an

to

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

an

preposition. to, towards, for

With suffixed article and elision in aglar'ni Pheriannath

and

adjective. long

The Sindarin word for “long”, appearing as both and and ann, derived from primitive ✶andā based on the root √ANAD (PE17/12, 40, 90, 121; VT42/28). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. ann “long” of the same derivation (Ety/ÁNAD).

Possible Pronunciation: In one note from the mid-1960s Tolkien said “S †ann- only preserved in certain compounds, owing to competition with ann (< annā) ‘gift’, and ann(on) ‘gate’, of different origin” (PE17/90) and in a note from 1959 Tolkien said “S ann/and rare except in old words or names as anduin” (PE17/40). Despite these claims of rarity, and/and appears in a very large number of compounds, far more than ann “gift”.

One way of resolving this ambiguity is to assume the normal pronunciation of this as a standalone word is and rather than ann, in keeping with the notion that the sound “remained nd at the end of fully accented monosyllables” in Sindarin (LotR/1115). The reduction an(n) would then only occur in compounds like anann “for long” and Anfang “long beard”.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. {indra >>} in(d)ra “long (also used of time)” based on primitive ᴱ√ṇdr (GL/51).

ann

noun. gift

The most commonly accepted Sindarin word for “gift” is S. ann, equivalent to Quenya Q. anna “gift”, both derived from ✶annā based on the root √ANA “towards” (PE17/90). It was also an element in the names Melian “Dear Gift” (SA/mel) and Rían “Crown Gift” (Ety/RIG). However, Tolkien experimented with a variety of other forms throughout his life.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. ôn “gift” related to the verb G. antha- “give” (GL/19, 62), both based on the early root ᴱ√ANA “give, send towards” from the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/31). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. {ann >>} ant “gift” under the root ᴹ√ANA “to, towards” (Ety/ANA¹; EtyAC/ANA¹). S. ann “gift” < ✶annā appeared in notes from around 1967 (PE17/90). In Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 Tolkien had S. anw as the equivalent of Q. anwa “gift” (PE22/163), perhaps derived from ✱(h)an-mā.

anann

adverb. long

adv. long. Cuio i Pheriain anann 'May the Halflings live long'.

and

adjective. long

adj. long. i·arben na megil and 'The Knight of the Long Sword'. >> ann

ann

adjective. long

adj. long. Rare except in old names (e.g. Anduin). >> and

anann

adverb. long, for a long time

and

adjective. long

ann

adjective. long

ann

noun. gift

n. gift.

anw

noun. gift

anw

noun. gift

lavan

noun. animal

A word for an “animal” in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, where Tolkien said it “usually only applied to four-footed beasts, and never to reptiles or birds” (WJ/416). It was derived from the root √LAM in the sense “inarticulate voiced sound”.

Conceptual Development: ᴱN. lafn was mentioned as a cognate to ᴱQ. lama “animal” in the Early Qenya Phonology from the 1920s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶labna (PE14/70).

lavan

noun. animal (usually applied to four-footed beasts, and never to reptiles or birds)

galan

elm

pl1. gelain _ n. Bot. _elm. . This gloss was rejected.

morchant

noun. shadow (of objects, cast by light), dark shape

paean

cardinal. ten

an

for

(prep.) an (+ nasal mutation), with article ni ”for the” (+ nasal mutation in plural).

an

for

(adverbial prefix) an-

an

to

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

an

to

(adverbial prefix) an-. 3)

an

for

(+ nasal mutation), with article ’ni ”for the” (+ nasal mutation in plural).

an

for the

(for) + i (the).

an-

very

(as adverbial prefix) an-, as in:

andaith

long mark

(no distinct pl. form). The word refers to an accent-like mark used to indicate long vowels in Tengwar modes that employ separate vowel letters, like the Mode of Beleriand.

ant

gift

ant, pl. aint, coll. pl. annath. Also ann (-an at the end of compounds), pl. ain.

ant

gift

pl. aint, coll. pl. annath. Also ann (-an at the end of compounds), pl. ain.

anann

long

(adverb, = "for a long time") anann

anc

jaw

anc (row of teeth), pl. ainc, coll. pl. angath.

anc

jaw

(row of teeth), pl. ainc, coll. pl. angath.

and

long

(adjective) and (pl. aind),

anfang

longbeard

pl. Enfeng, coll. pl. Anfangrim (WJ:10, 108, 205)

angerthas

long rune-row

(and + certhas).

annabon

long-snouted one

pl. ennebyn, coll. pl. annabonnath. (Archaic form andabon.)

an-

very

as in:

anann

long

and

long

(pl. aind)

dae

noun. shadow, shadow (cast by an object or form), [N.] shade

Teler

noun. an Elf, one of the Teleri

miniel

noun. an Elf, one of the Vanyar

lavan

animal

(quadrupedal mammal) lavan, pl. levain (WJ:416)

lavan

animal

pl. levain (WJ:416)

morchant

shadow

1. morchant (i vorchant), pl. morchaint (i morchaint). The literal meaning is ”dark shape”, referring to shadows with a recognizable form. 2) dae (i dhae) (shade), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae). 3) daew (i dhaew), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndaew) (VT45:8). 4) gwâth (i **wâth; construct gwath) (shade, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261) 5) muil (i vuil) (twilight, dreariness, vagueness), no distinct pl. except with article (i muil**),

morchant

shadow

(i vorchant), pl. morchaint (i morchaint). The literal meaning is ”dark shape”, referring to shadows with a recognizable form.

panna

open

(i banna, i phannar) (enlarge). Note: a homophone means ”fill”.

adanadar

father of men

normally pl. Edenedair "Fathers of Men", the early Edain.

acharn

noun. vengeance

n. (an act of) vengeance.

achared

noun. vengeance

_n. _vengeance.

achared

noun. vengeance

acharn

noun. vengeance

atheg

noun. thumb (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

dúnedhel

noun. Elf of the West, Elf of Beleriand (including Noldor and Sindar)

galad

noun. light, radiance, glittering, reflection (from jewels, glass or polished metal, or water)

tawarwaith

noun. Silvan elves

tol

noun. island, (steep) isle rising with sheer sides from the sea or from a river

heria

have an impulse

heria- (i cheria, i cheriar) (be compelled to do something, begin suddenly and vigorously, set vigorously out to do) (VT45:22)

alaf

noun. elm

The Sindarin word for “elm” appearing in notes from 1959, derived from the root √ALAB of similar meaning (PE17/153).

Conceptual Development: Tolkien used similar “elm” words for much of his life. The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. lalm or larm “an elm, elm-wood” along with a more elaborate form G. {lalmin >>} lalmir “an elm tree” (GL/52). These were clearly cognates to ᴱQ. alalme “elm (tree)” under the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” (QL/29). Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s had an unrelated form ᴱN. {aulin >>} ólin “elm” (PE13/151). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien reverted to N. lalf or N. lalven “elm-tree” under the root ᴹ√ÁLAM of the same meaning (Ety/ÁLAM). This root had a variant ᴹ√LÁLAM, under which Tolkien had N. lhalwen or lhalorn “elm-tree” (Ety/LÁLAM).

Neo-Sindarin: In theory the 1930s “elm” words might be used with some adaptations like ᴺS. lalorn for N. lhalorn, but I’d simply stick to the 1959 “elm” word alaf for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

lheweg

noun. ear

The Sindarin word for “ear” was derived from primitive √S-LAS, an elaboration of √LAS “listen” (PE17/62). Its singular form lheweg is somewhat unusual. Based on its Quenya cognate Q. hlas (< ✶slas), its historical singular should probably be ✱lhâ. However, the modern Sindarin form was actually based on the (fossilized) dual lhaw < ✶slasū, from which a singular form lheweg “ear” was derived using the singular suffix -eg < -ikā (PE23/136), though it isn’t clear why the base vowel also changed from a to e since a-affection normally precedes (and prevents) i-affection.

The typical word for “ears” is the fossilized dual lhaw, but that can only be used to refer to the pair of ears on a single person, and this lhaw is treated as singular noun for purposes of verb and adjective agreement. When referring to multiple ears more generally, the plural lhewig is used (PE23/136).

Conceptual Development: Tolkien described a similar scenario in The Etymologies of the 1930s, except the singular was N. {lhaweg >>} lhewig and it was derived directly from ᴹ√LAS “listen” (Ety/LAS²; EtyAC/LAS²). The voiceless lh- in this word was the result of the Noldorin sound-change of the 1930s whereby ancient initial r-, l- were unvoiced. This Noldorin dual lhaw made it into Lord of the Rings drafts as part of Amon Lhaw “Hill of Hearing, (lit.) of Ears” (TI/364), a form that Tolkien retained in the published version (LotR/393). Since the unvoicing of initial l was no longer a feature of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, Tolkien needed to contrive a new derivation from primitive √S-LAS.

The Gnomish word for “ear” from the 1910s had a completely different basis: it was G. unc “ear, handle (of a jar)” (GL/75), cognate to ᴱQ. unk derived from the root ᴱ√ṆQṆ (QL/98).

neldor

noun. beech

A Sindarin word for “beech” appearing in the names Taur-na-Neldor “Beech-forest” (LotR/469; RC/384) and Neldoreth, the name of a forest with beeches (S/55; PE17/81).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Ilk. neldor was an Ilkorin word based on ᴹ√NÉL-ED “three”, which Tolkien said was “properly name of Hirilorn the great beech of Thingol with three trunks = neld-orn ? [question mark from Tolkien]” (Ety/NEL). In the 1910s and 20s, ᴱQ. neldor “beech” was an Early Qenya word (PE16/139; QL/65), and its cognates in this period were G. deldron “beech” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/30), G. deil(i)an or delwen “beech” in Gnomish Lexicon Slips (PE13/112), and ᴱN. {de(i)lian >>} deilian “beech-tree” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/142).

Possible Etymology: The Ilkorin derivation from √NELED is no longer suitable in Sindarin, since we would expect [[s|[d] > [ð]]] as in S. neledh “three”. It is possible Tolkien simply never reexamined the etymology of this word after it became Sindarin. Alternately, it could be nel- “tri-” + taur “forest” or -dor “-lord” or something similar.

edhel

Elf

pl1. edhil, pl2. edhellim {ð} _n. _Elf. A name used by the Sindar for themselves, characterizing other varieties by an adjective or prefix. >> Aredhel, Thinnedhel

fân

manifested body of a vala

(veil, cloud), construct fan, pl. fain.

acharn

vengeance

acharn (pl. echern)

acharn

vengeance

(pl. echern)

toll

island

toll (i doll, o tholl, construct tol), pl. tyll (i thyll)

toll

island

(i doll, o tholl, construct tol), pl. tyll (i thyll)

adar

noun. father

The Sindarin word for “father”, derived from the root √AT(AR) (PM/324; VT44/21-22; VT48/19).

Conceptual Development: N. adar “father” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√ATA of the same meaning (Ety/ATA). In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, however, G. †ador “father” was marked as archaic, and it seems {athon >>} G. nathon was the ordinary word for ”father” (GL/17, 59).

laud

noun. feather

A Sindarin word for “feather”, attested only its suffixal form -lod in the name gwaelod “wind feather” (PE23/142). It is derived from ✶lauto, so its Sindarin singular form would be ✱laud.

rhond

noun. body

A Sindarin word for “body”, cognate of Q. hrondo, appearing as rhonn in Quenya Notes from 1957 (QN: PE17/183) and as rhond or rhonn in notes concerning spirit, also probably from 1957 (NM/237). In the former document, it was derived from the root √SRON, a variant of √RON “solid, tangible, firm” (PE17/183).

Neo-Sindarin: Its Quenya cognate hrondo was replaced by Q. hröa < ✶srawā in notes from 1958-59 (MR/209, 350). However, the Sindarin equivalent of hroa was rhaw, a word that also meant “flesh” along with many other (Neo) Sindarin meanings such as “wild” and “lion”. As such, I would retain rhond as “body” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin; the continued viability of the root √RON is indicated by other words like S. Grond.

rhû

noun. matter

A Sindarin word appearing as {hrū >} rhû “matter” in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957, cognate to Q. hrón “flesh/substance of Arda, matter” and derived from srōn < √SRON, a root variation of √RON “solid, tangible, firm”. In later writings Tolkien revised its Quenya cognate to {orma} > erma (MR/218, 231 note #26, 338, 359 note #14).

Neo-Sindarin: I would retain S. rhû for “matter”, and would assume it was of independent derivation from its Quenya equivalent.

êl

noun. star

A Sindarin word for “star” that is largely archaic and poetic, and is mainly used as element in names like Elrond (Let/281; WJ/363; Ety/EL); the more usual word for “star” in ordinary speech was gil (RGEO/65). However, the collective form elenath is still used in common speech to refer to the entire host of stars (WJ/363). The plural of êl is elin, as this word was derived from ancient ✶elen, and the final n that was lost in the singular was preserved in the plural. In some cases Tolkien posited a restored analogical singular elen from the plural form (PE17/24, 67, 139), but this isn’t in keeping with the notion that the word was archaic, so I would ignore this for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: This word and its root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. el “star” was derived from the root ᴹ√EL of similar meaning, but was “only [used] in names” (Ety/EL). It seems Tolkien introduced the root to give a new etymology for names like N. Elrond and N. Elwing, which initially appeared under the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” (Ety/ƷEL).

gil

noun. star, bright spark

In The Etymologies (Ety/358, corrected by VT/45:15), this word was given as geil , plural gîl. However, later in LotR/E and RGEO/73, Tolkien seems to consider gil as a singular (with no hints in the sources of what the plural would be, besides the collective plural giliath )

na

to

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

na

preposition. to

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

ha

it

ha, han, hana. (The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly ha is the nominative, whereas han is the accusative. Hana could be an emphatic form. It may be that these pronouns as ”N” rather than Sindarin proper.)

ha

it

han, hana. *(The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly ha is the nominative, whereas han is the accusative. Hana could be an emphatic form. It may be that these pronouns as ”N” rather than Sindarin proper.)*

ruin

red flame

(no distinct pl. form except with article: idh ruin) (blazing fire). Also used as an adj. ”fiery red, burning”. (Silm app, entry ruin; PM:366)

pae

cardinal. ten

ui

adverb. ever

ad

re

also meaning "back, again, second"

ad

re-

(as prefix) ad-, also meaning "back, again, second"

bad

go

#bad- (i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.

bad

go

(i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.

calad

light

_(noun) _1) calad (i galad, o chalad), pl. celaid (i chelaid), 2) gaul (i **aul), pl. goel (i ngoel = i ñoel), coll. pl. golath. Note: A homophone means "wolf-howl", but has different mutations. 3) (bright light) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (sunlight, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid). 4) gâl (gal-, -al in compounds, with article i **âl), pl. gail (i ngail = i ñail).

calad

light

(i galad, o chalad), pl. celaid (i chelaid), 2) gaul (i ’aul), pl. goel (i ngoel = i ñoel), coll. pl. golath. Note: A homophone means "wolf-howl", but has different mutations. 3) (bright light) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (sunlight, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid). 4) gâl (gal-, -al in compounds, with article i ’âl), pl. gail (i ngail = i ñail).

edhel

elf

edhel (pl. edhil). Coll. pl. Edhelrim (or Edhellim) (UT:318). Also †eledh, pl. elidh, coll. pl. eledhrim (Letters:281), also elen, pl. elin, also with coll. pl. eledhrim (elen + rim with the regular change nr > dhr). _(WJ:363, 377-78; _the shorter coll. pl. Eldrim > Elrim_ _may also occur). But since elin also means "stars", other terms for "Elf" may be preferred.

edhelharn

elf-stone

(a term for beryl) edhelharn (pl. edhelhern) (SD:128-31). SEEING STONE (palantír) *gwachaedir (i **wachaedir), no distinct pl. form except with prefixed article (in gwachaedir), coll. pl. ?gwachaediriath or ?gwachadirnath (the latter form 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).

edra

open

(verb) 1) *edra- (i edra, in edrar), only attested in imperative form edro. 2) panna- (i banna, i phannar) (enlarge). Note: a homophone means ”fill”.

gail

light

(adjective) 1) gail (bright), lenited ngail, no distinct pl. form (VT45:18), 2) lim (clear, sparkling), no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fish”.

glawar

sunlight

(i ’lawar) (gold, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair) if there is a pl. (VT41:10)

hol

close

#hol- (i chôl, i chelir), pa.t. perhaps holl as suggested by the passive participle hollen ”closed” (the only attested form of this verb). Conceivably, hollen in the source could be a lenited form of sollen, in which case this verb should begin in s- rather than h- when not mutated.

hol

close

(i chôl, i chelir), pa.t. perhaps holl as suggested by the passive participle hollen ”closed” (the only attested form of this verb). Conceivably, hollen in the source could be a lenited form of sollen, in which case this verb should begin in s- rather than h- when not mutated.****

lach

flame

(noun) 1) lach (leaping flame), pl. laich; 2) naur (in compounds nar-, -nor) (fire, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath, 3) rill (construct ril) (brilliance, glittering reflected light), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rill).

lach

flame

(leaping flame), pl. laich;  2) naur (in compounds nar-, -nor) (fire, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath, 3) rill (construct ril) (brilliance, glittering reflected light), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rill).

lim

light

(clear, sparkling), no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fish”.

na

with

(in instrumental sense?) na (followed by lenition), with article nan (followed by ”mixed mutation”, according to David Salos reconstruction). The preposition has various meanings: ”with, by, near” and also ”to, toward, at; of”

na

with

(followed by lenition), with article nan (followed by ”mixed mutation”, according to David Salo’s reconstruction). The preposition has various meanings: ”with, by, near” and also ”to, toward, at; of”

pae

cardinal. ten

pae (the ”Noldorin” form caer listed in the Etymologies was apparently abandoned by Tolkien).

pae

ten

(the ”Noldorin” form caer listed in the Etymologies was apparently abandoned by Tolkien).

rhaw

body

rhaw (?i thraw or ?i raw the lenition product of rh is uncertain) (flesh), pl. rhoe (?idh roe). Note: a homophone means ”wild, untamed”. (MR:350).

rhaw

body

(?i thraw or ?i raw – *the lenition product of rh is uncertain) (flesh), pl. rhoe (?idh roe). Note: a homophone means ”wild, untamed”. (MR:350)*.

taen

thin

(lenited daen, no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”height, summit of high mountain”.

caen

cardinal. ten

di

preposition. with

him

adverb/adjective. ever, ever, [N.] enduring, continually; steadfast, abiding

dae

adverb. very

pess

noun. feather

adar

noun. father

alaf

noun. elm

_ n. Bot. _elm. Q. albe.

atheg

noun. "litte father"

boda

verb. refuse, forbid

brethil

noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch

cae

cardinal. ten

caen-

cardinal. ten

calad

gerund noun. light

calad

noun. light

_ n. _light, fire, brightness, shining. >> galad

calben

noun. Elf of the Great Journey (lit. "light person")

calben

noun. all Elves but the Avari

carach

noun. jaw, row of teeth

dae

noun. shadow

di

preposition. with

_ prep. _with. Q. lé.

edhel

noun. Elf

edhel

noun. Elf

_ n. _Elf, a general name for all the Elves (since the name Quendi had gone out of use in Sindarin). Probably related to or connected with Q. Elda. >> edhellen

edhel

Elf

{ð} _n. _Elf.

edhel

Elf

d _ n. _Elf. Q. elda.

edhelharn

noun. elf-stone

edra-

verb. to open

edra-

verb. open

_ v. _open (out). >> edro

edro

verb. open!

egladhrim

noun. "The Forsaken", Elves of the Falathrim

eglath

noun. "The Forsaken", Elves of the Falathrim

el

star

n. star.

elen

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath _n._star. Its collective plural (pl2.) designates 'the (host of all the) stars, (all) the (visible) stars of the firmament'. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni. o menel aglar elenath ! lit. 'from Firmament glory of the stars !'. >> êl

elen

noun. star

ell

noun. elf

n. elf, esp. [?in ?the ?South]. Noldorin form.

elleth

noun. elf-maid

ellon

noun. elf

elvellon

noun. elf-friend

galad

light

_ n. _light, fire, brightness, shining. >> calad, Caras Galadon

galadhrim

noun. Elves of Lothlórien

gil-

noun. star

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

gill

noun. star

glinnel

noun. Elf, one of the Teleri

golodh

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

golodhrim

noun. Deep Elves, Gnomes

guruthos

noun. the shadow of death, death-horror

gwath

noun. shade, shadow, dim light

gwath

noun. stain

gódhel

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

gódhellim

noun. "Deep Elves" or "Gnomes", the Wise Folk

iathrim

noun. Elves of Doriath

lach

noun. (leaping) flame

lacha-

verb. to flame

lachend

noun. Deep Elf (Sindarin name for the Ñoldor)

lachenn

noun. Deep Elf (Sindarin name for the Ñoldor)

lacho

verb. flame!

laden

adjective. open, cleared

laegel

noun. a Green Elf

laegeldrim

noun. the people of the Green Elves

laegrim

noun. the people of the Green Elves

lalorn

noun. elm-tree

lalwen

noun. elm-tree

lhaw

noun. ears (referring to one person's pair of ears only)

lum

noun. shade

mell

adjective. dear

_ adj. _dear, beloved. Q. melda.

mornedhel

noun. Dark-Elf

na

preposition. with, by (also used as a genitive sign)

na

preposition. to, towards, at

naur

noun. flame

naur

noun. fire

pae

cardinal. ten

rhond

noun. body

n. body. >> rhonn, rhû

rhonn

noun. body

n. body. >> rhond, rhû

rhû

matter

n. matter. rhû << rhū. >> rhond, rhonn

telerrim

noun. the Teleri, a tribe of Elves

ten

pronoun. (?) it (as object)

ui-

prefix. ever

êl

noun. star (little used except in verses)

êl

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath** ** n. star. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni, pl2. elelli. >> elen

ódhel

noun. Deep Elf or Gnome, one of the Wise Folk

ódhellim

noun. Deep Elves or Gnomes, the Wise Folk

ada

father

(pl. edai)

ada

daddy

ada (pl. edai)

ada

daddy

(pl. edai)

adar

father

adar (pl. edair);

adar

father

(pl. edair);

ammen

for us

(to us).

bellas

bodily strength

(i vellas), pl. bellais (i mellais) if there is a pl.

brûn

long endured/established/in use

(old), lenited vrûn, pl. bruin;

carach

jaws

(set of jaws) carach (i garach, o charach), pl. ceraich (i cheraich)

carach

jaws

(i garach, o charach), pl. ceraich (i cheraich)

dae

shadow

(i dhae) (shade), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae).

dae

very

dae (exceedingly). Lenited dhae.

dae

very

(exceedingly). Lenited dhae.

dae

shade

(i dhae) (shadow), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae)

daew

shadow

(i dhaew), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndaew) (VT45:8).

dúath

dark shadow

(i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith). Compare the Ephel Dúath or ”Mountains of Shadow” forming th outer fence of Mordor, perhaps suggesting that Dúath is also the word used of Sauron as ”the Shadow”.

edhelharn

elf-stone

(a term for beryl) edhelharn (pl. edhelhern) (SD:128-31).

edra

open

(i edra, in edrar), only attested in imperative form edro.

ennin

long year

. No distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. enniniath.

fuin

nightshade

(gloom, darkness, night, dead of night); no distinct pl. form.

fêr

beech

†fêr (stem feren-, pl. ferin) (mast);

fêr

beech

(stem feren-, pl. ferin) (mast);

gail

light

(bright), lenited ngail, no distinct pl. form (VT45:18)

gilion

of stars

(lenited ngilion; pl. gilioen). Archaic ✱giliaun.

glaur

golden light

(i ’laur), pl. gloer (in gloer).

glóren

shining with golden light

(glórin-) (golden), lenited ’lóren; pl. glórin

gwâth

shadow

(i ’wâth; construct gwath) (shade, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261)

gwâth

shade

(noun) 1) gwâth (i **wâth; construct gwath) (shadow, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261), 2) dae (i dhae) (shadow), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nae), 3) lûm (pl. luim**).

gwâth

shade

(i ’wâth; construct gwath) (shadow, dim light), pl. gwaith (in gwaith) (UT:261)

gîl

star

gîl (i ngîl = i ñîl, o n**gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath** (RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

gîl

star

(i ngîl = i ñîl, o n’gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath **(RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. **elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

lacha

flame

(verb) *lacha- (i lacha, i lachar). Only the imperative form lacho is attested.

lacha

flame

(i lacha, i lachar). Only the imperative form lacho is attested.

lachenn

flame-eyed

pl. lachinn *(WJ:384, there cited in archaic form lachend)*.

laden

open

(adj.) laden (plain, flat, wide, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

laden

open

(plain, flat,  wide, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

lhaw

ears

(?i thlaw or ?i law).

lhewig

ear

lhewig (?i thlewig or ?i lewig the lenition product of lh is uncertain). This ia a singular formed from the collective

lhewig

ear

(?i thlewig or ?i lewig – the lenition product of lh is uncertain). This ia a singular formed from the collective

lûm

shade

(pl. luim).

mail

dear

mail (lenited vail, pl. mîl), also mell (lenited vell; pl. mill), also muin (lenited vuin; no distinct pl. form)

mail

dear

(lenited vail, pl. mîl), also mell (lenited vell; pl. mill), also muin (lenited vuin; no distinct pl. form)

muil

shadow

(i vuil) (twilight, dreariness, vagueness), no distinct pl. except with article (i muil)

naew

jaw

naew; no distinct pl. form;

naew

jaw

; no distinct pl. form;

nauth

thought

nauth (pl. noeth, coll. pl. nothath);

neldor

beech tree

(pl. neldyr), also brethorn (i vrethorn), pl. brethyrn (i mrethyrn) (VT46:3). The mallorn or ”golden-tree” found in Lórien was supposedly beechlike: mallorn (i vallorn), pl. mellyrn (i mellyrn).

paenui

tenth

.

raw

rush

(noun, roaring noise) 1) raw (pl. roe, idh roe)

raw

rush

(pl. roe, idh roe)

rib

rush

(verb) rib- (i rîb, idh ribir) (fly, fling)

rib

rush

(i rîb, idh ribir) (fly, fling)

ui

ever

ui (always); also used as adj. ”everlasting, eternal”. Also as prefix, as in *uidafnen ”ever-closed) (WJ:341, where the spelling ”uidavnen” is used), pl. uidefnin

ui

ever

(always); also used as adj. ”everlasting, eternal”. Also as prefix, as in ✱uidafnen ”ever-closed) (WJ:341, where the spelling ”uidavnen” is used), pl. uidefnin

an

for

an (1) _conj. and prep. _"for" (Nam, RGEO:66), an cé mo quernë… "for if one turned…" (VT49:8), also used adverbially in the formula an + a noun to express "one more" (of the thing concerned: an quetta "a word more", PE17:91). The an of the phrase es sorni heruion an! "the Eagles of the Lords are at hand" (SD:290) however seems to denote motion towards (the speaker): the Eagles are coming. Etym has an, ana "to, towards" (NĀ1). The phrase an i falmalī _(PE17:127) is not clearly translated but seems to be a paraphrase of the word falmalinnar "upon the foaming waves" (Nam)_, suggesting that an can be used as a paraphrase of the allative ending (and if falmalī is seen as a Book Quenya accusative form because of the long final vowel, this is evidence that an governs the accusative case). In the "Arctic" sentence, an is translated "until". Regarding an as used in Namárië, various sources indicate that it means an "moreover, further(more), to proceed" (VT49:18-19) or ("properly") "further, plus, in addition" (PE17:69, 90). According to one late source (ca. 1966 or later), an "is very frequently used after a full stop, when an account or description is confirmed after a pause. So in Galadriels Elvish lament […]: An sí Tintallë, etc. [= For now the Kindler, etc…] This is translated by me for, side an is (as here) often in fact used when the additional matter provides an explanation of or reason for what has already been said". Related is the use of an + noun to express "one more"; here an is presumably accented, something the word would not normally be when used as a conjunction or preposition.

anyára

anyára

#anyára (attested with dative ending: anyáran), see an-, yára

anca

noun. jaws, jaws; [ᴹQ.] jaw, row of teeth

A noun for “jaws” appearing in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E as the name of tengwa #15 [f] (LotR/1123). ᴹQ. anka was first introduced in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the glosses “jaw, row of teeth” and derived from primitive ᴹ✶ankā under the root ᴹ√(A)NAK “bite” (Ety/ÁNAK, NAK).

Conceptual Development: In tengwar charts and other earlier documents from the 1930s up through the early 1950s, anca was in competition with an earlier word anta “jaw” < ✶amtā (earlier ᴱ✶ṃtā) based on the root √MAT “eat” (PE22/22, 51; PE18/85 note #72), but Tolkien ultimately settled on anca. Another early word that might be a precursor to anca is ᴱQ. kâ, cognate to G. gag “jaw” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/37).

anta

noun. jaw

A noun appearing as ᴹQ. anta “face” in The Etymologies written around 1937 under the root ᴹ√ANA “to, towards” (Ety/ANA¹), based on an extension of this root: ᴹ√ANAT (EtyAC/ANA¹).

Conceptual Development: The earliest appearance of this word was as ᴱQ. anta “jaw” in The Qenya Phonology of the 1910s, where it was derived from ᴱ✶mtā, related to ᴱ√MATA “eat” (PE12/26). It was mentioned again in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon as a cognate to G. ant “cheek” (GL/19), but in the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it was ᴱQ. anto “jaw” (QL/31; PME/31). ᴱQ. anta reappeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, but there it had the gloss “cheek” and its Gnomish cognate G. ant was “face” (PE13/137, 160). In Early Qenya Word-lists from the 1920s, however, anta retained the gloss “jaw” (PE16/136).

As noted above, in The Etymologies ᴹQ. anta had the gloss “face” and a new derivation from ᴹ√ANA “to, towards” (Ety/ANA¹), perhaps meaning “✱front of the head”. In that document Tolkien introduced ᴹQ. anka for “jaw” based on ᴹ√NAK “bite” (Ety/NAK). In notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from around this time, he revised the gloss of ᴹQ. anta from “jaw” to “face” (PE22/21 note #64), which was followed by a chart that had both anta “face” and anka “jaw” (PE22/22). However, he then wrote “jaw” faintly above anta and marked through the gloss of anka (PE22/22 note #67).

In version of these notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s, Tolkien had anta “jaws”, but there it was revised to ᴹQ. anto “mouth” (PE22/50 and note #185). In the version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa from around 1950 (TQ2) Tolkien again had Q. anta “jaw” < ✶amtā based on the root √MAT, but he revised the primitive form to ✶ankā and then marked through the entire paragraph (PE18/85 note #72). In the tengwar charts from Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien had Q. anca “jaw” and Q. anto “mouth” (LotR/1123).

To summarize, it seems Tolkien revised the meaning of word anta from “jaw” >> “cheek” >> “face” in the 1910s through 1930s; then in the 1940s and 50s he considered restoring anta “jaw” but ultimately settled on Q. anca “jaw” and Q. anto “mouth”.

Neo-Quenya: Given the ultimate result above, I think it is possible that the sense ᴹQ. anta “face” < √ANA “to(wards)” from The Etymologies remains viable, and I would use the word anta with that meaning for purposes of Neo-Quenya. I would also let it retain its ᴱQ. meaning “cheek”, as we have no other Quenya words with this sense.

an-

very

an- (2) intensive or superlative prefix carrying the idea of "very" or "most", seen in ancalima "most bright" (cf. calima "bright"), antara "very high, very lofty" and #anyára "very old" or "oldest" (the latter form occurring in the so-called Elaine inscription [VT49:40], there with the dative ending -n). Assimilated to am- before p-, as in amparca ("k") "very dry", and to al-, ar-, as- before words in l-, r-, s- (though Tolkien seems to indicate that before words in l- derived from earlier d, the original quality of the consonant would be preserved so that forms in and- rather than all- would result). See also un-. (Letters:279, VT45:5, 36) Regarding the form of the superlative prefix before certain consonants, another, partially discrepant system was also set down in the Etymologies and first published in VT45:36. The prefix was to appear as um- or un- before labialized consonants like p-, qu-, v- (the consonant v preserving its ancient pronunciation b- following the prefix, thus producing a word in umb-), as in- (technically iñ-) before c- and g- (the latter presumably referring to words that originally had initial g-, later lost in Quenya but evidently preserved following this prefix), and as an- otherwise. However, this system would contradict the canonical example ancalima, which would have been *incalima if Tolkien had maintained this idea. In a post-LotR source, the basic form of the prefix is given as am- instead (see am- #2). In this late conception, the prefix still appears as an- before most consonants, but as ama- before r, l, and the form an- is used even before s- (whether original or from þ), not the assimilated variant as- described above. General principles would suggest that the form am- should also appear before y- (so the form #anyára probably presupposes an- rather than am- as the basic form of the prefix, Tolkien revisiting the earlier concept in the _Elaine inscription). (PE17:92)_

an-

re

an- (3) prefix "re" in antúlien, q.v. (LotR-style Quenya shows en- instead.)

ana

to

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

antara

very high, very lofty

antara adj. "very high, very lofty", the adjective tára "lofty" with the superlative prefix an- (q.v.) We might have expected *antára. Also place-name Antaro (VT45:5, 36), said to be the "name of a mountain in Valinor south of Taniq[u]etil" (VT46:17)

anca

noun. jaws

jaws, (animal's) mouth

anca

jaws, row of teeth

anca noun "jaws, row of teeth" _(ÁNAK [there spelt anca in Etym as printed in LR, but according to VT45:5, Tolkien's own spelling in the Etym manuscript was anka], NAK [there spelt anka], Appendix E, SA - despite what Christopher Tolkien says in the entry _anca in SA, the Quenya word anca_ as such does NOT appear in the Sindarin dragon-name Ancalagon, but its Sindarin cognate anc does. See ÁNAK in the Etymologies.) Also name of tengwa #15 (Appendix E). _Despite its English gloss, anca is a singular word (in Etym the gloss is indeed "jaw", not "jaws").

anda

long

anda adj. "long" (ÁNAD/ANDA), "far" (PE17:90).In Andafangar noun "Longbeards", one of the tribes of the Dwarves (= Khuzdul Sigin-tarâg and Sindarin Anfangrim) (PM:320). Compare Andafalassë, #andamacil, andamunda, andanéya, andatehta, Anduinë. Apparently derived from the adj. anda is andavë "long" as adverb ("at great length", PE17:102), suggesting that the ending -vë can be used to derive adverbs from adjectives (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308)

andavë

long, at great length

andavë adv. "long, at great length" (PE17:102); see anda

ando

long

ando (2) adv. "long"; maybe replaced by andavë; see anda (VT14:5)

anna

gift

anna noun "gift" (ANA1, SA), "a thing handed, brought or sent to a person" (PE17:125), also name of tengwa #23 (Appendix E); pl. annar "gifts" in Fíriel's Song. Masc. name Annatar "Lord of Gifts, *Gift-lord", name assumed by Sauron when he tried to seduce the Eldar in the Second Age (SA:tar). Eruanna noun "God-gift", gift of God, i.e. "grace" (VT43:38)

anna, anwa

noun. gift

anwa

noun. gift

sanwë

thought, an act of thinking

sanwë noun "thought, an act of thinking" (VT39:23, 30; VT41:5, 13, PE17:183)

laman

noun. animal, animal, [ᴹQ.] tame beast

A word for an “animal” in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, where Tolkien said it “usually only applied to four-footed beasts, and never to reptiles or birds” (WJ/416). It was derived from the root √LAM in the sense “inarticulate voiced sound”. It had plural forms lamni and lamani based on distinct primitive forms ✶laman(a) and ✶lamān, the first form being subject to the Quenya syncope and the second immune to it.

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor to this word was ᴱQ. {lāma >>} lăma in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√LAMA, with the glosses “a head of cattle or sheep; an animal, beast” (QL/50). In this document it had an ancient form lamṇ, and accusative forms lamna or laman. The origin of this final -a is made clear in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, where Tolkien said “-a < ṇ”, citing lama as an example with plural form lamni (PE14/44, 74). This singular and plural form also appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists (PE16/132) and the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s (PE15/69), and in the latter Tolkien specified that the word “can be used generally, but popularly as in English excludes birds & insects, and men”.

The form ᴹQ. laman emerged in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, where Tolkien gave it the gloss “tame beast” (PE21/19). Inflected forms indicate the stem was still lamn-, and the plural remained lamni (PE21/28). Thus it seems that by this stage the word’s stem form was the result of the Quenya syncope. The word laman “animal” appeared in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948, but there it was rejected and replaced by ᴹQ. nasto (PE22/116). Laman “animal” appeared again in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, as noted above.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume this word mostly applies to either tame or tameable four-legged mammals, as opposed to hravan for “wild beasts” and celva for animals in general.

laman

noun. animal

animal

laman

animal

laman (lamn- or simply laman-, as in pl. lamni or lamani) noun "animal" (usually applied to four-footed beasts, and never to reptiles and birds; a more general word may be #celva) (WJ:416)

quëan

cardinal. ten

quëan cardinal "ten", also quain (VT48:6, 12, 20). Quain or quëan replaced the form cainen in Tolkiens conception.

mancalë

commerce

mancalë ("k")noun "commerce" (MBAKH; this form apparently replaced mahtalë, cf. mahta- #2 [VT45:33])

nangwa

jaw

nangwa noun "jaw" (NAK)

panta

open

panta adj. "open" (PAT)

vanya-

verb. go, depart, disappear

vanya- (2) vb. "go, depart, disappear", pa.t. vannë (WAN). The verb auta- may have replaced this word in Tolkien's later conception.

quëan

cardinal. ten

nár

noun. fire (as an element), fire (as an element); [ᴹQ.] flame

The basic Quenya word for “fire” derived from the root √NAR of the same meaning (PE17/29, 38), more specifically “fire as an element” or as a force or abstract concept (PE17/183), versus ruinë “a fire, a blaze” which is an individual fire or blaze in the physical world. In The Etymologies of the 1930s it appeared as ᴹQ. nár or náre “flame” derived from the root ᴹ√NAR “flame, fire” (Ety/NAR¹).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had as a derivative of the root ᴱ√SAH(Y)A “be hot” the word ᴱQ. Sā “Fire, especially in temples, etc. A mystic name identified with Holy Ghost” (QL/81), and this “mystic name” was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/81). Thus it seems ᴱQ. sá was “mystic fire”, as opposed to ᴱQ. uru which was ordinary “fire” (QL/98).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use this word as [ᴹQ.] náre as an independent word, and use nár or nar in compounds only. This helps keep it distinct from nár the plural of ná- “to be”.

horya-

have an impulse, be compelled to do something, set vigorously out to do

horya- noun "have an impulse, be compelled to do something, set vigorously out to do" (VT45:22)

metya-

verb. put an end to

metya- vb. "put an end to" (MET)

nassë

person, an individual

nassë (1) "a person, an individual" (VT49:30). Also translated "true-being" (pl. nasser is attested), the inner "true" being of a person. With a pronominal suffix in the form nassentar "their true-being" (PE17:175, cf. -nta #2), in the source referring to the "true" spiritual nature of the Valar, as hidden within their visible shapes. The word nassentar would seem to be plural, *"their true-beings". Not to be confused with the verb nassë/násë "he/she is"; see ná #1.

anta

noun. jaw, [ᴹQ.] face, *front of the head, [ᴱQ.] cheek; [Q.] jaw

cuiva

noun. animal

cuima

noun. animal

nasto

noun. animal, beast

fairë

phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape

fairë(1) noun "phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape" (pl. fairi in Markirya); compare ausa. The noun fairë was also used = "spirit (in general)", as a kind of being (MR:349, PE17:124). In VT43:37 and VT44:17, fairë refers to the Holy Spirit (fairë aista or Aina Fairë)

latin

open, free, cleared (of land)

latin, latina adj. "open, free, cleared (of land)" (LAT). According to VT41:5, the adjective latina "is used rather of freedom of movement, of things not encumbered with obstacles".

lelya-

verb. go, proceed (in any direction), travel

lelya- (1) vb. "go, proceed (in any direction), travel", pa.t. lendë / elendë (WJ:363, VT14:5, PE17:139) At one point Tolkien assigned a more specific meaning to the underlying root LED: "go away from the speaker or the point in mind, depart" (PE17:52), which would make lelya- a near synonym of auta-. The same source denies that the derivatives of _LED _were used simply for "go, move, travel", but elsewhere Tolkien assigns precisely that meaning to lelya-.

lëo

shade, shadow cast by any object

lëo noun "shade, shadow cast by any object" (DAY)

lóna

island, remote land difficult to reach

lóna (2) noun "island, remote land difficult to reach" (LONO (AWA) ). Obsoleted by #1 above?

tol

island, isle

tol noun "island, isle" (rising with sheer sides from the sea or from the river, SA:tol, VT47:26). In early "Qenya", the word was defined as "island, any rise standing alone in water, plain of green, etc" (LT1:269). The stem is toll-; the Etymologies as published in LR gives the pl. "tolle" (TOL2), but this is a misreading for tolli (see VT46:19 and compare LT1:85). The primitive form of tol is variously cited as ¤tolla (VT47:26) and ¤tollo (TOL2).

-ien

suffix. -land

ó

with, accompanying

elen

noun. star

The most common Quenya word for “star”, mentioned very frequently, derived from an extended form ✶elen of the root √EL “behold” (PE17/67; WJ/360, 362). Its usual plural form is eleni, but it has an archaic plural †eldi sometimes used in verse, the result of the Ancient Quenya sound whereby [[aq|[ln] became [ld]]] after the ancient plural underwent the Quenya syncope, ✶elenī > AQ. elni; its normal modern plural form eleni was actually a reformation from the singular (PE17/57, 151; WJ/362).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, though in the original entry for the root ᴹ√EL Tolkien said it was poetical and gave variants ellen and elena (Ety/EL).

cálë

noun. light

A noun for “light” appearing in the versions of the Markirya poem from the 1960s (MC/222-223).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. kále “morning” was a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), and kāle was mentioned again Gnomish Lexicon Slips as a cognate of G. gaul “a light” (PE13/114). The form ᴱQ. kale “day” appeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, but was deleted (PE14/43). It might also be an element in ᴹQ. yúkale “twilight” (= “both lights”) from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KAL).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d stick to the better attested Q. cala “light”.

hlas

noun. ear

The Quenya word for “ear” is derived from primitive √S-LAS, an elaboration of √LAS “listen” (PE17/62, 77). It had a stem form of hlar- because medial s generally became z and then r, but the s was preserved when final.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s the word for “ear” was derived directly from ᴹ√LAS “listen”, and had the form lár (Ety/LAS²). This seems to be a brief reversion to Early Qenya phonology of the 1910s, where medial s survived and it was final s that became r (PE12/26); compare to ᴹQ. kár (kas-) “head”, also from The Etymologies (Ety/KAS). In that document, the Noldorin word for “ear” was N. lhewig, a singular form based on the fossilized dual lhaw (Ety/LAS²). The voiceless lh- in this word was the result of the Noldorin sound-change of the 1930s whereby ancient initial r-, l- were unvoiced.

This Noldorin word made it into Lord of the Rings drafts as part of Amon Lhaw “Hill of Hearing, (lit.) Hill of Ears” (TI/364), a form that Tolkien retained in the published version (LotR/393). Since the unvoicing of initial l was no longer a feature of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, Tolkien needed to contrive a new derivation from primitive √S-LAS, which also necessitated a change in the Quenya cognate to voiceless initial hl-.

Early Qenya words for “ear” from the 1910s had a completely different basis. They include ᴱQ. ankar (ankas-) “ear (of men)”, ᴱQ. qan (qand-) “ear”, and ᴱQ. unk (unq-) “ear (of animals)” from the Qenya Lexicon, all based on the root ᴱ√ṆQṆ (QL/31, 76, 98). The last of these reappeared as unko “ear” in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s and contemporaneous word lists (PE14/52, 76, 117; PE15/71), but seems to have been abandoned by the 1930s.

él

noun. star

An archaic or poetic word for star (WJ/362), somewhat common in compounds but in ordinary speech typically appearing as elen. It was derived directly from the primitive root √EL “behold”, the basis for other star words (PM/340; WJ/360).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as poetical ᴹQ. él “star” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above, though in this document the root ᴹ√EL meant “star” (Ety/EL), a common gloss for the root in later writings as well.

-li

the elves

-li partitive pl. ending (simply called a plural suffix in the Etymologies, stem LI). The ending is used to indicate a plural that is neither generic (e.g. Eldar "the Elves" as a race) nor definite (preceded by article); hence Eldali is used for "some Elves" (a particular group of Elves, when they are first mentioned in a narrative, VT49:8). Sometimes Tolkien also lets -li imply a great number; in PE17:129, the form falmalinnar from _Namárië _is broken down as falma-li-nnar "foam wave-many-towards-pl. ending", and falmali by itself Tolkien translated "many waves" (PE17:73). A distinct accusative in -lī seems to occur in the phrase an i falmalī (PE17:127, apparently meaning the same as i falmalinnar, but replacing the allative ending with a preposition). Genitive -lion in vanimálion, malinornélion (q.v. for reference), allative -linna and -linnar in falmalinnar, q.v. The endings for other cases are only known from the Plotz letter: possessive -líva, dative -lin, locative -lissë or -lissen, ablative -lillo or -lillon, instrumental -línen, "short locative" -lis. When the noun ends in a consonant, r and n is assimilated before l, e.g. Casalli as the partitive pl. of Casar "Dwarf" (WJ:402), or elelli as the partitive pl. of elen "star" (PE17:127). It is unclear whether the same happens in monosyllabic words, or whether a connecting vowel would be slipped in before -li (e.g. ?queneli or ?quelli as the partitive pl. of quén, quen- "person").

-nna

to

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

-wë

person

-wë a suffix occurring in many personal names, generally but not exclusively masculine (Elenwë is the sole certain example of a fem. name with this ending); it is derived from a stem simply meaning "person" (PM:340, WJ:399). In Etym, -wë is simply defined as an element that is frequent in masculine names, and it is there derived from a stem (WEG) having to do with "(manly) vigour".

Elessar

elf-stone

Elessar masc. name "Elf-stone" (Elen + sar, actually "Star-stone", cf. Elendil concerning elen "star" being used to mean "Elf") (LotR3:V ch. 8). Genitive Elesarno _(VT49:28, read _Elessarno?) indicates that the stem is -sarn-. As a common noun, elessar or "elf-stone" may signify "beryl" (in the chapter Flight to the Ford in the LotR, Aragorn finds "a single pale-green jewel" and declares: "It is a beryl, an elf-stone"). Elessar as a name may also be seen as a pun or variant of Elesser "Elf-friend".

alvë

elm

alvë noun "elm" (PE17:146), also pronounced albë. In an earlier source, the word for "elm" is given as alalmë, lalmë.

am-

signifying addition, increase

am- (2) prefix used in comparison, "signifying addition, increase" (PE17:90), or with genitive superlative: elenion ancalima "brightest of stars" (PE17:91). Originally identical with #1 above. The form am- as such is in late Quenya only used before p and (presumably) before vowels; the longer form ama- came to be preferred before r and l; before other consonants, the prefix assumes the form an- (pronounced, but not in Romanized Quenya orthography written, añ- before c) (PE17:90-92). Phonologically we would expect am- before y- (since my is an acceptable Quenya combination); however, Tolkien used an- in the word anyára (q.v.) See an- #2 and compare ar- #2.

ar-

brightest

ar- (2), also ari-, prefix for superlative (compare arya #1, 2), hence arcalima "brightest", arimelda *"dearest" (PE17:56-57). In the grammar described in the source, this prefix was to express superlative as the highest degree (in actual comparison), whereas the alternative prefix an- rather expressed "very" or "exceedingly" with a more purely augmentative or adverbial force, but these distinctions do not seem to have been clearly present at all stages of Tolkiens work. See an- #2, am- #2.

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.

cainen

cardinal. ten

[cainen] ("k") cardinal "ten" (KAYAN/KAYAR). According to VT48:12, Tolkien eventually rejected this word (cainen would only mean "I lay", sc. the pa.t. cainë with the ending -n "I"). See quain, quëan.

car-

with

#car- (2) prep. "with" (carelyë "with thee"), prepositional element (evidently an ephemeral form abandoned by Tolkien) (VT43:29)

cëa

cardinal. ten

[cëa, cëan ("k") cardinal "ten", forms Tolkien later abandoned in favour of quain or quëan. An adjectival form caina ("k") was also listed, but must likewise be considered obsolete. (VT48:12-13, VT49:54)]

falma

(crested/foaming) wave

falma noun "(crested/foaming) wave" (PHAL/PHÁLAS), "a wave-crest, wave" (VT42:15), "foam wave" (PE17:127), "a breaker" (PE17:62), partitive pl. falmali "many waves" (PE17:73), allative falmalinnar "on the foaming waves" in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67); the phrase an i falmalī _(PE17:74) seems to be a paraphrase of this with an independent preposition instead of the allative ending -nna (see an #1). Compounded in Falmari, a name of the Teleri, and Mar-nu-Falmar, "Home/Land under Waves", a name of Númenor after the Downfall. (SA:falas) Falmari "wave-folk", a name of the Teleri (PM:386). In earlier "Qenya", falma was glossed "foam" (LT1:253, cf. MC:213). Compare also the early "Qenya" words falmar "wave as it breaks" (LT1:253), pl. falmari "waves" (MC:216)_

laimë

shade

laimë noun "shade" (DAY; in an earlier version the gloss was "shadow (cast by an object or form)"; see VT45:8-9. Perhaps Tolkien transferred this meaning to lëo when giving laimë the more general meaning "shade".)

lasi

on the contrary

lasi or lasir, -sír adv. "on the contrary", possibly an ephemeral form Tolkien replaced by úsië (VT49:17-18)

lár

ear

lár (2) noun "ear" (?). Tolkien's wording is not clear, but ¤lasū is given as an ancient dual form "(pair of) ears"; Quenya lár could represent the old singular las- (LAS2). In a post-LotR source, Tolkien derives hlas "ear" (dual hlaru) from a stem SLAS(PE17:62). Initial hl- rather than l- reflects the revised form of the stem (LAS becoming SLAS), and in the later version of the phonology, postvocalic -s does not become -r when final. Compare the noun "dream", given as olor in the Etymologies (LOS), but as olos pl. olori in a later source (UT:396)

men-

verb. go

#men- (4) vb. "go" (VT47:11, cf. VT42:30, VT49:23), attested in the aorist (menë) in the sentence imbi Menel Cemenyë menë Ráno tië "between Heaven and Earth goes the path of the Moon". In the verb nanwen- "return" (or go/come back), -men- is changed to -wen- following nan- "back" (etymological form cited as nan-men-, PE17:166). In examples from VT49:23, 24, Tolkien used men- in the sense of "go as far as": 1st person sg. aorist menin (menin coaryanna "I arrive at [or come/get to] his house"), endingless aorist menë, present tense ména- "is on point of arrival, is just coming to an end", past tense mennë "arrived, reached", in this tense usually with locative rather than allative (mennen sís "I arrive[d] here"), perfect eménië "has just arrived", future menuva "will arrive". All of these examples were first written with the verb as ten- rather than men-, Tolkien then emending the initial consonant.

na

to, towards

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

nirmë

act of will, exercise of will

nirmë noun "an act of will, exercise of will" (VT39:30, VT41:6, PE17:168), "the act or action of níra" (VT41:17)

nár

flame

nár noun "flame", also nárë (NAR1).Translated "fire" in some names, see Aicanár(o), Fëanáro (where nár apparently has the masculine ending -o added to it). According to PE17:183, nár- is "fire as an element" (a concrete fire or blaze is rather called a ruinë).

nárë

flame

nárë, also short nár, noun "flame" (NAR1, Narqelion). Translated "fire" in some names, see Aicanáro, Fëanáro (where nár apparently has the masculine ending -o, though in the latter name it may also be the genitive ending since Fëa-náro** is translated "Spirit of Fire"). At one point, Tolkien mentioned "nār-" as the word for "fire (as an element)" (PE17:183). Cf. ruinë** as the word for "a fire" (a concrete instance of fire) in the same source.

quain

cardinal. ten

quain cardinal "ten" (also quëan); quainëa ordinal "tenth" (VT48:6, 20; VT42:25). Quain or quëan replaced the form cainen in Tolkiens conception.

ten

for

ten (2) conj. "for", in Fíriel's Song; apparently replaced by an in LotR-style Quenya.

ten-

verb. go as far as

[ten- (3) vb. "go as far as", 1st person sg. aorist tenin, (tenin coaryanna "I arrive at [or come/get to] his house"), endingless aorist tenë, present tense téna- "is on point of arrival, is just coming to an end", past tense tennë "arrived, reached", in this tense usually with locative rather than allative: tennen sís "I arrive[d] here", perfect eténië "has just arrived", future tenuva "will arrive".] (VT49:23, 35, 36; Tolkien emended the initial consonant from t to m throughout)

atar

noun. father

The Quenya word for “father”, derived from the root √AT(AR) (PM/324; WJ/402; VT48/19).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. atar “father” dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, though in that document it was “a more solemn word ... usually to 1st Person of the Blessed Trinity”, as opposed to more ordinary ᴱQ. attu “father” (QL/33). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s, ᴱQ. atar was the ordinary word for “father”, but with variant archaic form †attar (PE15/72). ᴹQ. atar “father” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√ATA of the same meaning (Ety/ATA). It appeared again in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948 in various inflected forms (PE22/118-119). It continued to appear regularly in Tolkien’s later writings. Thus this word was established early and retained its form throughout Tolkien’s life with only minor variations.

alvë

noun. elm

A word appearing as alve or albe “elm” in notes from 1959, derived from the root √ALAB of similar meaning (PE17/146, 153).

Conceptual Development: This word was ᴱQ. alalme (alalmi-) “elm (tree)” in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” (QL/29; PME/29). It was ᴱQ. alalme “elm” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/140), and ᴹQ. alalme or lalme “elm-tree” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the roots ᴹ√ALAM or ᴹ√LALAM (Ety/ÁLAM, LÁLAM). The change to alve/albe was fairly late, as noted above.

cala

noun. light, light; [ᴱQ.] daytime (sunlight), 12 hours

This is the most common Quenya word for “light”, derived from the root √KAL of similar meaning (RGEO/62; PE17/84). It appears in numerous compounds, either in its full form or in a reduced form cal-.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. kala appeared all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “daytime (sunlight), 12 hours” and derived from the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), but it had the sense “light” in the phrase ᴱQ. i·kal’antúlien “Light hath returned” (LT1/184), and it was given as the cognate of G. gala “light, daylight” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/37).

ᴹQ. kala “light” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√KAL “shine” (Ety/KAL). Somewhat curiously in that document its primitive form was given as ᴹ✶k’lā́ (EtyAC/KAL), a form that also appeared in the first version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ1) from the 1930s (PE18/38). Tolkien may have used this variant form to explain N. glaw “radiance” (< ᴹ✶g’lā́), but in later writings S. glaw “sunshine” was derived from √LAW.

larma

noun. raiment

A word from the late 1960s for “raiment” appearing only its plural form in the phrase Valar ar Maiar fantaner nassentar fanainen ve quenderinwe coar al larmar “Valar and Maiar cloaked their true-being in veils, like to Elvish bodies and raiment” (PE17/175). It’s derivation is unclear, but it might be tied to ᴹ√LAD “lie flat” from the 1940s (PE22/126).

lé

preposition. with

The preposition lé “with” was mentioned in a (rejected) etymology of S. di “with” in Tolkien’s notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/94), from the phrase le nallon sí di’nguruthos (LotR/729), usually translated “here overwhelmed in dread of Death, I cry”. In this note, Tolkien eventually decided that S. (n)di actually meant “beneath”, and its Quenya equivalent was Q. nî.

Conceptual Development: Prepositional ᴹQ. le also appeared in the Lament of Atalante from the 1940s, in the phrase ᴹQ. Númeheruvi arda sakkante lenéme Ilúvatáren “the Lords of the West broke the world by [or with] leave of Ilúvatar” (SD/246, 310). Here “with” seems to be used in the instrumental sense “by means of”.

The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. le “with (accompaniment)” under the early root ᴱ√LĒ (QL/52). Le was also mentioned in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon as the equivalent of G. li “with (of accompaniment only)”, but also used to mean “and” between nouns (GL/54). In this period the instrumental preposition seems to be ᴱQ. ma, which appeared in a few phrases from ᴱQ. Sí Qente Feanor from the 1910s: ᴱQ. malto ísier i nosta “✱by those from whom this birth was known” and ᴱQ. nalto fustúme ma Melkon “✱they can be smelled out by Melko” (PE15/32). Compare G. ma “with instrument or by agent” from the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/55).

Neo-Quenya: I would retain ᴺQ. lé for purposes of Neo-Quenya as a rarely-used instrumental preposition meaning “with, by (means of)”, reconceived as a derivative of √LEÑ “✱way, method, manner” (PE17/74).

quessë

noun. feather

The Quenya word for “feather” and the name of tengwa #4 [z] (LotR/1122).

Conceptual Development: Some similar words appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√QASA: ᴱQ. qasil “arrow-feather, arrow” and ᴱQ. qasilla “tuft, nodding spray, tassel, plume” (QL/76); quasil was only glossed “arrow” in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/76). ᴹQ. qesse “feather” first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KWES (Ety/KWES), already the name of tengwa #4 (EtyAC/KWES). It was also the name of this tengwa in notes on the Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 1940s (PE22/22, 51, 61), and remained so into the published version of The Lord of the Rings.

-nna

to, at, upon

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

Návatar

father

Návatar noun a title of Aulë referring to his position as the immediate author of the Dwarvish race, apparently including atar "father", but the first element cannot be related to any known term for "Dwarf" (PM:391 cf. 381)

as

with

as prep. "with" (together with), also attested with a pronominal suffix: aselyë "with thee" (VT47:31, VT43:29). The conjunction ar "and" may also appear in assimilated form as before s; see ar #1.

atar

father

atar noun "father" (SA; WJ:402, UT:193, LT1:255, VT43:37, VT44:12). According to the Etymologies (ATA) the pl. is atari, but contrast #atári in Atanatári "Fathers of Men" (q.v.); possibly the word behaves differently when compounded. Atarinya "my father" (LR:70), atar(inya) the form a child would use addressing his or her father, also reduced to atya (VT47:26). Diminutive masc. name Atarincë ("k") "Little father", amilessë (never used in narrative) of Curufinwë = Curufin (PM:353). Átaremma, Ataremma "our Father" as the first word of the Quenya translation of the Lord's Prayer, written before Tolkien changed -mm- as the marker of 1st person pl. exclusive to -lm-; notice -e- as a connecting vowel before the ending -mma "our". In some versions of the Lord's Prayer, including the final version, the initial a of atar "father" is lengthened, producing #átar. This may be a contraction of *a atar "o Father", or the vowel may be lengthened to give special emphasis to #Átar "Father" as a religious title (VT43:13). However, in VT44:12 Atar is also a vocative form referring to God, and yet the initial vowel remains short.

atto

father, daddy

atto noun "father, daddy" (hypocoristic)(ATA, LR:49), supposedly a word in "actual 'family' use" (VT47:26), also used in children's play for "thumb" and "big toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6). The dual form attat listed in VT48:19 seems to be formed from the alternative form atta, though attat was changed by Tolkien from attot. - Compare atya.

cálë

light

cálë ("k")noun "light" (Markirya; in early "Qenya", cálë meant "morning", LT1:254)

elen

star

elen noun "star" (SA:êl, elen, EL, VT49:39); pl. eleni (occasionally in verse: eldi) (WJ:362, PE17:127); partitive pl. elelli for elenli (PE17:127), gen. pl. elenion in the phrase Elenion Ancalima "brightest of stars" (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385 for translation); elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44), genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45), eleni neldë "three stars", archaic elenion neldë = "of stars three". Genitive "of 3 stars" = elenion neldë (for archaic elenion neldëo) (VT49:45). Allative elenna "starwards" used as name of Númenor _(Silm; see Elenna)_; ablative pl. elenillor "from stars" in Markirya. **Nai elen siluva ***"may a star shine", VT49:38.

ita

very, extremely

ita, íta adv. 2) "very, extremely" (PE17:112). Like #1 above, this element emerged as part of Tolkiens efforts to explain the initial element of the name Idril (Q Itaril), so it is questionable if #1 and #2 were ever meant to coexist in the "same" version of Quenya.

quendë

elf

quendë noun "Elf", the little-used analogical sg. of Quendi, q.v. (KWEN(ED), WJ:361)

sa

it

sa pron. "it", 3rd person sg, corresponding to the ending -s (VT49:30). Used of inanimate things or abstracts (VT49:37; plants are considered animate; see se). For sa as object, cf. the sentence ecë nin carë sa "I can do it" (VT49:34). Stressed sá (VT49:51). Ósa "with it" (VT43:36). Also compare the reflexive pronoun insa "itself", q.v. In one text, sa is also defined as "that" (VT49:18); apparently Tolkien also at one point considered giving sa a plural significance, so that it meant *"they, them" of inanimate things, the counterpart of "personal" té (VT49:51).

voro

ever, continually

voro, voro- adv. "ever, continually" (BOR, Narqelion) Compare vor. (Focusing on the gloss "continually", post-Tolkien writers have sometimes used voro for "still, yet", but for this sense the term en is available.) The variants vora, vorë were used for "always" in drafts for a Quenya version of the Sub Tuum Praesidium, but Tolkien eventually replaced such forms with the unrelated word illumë (VT44:9). Compare vórë, vórëa.

úsir

on the contrary

úsir adv. "on the contrary", a form Tolkien may have abandoned in favor of úsië (VT49:18)

úsir

conjunction. on the contrary

úsië

conjunction. on the contrary

as

preposition. with

cëa(n)

cardinal. ten

quain

cardinal. ten

lai

adverb. very

(a)taryo

noun. daddy

-o

person, somebody

-o (2), also -ó, "a person, somebody", pronominal suffix (PM:340)

Námo

person, somebody

námo (2) noun "a person, somebody" (PM:340 writers may prefer the synonym quén to avoid confusion with # 1)

Quende#

noun. Elf

Elf

alaco

rush, rushing flight, wild wind

alaco ("k")noun "rush, rushing flight, wild wind" (VT45:5 cf. ÁLAK)

alalmino

elm

alalmino noun? "Elm"-something? (Narqelion)

alalmë

elm, elm-tree

alalmë (2) noun "elm, elm-tree" (ÁLAM, LÁLAM, LT1:249). Cf. alvë in a post-LotR source.

albë

noun. elm

as

with

o (2) prep. "with" (MC:216; this is "Qenya"; WJ:367 states that no independent preposition o was used in Quenya. Writers may rather use as.) See ó- below.

atar

noun. father

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".

ava-

verb. refuse, forbid

avaquet-

verb. refuse, forbid

avaquet- ("q")vb. "refuse, forbid" (KWET)

cainen

cardinal. ten

cala

light

cala ("k")noun "light" (KAL). Concerning the "Qenya" verb cala-, see #cal- above.

calina

light

calina ("k")adj. "light" (KAL), "bright" (VT42:32) "(literally illumined) sunny, light" (PE17:153) but apparently a noun "light" in coacalina, q.v.

enne

noun. thought, purpose

feren

beech, beech-tree

feren (stem fern-, as in pl. ferni) noun "beech, beech-tree". Also fernë. (BERÉTH, PHER/PHÉREN)

hauta-

verb. cease, take a rest, stop

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

hlas

ear

hlas noun "ear", stem hlar- as in the dual form hlaru (PE17:62). Compare lár #2.

ia

ever

[ia adv. "ever" (GEY, EY); replaced by oia.]

lai

very

[lai adverbial particle "very" (VT45:8)]

larma

raiment

#larma (1) noun "raiment", attested in pl. form larmar (PE17:175)

lenna-

verb. go

lenna- vb. "go", pa.t. lendë "went" (LED; cf. lelya-). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the word lenna- wrongly appears as **linna-; see VT45:27.

láta

open

láta adj. "open" (VT39:23), "open, not closed" (PE17:159, VT41:5)

lé

with

lé (2) prep. "with" (PE17:95)

lómin

shade, shadow

lómin noun "shade, shadow" (LT1:255)

melin

dear

melin adj. "dear" (MEL)

mordo

shadow, obscurity, stain

mordo (1) noun "shadow, obscurity, stain" (MOR)

neldor

beech

neldor noun "beech" (LT2:343)

oi

ever

oi adv. "ever" (OY)

quessë

feather

quessë noun "feather", also name of tengwa #4 (Appendix E, WJ:417, KWES, VT45:24); súriquessë "wind feather" (referring to a "tuft of radiating grass" in a drawing by Tolkien) (J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator, p. 197)

re

re

[re, possibly a 3rd person singular emphatic pronoun, struck out by Tolkien (VT49:49)]

sa

pronoun. it

sac-

verb. close

sonda

dear, fond

[sonda adj. "dear, fond" (VT46:15)]

sóra

long, trailing

sóra adj. "long, trailing" (LT2:344)

tenna

noun. thought

thought, notion, idea

velca

flame

velca ("k") noun "flame" (LT1:260; nár, nárë would be the normal word in Tolkien's later Quenya)

vor

ever

vor, voro adv. "ever" (BOR, LT1:250, 273 [only voro_ in the Etymologies]; also in Narqelion)_

él

star

†él noun "star", pl. éli given (WJ:362, EL)

ílë

star

ílë noun "star" (LT1:269; rather elen, él in LotR-style Quenya.)

úlumë

ever

úlumë adv. "ever", at all times (in a series or period) (PE17:156). Cf. ullumë.

úsië

on the contrary

úsië adv. "on the contrary" (VT49:8, 35). Cf. lasi.

an

preposition. to

annā

noun. gift

ʒandā

adjective. long

kayan

root. ten

lamā̆n(a)

noun. animal

tollă

noun. island

kway

root. ten

A root Tolkien introduced in the late 1960s as the basis for his latest Elvish word for “ten”: Q. quëan/quain, S. pae, T. pai(n) (VT42/24; VT48/6). It was an extension of √KWA “complete” as in “a complete set of (10) fingers”. Prior this late change, the usual word for “ten” was ᴹQ. kainen (along with other variants beginning with kai- or kea-) from the root ᴹ√KAYAN or ᴹ√KAYAR as it appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KAYAN). This basis for “ten” dates back to the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/49, PE14/82). Tolkien was still considering √KAYAN for “10” in the late 1960s before replacing it with √KWAY(AM) (VT48/12).

alab

root. elm

A root for “elm” in etymological notes probably written around 1959-1960 (PE17/146, 153). It seems to be a replacement for the root ᴹ√(L)ALAM from The Etymologies of the 1930s. This earlier root was connected to √AL(A) “blessed”, and the later variant may have had the same relationship. Tolkien made a point that the later version of this root was not related to √GAL “grow” or the words for “tree” after rejecting alternate roots √GALAB (?“flower”) and √GALAM for “elm” (PE17/146). The derivation ✶galmā > Q. alma “flower” was allowed to stand, so perhaps √GALAM remained valid with the alternate sense “flower”.

at(ar)

root. father

As the basis for “father” words, √AT and its extended form √ATAR date all the way back to Tolkien’s earliest ideas. The root itself did not explicitly appear in the Qenya or Gnomish Lexicons of the 1910s, but forms like ᴱQ. atar, G. †ador “father” indicate its presence (QL/33; GL/17). The root ᴹ√ATA “father” did appear in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. atar, N. adar (Ety/ATA) and the base √AT(AR) “father” was mentioned again in late 1960s notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals (VT48/19). In this late period, the Elvish words for “father” remained Q. atar and S. adar (PM/324).

atar

noun. father

dē

preposition. with

elen

noun. star

galam

root. elm

kalat

noun. light

mō

noun. person

oio

adverb. ever

slas

root. ear

slas

noun. ear

srawā

noun. body

wath

noun. shadow

ēl

noun. star

ant

noun. gift

ann

adjective. long

anann

adverb. long

an-

prefix. with, by

anc

noun. jaw, row of teeth

ann

adjective. long

ant

noun. gift

-ian(d)

suffix. -land

hana

pronoun. it

hana

pronoun. it

panna-

verb. to open, to enlarge

ind

noun. inner thought, meaning, heart

inn

noun. inner thought, meaning, heart

taen

adjective. long (and thin)

toll

noun. island, (steep) isle rising with sheer sides from the sea or from a river

lhum

noun. shade

A word appearing as N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from the root ᴹ√LUM, most notably an element in the name N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM). It was the cognate of ᴹQ. lumbe, and thus derived from primitive ✱lumbē, which explains why the final m survived as a reduction of mb.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was G. lôm {“pool, sl...” >>} “gloom, shade” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, based on primitive ᴱ✶lou̯me (GL/54) and probably derived from the early root ᴱ√LOMO as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Hisilómë). In this early document, G. lum or glum was “a cloud” (GL/55), likely a derivative of ᴱ√LUVU for “✱dark weather” as also suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Luvier). In Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱN. {lom >>} lhom “shadow” (PE13/149). This became N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies, as noted above.

Neo-Sindarin: In later writings, Hithlum was designated North Sindarin and its final element was based on a loan from Q. lómë “dusk”, with the m surviving only because it was from the North dialect (PE17/133; WJ/400). However, the root √LUM “shadow, darkness” also survived in later writings (PE17/168), so I think N. lhum “shade” can be salvaged, though if adapted to Neo-Sindarin it would need to become ᴺS. lum as suggested in HSD (HSD). Given the later use of Q. lumbo for “(dark) cloud”, I think the Gnomish sense G. lum “[dark] cloud” can be salvaged as well.

cûl

noun. flame

A word for “flame” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KUL “golden-red”, but this word was deleted (EtyAC/KUL).

naew

noun. jaw

A noun for “jaw” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶nakma (✱“bite-thing”) under the root ᴹ√NAK “bite” (NAK). This word remains phonologically plausible in Sindarin, with ancient k vocalizing to i and the resulting diphthong ai become ae, after which the m became v &gt; w; see VT42/26 for a description of the basic phonetic changes. However, naew might have been displaced conceptually by anc “jaw”, which appeared in a number of later Sindarin names and whose Quenya cognate Q. anca appeared in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E.

caer

cardinal. ten

adar

noun. father

brethil

noun. beech

calad

noun. light

carach

noun. jaws

dae

adverb. very

el

noun. star

galad

noun. light

geil

noun. star

gwath

noun. shade

ha

pronoun. it

lhewig

noun. ear

mell

adjective. dear

muin

adjective. dear

naur

noun. flame

nauth

noun. thought

ui

adverb. ever

ada

noun. father, daddy

adar

noun. father

brethel

noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch

brethel

noun. beech

caer

cardinal. ten

calad

gerund noun. light

dae

noun. shadow

daew

noun. shadow

edhel

noun. Elf

edra-

verb. to open

edro

verb. open!

fêr

noun. beech-tree

gail

noun. bright light

gal-

prefix. light

geil

noun. star, bright spark

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

glaur

noun. golden light (of the golden tree Laurelin)

glor-

noun. golden light (of the golden tree Laurelin)

golodh

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

golodhrim

noun. Deep Elves, Gnomes

gwath

noun. shade, shadow, dim light

gwath

noun. stain

ha

pronoun. it

heltha-

verb. to strip

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

lalf

noun. elm-tree

lalven

noun. elm-tree

lhach

noun. (leaping) flame

lhaden

adjective. open, cleared

lhalorn

noun. elm-tree

lhalwen

noun. elm-tree

lhaw

noun. ears (referring to one person's pair of ears only)

lhewig

noun. ear

lhum

noun. shade

mell

adjective. dear

muin

adjective. dear

na

preposition. with, by (also used as a genitive sign)

na

preposition. to, towards, at

naew

noun. jaw

naur

noun. flame

naur

noun. fire

nauth

noun. thought

anda

adjective. long

pai(n)

cardinal. ten

atta

noun. father

elen

noun. star

él

noun. star

cala

noun. light

Danas

noun. Green-elves, Nandor

In Etym derived from the stem DAN (LR:353), simply defined as an "element found in names of the Green-elves", and tentatively compared to NDAN "back" (since the Nandor "turned back" and did not complete the march to the Sea). Tolkien's later view on the derivation of the name of the Green-elves, as set down in WJ:412, is that the stem dan- and its strengthened form ndan- do indeed have a similar meaning: these forms have to do with "the reversal of an action, so as to undo or nullify its effect", and a primitive form ndandô, "one who goes back on his word or decision", is suggested. However, it seems unlikely that the Nandor would have called themselves by such a name, and indeed Tolkien in WJ:385 states that "this people still called themselves by the old clan-name Lindai [= Quenya Lindar], which had at that time taken the form Lindi in their tongue". It may be, then, that Tolkien had rejected the idea that the Nandor called themselves Danas. - As for the ending -as, it is probably to be compared to the Sindarin class plural ending -ath; indeed a Sindarin ("Noldorin") form Danath evidently closely corresponding to Danas is given in LR:353.

scella

noun. shade, screen

Probably noun. Primitive form given as skalnâ, derived from the stem SKAL1 "screen, hide (from light)" (LR:386). Since -nâ is an adjectival ending, often taking on the meaning of a kind of past participle, skalnâ must mean "screened, hidden (from light)"; this has become a noun "shade, screen" in Nandorin.

The word scella, sciella alone tells us that ln is assimilated to ll in Nandorin, and as in dunna, spenna a primitive final -â, usually lost, seems to persist as -a following a double consonant. The shift of a to e in skalnâ > scella is parallelled by the similar shift in spannâ > spenna, q.v. However, such a shift does not occur in what might seem to be similar environments (before a double consonant?); cf. hrassa, not hressa, from khrassê. It would seem that e might further break up into ie, scella having the alternative form sciella.

cwenda

noun. elf

A doubtful word according to Tolkien's later conception; in the branch of Eldarin that Nandorin belongs to, primitive KW became P far back in Elvish linguistic history [WJ:375 cf. 407 note 5]. This was not a problem in Tolkien's earlier conception, in which the Danians came from the host of the Noldor, not the Teleri [see PM:76; the idea of the Nandor being of Noldorin origin also occurs in VT47:29]. In his later version of Nandorin, the word cwenda is probably best ignored; simply emending it to *penda would produce a clash with primitive pendâ "sloping" [cf. WJ:375].

In the Etymologies, Tolkien derived cwenda from kwenedê "elf" (stem KWEN(ED) of similar meaning, LR:366; as for the shift of original final -ê to Nandorin -â, compare hrassa "precipice" from khrassê). But later the primitive word that yielded Quenya Quende was reconstructed as kwende (WJ:360).

No certain example shows how original short final -e comes out in Nandorin, so we cannot say whether kwende is also capable of yielding cwenda, ignoring the question of kw failing to become p.

sciella

noun. shade, screen

>> scella

galadrim

noun. Elves of Lothlórien

Note: "The Galadrim were 'Tree-people' (though the formation is Sindarin, + S [rim] = Q rimbë, great number) = true Sindarin galadhrim."

-mâ

preposition. with

A prepositional suffix translated “with” (SD/247, 429).

Conceptual Development: At an earlier conceptual stage, it was the grammatical inflection -ma used for the draft-instrumental (SD/438).

attô

noun. father

A noun for “father” (SD/434). Tolkien gave two forms of this word, attû and attô, with no indication as to which would be preferred. For reasons similar to those given in the entry for ammê “mother”, my guess is that attû is an archaic form, and attô was preferred by the time of Classical Adûnaic. This word is probably related to the Elvish root √AT(AR) “father”, perhaps from Primitive Elvish ᴹ✶atū.

huzun

noun. ear

A noun translated as “ear” and fully declined as an example of a Strong I noun (SD/430).

nâlu

noun. shadow

A noun attested only in the compound agannâlô “death-shadow [is]” (SD/247, VT24/12). The first element of the compound, agan “death”, as identified elsewhere (SD/426), so the remaining element must mean “shadow”. The compound is the subject of the sentence agannâlô burôda nênud “death-shadow [is] heavy on us” and is therefore in the subjective case. According the grammatical rules of Lowdham’s Report, the only possibly normal form producing this subjective is nâlu: compare nîlu “moon” to its subjective form nîlô (SD/431).

Conceptual Development: In early writings, the compound was (non-subjective) agannūlo, so that the apparent draft form of this noun was nūlo. A similar form nūlu appears on SD/306, described only as “a word with the evil sense of ‘night’ or ‘dark’”. It could be a separate word or another variation of this word, with the development nūlo >> nūlu >> nālu. Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne suggested (AAD/21) that the earlier forms may be related to ᴹQ. nulla “dark, dusky, obscure”.

ugru

noun. shadow

A noun translated “shadow” (SD/247), also described as “a word with the evil sense of ‘night’ or ‘dark’” (SD/306). It appears in the preprositional phrase ugru-dalad “under shadow” (SD/247) and in the draft-dative form ugrus “‽horror‽shadow” (SD/311).

yô Reconstructed

noun. gift

An element in the name Yôzâyan “Land of Gift” (UT/184, SD/241). The final element of this name is zâyan “land”, so its initial element yô most likely means “gift”, as suggested by several authors (AAD/24, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/YAW), though Andreas Moehn points out this word could have the form yôz instead (EotAL/YAW).

sha

preposition. with

u

preposition. to

sigin Reconstructed

adjective. long