Primitive elvish

kil

root. choose, select, choose, select; [ᴹ√] divide; [ᴱ√] edge

This root has a long history in Tolkien’s writing, but it evolved in meaning over Tolkien’s life. The earliest form of this root was ᴱ√KILI “edge” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, with derivatives like ᴱQ. kíla/G. cilm “edge, rim” and ᴱQ. kilme/G. cail “lip” (QL/46, GL/24, 26). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it became ᴹ√KIL “divide” with derivatives ᴹQ. kilya/N. cîl “cleft, pass between hills, gorge” (Ety/KIL). This sense seems to have been abandoned when Tolkien changed ᴹQ. Kalakilya “Pass of Light” (LR/173) to Q. Calacirya (LotR/377).

In etymological notes from 1969 Tolkien gave √KIL “choose, select” vs. √KIM “edge, brink of”, along with various derivatives of √KIL having to do with choices (PE22/149). One of these, Q. cilmë, appeared as an element in words from several essays on Elvish names from the 1950s and 60s: Q. Essecilmë “[Ceremony of] Name-choosing” (MR/214; PE21/84) and Q. kilmessi “self-names, names of personal choice” (PM/339). But it seems even in the 1969 note mentioned above that Tolkien was considering the earlier senses of the root, since he first gave √KIL/√KILIM as the basis for edge words (PE22/149 note #26).

The difference in sense is not that great between 1910s ᴱ√KILI “edge” >> 1930s ᴹ√KIL “separate” >> 1960s √KIL “choose”, so Tolkien’s conceptual shifts on the meaning of this root seem to be gradual, with him still considering the earlier meanings into the late 1960s.

Primitive elvish [PE22/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mak

root. cut, hew with a sharp edge; kill, slay; forge metal, cut, hew with a sharp edge, [ᴹ√] cleave; sword, fight (with a sword); ️[√] forge metal; kill, slay

This root was the basis for “sword” words throughout Tolkien’s life, but the meaning of the root itself shifted over time. The first appearance of this root was as ᴱ√MAKA in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but with derivatives like ᴱQ. mak- “slay”, ᴱQ. makil “sword”, and ᴱQ. makka “slaughter” (QL/57-58). The root was also given the gloss “slay” in a section of the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon along with etymologies of names of the various Valar, but this section was deleted (GL/18). Derivatives of this root appeared elsewhere in the Gnomish Lexicon, however, such as G. mactha- “slay, kill” and G. magli “a great sword” (GL/55). Thus, the meaning of this root in the earliest period seems to be “slay”.

The root ᴹ√MAK appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, but the entry went through quite a few revisions. The gloss apparently was “cleave” >> “kill, cleave with sword” >> “sword, or verbal [stem] fight with sword, cleave” >> “sword, or as verb-stem: fight (with sword), cleave” (EtyAC/MAK; Ety/MAK). Thus the 1930s root was more directly connected with swords and wielding swords, and its derivatives included ᴹQ. makil/N. magol “sword” and ᴹQ. mahta-/N. maetha- “fight” (Ety/MAK).

In Tolkien’s later writings, the words for “sword” remained nearly the same: Q. macil and S. megil (PE17/130, 147), but the gloss of the root √MAK varied considerably based on whatever linguistic puzzle Tolkien was trying to solve at that particular moment. In notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, its gloss was very similar to that from The Etymologies: “cut, hew with a sharp edge” (VT39/11). In notes associated with The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 Tolkien glossed {m(b)aka- >>} maka- as “forge metal” as part of a new etymology of the name S. Maglor as an adaptation Q. Makalaure “Forging Gold” (PM/353; VT41/10). In notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s Tolkien gave √MAK “strike” as the basis for ✶makwā > S. mâb “hand”, but this idea was rejected immediately (VT47/19). This was part of Tolkien’s rather surprising decision to abandon the long-standing root √MAP (VT47/20 note #13); elsewhere in these notes he said √MAK meant “kill, slay” as it did in the 1910s (VT47/20).

Lokyt suggested in a Discord chat from 2018 that there may be a common underlying meaning for all these glosses, referring to “the movement one does when chopping with a tool”. Assuming this is true, the other associations of the root (“sword; slay; fight; forge”) may be the result of a narrowing of the meaning of the root in more specific contexts. While it is hard to know whether Tolkien himself interpreted the root this way, I think this is the best way to treat the root for purposes of Neo-Eldarin, as it allows us to retain the largest set of derivatives of the root.

Primitive elvish [VT39/11; VT41/10; VT47/19; VT47/20] Group: Eldamo. Published by

(ñ)gil

root. shine (white); silver glint; white or silver light

This root was the basis for Elvish words for stars and starlight, especially in the Sindarin branch of the Elvish languages. It first appeared as ᴱ√Gil- in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like G. gil- “gleam”, G. giltha “white metal, †silver”, and (probably) G. gail “star” (GL/37-38). Its Early Qenya derivatives were ᴱQ. ilsa “mystic name of silver” (QL/42) and ᴱQ. īle “star” (GL/37), indicating the true form of the root was probably ᴱ√ƷILI, since initial voiced stops were unvoiced in Early Qenya, so that ancient ✱gīle would become ✱✱kíle, not íle.

This root appeared as ᴹ√GIL “shine (white or pale)” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like N. geil “star” and ᴹQ. Ilma “Starlight” (Ety/GIL). The root regularly appeared in this unstrengthened form in Tolkien’s later writing, for example as √GIL “shine (white)” in a 1955 letter to David Masson (PE17/152) or as gil “white or silver light” in a 1958 letter to Rhona Beare (Let/278). In one place Tolkien considered giving it a kil- variant, analogous to √GAL vs. √KAL for “(golden) light” (PE17/50), but that seems to have been a transient idea. In other notes dating to the late 1950s Tolkien gave the root in strengthened form as √NGIL “silver glint” (MR/388; PE17/22) and also √GIL >> √ÑGIL as the basis for the initial element of the name S. Gil-galad (PE17/23).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is best to assume the root was originally unstrengthened √GIL, but was sometimes strengthened to √ÑGIL to produce words like Q. ñille “silver glint”.

Primitive elvish [Let/278; MR/388; PE17/022; PE17/023; PE17/050; PE17/069; PE17/152; PE17/153; PE17/167; PE17/169] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kim

root. edge, brink of

Tolkien used the root √KIM and similar roots for a wide variety of purposes throughout his life. Perhaps the earliest of these was the Early Qenya word ᴱQ. kim- “heed” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, but all of its Gnomish cognates begin with g-, as in G. gima- “hear” and G. gimri “hearkening, attention” (GL/38), so this early root was most likely ✱ᴱ√GIMI. In the Quenya Verbal System of the 1940s, Tolkien had ᴹ√KIM “light on, find, come by” and along with a verb ᴹQ. kim- of similar meaning (PE22/103, 108, 125) but most likely this meaning of the root was transferred to √KHIR and Q. hir- “find” (PE17/75).

Finally in notes from 1969 Tolkien gave √KIM “edge, brink of”, replacing deleted forms √KIL and √KILIM, with the root √KIL being reassigned the meaning “choose, select” (which seems to be the normal meaning of √KIL throughout the 1950s and 60s). Note that the early root ᴱ√KILI the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s also meant “edge”, but somewhat interestly there is a Gnomish word G. cim “blade”, perhaps indicating that this vacillation between √KIM vs. √KIL for “edge” had a longer history in Tolkien’s conceptual development of the languages.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would recommend using √KIM = “edge” and √KIL = “choose”.

Primitive elvish [PE22/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kiris

root. cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split

Primitive elvish [SA/ris] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kirissi

noun. cleft

Primitive elvish [PE21/80] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndakta-

verb. to slay

Primitive elvish [PE22/156] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ṇ̃gyellē

noun. small bell

Primitive elvish [PE19/078] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Khuzdûl

kíli

masculine name. Kíli

Khuzdûl [LotRI/Kíli; PMI/Kili] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Sindarin 

dag-

verb. to slay, to slay, [ᴱN.] kill

A verb meaning “to slay” derived from the root √NDAK, best known from its passive participle dangen as in Haudh-en-Ndengin “Hill of Slain” (S/197). Tolkien wrote a set of possible past forms aðag, aðanc, aðarch in notes from 1962 (PE17/131), and the verb appeared in its (Noldorin) infinitive form degi “to slay” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√NDAK “slay” (Ety/NDAK), along with another couple of (Noldorin) past forms: danc, degant (EtyAC/NDAK). The verb form ᴱN. (n)dag- “to slay” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/141), but its present form dág was glossed “kills” and in the contemporaneous Early Noldorin Grammar the form dagion was likewise glossed “I kill” (PE13/130). Thus “slay” and “kill” are both viable translations.

Possible Etymology: In notes from around 1962, Tolkien gave ✶dankĭna as the primitive form of its passive participle dangen, indicating a root √DAK rather than √NDAK, which is also consistent with its nasal mutated plural form on that page: {i dengin >>} i nengin (PE17/133). The 1964 past forms aðag and aðanc also seem to indicate derivation from √DAK (PE17/131). In notes from around 1967, however, Tolkien had the mixed mutated form n(d)engin in the phrase i·m(b)air en N(d)engin, indicating √NDAK, and he consistently gave nac- for the equivalent Quenya forms, so the early 1960s flirtation with √DAK seems to have been a transient idea.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would assume the root is √NDAK, and hence I’d give it the past form ✱annanc “slayed” rather than aðanc.

Sindarin [PE17/097; PE17/131; PE17/133; SA/dagor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Rest

noun. cut

Sindarin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

cirith

noun. cleft, high climbing pass, narrow passage cut through earth or rock, ravine, defile

Sindarin [S/387, UT/426, TC/181, RC/334-335] Group: SINDICT. Published by

criss

noun. cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine

A word for a “cleft, cut, slash” (PE21/81; Ety/KIRIS) derived from √KIRIS, a blend of the roots √KIR and √RIS (PE17/87).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to G. criss “cleft, gash, gully” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s where it was probably already a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KIRISI as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (GL/27; LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth). In the Name-list to The Fall of Gondolin Tolkien gave cris with the definition “a cleft, ravine, or narrow way of waters with high walls” (PE15/21), and in this period it typically appeared in this shorter form within names like G. Cris Ilbranteloth or G. Cris Thorn.

N. criss appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cleft, cut, slash” under the root ᴹ√KIRIS “cut” (Ety/KIRIS). It also appeared under the root ᴹ√KIR with the gloss “cleft, pass”, but this instance was deleted (EtyAC/KIR). S. criss “cleft” was mentioned in passing in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure (EVS2) from the early 1950s as derived from primitive ✶kirissi (PE21/80-81), and it was mentioned as a blending of roots in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s as described above (PE17/87). Its use in names diminished over time, however, the only remnant in the final version of The Silmarillion being S. Crissaegrim (S/121).

Neo-Sindarin: In The Etymologies of the 1930s it seems this word was principally used as for a “cleft, cut, slash” independent of geography. I would assume the same is true for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, since criss is used only in a single geographic name in Tolkien’s later writings; S. cirith was use more broadly in geographic features. I would also assume it was a larger and more violent cut (a “gash” or “slash”) compared to S. rest for simple cuts.

Sindarin [PE17/087; PE21/81] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dagnir

noun. slayer

Sindarin [S/430] dag-+dîr. Group: SINDICT. Published by

dagnir

noun. bane

Sindarin [S/430] dag-+dîr. Group: SINDICT. Published by

falch

noun. deep cleft, ravine

Sindarin [Orfalch Echor UT/468] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gelir

noun. merry, happy, gay person

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

gelir

masculine name. Merry

Sindarin translation of the name of Sam’s son Merry, appearing in Tolkien’s unpublished epilogue to The Lord of the Rings and in the King’s Letter (SD/126, 129). Most likely this name is an elaboration of [N.] gell “joy”.

Conceptual Development: In drafts of the epilogue, this name was initially (rejected) Riben (SD/117).

Sindarin [AotM/062; SD/117; SD/126; SD/129; SDI1/Gelir; SDI1/Riben] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gelir

adjective. merry

Sindarin translation of the name of Sam’s son Merry, appearing in Tolkien’s unpublished epilogue to The Lord of the Rings and in the King’s Letter from the early 1950s (SD/126, 129). This word is apparently an adjective, most likely an elaboration of [N.] gell “joy”. In Didier Willis’s Sindarin Dictionary, it is suggested this word might instead be a noun, an agental formation meaning “✱merry person” (HSD/gelir).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, the word for “merry” was G. dairog (GL/29), likely derived from ᴱ√TYALA “play”. This was revised to G. dairion in the “Gnomish Lexicon Slips” (PE13/112) and again to ᴱN. gair in Early Noldorin word lists from the 1920s (PE13/141, 143). This last change probably also reflects a new root, though exactly what this root might be is unclear. There isn’t a clear connection between these early forms and later gelir beyond a superficial resemblance of form.

lanc

noun. sharp edge (not of tools), sudden end (as a cliff-edge, or the clean edge of things made by hand or built)

Sindarin [VT/42:8] Group: SINDICT. Published by

riss

adjective. cleft

_ adj. _cleft, cloven, separate. Q. rista, risse, rinse. >> Imladris

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:87] < _rinsa_ < RIS cut. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

rista-

verb. to cut

Sindarin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rista-

verb. to rend, rip

Sindarin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rîw

noun. edge, hem, border

Sindarin [Ety/383, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

Sindarin [Orthanc S/415, Ety/388] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tíra-

verb. to see

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

tíra-

verb. to see

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

tírad

gerund noun. to see, for the seing

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

Rest

cut

(noun) 1) rest (ravine, cleft), pl. rist (idh rist), 2) criss (i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cleft, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss)

cen

verb. see

cen- (i gên, i chenir), also tíra- (i díra, i thírar), the latter rather meaning “watch”. SEEING #cened (i gened) (sight), pl. cenid (i chenid) if there is a pl. Isolated from cenedril, see mirror, SEEING STONE *gwachaedir (*i 'wachaedir) (palantír), no distinct pl. form. except with article (in gwachaedir); coll. pl. ?gwachaediriath or ?gwachadirnath (the latter assuming that -dir is reduced from older -dirn) The form occurring in the primary source, gwahaedir, must represent the late Gondorian pronunciation with h for ch (PM:186)

cen

see

(i** gên, i** chenir), also tíra- (i** díra, i** thírar), the latter rather meaning “watch”.

cened

seeing

(i gened) (sight), pl. cenid (i chenid) if there is a pl. Isolated from cenedril, see MIRROR.

cirith

cleft

(i girith, o chirith) (cutting, pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chirith)

criss

cleft

(i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cut, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss), 4) iaw (gulf, ravine), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”

criss

cut

(i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cleft, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss)

cîl

cleft

(i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”.

dag

slay

dag- (i nâg, i ndegir), pa.t. danc or dagant, passive participle dangen "slain" (pl. dengin, lenited nengin) (VT45:37)

dag

slay

(i nâg, i ndegir), pa.t. danc or dagant, passive participle dangen "slain" (pl. dengin, lenited nengin) (VT45:37)

drava

hew

drava- (i dhrava, in dravar), pa.t. †dramp, later apparently dravant; passive participle drammen (VT45:8)

drava

hew

(i dhrava, in dravar), pa.t. †dramp, later apparently dravant; passive participle drammen (VT45:8)

echor

ring

(outer ring or circle) echor (pl. echyr). It is unclear what the Sindarin word for an ornamental ring is; the cognate of Quenya corma would be *corf (i gorf, o chorf; pl. cyrf, i chyrf, coll. pl. corvath).

echor

ring

(pl. echyr). It is unclear what the Sindarin word for an ornamental ring is; the cognate of Quenya corma would be ✱corf (i gorf, o chorf; pl. cyrf, i chyrf, coll. pl. corvath).

falch

cleft

(ravine[?]), pl. felch

gelir

merry

(attested as the S equivalent of the name Merry) gelir (lenited elir; no distinct pl. form).

gelir

merry

(lenited ’elir; no distinct pl. form).

gwachaedir

seeing stone

(i ’wachaedir) (palantír), no distinct pl. form. except with article (in gwachaedir); coll. pl. ?gwachaediriath or ?gwachadirnath (the latter assuming that -dir is reduced from older -dirn) The form occurring in the primary source, gwahaedir, must represent the late Gondorian pronunciation with h for ch (PM:186) ****

lanc

sharp edge

(sudden end, brink), pl. lainc, coll. pl. langath. Note: homophones mean ”naked” and also ”neck, throat”.

nell

bell

nell (construct nel; pl. nill);

nell

bell

(construct nel; pl. nill);

nella

sound bells

(i nella, in nellar) (but according to VT46:7, this may be a misreading of Tolkien’s manuscript),  

nellad

sound of bells

(pl. nellaid)

nelladel

ringing of bells

(pl. nelledil):

pemp

noun. lip

A neologism for “lip” coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo, the Sindarin equivalent of Q. pempë.

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

rest

cleft

(ravine, cut), pl. rist (idh rist)

rest

cut

(ravine, cleft), pl. rist (idh rist)

rist

cleft

(noun) 1) rist (-ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh rist). Note: a homophone means ”cleaver, cutter”, 2) cirith (i girith, o chirith) (cutting, pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chirith), 3) cîl (i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”. 4) criss (i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cut, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss), 4) iaw (gulf, ravine), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”, 5) rest (ravine, cut), pl. rist (idh rist), 6) (deep cleft) falch (ravine[?]), pl. felch

rist

cleft

(-ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh rist). Note: a homophone means ”cleaver, cutter”

rîw

edge

*rîw (construct riw) (hem, border), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rîw). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” rhîf.

rîw

edge

(construct riw) (hem, border), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rîw). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” rhîf.

thanc

cleft

(adj.) thanc (forked, split), pl. thainc

thanc

cleft

(forked, split), pl. thainc

Quenya 

cilometer

noun. kilometer

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

húmeter

noun. kilometre, km

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

qualta-

verb. to kill, murder

A neologism for “to kill, murder” appearing in ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000’s, a causative variant of qual- “to die (painfully)”, hence literally “to make die”. The same document suggests a similar formation for firta- “to kill” for accidentally causing death, but that seems unlikely to me, since fir- seems to be limited to peaceful deaths.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

firta-

verb. to kill

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

nehtar

slayer

#nehtar noun "slayer", isolated from Morinehtar "Darkness-slayer" (PM:384, 385). It may be that a verbal stem #nehta- "to slay, kill" can also be isolated from this noun, though the attested form is actually nahta- (a possible example of A/E variation).

pempë

noun. lip

A word for “lip” appearing only in its plural form pempi in 1964 notes on the parts of the mouth, where it was related to Q. “the closed mouth” (PE17/126). In 1968 notes on monosyllabic nouns, Tolkien said the primitive ✶ “lip” was reduplicated to ✶pē̆pe; this is likely connected to an irregular plural form péti in the (untranslated) phrase et i péti “✱out of the mouth/lips”, with dissimilation of the second p to t as suggested by Patrick Wynne (VT47/35): ✱pēpi > péti. The 1964 form pempe is probably also the result of reduplication, likely ✱peñ-peñ > pempe(ñ), since √PEÑ was the usual root for “lip” (PE21/70; PE19/102).

Conceptual Development: The earliest “lip” word was ᴱQ. kilme from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√KILI “edge” (QL/46), a form also appearing in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/46). A similar form ᴱQ. kilma “lip” appeared in a list of body parts from the 1920s, along with an alternate word ᴱQ. kaile “lip” (PE14/117). There are no signs of these early lip-words after that point.

Neo-Quenya: Tolkien also sometimes used Q. for “lip”; see that entry for discussion. For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I recommend using Q. mainly for “closed mouth” and pempë for a single “lip”. However, the dual form peu of was used of “the two lips, the mouth-opening” (VT39/9), which I would use for “a pair of lips for one person (open or closed)”, functioning as an irregular dual of pempë.

Quenya [PE17/126; VT47/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cilmë

noun. choice, choosing, choice, choosing, *selection

Quenya [MR/470; PE22/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cimba

noun. edge, brink

címa

noun. edge of a cutting weapon/tool

#cilme

noun. choice

Quenya [PE 22:149] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

#nac-

hew, cut

#nac- ("k") vb. "hew, cut" (nacin "I hew, cut", VT49:24) or "bite" (NAK); compare nahta #2.

a-

see

a- (2) a prefix occurring in the Markirya poem (Tolkien first used na-, then changed it). It may be prefixed to verbal stems following a noun that is the object of sense-verbs like "see" and "hear" when the verb it is prefixed to describes what happens to this noun, as in man cenuva lumbor ahosta[?] (changed from na-hosta), "who shall see the clouds gather?" (hosta = "gather").

cen-

see, behold

cen- ("k")vb. "see, behold", future tense cenuva ("kenuva") "shall see" in Markirya. Imperative cena ("k"), VT47:31.Also #cen = noun "sight" as the final element of some nouns (*apacen, tercen, q.v.) Compare the root KHEN-, KEN-, KYEN- "look at, see, observe, direct gaze" (VT45:21)

cenya

verb. see, perceive

Quenya [PE 22:103, 115; PE 22:155] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

cilmessë

noun. self-name

cimba

noun. edge, brink

Quenya [PE 22:149] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

ciris

cleft, crack

ciris _("k")_noun "cleft, crack" (LT2:337 - obsoleted by cirissë?)

corma

ring

#corma noun "ring", isolated from #cormacolindo "Ring-bearer", pl. cormacolindor (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308); Cormarë "Ringday", a festival held on Yavannië 30 in honour of Frodo Baggins (Appendix D)

corma

noun. ring

A word for “ring” appearing as an element in Q. Cormacolindor “Ring-bearers” (LotR/953), clearly derived from the root √KOR “round”. It also appeared in a translation of the title of The Lord of the Rings that Tolkien included in a 1973 letter to Phillip Brown: i Túrin i Cormaron.

Conceptual Development: Another translation of “Lord of the Rings” is known from an exhibit of Tolkien manuscripts: Heru imillion, where presumably the element millë means “ring” (DTS/54). In a deleted entry from The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. kolma “ring ([?on] finger)” [or possibly “or finger”] derived from a deleted root ᴹ√KOL (EtyAC/KOL).

Quenya [LotR/0953; LotR/1112; Minor-Doc/1973-05-30] Group: Eldamo. Published by

címa

noun. edge of a cutting weapon/tool

Quenya [PE 22:149] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

falqua

cleft, mountain pass, ravine

falqua ("q") noun "cleft, mountain pass, ravine" (LT2:341)

hyar-

cleave

#hyar- vb. "cleave" (1st pers. aorist hyarin "I cleave") (SYAD). Pa.t. probably *hyandë since the R of hyar- was originally D; cf. rer- "sow", pa.t. rendë, from the root RED.

hyar-

verb. cleave

Quenya [PE 22:102] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

hyatsë

cleft, gash

hyatsë noun "cleft, gash" (SYAD), apparently changed by Tolkien from hyassë (VT46:16)

indyel

noun. small bell

small bell

Quenya [PE 19:78] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

indyel

noun. small bell

nahta-

slay

nahta- (1) verb "slay" (nahtan "I slay"). Possible variant #nehta- see #nehtar. Passive participle nahtana in the phrase nahtana ló Túrin *"slain by Turin". (VT49:24)

nahta-

verb. slay

Quenya [PE 22:102, 114; PE 22:159] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

nehtar

noun. slayer

An element in Morinehtar “Darkness-slayer”, a name of one of the Blue Wizards (PM/384). It seems to be an agental form of nahta- “to slay”, but the reason why the vowel is e is unclear.

nyelle

noun. small bell

small bell

Quenya [PE 19:78] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

nyellë

bell

nyellë noun "bell" (NYEL). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, nyellë was also the name of tengwa #21 with overposed dots to indicate "following y", the whole symbol having the value ny (VT46:7)

nyellë

noun. small bell, [ᴹQ.] bell, [Q.] small bell

pelecta-

hew

pelecta- ("k")vb. "hew" (this "Qenya" word may be adapted to LotR-style Quenya as *pelehta-)(LT2:346)

pempë

lip

#pempë noun "lip" (attested only in pl. pempi, PE17:126); cf. .

lip

noun "lip", dual peu "the two lips, the mouth-opening" (VT39:9; VT47:12, 35). In an earlier source, the Etymologies, was glossed "mouth" (PEG), whereas in PE17:126 it is more specifically "the closed mouth".

risil

ring

*risil (þ) noun "ring" (on the ground) in Rithil-Anamo, q.v.

rissë

cut

rissë noun? The word is not clearly glossed but apparently means "cut" or "cleft" (ravine), the cognate of the final element of Imladris, Sindarin name of Rivendell. (PE17:87)

rista

cut

rista (2) noun "cut" (RIS), cf. #1 above.

réna

edge, border, margin

réna noun "edge, border, margin" (REG)

ríma

edge, hem, border

ríma noun "edge, hem, border" (RĪ)

sanca

cleft, split

sanca (þ) ("k") noun? (or adj, or both?) "cleft, split" (STAK)

sil-

verb. shine (white)

Quenya [PE 22:113] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

tunta-

see, notice, perceive

tunta- "see, notice, perceive", pa.t. túne (QL:95)

véla

verb. see

véla (2) vb. "see" (Arct); present/continuative tense of a verbal stem #vel-? The context of the sentence where it occurs ("till I see you next") suggests that this is "see" in the sense of "meet".

>> yomenië

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.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Noldorin 

dag-

verb. to slay

Noldorin [Ety/NDAK; EtyAC/NDAK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cen-

verb. to see

Noldorin [cenedril TI/184] Group: SINDICT. Published by

criss

noun. cleft, cut, slash

Noldorin [Ety/365, VT/45:23] Group: SINDICT. Published by

cîl

noun. cleft, pass between hills, gorge

Noldorin [Ety/365] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dag-

verb. to slay

Noldorin [Ety/375, VT/45:37] Group: SINDICT. Published by

draf-

verb. to hew

Noldorin [Ety/354, VT/45:8] Group: SINDICT. Published by

drava-

verb. to hew

Noldorin [Ety/DARÁM] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nell

noun. bell

Noldorin [Ety/379] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nell

noun. bell

Noldorin [Ety/NYEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nelladel

noun. ringing of bells

Noldorin [Ety/379] nellad+-el. Group: SINDICT. Published by

osgar-

verb. to cut round, to amputate

Noldorin [Ety/379] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhest

noun. cut

Noldorin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhest

noun. cut

Noldorin [Ety/RIS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rhista-

verb. to cut

Noldorin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhista-

verb. to rend, rip

Noldorin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhîf

noun. edge, hem, border

Noldorin [Ety/383, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

riben

masculine name. Merry

Noldorin [SD/117; SDI1/Gelir; SDI1/Riben] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

Noldorin [Orthanc S/415, Ety/388] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Black Speech

nazg

noun. ring

Black Speech [Let/178; Let/382; Let/384; LotR/0254; PE17/011; PE17/031; PE17/079; PE17/125; PE19/101; RC/762] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nazg

noun. (finger-)ring

>> Nazgûl 'Ringwraiths'

Black Speech [PE17/11] Published by

Telerin 

glana

noun. edge, rim

Telerin [VT42/08; VT42/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

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!

Middle Primitive Elvish

kil

root. divide

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KIL; Ety/THOR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

(n)dak

root. slay

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NDAK; Ety/ÑGWAL; EtyAC/DAK; EtyAC/NAK; PE22/102; PE22/112; PE22/115] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dak

root. slay

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

kir

root. cleave

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KIR; EtyAC/KIR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kiris

root. cut

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KIRIS; Ety/RIS²; EtyAC/KIR; EtyAC/KIRIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nyol

root. ring

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

rista-

verb. cut

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/RIS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

kīla

noun. kīla

Early Primitive Elvish [GL/24] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kili

root. edge

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dak-

verb. to slay

Early Primitive Elvish [PE14/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maka

root. slay

Early Primitive Elvish [GL/18; LT1A/Makar; LT1A/Telimektar; QL/057] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kantya

noun. edge

Early Primitive Elvish [PE13/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tyaka

root. hew

A root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “hew” with derivative ᴱQ. tyakta- of the same meaning (QL/49). There are no signs of this root in Tolkien’s later writing.

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

faka Speculative

root. cut

A hypothetical early root to explain words in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s such as G. fag- “cut” and G. fanc “cut” (GL/33). It might be related to ᴱ√FḶKḶ “cleave, hew”. There are no signs of this root in Tolkien’s later writing.

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

kildo kirya noiko

kildo kirya noiko

Early Quenya [PE16/060] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kildo kirya ninqe

a white ship one saw

The first phrase of the first version of the Oilima Markirya poem (MC/220). The first word kildo “one saw, he saw” is the aorist 3rd-singular masculine inflect of the verb kili- “to see”, as suggested by Gilson, Welden, and Hostetter (PE16/56). It is followed by the object of the phrase: kirya ninqe “a white ship”.

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

> kil-do kirya ninqe = “✱see-he ship white”

Conceptual Development: This phrase appeared in the very first draft of the poem (OM1a: PE16/56), where Tolkien first considered using a past-tense formation killer >> kílier before settling on the aorist kildo. The phrase remained the same thereafter in all later drafts, ignoring the aberrant Finnish-like spelling of the fifth draft (OM1e), though in the third draft it was the second line rather than the first (OM1c: PE16/60).

Early Quenya [MC/220; PE16/056; PE16/057; PE16/060; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilapi

noun. robin

A word for “robin” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with a variant [kilap]ink, related to the verb ᴱQ. kilapitya- “to chirp” (QL/46) and G. cilobinc “robin” from the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/26).

Early Quenya [QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilk-

verb. to gather, reap

A verb in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s appearing in its 1st sg. present form ᴱQ. kilkin {“to gather, reap” >>} “I gather, reap” under the early root ᴱ√KḶKḶ of similar meaning (QL/47).

Early Quenya [QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilapitya-

verb. to chirp

A word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s for “to chirp”, a verb form of ᴱQ. kilapi “robin” (QL/46).

Early Quenya [QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kili-

verb. to see, heed

Early Quenya [MC/213; MC/214; MC/220; MC/221; PE16/056; PE16/057; PE16/060; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/075; PE16/077] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilin

noun. bell

Early Quenya [QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilinke

verb. small bell

Early Quenya [QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilme

noun. lip

Early Quenya [PE14/117; PME/046; QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilt

noun. tuck

Early Quenya [QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilti-

verb. to jerk, tuck

Early Quenya [QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilapink

noun. robin

kilinkele

noun. jingling of (small) bells

Early Quenya [QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilintl

verb. small bell

kilintya-

verb. to ring, tinkle

Early Quenya [QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilma

noun. lip

kíla

noun. edge, rim

Early Quenya [GL/24; QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kaile

noun. lip

Early Quenya [PE14/117] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maktya-

verb. to kill

A verb for “kill” in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, a causative form of ᴱQ. maka- “die” (PE14/58).

Early Quenya [PE14/058] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hari-

verb. to hate

Early Quenya [PE14/058] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hyehta-

verb. to jerk

Early Quenya [PE16/144] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kante

noun. edge

Early Quenya [PE13/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kisin

adjective. cleft

Early Quenya [QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mak-

verb. to slay

mok-

verb. to hate

Early Quenya [LT1A/Kosomot; QL/062] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pelekta-

verb. to hew

Early Quenya [LT2A/Peleg; QL/073] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sehta-

verb. to see

Early Quenya [QL/082] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tyakta-

verb. hew

Early Quenya [QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

véla

verb. to see

Early Quenya [LFC/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

kilya

noun. cleft, pass between hills, gorge; chasm

Qenya [Ety/KIL; LR/047; LR/056; MR/471; SD/247; SD/310] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nak-

verb. to kill, slay; to hate

Qenya [PE21/65; PE22/112; PE22/120; PE22/123] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ken-

verb. to see

Qenya [PE22/103; PE22/124] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kenya-

verb. to see

nahta-

verb. to slay

Qenya [PE22/093; PE22/102; PE22/104; PE22/114; PE22/115] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nyelle

noun. bell

Qenya [Ety/NYEL; EtyAC/NYEL; EtyAC/NYELED; PE22/023; PE22/052] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rista

noun. cut

Gnomish

arin(g)

noun. kiln

mactha-

verb. to slay, kill

Gnomish [GL/55; LT1A/Makar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cail

noun. lip

A noun for “lip” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/24), related to ᴱQ. kíla and hence clearly derived from the same early root ᴱ√KILI “edge” (QL/46).

Gnomish [GL/24; GL/26] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cilobinc

noun. robin

A word for “robin” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with a variant cílobi, related to the verb G. ciloba- “chirp” (GL/26) and ᴱQ. kilapi “robin” from the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/46).

Gnomish [GL/19; GL/26; GL/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amosgarn

noun. robin

The word G. amosgarn “robin” appeared in Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (PE13/110), a combination of G. ammos “breast(plate)” and G. carn(in) “scarlet” and equivalent to ᴱQ. karneambar “robin, (lit.) red-breast” (QL/48).

Conceptual Development: Several similar forms appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon proper: G. {ambogrintha, amrintha >>} ammogrint “red breast” (GL/19) and G. {crinthambos >>} crinthammos “red breast, robin” (GL/27), but these words used G. crintha “rosy, pink” rather than G. carn(in) “scarlet”.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would adapt this word as ᴺS. amosgarn “robin, (lit.) red-breast” as a combination of ᴺS. ammos “breast” and a modified form of S. caran “red”.

cílobi

noun. robin

dairion

adjective. merry

fagin

adjective. cut

fanc

noun. cut

flig-

verb. to hew

Gnomish [GL/33; GL/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glesta-

verb. to gather

gwinta-

verb. to see

lemfarilt

noun. ring

pelectha-

verb. to hew

Gnomish [GL/64; LT2A/Peleg] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thaig

noun. choice

thê-

verb. to see

Early Noldorin

danc

adjective. killed in battle

Early Noldorin [PE14/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dag-

verb. to slay, kill

Early Noldorin [PE13/130; PE13/141; PE13/165; PE14/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cant

noun. edge

Early Noldorin [PE13/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

crithos

noun. ring, ring; [G.] circle

Early Noldorin [PE13/141] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gair

adjective. merry

Early Noldorin [PE13/141; PE13/143] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Westron

kali

adjective. merry, gay, jolly

Westron [LotR/1135; PM/050; PM/059; PM/081] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kalimac

masculine name. Meriadoc

Westron [LotR/1135; PM/050; PM/059; PM/081; PM/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kali

masculine name. Merry

Westron [LotR/1135] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

rest

noun. cut

A noun meaning “a cut” derived from the root ᴹ√RIS (Ety/RIS²). Its Quenya cognate ᴹQ. rista suggests a primitive form ✱✶ristā, where the [i] became [e] due to Ilkorin a-affection, as noted by Helge Fauskanger (AL-Ilkorin/rest).

Doriathrin [Ety/RIS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

ndak-

verb. to slay

Old Noldorin [Ety/NDAK] Group: Eldamo. Published by