indeed, in Tolkien’s later writings, √NŪ/UNU was the usual basis for “under” words, and ᴱ√Ū¹ “under” seems to have been abandoned.

Changes

  • UGUUƷU ✧ QL/096

Derivatives

  • Eq. umbe “dale, dell” ✧ QL/096
  • Eq. ú “beneath” ✧ QL/096
  • Eq. úva “the under” ✧ QL/096
  • G. ûthi “outside”
  • G. uf “out of, forth, from”
  • G. um “lowlying”
  • G. ûtha- “to emit; to issue”

Variations

  • UƷU ✧ QL/096
  • UGU ✧ QL/097 (UGU)
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/096; QL/097] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ū

root. not

Derivatives

  • G. untha “no, none”
  • G. u- “negative prefix”
  • G. û- “not to be, not to do”
  • G. u “no, not, nor”
  • G. ug- “negative verb”
  • G. ub “no, none”
  • G. unt “nothing”

Element in

  • ᴱ√UMU “*negative” ✧ QL/098

Variations

  • Ū- ✧ QL/096
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/096; QL/098] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ttǝ

suffix. dual

Derivatives

  • Eq. -t “dual” ✧ GG/10
  • G. -tt “dual” ✧ GG/10
    • G. -th “plural suffix” ✧ GG/10

Variations

  • ntǝ ✧ GG/10
Early Primitive Elvish [GG/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ata

root. dual

Derivatives

  • Eq. aqi “a brace, a couple of, both” ✧ QL/033
  • Eq. at- “bi-, twi-” ✧ QL/033
  • G. atha “two”

Element in

  • Eq. atwen “twenty” ✧ QL/033

Variations

  • ATA ✧ QL/033
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/033] Group: Eldamo. Published by

wi

root. dual

Derivatives

  • ᴱ✶u̯i
    • Eq. ui “*two”
    • G. gwi- “twi-, bi-, di-” ✧ GL/45
    • G. uith “both”
    • G. -wi “dual” ✧ GL/45

Variations

  • WI- ✧ QL/033
  • U ✧ QL/033
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/033] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

nu

preposition. under

Derivations

  • ᴱ√NUHU “bow, bend down, stoop, sink”

Element in

Variations

  • no ✧ PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074 (no)
Early Quenya [MC/214; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tu

pronoun. he

Changes

  • tuhu “he” ✧ PE14/078

Element in

Variations

  • tu ✧ PE14/046; PE14/079 (tu)
Early Quenya [PE14/046; PE14/079] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ú

preposition. beneath

Cognates

  • G. uf “out of, forth, from” ✧ GL/74

Derivations

  • ᴱ√Ū “under” ✧ QL/096

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√Ū¹ > ū[ū]✧ QL/096

Variations

  • ū ✧ GL/74; QL/096
Early Quenya [GL/74; QL/096] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-t

suffix. dual

Cognates

  • G. -tt “dual” ✧ GG/10

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶-ttǝ “dual” ✧ GG/10
Early Quenya [GG/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nún

adverb. beneath

Derivations

  • ᴱ√NUHU “bow, bend down, stoop, sink”

Element in

Variations

  • nuun ✧ PE16/077
Early Quenya [PE16/077] Group: Eldamo. Published by

no

preposition. under

enqe

preposition. without

Variations

  • Enqe ✧ QL/035
Early Quenya [QL/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by