-a-

suffix. subjective inflection

The inflection used to put neuter nouns into the subjective case (SD/430), used either as a suffix (for weak-nouns) or augmenting the last vowel (for strong-nouns). See the entry on the subjective case for further details.

satta

noun. two

The Adûnaic number “two” (SD/428). It seems likely that it is related to Q. atta “two”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne (AAD/22), though it is unclear how the initial s- might have developed in the Adûnaic. It may also be related to the Adûnaic dual suffix -at, as suggested by Andreas Moehn (EotAL/SAT).

êphalak

adjective. far away

A combination of êphal “far” and the suffix -ak (SD/247, 312), which could either mean “away” or be some kind of intensifier. See the entry for -ak for further discussion.

ûri

noun. sun

A noun translated “sun” (SD/306, 428). This word appears in the forms ûrê, ûri and ûrî, but Tolkien declared that the form with long î is actually the personified form Ûrî “Lady of the Sun” (SD/426), perhaps the Adûnaic name of Q. Arien. The form ûrê only appears once (SD/426), so ûri is probably to be preferred as the ordinary word for Sun, especially since it is a neuter noun, which ordinarily cannot end in a long -ê (SD/427). Tolkien lists the “later forms Uir, Ŷr” (SD/306), one of which may be the Westron word for “sun”, most likely Wes. uir. As suggested by several authors (AAD/24, EotAL/UR), ûri is probably derived from the Elvish root ᴹ√UR.

rhain

adjective. free

The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. {rhein >>} rhain “free” derived from ᴹ✶(a)ranı̯ā under the root ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray”; it also had a deleted variant erein, presumably from aranı̯ā (EtyAC/RAN). See also S. rain “erratic wandering” for a later appearance of a similarly derived word.

Neo-Sindarin: Many Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this adjective as ᴺS. rain “free” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD), since the unvoicing of initial r to rh was a feature of Noldorin of the 1930s but not Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s. I would use it as “free” in the sense “✱unconstrained”.

lhagr

adjective. swift, rapid

al-

prefix. no, not

al-

prefix. no, not

@@@ the phrase “the only place in Noldorin where the primitive prefix is preserved” was deleted (EtyAC/AR²)

alag

adjective. rushing, impetuous

anaur

noun. Sun

anor

noun. Sun

celeg

adjective. swift, agile, hasty

gwahae

adjective. *far away

lhagr

adjective. swift, rapid

The form lhegin in the published Etymologies might be a misreading for lhegrin, see VT/45:25. As noted by Bertrand Bellet, the two forms are listed side by side, and they may simply be doublets, but it is also possible that we have here a singular followed by its plural.

lhain

adjective. free, freed

lhein

adjective. free, freed

mad-

verb. to eat

mû

interjection. no

nae

interjection. alas

nae

interjection. alas

nag-

verb. to bite

rhaug

noun. demon

rhuin

noun. fire

saew

noun. poison

saew

noun. poison

tad

cardinal. two

tâd

cardinal. two

tâd

cardinal. two

ûr

noun. fire, heat

ûr

noun. fire

alak

root. rushing, rushing, [ᴹ√] swift

A root whose most notable derivatives are Q. alqua, S. alph “swan”. The earliest iteration of this root was ᴱ√ḶKḶ from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/30); the other derivatives of this root from this period have to do with “appearance” such as ᴱQ. ilk- “to seem” (QL/42). By The Etymologies of the 1930s this root took on its later form, ᴹ√ALAK and had the gloss “rushing” with other derivatives like ᴹQ. alako “rush, rushing flight, wild wind”, N. alag “rushing, impetuous” and N. alagos “storm (of wind)” (Ety/ÁLAK). It was also an element in the name of S./N. Ancalagon “Biting Storm”. Given the continued appearance of this name of The Silmarillion (S/252), the 1930s meaning of this root may have survived, but it is hard to be certain since the name was only properly translated in the 1930s.

The 1930s root also had an unaugmented variant ᴹ√LAK with derivatives ᴹQ. (a)larka, N. lhagr “swift, rapid” (Ety/LAK²). Whether this unaugmented variant remained valid is unclear, but there is nothing in Tolkien’s later writing contradicting it either.

may

root. excellent, admirable, beautiful; make [art]; suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right

A root appearing in Tolkien’s later writings with a variety of glosses: √MAY “make (in artistic sense as in ποιήτης [Greek: make, create])” in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 (PE17/145, 163), {√MAGA >>} √(A)MAY “suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right” in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 but this note was crossed through (PE17/172), √MAY “excellent, admirable” elsewhere in DLN (PE17/172), again as √MAY “excellent, admirable” in notes contemporaneous to the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 (PE17/150, 163) and finally as √MAY “beautiful” in notes from the late 1960s (VT47/18).

Two notable derivatives of √MAY were S. mae “well” (PE17/17, 163) and Q. Maia (PE17/163; VT47/18), but elsewhere these two words were derived from the root √MAG “good (useful)” (PE17/16, 162; PE19/46, 62, 75, 94). In the aforementioned notes from the late 1960s, however, Tolkien said “maga was distinct from maʒa and maya” (VT48/18). For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume the root √MAY was distinct from √MAG, having the meaning “excellent, admirable, beautiful” and by extension the creation of beautiful things such as art, to allow the retention of 1957 words like Q. maitar “artist” (PE17/163).

A possible precursor to this root is unglossed ᴱ√MAẎA from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. mai “too much” and ᴱQ. maira “excessive, strong” (QL/60); perhaps a more extreme version of its later sense “excellent”. The entry also included ᴱQ. mairu “(horse ?); mane, flowing hair”, but Tolkien marked this word with a “?”, perhaps indicating he was unsure it was from this root (QL/60).

atata

root. two, two; [ᴹ√] again, back

la

root. no, not; negative; not to be

An invertible root, √LA or √ALA, used for negation. Its earliest iteration was as the primitive negative prefix ᴱ✶ḷ- from the 1910s (GL/50; PE12/11; QL/97). Its first appearance as ᴹ√LA “no, not” was in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/LA), and it regularly appeared in documents from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Tolkien then abandoned this form of negation in 1959 (PE17/143), but restored it again around 1969 (PE22/160) only to abandon it again shortly after (VT44/4). For a full history of Tolkien’s shifting conceptions of negation in Elvish, see the Quenya entry on the negative.

tāra

adjective. high

(a)tata

cardinal. two

-āga

suffix. genitive

-ō

suffix. genitive

ala

root. no, not; negative; not to be

anār

noun. Sun

arātā

adjective. high, lofty, noble

atta

cardinal. two

ler

root. free

A root appearing twice in a list of roots from 1959-60, the first time described as “free (of moveable things or moving things), able to move as willed, unimpeded, unhampered, loose, not fixed fast or static” and the second time as “am free to do, sc., am under no restraint (physical or other)” (VT41/5-6). In the second instance it was compared to √POL which had the sense of being physically able to do something. It seems that √LER = “able to do something because there is nothing preventing it” vs. √POL = “able to something because of physical ability”. It might also be contrasted with √LEK which has the sense of freeing something that was once bound, whereas with √LER the thing that is free may have never been bound in the first place.

lā-

verb. to not be

mat-

verb. to eat

mot

root. fen, marsh

A root in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 glossed “fen, marsh” with derivatives like [Q?] motto and [S?] both or moth, apparently of similar meaning (PE17/165). A likely precursor is the unglossed root ᴹ√MBOTH in The Etymologies of the 1930s serving as the basis for words like ᴹQ. motto “blot”, N. both “puddle, small pool”, and Ilk. umboth “large pool”, the last of these being the basis for Ilk. Umboth Muilin “Veiled Pool” (Ety/MBOTH, MUY).

In the Gnomish of the 1910s, the first element of G. Umboth-muilin “Pools of Twilight” was derived from ᴱ√mbaþ-, a strengthened form of ᴱ√MAÞA “dusk”, with the second element muilin meaning “pools”, the plural G. muil (LT2/225; GL/58, 75). Later still this name became S. Aelin-uial, and it seems √M(B)OT was repurposed for swamp words.

nak

root. bite

This root was the basis for Elvish words for “bite” from all of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√NAKA “bite” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. naka- “bite” and ᴱQ. naksa “sour” (QL/64). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. nactha- “bite” and G. naith “tooth” (GL/59). The root reappeared as ᴹ√NAK “bite” in The Etymologies of the 1930s along with augmented variant ᴹ√ÁNAK and derivatives like ᴹQ. anka/N. anc “jaw, row of teeth” (Ety/ÁNAK, NAK); in this same document Tolkien considered the possibility that the roots ᴹ√NAYAK “pain” and ᴹ√NDAK “slay” might be related to ᴹ√NAK, though he did not commit to either idea (Ety/NÁYAK; EtyAC/NDAK).

One interesting derivative of this root from the 1930s was N. naeth “biting, gnashing of teeth” from which N. nírnaeth “lamentation = ✱tear[ful]-gnashing” was derived, serving as an element in N. Nírnaeth Arnediad “[Battle of] Unnumbered Tears” (Ety/NAY; LR/310), replacing earlier Nirnaith of unclear etymology. In later writings Tolkien said S. naeth simply meant “woe” in the name S. Sigil Elu-naeth “Necklace of the Woe of Thingol” (WJ/258), but this may just be a generalization of its 1930s meaning “gnashing of teeth”. As for the root √NAK “bite”, it reappeared in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2), serving again as example of an abnormal vocalization leading to the derivative ✶ankā “jaws” (PE18/87).

nar

root. fire, fire, [ᴹ√] flame

A root for “fire” first appearing as ᴹ√NAR “flame, fire” in The Etymologies of the 1930s along with derivatives like ᴹQ. nár(e)/N. naur “flame” (Ety/NAR¹). There was also an augmented variant ᴹ√ANÁR that served as the basis for “Sun” words: ᴹQ. Anar and N. Anor (Ety/ANÁR). These roots and the various derivatives continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings in the 1950s and 60s (PE17/38; Let/425), and in one place Tolkien specified that nār- was “fire as an element” as opposed to √RUYU for an actual blaze.

ndūya-

verb. to descend

nāro

noun. fire

raukō

noun. demon

rindi

adjective. swift

rāta

adjective. lofty, high, noble

spindilā

noun. head of hair

tata

masculine name. Two

tā/taʒ

root. high, high, [ᴹ√] lofty; noble

This root and ones like it were used for “high” things for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as unglossed ᴱ√TAHA in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. tā “high; high above, high up”, ᴱQ. tahōra or tayóra “lofty”, and ᴱQ. tāri “queen”; it had a variant form ᴱ√TAʕA where the ʕ might be a malformed Y (QL/87). The corresponding forms in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon were G. dâ “high” and G. dara “lofty” (GL/29), indicating the true form of the root was ᴱ√DAHA, since initial voiced stops were unvoiced (d- > t-) in Early Qenya (PE12/17). Primitive forms like ᴱ✶dagá > ᴱN. dâ/ᴱQ. tá “high” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s indicates the root continued to begin with D for the following decade (PE13/141, 161).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√TĀ/TAƷ “high, lofty; noble” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tára “lofty, high”, ᴹQ. tári “queen” and N. taen “height, summit of high mountain” (Ety/TĀ). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien gave the root as √TAG or Tā- “high”, and in notes from around 1967 Tolkien gave √TAƷ as the explanation of the initial element of Q. Taniquetil and contrasted it with √TĂR “stand” (PE17/186). In 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2), Tolkien wrote a marginal note giving √TAƷ > TĀ “high”, but this note was rejected with a statement “transfer to Gen. Structure. No [ʒ] existed in Eldarin” (PE19/72-73 note #22).

This last rejection seems to be part of Tolkien’s general vacillation on the nature and phonetic evolution of velar spirants in Primitive Elvish in 1968-70. For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume the root form was √TAH or √TAƷ > √TĀ as the basis for “high” words, much like √MAH or √MAƷ > ✶mā was the basis for “hand” words.

bes

root. to wed

atya

noun. daddy, (my) father

An affectionate word for one’s own father, a reduction of Q. atarinya “my father” (PE17/170; VT47/26). Tolkien also toyed with alternate forms like atyo and (a)taryo (VT47/10, 27, 32; VT48/19).

núya-

verb. to descend, to descend, *come down, set (of the sun)

Tolkien gave núya- as an intransitive verb meaning “descend” several times in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 as an example of a ya-formative verb, having the forms (a)n(d)úya (PE22/156) or núya- (PE22/163), the latter derived from primitive ✶ndūya- based on the root √ndu “down”. It was contrasted with ta-causative núta- “lower = ✱cause to go down” (PE22/156).

Conceptual Development: Prior to the 1950s, the verb form ᴱQ./ᴹQ. núta- had intransitive glosses like “stoop, sink” (Qenya Lexicon: QL/68) or “set, sink (of Sun or Moon)” (Etymologies: Ety/NDŪ); see that entry for discussion. However, intransitive núta- had competition from other verbs in Tolkien’s earlier writings.

The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s also had ᴱQ. nūmeta- or numenda- “get low (of sun)”, both verb forms of ᴱQ. núme “west” (QL/68). This verb appeared in the Oilima Markirya poem from around 1930 and its drafts in the phrase ᴱQ. rána númetar “the moon went down in the West” (MC/221). In notes associated with one of these drafts, Tolkien glossed the verb númeta- as “go down in the west” (PE16/75). The verb númeta- did not appear thereafter.

As noted above, in The Etymologies of the 1930s the verb ᴹQ. núta- was glossed “set, sink (of Sun or Moon)” (Ety/NDŪ). It was glossed “come down” in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) of 1948, but there it was revised to unta in the phrase ᴹQ. lairesse nihare to tarassi, yu {núta >>} unta hrívesse landannar “in the summer I live in the hills [as a rule], and come down to the plains in the winter” (PE22/125 and note #136). This new intransitive verb appeared a second time in LVS in a rejected page of verbal roots as unta “descend, as of sun or of a man from a mountain” with a half-strong past form ununte “came/went down” (PE22/127 note #152). A similar verb ᴹQ. unda- notes on Quenda Personal Pronouns (QPP1) from this same period in the phrase saundar “they sank”, but it was deleted (PE23/77 note #21).

The reason for the introduction of 1948 unta- “descend” isn’t explicitly given, but likely Tolkien decided núta- should be transitive/causative, and indeed in Tolkien gave causative ✶ndūtā- “cause to sink” in Common Eldarin: Verb Structure (EVS2) from the early 1950s (PE22/135). It seems núta- remained causative thereafter, but in 1969 LVS Tolkien gave the intransitive/ya-formative form as núya- “descend” (PE22/163), as described above.

Neo-Quenya: Based on this discussion, I would use núya- as the basic Quenya verb for “to descend, ✱come down”, and thus also useable as “✱set (of the Sun)”. However, I think it is worth salvaging 1948 ᴹQ. unta- with the modified sense “descend [below a surface]”, based on the use of undu for “under, beneath” and [rejected] ᴹQ. unda- “sink”. Thus I would use núya- to mean “descend [generally or towards a horizon]” while unta- would mean “descend [below a surface]” and so meaning “✱sink, stoop”. Compare also suv- “sink (esp. in water)” (PE22/127).

(a)lá

interjection. yes

atta

cardinal. two

(a)nacca

noun. narrows, defile, pass, cut

A noun appearing in etymological notes from around 1964 (DD) with the glosses “narrows, defile, pass, cut” as a derivative of √NAKH “narrow, thin” (PE17/166).

(a)taryo

noun. daddy

aista

adjective. *holy

alarca

swift, rapid

alarca ("k")adj. "swift, rapid" (LAK2)

am(il)ye

noun. *mummy

amilyë

mummy

amilyë or milyë (cited as (a)milyë), noun "mummy", also used as a play-name of the index finger, but Tolkien emended it to emmë, emya. (VT48:4) In its basic sense, (a)milyë would be a variant of amil, amillë "mother", q.v.

amya

noun. mummy, (orig.) my mother

An affectionate word used by a child to address his or her mother (PE17/170), also appearing as emya (VT47/10; VT48/6, 19) along with other variants like amye or amilye (VT47/26-27, 32). It is a reduction of the possessive form: amilinya “my mother”. See amil(lë) “mother” for a discussion of the am-/em- variation.

amya-

prefix. excellent, admirable

anar

noun. Sun

Anar is the most common Quenya name for the Sun and was derived from primitive ✶Anār, an augmented form of the root √NAR “fire” (Let/425; PE17/38; Ety/ANÁR; SD/302, 306). In the uninflected form the long vowel shortens as usual in final syllables, but its stem form is probably Anár- as with the name Anárion (LotR/1044) and the plural coranári of coranar “sun-round” (PM/126). When suffixes with consonant clusters are added, however, the á shortens such as with Anarinya “my Sun” (LR/72).

Conceptual Development: This term appeared in Silmarillion drafts of the 1930s with the gloss “Heart of Flame” (LR/240) and as ᴹQ. Anar “sun” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above (Ety/ANÁR, NAR¹).

andúya

verb. descend

andúya-

verb. to descend

aranya

free

aranya, also ranya, adj. "free". Another gloss was not certainly legible, but the editors suggest "uncontrolling" (VT46:10)

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

arauca

swift, rushing

arauca ("k")adj. "swift, rushing" (LT2:347). Compare arauco.

arauco

noun. demon

ataryo

daddy

ataryo, also taryo (cited as (a)taryo), noun "daddy", also used as a name for the thumb in children's play, but Tolkien emended it to atto/atya (VT48:4). Compare atar "father".

atta

cardinal. two

atta (1) cardinal "two" (AT(AT), Letters:427, VT42:26, 27, VT48:6, 19). Elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44); notice how a noun is indeclinable before this numeral, and any case endings are "singular" and added to the numeral rather than the noun, e.g. genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45). Attalyar "Bipeds" (sg. *Attalya) = Petty-dwarves (from Sindarin Tad-dail) (WJ:389). A word atta_ "again" was struck out; see the entry _TAT in Etym and cf. ata in this list.

atya

daddy

atya (2) noun "daddy", supposedly a word in "actual 'family' use" (VT47:26, PE17:170), also used in children's play for "thumb" and "big toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6); reduction of at(an)ya "my father" (or, as explained in VT48:19, reduction of at-nya of similar meaning). Compare atto.

auta-

verb. to go (away), depart, leave; to pass away, disappear, be lost, to go (away), depart, leave; [variant: vanya-] to pass away, disappear, be lost

A rather irregular verb whose base meaning is “go (away), depart, leave” and by extension with the senses “pass away, disappear, be lost”, derived from the invertible root √WĀ/AWA “away” (PE17/63; WJ/366). Its most notable use is in the Namárië poem where it appeared in its plural perfect form avánier “have passed” (LotR/377). The related adjective vanwa “lost, departed, vanished” appeared in the same poem. Tolkien’s desire to retain the forms avánie and vanwa likely influenced his investigation of this verb; its conceptual development is quite complex (see below).

The irregularity of this verb is due to some of its tenses being based on √AW, and others on √WĀ. Starting in the late 1950s he usually represent the base verb stem as auta- (PE17/63; PE22/164; WJ/366), such as in auta i lómë “the night is passing” from The Silmarillion (S/190). The stem form auta- was based on √AW + tă, similar to other verbs whose roots ended in y/w which usually required a formative suffix like ✶-tă (PE22/156). Such “half-strong” verbs normally had past forms with nasal-infixion before the formative suffix, in this case with primitive ✶áwa-n-tē becoming modern öante because ancient awa become öa in Quenya’s phonetic history (WJ/366-367). Tolkien posited similar perfect forms öantie or öávie (WJ/366; PE17/148; PE22/164).

In the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, Tolkien said that:

> In the more purely physical sense “went away (to another place)” the regular forms (for a -ta verb of this class) öante, öantie were used (WJ/366).

However, in this document (and others) he described another past form váne from primitive ✶wāne, derived from √WĀ rather than √AW (PE17/63; WJ/366). From this ancient past form the perfect avánie was derived, with Tolkien saying “the forms of past and perfect became progressively more closely associated in Quenya” (WJ/366). This variant of the past and perfect was associated with the adjective (originally a perfective adjective) vanwa “gone, lost, no longer to be had, vanished, departed, dead, past and over”, and from it got the meaning: “✱passed away, went away (to never return)”. It was in this sense the perfect form avánier was used in the Namárië poem.

Conceptual Development: This verb has numerous precursors in Tolkien’s earlier writings, since the original root ᴱ√AVA “go away, depart, leave” dates back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/33). This root had a verb form ᴱQ. avin “he departs” with past form ambe (QL/33). The early root also had an inversion ᴱ√VAHA, from which an alternate past form vâ “went” was derived (QL/99). Thus the notion that the past and present forms of this verb were from inversions of the root was quite an old idea in Tolkien’s mind.

The English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s had a verb form ᴱQ. vana- “pass, depart, vanish, go away” (PE15/76). This became ᴹQ. vanya- “go, depart, disappear” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√WAN “depart, go away, disappear, vanish” (Ety/WAN). This verb reappeared in the “Merin Sentence” from the mid-to-late 1950s: merin sa haryalyë alassë nó vanyalyë Ambarello “I hope that you have happiness before you pass from the world” (MS). It is thus likely the base verb was vanya- when Tolkien first composed the Namárië poem, and in the 1st edition of The Lord of the Rings the perfect form was vánier without the leading a (RC/341).

The verb form ᴹQ. auta- with the sense “to go away” first appeared in the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from the 1940s, where it was a variant of ᴹQ. apsa- < ᴹ✶abtā- of the same meaning, a back-formation from the past form avante < ✱aba-n-tē, all based on the root ᴹ√ABA/BA “away, go away” (PE19/45). However, sometime in the late 1930s or early 1940s, Tolkien revised the meaning of ᴹ√AB to “refuse, deny, say no” (Ety/AB). In the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, Tolkien had a similar verbal paradigm with Q. apta < ✶ab-ta vs. Q. auta as back-formation from past avante, but in that document the past was glossed “refused, denied, said nay” (PE19/90).

The derivations of auta- “go away, depart” from the root √WĀ/AWA began to appear in documents from the late 1950s and early 1960s such as Notes on Galadriel’s Song (NGS: PE17/63), Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN: PE17/148), and Quendi and Eldar (Q&E: WJ/365-366). He seem to stick with this paradigm going forward, but continue to experiment with various forms for different verb tenses. For example, in couple places Tolkien gave anwe as another (archaic) past along with oante (WJ/366; PE17/148). In another place he consider a variant verb ava- “depart, go away, disappear, be lost” with present avea, future auva, past vāne, and perfect avānie (PE17/63).

Neo-Quenya: It is pretty clear Tolkien intended the aorist form of this verb to be auta. In NGS Tolkien gave a future form autuva (PE17/63) and in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 a present form autya (PE22/164). LVS had a number of -ya or -ia present tenses for various ta-formative verbs, but also said something like “make Q. ea as present tense invaded other forms” in a difficult-to-read note. I take that to mean that the -ya/-ia presents regularized to -ea across many verb classes, so I would use the present tense form ✱autea “is departing” instead and assume that †autya is archaic; see the discussion of the Quenya present tense for more details.

This verb had two past paradigms: öante “went away (to another place)” vs. váne “✱pass away, went away (to never return)”, along with associated perfects öantie vs. avánie, with the last meaning “have passed away” (RGEO/58). In the aorist, present and future tenses this distinction is frequently less relevant, because the “to never return” qualifier is necessarily unknown. Where it is relevant, however, I would use a variant stem form vanya- “to pass away, disappear, be lost”, a back-formation derived from the alternate perfect avánie, inspired by the verb form in The Etymologies and the Merin Sentence (see above).

emmë

mummy

emmë (1) noun "mummy", hypocoristic form of "mother", also used in children's play for "index finger" and "index toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6, 17, 19). Also emya.

emya

mummy

emya noun "mummy", also used in children's play for "index finger" and "index toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6). Said to be a reduction of emenya *"my mother", seemingly presupposing #emë as a word for "mother" (but this word normally appears as emil or amil, incorporating a feminine ending). In VT48:19, emya is explained as deriving from em-nya "my mother". Compare emmë # 2.

emya

noun. mummy, (orig.) my mother

fairë

free

fairë (4) adj. "free" (LT1:250) (rather léra, lerina or mirima in LotR-style Quenya)

findessë

head of hair, a person's hair as a whole

findessë noun "a head of hair, a person's hair as a whole" (PM:345). Compare findilë.

findilë

head of hair

findilë noun "a head of hair". Compare findessë. (PE17:17)

findilë

noun. head of hair

halda

adjective. high, tall

hloima

poison

hloima noun "poison", "a poisonous substance" (PE17:185)

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.

la

no, not

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

larca

swift, rapid

larca ("k")adj. "swift, rapid" (LAK2)

lehta

free, released

lehta (2) adj. "free, released" (VT39:17); #lehta tengwë "free element, released element", a term for "vowel" (only pl. lehta tengwi [ñ] is attested; we would rather expect *lehtë tengwi with the pl. form of the adjective) (VT39:17)

lenta

adjective. free

lerina

free

lerina adj. "free" of things: not guarded, reserved, made fast, or "owned" (VT41:5)

linta

swift

linta adj. "swift"; pl. lintë attested (PE17:63. Nam, RGEO:66) Cf. lintië.

linta

adjective. swift

lá

no, not

lá (1) adv. "no, not" (LA, VT45:25) According to VT42:33, lá is the stressed form, alternating with la when the negation is unstressed. In another conceptual phase of Tolkien's, lá had the opposite meaning "yes" (VT42:32-33), but this idea is contradicted by both earlier and later material: usually lá 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 hé *"I love him but I do not [love] him" (another person) (VT49:15). Present tense laia, past lánë, perfect alaië, future lauva.

lá

interjection. yes

lá

adverb. no, not

lá-

verb. to not be

léra

free

léra adj. noun "free", of persons (VT41:5)

mai-

prefix. excellent, admirable, excellent, admirable; *well, happily

mamil

noun. *mummy

An affectionate address from 4-year old Ancalimë to her mother Erendis (UT/191). It appears nowhere else, and I recommend using Q. amya instead for as an affectionate word for “mother”.

mat-

verb. to eat

The verb for “to eat” derived from the root √MAT of the same meaning (VT39/7).

Conceptual Development: This verb and root are quite well established, dating all the way back to ᴱQ. mat- and ᴱ√MATA of the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/59) and appearing as ᴹQ. mat- and ᴹ√MAT in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/MAT), as well as numerous other places albeit with occasional variants like mata- (PE12/26). This verb was one Tolkien often used in examples of verb conjugations and as such its inflected forms changed considerably over time, but that is more a topic of the evolution of the Quenya verb system itself.

mirima

free

mirima adj. "free" (MIS). ("Free" is rather expressed as léra in Tolkiens later Quenya; mirima would be prone to confusion with mírima above.)

motto

noun. fen, marsh, fen, marsh; [ᴹQ.] blot

The word ᴹQ. motto first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “blot” as a derivative of the root ᴹ√MBOTH (Ety/MBOTH). It reappeared in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 as a derivative of √MOT “fen, marsh”, apparently of the same meaning. Its 1957 Sindarin form both < mbotto implies the root may have been √M(B)OT. For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d keep both the 1957 and 1930s senses, as derivations of slightly different roots.

nacca

noun. narrows, defile, pass, cut

nahta

bite

nahta (2) noun "a bite" (NAK)

nahámë

summons

nahámë noun "summons". Tolkien tentatively considered the alternative forms natyámë or nahémë (VT45:21)

núya-

verb. descend

ossë

terror

ossë noun "terror" (GOS/GOTH). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, ossë was also the name of a Tengwa similar in shape to Roman c, which in a full-vowel mode apparently had the value o. (VT45:15; in the Sindarin "Mode of Beleriand", exemplified in the LotR itself, this letter has the value a instead. Elsewhere in the Etymologies itself, this symbol is called Elwë (q.v.) and is assigned the value e.)

ossë

terror

Ossë noun name of a Maia, adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:400), though connected with the common noun ossë "terror" in Etym (GOS/GOTH)

rauca

demon

rauca ("k")noun "demon" (PE17:48). Variant of rauco, q.v.

rauca

noun. demon

rimpa

rushing, flying

rimpa adj.? noun? "rushing, flying" (RIP; the word is more likely an adjective)

rindë

adjective. swift

ruinë

fire, a blaze

ruinë noun "a fire, a blaze" (PE17:183). Compare nárë.

ráva

free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless

ráva (1) adj. "free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless" (PE17:78), "wild, untamed"_ (RAB). _In PE17:78, the gloss "wild" is given to the variant hráva instead.

sangwa

poison

sangwa noun "poison" (SAG)

satto

cardinal. two

satto, "Qenya" numeral "two" (in Tolkiens later Quenya atta) (VT49:54)

sá

fire

sá noun "fire" (LT1:265; "Qenya" spelling sâ. Rather nárë in LotR-style Quenya.)

tar-

affix. high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)

tyelca

swift, agile

tyelca ("k")adj. "swift, agile" (KYELEK), "hasty" (PM:353)

tá

high

tá 2) adj. "high" (LT1:264; there spelt tâ. This is hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, but cf. tára "lofty".)

tána

high, lofty, noble

tána (meaning unclear, probably adj. "high, lofty, noble") (TĀ/TA3). Compare tára.

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 vá, which is rather used to reject orders, or to issue negative orders). (VT49:28) Compare uito.

uru

fire

uru noun "fire" (LT1:271)

vahaia

adverb. far away

vaháya

far away

vaháya adj. "far away" (LR:47, SD:310). Also spelt vahaiya (SD:247)

veryanwë

wedding

veryanwë "wedding"; veryanwesto "of your (dual) wedding" (VT49:44, 45)

veryanwë

noun. wedding

A word for “wedding” in notes from 1968, a combination of the root √BER “man/wife” and Q. yanwë “joining” (VT49/44-45).

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor of this word was ᴱQ. vestale “wedding” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a noun form of vesta- “to wed” under the early root ᴱ√VEŘE [VEÐE] (QL/101). ᴹQ. vestale “wedding” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, also related to vesta- “to wed”, but under the 1930s root ᴹ√BES (Ety/BES).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I prefer to retain the 1930s form of the root ᴹ√BES in order to keep attested Sindarin/Noldorin forms. However, veryanwe could still be derived form this root, from ✱bes+yanwē, since s &gt; z &gt; r before y. Thus veryanwë “wedding” is compatible with my preferred “marriage” root and I recommend its use. ᴹQ. vestale “wedding” might also remain valid as a variant.

vestalë

wedding

vestalë noun "wedding" (BES, VT49:46) (under WED the word was defined as "oath", but this was struck out)

úr

fire

úr noun "fire" (UR)This stem was struck out in Etym, but a word that must be derived from it occurs in LotR, so it seems that Tolkien restored it. Early "Qenya" also has Ûr, noun "the Sun" (also Úri, Úrinci ("k"), Urwen) (LT1:271). Cf. Úri.

úr(in)

proper name. Sun

A late remnant of earlier names for the Sun: ᴱQ. Ûr and ᴹQ. Úrin. In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, this name was changed from Úrin >> Naira >> Vása (MR/198), but the form Úr(in) occasionally appeared in some later writings (PE17/148, MR/377). This name was a derivative of the root √UR “heat, be hot” (PE17/148).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name was ᴱQ. Ûr, Ur or Úri “Sun”, but literally meaning “Fire” (LT1/187, QL/98). The name became ᴹQ. Úrin in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/240). It was rejected in The Etymologies along with the root form ᴹ√UR, but reappeared sometimes in later writing as noted above.

(a)naxë

noun. acid

A neologism for “acid” coined by Luinyelle posted on 2024-10-06 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), based on [ᴱQ.] naxa “sour”.

allanen

adverb. by no means

amapta-

verb. to ravish, seize and carry off forcibly

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

tassa

noun. (a) trouble, troublesome event/thing/circumstance

@@@ Discord 2023-02-28 < PE ✱tárasā, older tarsa

vélamë

noun. similarity

vétaima

adjective. comparable

tata

cardinal. two

car-

verb. to do

mat-

verb. to eat

al-

prefix. no, not

tâd

cardinal. two

(a)moth

noun. fen, marsh

-ruin

suffix. fire

suff. #fire. Q. ruine. >> Angruin

Ara-

prefix. high, noble, royal

anor

noun. Sun

The most common Sindarin name for the Sun derived from primitive ✶Anār, an augmented form of the root √NAR “fire” (PE17/38; Ety/ANÁR; SD/302-303, 306). The o is the result of ancient ā becoming au and then this au becoming o in polysyllables.

Conceptual Development: The term Anor was first mentioned in conjunction with early tales of Númenor (LR/41). It briefly appeared as N. {ánar >>} Anar “sun” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the entry for ᴹ√NAR (Ety/NAR¹; EtyAC/NAR¹), but as Anor under ᴹ√ANÁR (Ety/ANÁR). In The Notion Club Papers of the 1940s it was Anor, archaic †Anaur (SD/302-303, 306) and it retained this form thereafter.

ar-

prefix. high, noble, royal

athon

verb. yes, I will

balrog

demon

n. (mighty) demon. A word made in ancient S. for the spirits (of 'māyan' origin) corrupted to his service by Melkor in the days outside Arda, before the coming of the Elves and the assault uopon Utumno. Q. pl1. Valaraucar. In a draft, Tolkien presented the Balrogs as of "Valar or Maian origin" (PE17:48). >> raug

baw

interjection. no, don't!

both

noun. fen, marsh, fen, marsh; [N.] puddle, small pool

The word N. both first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “puddle, small pool” as a derivative of the root ᴹ√MBOTH (Ety/MBOTH). It reappeared in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 as a derivative of √MOT “fen, marsh”, apparently of the same meaning, along with variants moth and amoth. For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I’d use the form both and retain the 1957 and 1930s senses as derivations of slightly different roots.

celeg

adjective. swift, agile, hasty

ein-

prefix. excellent, admirable

goe

noun. terror, great fear

groga-

verb. to feel terror

gwahae

adjective. *far away

@@@ unclear why this is not gwachae; it could be Gondorian Sindarin

lagor

adjective. swift, rapid

The form lhegin in the published Etymologies might be a misreading for lhegrin, see VT/45:25. As noted by Bertrand Bellet, the two forms are listed side by side, and they may simply be doublets, but it is also possible that we have here a singular followed by its plural.

lain

adjective. free, freed

lim

adjective. swift

adj. swift. Noro lim, noro lim Asfaloth. 'Run swift, run swift Asfaloth'. Q. limbe,#linta.

mad-

verb. to eat

The Sindarin verb for “to eat” derived from the root √MAT of the same meaning (PE17/131; Ety/MAT). In Tolkien’s later writing it appears only in inflected forms, but the verb itself is well established, dating back all the way to G. mad- in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/56). This verb was one Tolkien often used in examples of verb conjugations and as such its inflected forms changed considerably over time, but that is more a topic of the evolution of the Sindarin verb system.

maer

adjective. excellent

_ adj. _excellent. Q. maira admirable, excellent, precious. >> maer-, maeron

naur

fire

_ n. fire. naur an edraith ammen! _'fire [be] for rescue/saving for us'. Q. nár. >> Sammath Naur

naur

noun. fire, fire, [N.] flame

The basic Sindarin word for “fire”, derived from the root √NAR of the same meaning (LotR/942; PE17/38) and very well attested. It is derived from primitive ✱nār- since primitive long ā became au in Sindarin. It appeared as N. naur “flame” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the same derivation (Ety/NAR). As a suffix it usually reduces to -nor, since au usually becomes o in polysyllables. As a prefix, though, it is often Nar- before consonant clusters, no doubt because the ancient long ā was shortened before it could become au.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, the word for “fire” was G. sâ with archaic form †sai (GL/66) clearly based on the early root ᴱ√SAH(Y)A “be hot” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Sári; QL/81). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, the word for “fire” was ᴱN. byr or buir from primitive ᴱ✶ [mburyē] (PE13/139). Tolkien introduced naur in The Etymologies of the 1930s and stuck with it thereafter.

raud

excellent

_ adj. _excellent, noble, eminent.

raug

demon

n. demon. Q. rauca. >> Balrog

tad

cardinal. two

tâd

cardinal. two

ú

prefix. no, not (negative prefix or particle)

û

interjection. no

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

û

adverb/interjection. no, not, no, not, [G.] nor

ada

daddy

ada (pl. edai)

ada

daddy

(pl. edai)

adleitha

free

(i adleitha, in adleithar), also †adleg- (i adleg, in edlegir), pa.t. adlenc, pp. adlengen, pl. edlengin).

alag

rushing

(impetuous), pl. elaig; also alagon (pl. elegyn)

andrath

high pass

(literally "long climb"), pl. endraith.

anor

sun

(pl. Anoer if there is a pl.) Archaic Anaur (SD:306).

ascar

rushing

(impetuous, violent), pl. escair. Also spelt asgar (pl. esgair).

balrog

fire-demon

(i valrog), pl. balroeg (i malroeg). Coll. pl. balrogath is attested. Archaic form ✱balraug. (MR:79, WJ:415). The etymological meaning is rather ”power-demon”.

baw!

no

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

baw!

no

(don’t!) Prefix

best

wiF1 noun. marriage, matrimony, wedding

brand

tall

(lofty, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind.

bregedúr

wildfire

(i vregedúr), pl. bregedýr (i mregedýr)

celeg

swift

1) celeg (agile), lenited geleg, pl. celig, 2) lagor, analogical pl. legyr, 3) legrin (rapid), no distinct pl. form, 4) lint (no distinct pl. form)

celeg

swift

(agile), lenited geleg, pl. celig

duinen

high tide

(i dhuinen), pl. duinin (i nuinin). (VT48:26).

goe

terror

1) goe (i **oe) (great fear), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngoe = i ñoe), 2) gorgoroth (i ngorgoroth = i ñorgoroth, o n**gorgoroth) (deadly fear), pl. gergeryth (in gergeryth = i ñgergeryth). Archaic pl. *görgöryth. 3) gost (i ngost = i ñost, o n**gost) (dread), pl. gyst (in gyst** = i ñgyst).

goe

terror

(i ’oe) (great fear), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngoe = i ñoe)

gondrath

highway

(i ’ondrath) (street of stone, causeway), pl. gendraith (i ngendraith = i ñendraith). Archaic pl. göndreith. (WJ:340). Possibly the pl. can also be gondraith, without umlaut of the first element.

gorgoroth

terror

(i ngorgoroth = i ñorgoroth, o n’gorgoroth) (deadly fear), pl. gergeryth (in gergeryth = i ñgergeryth). Archaic pl. ✱görgöryth.

gost

terror

(i ngost = i ñost, o n’gost) (dread), pl. gyst (in gyst = i ñgyst).

groga

feel terror

(i ’roga, in grogar) (WJ:415)

gwachae

far away

(adj.) *gwachae (remote), lenited wachae, no distinct pl. form. The form occurring in the primary source, #gwahae, must represent the late Gondorian pronunciantion with h for ch (PM:186, isolated from gwahaedir).

gwachae

adjective. far away

gú

no, not

also ú

gú

no, not

gú-, also ú-

hall

tall

(exalted); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

lae-

verb. to not be

lagor

swift

analogical pl. legyr

lagor

adjective. swift, rapid

legrin

swift

(rapid), no distinct pl. form

leitha

set free

(i leitha, i leithar)

lint

swift

(no distinct pl. form)

nae

alas

(interjection) nae

nae

alas

naeth

biting

(gnashing of teeth in grief; woe); no distinct pl. form.

nag

bite

(verb) nag- (i nâg, in negir);

nag

bite

(i nâg, in negir);

nanc

noun. bite

narch

biting

(pl. nerch) (RC:601)

narthan

fire-sign

pl. **nerthain** (VT45:20)

naur

fire

1) naur (in compounds nar-, -nor) (flame, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath; 2) ûr (heat), pl. uir. Notice the homophone ûr ”wide”.

naur

fire

(in compounds nar-, -nor) (flame, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath

naur

sun

(mainly in compounds as nar-, -nor) (flame, fire), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath.

naw

interjection. yes

or

high

(adjectival pref.) or- (above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

or

high

(above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

rain

free

rain (wandering, erratic). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border” (VT46:10; suggested Sindarin form of ” Noldorin” rhain)

raud

tall

(eminent, noble), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed. Also used as noun ”champion, eminent man, [a] noble”.

raug

demon

raug (-rog in compounds, as in Balrog), pl. roeg (idh roeg), coll. pl. #rogath (isolated from Balrogath, MR:79). Also used = ”powerful, hostile, and terrible creature”.

raug

demon

(-rog in compounds, as in Balrog), pl. roeg (idh roeg), coll. pl. #rogath (isolated from Balrogath, MR:79). Also used = ”powerful, hostile, and terrible creature”.

rimp

rushing

(adj.) 1) rimp (flying), no distinct pl. form; 2) alag (impetuous), pl. elaig; also alagon (pl. elegyn); 3) ascar (impetuous, violent), pl. escair. Also spelt asgar (pl. esgair).

rimp

rushing

(flying), no distinct pl. form

saew

poison

(noun) saew (i haew, o saew), no distinct pl. form except with article (i saew)

saew

poison

(i haew, o saew), no distinct pl. form except with article (i saew)

tad-dal

two-legged

(lenited dad-dal), pl. tad-dail.

taur

tall

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

telu

high roof

(i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely).

tâd

cardinal. two

1) tâd (in compounds tad-, as in tad-dal ”two-legged”), 2) (adjectival prefix) ui- (twi-, both).

tâd

two

(in compounds tad-, as in tad-dal ”two-legged”)

ui

two

(twi-, both).

ûr Reconstructed

noun. fire, fire; [ᴱN.] sun

A word for “fire” attested in later writings only as an element in names, such as S. Úrui “August, ✱Hot-one” (LotR/1110). It appeared as N. ûr “fire” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√UR “be hot”, but this and related words were deleted when Tolkien changed the sense of the root to “wide, large, great” (Ety/UR). However, √UR “heat” was restored in later writings (PE17/148; PE22/160), and primitive ✶ūr “a fire (on hearth)” appeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s, though Tolkien did mark it with a “?” (PE21/71 and note #8).

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the first precursor to this word was G. †Uril, an archaic word for the Sun in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s appearing beside its modern form G. Aur (GL/75) and clearly a derivative of the early root ᴱ√URU as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Ûr; QL/098). In Gnomish Lexicon Slips revising this document, it became {ŷr >>} hŷr “sun” (PE13/114), and in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s it became ᴱN. {húr >>} úr “sun”, derived from primitive ᴱ✶ourū̆ (PE13/155).

This in turn became N. ûr “fire” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under ᴹ√UR “be hot”, but as noted above the meaning of this root was changed in that document (Ety/UR). Although the root √UR “heat” was later restored, it isn’t clear whether Tolkien also restored ûr “fire”, though there is some secondary evidence of it: primitive ✶ūr “a fire (on hearth)” appeared in notes from the early 1950s, as also noted above (PE21/71).

Neo-Sindarin: If S. naur is (like its Quenya cognate Q. nár) more representative of an elemental or abstract notion of fire, then ûr might be used for an individual physical fire such as one in a fireplace.

ûr

fire

(heat), pl. uir. Notice the homophone ûr ”wide”.

ghâsh

noun. fire