tak

root. fasten, fix, fasten, fix, [ᴹ√] make fast; [ᴱ√] stick (in), firm; [ᴹ√] make

This root meant “fix, fasten” for much of Tolkien’s life. The earliest appearance of this root was as ᴱ√TAKA “fix, fasten, stick” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, with derivatives in that document as well as in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon like ᴱQ. taka-/G. tag- “fix, make firm” and ᴱQ. tanka/G. tanc “firm, steady” (QL/88; GL/68). It also had the extended root ᴱ√TAQA “fashion” = TAK + W̯Ǝ with derivative like ᴱQ. tāqa/G. tôb(a) “shape” (QL/89; GL/71). The root ᴱ√tak “stick, [stick] in, fix, firm” was mentioned in the Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s with numerous etymological variants like ᴱ√stak, ᴱ√taku̯, and ᴱ√tu̯ak (PE14/66).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave the root ᴹ√TAK “fix, make fast” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tak-/N. taetha- “fasten”, ᴹQ. tanka/N. tanc “firm” and ᴹQ. tankil/N. tachol “pin, brooch” (Ety/TAK). The root also appeared in the first version of the Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ1) from the 1930s with the glosses “fix” (PE18/50) and “make” (PE18/54). √TAK reappeared in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2) from around 1950 with the gloss “fasten, fix” (PE18/100), and again (unglossed) in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s as part of the derivation of ✶tankla > Q. tañkal “brooch” (PE19/83). Derivatives of this root appeared regularly in Tolkien’s later writings, making this a particularly stable root in Tolkien’s conception of Elvish.

takse

noun. *nail

takala Reconstructed

noun. post, mark

map

root. take away, take hold of, grasp, take away, take hold of, grasp, [ᴹ√] lay hold of with hand, seize

This root was connected to grabbing things by hand for most of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√MAPA “seize” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. map- “seize, take” and ᴱQ. maptale “robbery” (QL/59). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon its main derivative was G. mab “hand” (GL/55). In the Gnomish Lexicon, Tolkien did redefine mab as a dual form of G. mô “hand”, but it was later restored as an independent word and survived all the way into Sindarin as S. mâb “hand”.

The root reappeared as ᴹ√MAP “lay hold of with hand, seize” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with a similar set of derivatives (Ety/MAP). √MAP was mentioned again in the late 1960s in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals, with glosses like “take hold of, grasp” (VT47/7) and “take away” (VT47/20). But in these same notes Tolkien made the somewhat shocking decision to abandon this root, proposing instead that S. mâb was derived from CE ✶makwā “handful” (VT47/6).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would ignore this very late idea, since √MAP appears so regularly in Tolkien’s earlier writings.

nap

root. take (hold), pick up, grasp, seize quickly (with fingers)

A root appearing in notes from the late 1960s on hands and fingers variously glossed as “grasp, seize quickly (with fingers)” (VT47/20), “take hold” (VT47/28) or “take, pick up” (VT47/29). It seems Tolkien introduced this root as part of his rather surprising decision to abandon √MAP “take hold, seize” after 50 years of use, stating that √NAP was the true primitive root and √MAP perhaps a Telerin-only variant of it (VT/7). It may be a restoration of the early root ᴱ√NAPA from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s which itself was said to be a variant of ᴱ√MAPA “seize” (QL/59, 64). The early root ᴱ√NAPA had no (Early) Qenya derivatives, but some Gnomish derivatives appeared in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, such as G. nab- “take, lay hold of” and G. nabos “seizure” (GL/59). ᴱN. nabhru “booty” from Early Noldorin word lists of the 1920s was probably also related (PE13/150).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is preferable to retain the root √MAP “take hold, seize”, but √NAP can co-exist with it as a variant of similar meaning, both allowing its 1960s derivatives (mostly thumb words) and salvaging some of its Gnomish derivatives.

wanwa

adjective. gone, taken away, lost, departed

pay

root. punish, take vengeance on, requite; conquer, subdue

khamu

verb. sit down

khamu-

verb. to sit down

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.

tāra

adjective. high

hauta-

cease, take a rest, stop

hauta- vb. "cease, take a rest, stop" (KHAW)

hamu-

verb. sit down, take a seat

verta-

verb. to give in marriage (a) to (b), take as husband or wife (to oneself)

talca

noun. post, mark

A word attested only as an element in lantalka “boundary post or mark” in notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69 (VT42/8). Carl Hostetter suggested it and its Sindarin cognate S. tagol could be derived from primitive ✱✶tak(a)la based on the root √TAK “fix, make fast” (VT42/28).

tac-

fasten

tac- ("k") vb. "fasten" (the form tacë given in the Etymologies is translated "he fastens", evidently the 3rd person sg. aorist), pa.t. tancë (TAK)

taxë

nail

taxë ("ks")noun "nail" (TAK)

nap-

verb. to take (hold), pick up, grasp (with fingers)

A neologism for “take (hold), pick up, grasp (with fingers)” coined by Röandil on 2022-03-05 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), from the root √NAP of similar meaning. I would use this verb for taking with the whole hand, as opposing to lep- for taking with the fingers.

pat-

verb. to step, take a (single) step

A neologism for “to step, take a (single) step” by Röandil posted on 2022-02-28 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), based on the root √PAT, as opposed to more continuous pata- “to walk”.

lep-

verb. to take [with fingers], *pick, pluck

paireta-

verb. to avenge, take vengance

haru-

verb. to sit down, take a seat

cav-

verb. to receive, to receive, *accept, require, cost

A verb attested only in its past form cambelyes “you received it”. In notes from around 1968, Tolkien (briefly?) considered replacing the root √KAB with √KAM as the basis for hand words such as S. cam, stating “kamba is from KAM not KAB” (VT47/20). On the reverse of this page, Tolkien had the past tense form camnelyes “you received it”, apparently based on a verb ✱cam- “to receive” derived from √KAM (VT47/21). Further down on the same page, Tolkien wrote cambelyes as an alternate form, possibly indicating the restoration of √KAB and a new verb form ✱cav-, as suggested by Patrick Wynne (VT47/21).

Conceptual Development: The earliest Qenya verb for “receive” was ᴱQ. tuvu- “receive, accept, take, require, cost”, but in Quenya Personal Pronouns (QPP1) from the late 1940s, ᴹQ. tuvo was only glossed “take”.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer to retain √KAB “hold, possess, have in hand”, and as such I would use Q. cav- for “receive”, although Helge Fauskanger used cam- in his NQNT (NQNT). I would also use cav- for “accept”. In a Discord conversation from 2023-12-25, Raccoon suggested using cav- for “require, cost” as well, but given the 2024 publication of ᴹQ. tuvo, I would use that verb for “take, ✱require, cost” instead; see that entry for discussion.

mapa-

grasp, seize

mapa- vb. "grasp, seize" (MAP; according to LT2:339 this word was struck out in the "Gnomish Lexicon" [where it was quoted as the cognate of certain Gnomish words], but it reappears in the Etymologies.) Earlier material gives map- "take" (PE16:133) or map- "seize, take" with pa.t. nampë (QL:59); it is unclear if the pa.t. of map(a)- is still nampë in LotR-style Quenya.

né

was

né vb. "was"; see ná #1. Also used as interjection "yes" when the meaning is "it was so, it was as you say/ask" (VT49:31). Pl. nér "were", dual nét (VT49:30). Nésë "he was" (VT49:29), though Tolkien elsewhere stated that né did not "take any inflection of person" (VT49:31), pronominal endings rather being added to ane- (the form anes *he was" is attested). Anda né "long ago" (VT49:31).

salpa-

lick up, sup, sip

salpa- (1) vb. "lick up, sup, sip" (SÁLAP), "take a sup of" (LT1:266)

ane-

was

#ane-, form of copula "was" when pronominal endings follow: anen "I was", anel "you were", anes "(s)he/it was" (VT49:28, 29); see ná #1.

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)

cam-

verb. to receive

engë

was

engë vb. "was", "existed", past tense of ëa, q.v. (VT43:38, VT49:29)

fainu-

release

fainu- vb. "release" (LT1:250). Rather lerya- or sen- in Tolkien's later Quenya.

halda

adjective. high, tall

hana

noun. post

lerya-

release, set free, let go

lerya- vb. "release, set free, let go"; negated avalerya- "bind, make fast, restrain, deprive of liberty" (VT41:5, 6)

nyelet

nail

nyelet noun "nail" (of the finger), pl. nyelexi (PE15:75)

nánë

was

nánë vb. "was", náner "were"; see ná #1

né

verb. was

was

né

was

né vb. in pa.t. "was"; see ná #1.

panya-

fix, set

panya- vb. "fix, set" (PAN). The verb napan- (q.v.), "add" or literally *"to-set", may argue the existence of a shorter stem #pan- as well.

ric-

verb. to twist

A verb appearing in notes associated with Quendi and Eldar (Q&E) essay from 1959-60, given only in its perfect form iríkie “has twisted” and based on the root √RIK “twist” (VT39/9).

Conceptual Development: A similar verb ᴱQ. riqi- “wrench, twist” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s based on the early root ᴱ√RIQI or ᴱ√RIKI (QL/80).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume this verb was originally intransitive (“the road twisted and turned”) versus transitive [ᴹQ.] rihta- (originally = “make twist”), but in modern Quenya ric- “twist” is now used both transitively and intransitively for a more gentle twisting motion, as opposed to more rapid rihta- “jerk” (used only transitively).

talca

post, mark

#talca ("k")noun "post, mark" isolated from lantalca "boundary post or mark" (VT42:28)

tar-

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

tulca-

fix, set up, establish

tulca- (2) ("k") vb. "fix, set up, establish" (LT1:270)

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.

vanwa

gone, lost, no longer to be had, vanished, departed, dead, past, past and over, gone on the road, over

vanwa adj. "gone, lost, no longer to be had, vanished, departed, dead, past, past and over, gone on the road, over" (WJ:366, Nam, RGEO:67, WAN, LT1:264; older wanwa, PE17:143). The word was "not applied to _dead persons _except those who would not return, either because of a special doom (as [in the case of] Men) or because of a special will of their own (as Felagund or Míriel) or a special ban of Mandos (as Feanor)" (PE17:143). Also see avanwa.

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)

leryalë

noun. release

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo as a replacement for ᴱQ. erefainu “release”. It is simply a noun form of lerya- “to release”.

mapa-

verb. to take hold of, grasp

taes

noun. nail

A noun for “nail” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶taksē under the root ᴹ√TAK “fix, make fast” (Ety/TAK). Here the k became spirantal before s [taχse] and then vocalized to i to produce the diphthong ai [tais(e)], which then developed into ae [taes].

Neo-Sindarin: These Noldorin developments of the 1930s are different from the spirantal developments of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s. It seems that ancient ks became ch in Sindarin: compare S. ach “neck” from primitive ✶aks (PE17/92). If you update this “nail” word to fit these developments it should become ᴺS. ✱tach. However, I prefer to retain the 1930s form taes and assume it was a dialectical variant.

leithia-

verb. to release

leithian

noun. release, freeing, release from bondage

lheithian

noun. release, freeing, release from bondage

lheitho

verb. to release

mab

noun. grasp

penia-

verb. to fix, to set

taes

noun. nail

taetha-

verb. to fasten, tie

thafn

noun. post, wooden pillar

tag-

verb. to fix, to fix, *fasten, [G.] make firm, construct

This verb appeared in some rough notes from around 1969 in various past forms such tanc “fixed”, tancher/tanker “they fixed” and tanchen “I fix” (PE23/138 note #12). See the discussion of the Sindarin past tense for more detail on these past forms. The verb ✱tag- is clearly based on the root √TAK “fix, fasten”.

Conceptual Development: The verb G. tag- “fix, make firm, construct” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/68), likely based on the early root ᴱ√TAKA “fix, fasten” (QL/88).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use tag- only in the later sense of its root: “to fix, ✱fasten”. For “make firm” I would use [N.] tangad(a)- and for “construct” I would use [ᴱN.] adaba- “build”.

tagol

noun. post, mark

A word attested only as an element in glandagol “boundary post or mark” in notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69 (VT42/8). Carl Hostetter suggested it and its Quenya cognate Q. talka could be derived from primitive ✱✶tak(a)la based on the root √TAK “fix, make fast” (VT42/28).

mab-

verb. to seize, take away by force, *grasp

A “neologism” proposed by David Salo in his Gateway to Sindarin (GS/271), a simple extrapolation of the Old Noldorin verb ON. map- “seize, take away by force” and its Quenya equivalent ᴹQ. mapa- “grasp, seize”, both based on ᴹ√MAP “lay hold of with hand, seize” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/MAP). Based on the Old Noldorin glosses I would interpret this verb as having the connotation of forceful seizure, as opposed to ᴺS. nab- for simply taking something with or without force.

ged-

verb. to get, obtain, catch, take

A neologism for “to get, catch, obtain, take” posted by Röandil on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) in 2023-04-09, inspired by the early root ᴱ√ŊETE “catch, get”. I would use ged- for “get, obtain”, but would use attested [N.] gad- for “catch” and [G.] nab- for “take”.

leb-

verb. to pick, pluck, take or feel or touch with fingers, cull

nab-

verb. to take, lay hold of

finna-

verb. to trick, deceive, cheat, take in

nuicha-

verb. to take notice, perceive; *(orig.) to smell [something]

@@@ from ✱nusja-

Ara-

prefix. high, noble, royal

ar-

prefix. high, noble, royal

leithian

noun. release, freeing, release from bondage

leutha-

verb. to pick up or out (with the fingers)

tagol

noun. post, mark

adleitha

release

(verb, = "to free") adleitha- (i adleitha, in adleithar); also adleg- (i adleg, in edlegir), pa.t. adlenc, pp. adlengen, pl. edlengin). RELEASE (noun) 1) adleithian, pl. adleithiain, 2) leithian (freeing), pl. leithiain

adleitha

release

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

adleithian

release

pl. adleithiain

andrath

high pass

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

bannen

gone

#bannen (pl. bennin). Isolated from govannen ”met”, based on the assumption that this past participle includes a form of the verb #bad- ”go”.

bannen

adjective. gone

A neologism for “gone” derived from ᴹ√BAT proposed by David Salo as part of his theory for the derivation of govannen “met” (GS/241, 260). While I think this theory is correct for the 1940s, I think the relevant forms were abandoned by the late 1950s, and I would recommend attested gwanwen instead for “departed, ✱gone”.

bannen

gone

(pl. bennin). Isolated from govannen ”met”, based on the assumption that this past participle includes a form of the verb #bad- ”go”.

brand

tall

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

duinen

high tide

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

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.

hall

tall

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

leithian

release

(freeing), pl. leithiain

mab

grasp

*mab*-[or maba-?] (i vâb, i mebir**) (seize). Only the ”Old Noldorin” form map- is cited in the source (LR:371 s.v. MAP)

mab

grasp

[or ✱maba-?] (i vâb, i mebir) (seize). Only the ”Old Noldorin” form map- is cited in the source (LR:371 s.v. MAP)****

nî-

verb. was

A (very hypothetical) past form of na- “is”; see that entry for discussion.

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:

penia

fix

penia- (i benia, i pheniar) (set);

penia

fix

(i benia, i pheniar) (set);

pân

fixed board in a floor

(i bân, o phân, construct pan) (plank), pl. pain (i phain). Not to be confused with the adj. ✱pân ”all”.

raud

tall

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

taes

nail

taes (i daes, o thaes), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaes).

taes

nail

(i daes, o thaes), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaes).

taetha

fasten

taetha- (tie) (i daetha, i thaethar)

taetha

fasten

(tie) (i daetha, i thaethar)

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).

thafn

post

(= wooden pillar) thafn, pl. ?thefn, coll. pl. thavnath

thafn

post

pl. ?thefn, coll. pl. thavnath