-u-

suffix. objective inflection

The inflection used to mark nouns in the objective case (SD/430), used either as a suffix (for weak-nouns) or replacing the last vowel (for strong-nouns). Feminine nouns sometimes use -i- instead for their objective forms (SD/432), owing to the association of the final vowel -u with masculinity.

rus

root. brownish red

The root ᴹ√RUS “flash, glitter of metal” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. russe “corruscation, †sword-blade” and N. †rhoss “polished metal” where it served as the basis for the second element of the name Maidhros “Pale-glitter” or (Anglicanized) Maidros (Ety/RUS; MAD). In The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968, the second element of the names S. Maedros and S. Amros were explained as S. ross < ✶russā referring to their red-brown hair (PM/353, 366; VT41/10). A related etymological note stated:

> Common Eldarin (u)rus [was] used of a varying brownish red from what we should call brick-red to auburn. Hence Quenya, Telerin urus (stem urust-), Sindarin rust “copper”, rustui adj.; Quenya {ruska “red-brown”} rusko “a fox” (rusku-, pl. rusqui; ruskuite “foxy”). (calarus(t)- polished copper, lairus(t) verdigris). russe a head or pelt of red hair, russa red-haired. S. rusc fox, ross ([primitive] russā) red-haired, copper coloured, especially used of animals, as fox, red deer, and [?similar kind] (VT41/10).

This use of √(U)RUS as brownish-red is not entirely without precedent: in The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave the “root” (more likely just a primitive form) ᴹ√RUSKĀ with derivative N. rhosc “brown” (Ety/RUSKĀ), the basis for the name N. Rhosgobel “Brownhay” from Lord of the Ring drafts from the 1940s (TI/164), later translated as “russet village or ‘town’ (enclosure)” (RC/241). However in notes also associated with The Shibboleth of Fëanor, Tolkien gave the root √URUN = “copper” apparently as an extension of √RUN “red, glowing”, part of an explanation of the sobriquet of Nerdanel’s father: Q. Urundil “Copper-lover” (PM/366).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is best to assume 1930s ᴹ√RUS “flash, glitter of metal” was discarded in favor of 1968 √RUS “brownish red”. I’d also use √RUS as the basis for copper words rather than √URUN.

ruth

root. anger, rage, wrath

This root appeared in two different documents: first in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 as (U)RUÞ “anger, rage, wrath” (PE17/188), and again in notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD) from 1964 as RUTH “rage” (PE17/183). In the former it had derivatives like Q. rúsë “anger”/S. rûth “rage” and Q. ursa “rage”/S. oroth “rage, anger”, with the latter document only mentioning the Sindarin forms with glosses “wrath” and “rage” respectively.

It’s conceivable this late root is a reemergence of a (hypothetical) root ✱ᴱ√(G)RUYU that would explain words in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s such as G. grui “ferocity, horror”, G. gru(i)m “fierce”, and G. gruith “deed of horror, angry or violent act, vengeance” (GL/42), but it is hard to be sure.

(u)ruth

root. (U)RUTH

rûth

noun. anger

rûth

noun. anger

_n. _anger. Q. rúse wrath. >> oroth, ruthra-

narcha

rend

(i narcha, in narchar)

ruith

anger

*ruith (ire), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh ruith) if there is a pl. Suggested standard Sindarin form of Doriathrin Sindarin rûth (q.v. in Silm app).

ruith

anger

(ire), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh ruith) if there is a pl. – Suggested standard Sindarin form of Doriathrin Sindarin rûth (q.v. in Silm app).

narca-

to rend

narca- ("k")vb. "to rend" (NÁRAK; the form "narki" in LR is a misreading for narka; see VT45:37)