no

verb. be!

na-

verb. to be

A verb for “to be” based on the root √NĀ of the same meaning. This verb is barely attested in the Sindarin language, and the general consensus is that [for purposes of Neo-Sindarin at least] Sindarin omits the verb “to be” in most phrases, such as in naur an edraith ammen “fire [be] for saving us” (LotR/299) or ✱orchal i adan “tall [is] the man”; see the entry on the copula for further discussion.

The clearest attestation of the verb na- is its imperative form no “be!” in the phrase no aer i eneth lín “hallowed be thy name, (lit.) ✱be holy the name your”, from the Sindarin translation of the Lord’s Prayer from the 1950s (VT44/21). This imperative form was preceded by some hard-to-read deleted forms, perhaps {dôd >> dád >> hae >>} no (VT44/22). The d-forms might be eroded/mutated variants of na-. Compare đa in the phrase inn đa v’im “a mind there is in me = I have a good mind (to do so)” in notes from the late 1960s (PE22/165), where đa could be another eroded form of na-. This phrase was first written as inn no v’im (PE22/165 note #108); see the entry for đa for further discussion.

Another clear attestation of na “be” is an apparent future form natho in the untranslated phrase Sí il chem {na} en i naugrim en ir Ellath {natho} thor den ammen in the so-called “Túrin Wrapper” from the late 1950s (VT50/5). This future[?] form natho was deleted and replaced by thor, and a deleted {na} also appears earlier in the phrase, possibly a false start. Carl Hostetter suggested this phrase might mean something like “✱now all (?hands) of the Dwarves and Elves will be (?against) us” (VT50/22-25). If so, it seems the future of na- “be” was constructed from the bare future suffix (a)tha-, manifesting as tho “✱will be”.

Neo-Sindarin: As noted above, for purposes of Neo-Sindarin the general consensus is that this verb is barely used, and is omitted from most “to be” phrases as in the example orchal i adan given above. The verb’s one widely accepted use is as an imperative, such as in no mae “be well”. Based the Túrin Wrapper, I posit that tho can also be used for a future form “will be”, as in i adan tho orchal “the man will be tall”. I likewise posit a (purely hypothetical) past form [ᴺS.] nî “was”, based on the primitive past-tense element ✶-nē with [[os|long [ē] becoming [ī]]], as in i adan nî orchal “the man was tall”. Neither tho or nî are widely accepted Neo-Sindarin, however.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had the verb G. na- “is” (GL/58), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√NĀ “be, exist” (QL/64). This irregular Gnomish verb had some inflected forms: plural nain, participle ol· and past form {ni >>} thi, the last of these being another inspiration for Neo-Sindarin nî “was”.

theria-

verb. be vigorous

v. be vigorous, flourish.

na-

verb. to be

nídha-

verb. be determined to

na

be

: The verb ”to be” is poorly attested. Apparently the root is na-. The imperative is attested as no, and nad (used = ”thing”) may be seen as an original gerund *”a being”. It seems that the copula ”is, are” (and ”was, were”?) can be omitted altogether, as in the ”Noldorin” sentence lheben teil brann i annon ”five feet high [is] the door” (AI:92), in Sindarin perhaps *leben tail brand i annon.

na

be

. The imperative is attested as no, and nad (used = ”thing”) may be seen as an original gerund ✱”a being”. It seems that the copula ”is, are” (and ”was, were”?) can be omitted altogether, as in the ”Noldorin” sentence lheben teil brann i annon ”five feet high [is] the door” (AI:92), in Sindarin perhaps ✱leben tail brand i annon.

balla-

verb. to matter; to be of significance, worth, moment

A neologism coined by Elaran posted on 2018-08-03 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), inspired by ᴱQ. valda- of the same meaning.

heria

must); be compelled to do something

DO SOMETHING heria- (i cheria, i cheriar) (have an impulse, begin suddenly and vigorously, set vigorously out to do) (VT45:22)

enia-

verb. to be born, be generated, result

pavra-

verb. to ail, be ill

coltha-

verb. to bear up; to weigh, balance it on scales; to be worth, value or be equivalent to; to endure

cuina

be alive

cuina- (i guina, i chuinar)

ego!

be off

! ego! (WJ:365)

ego!

be off

(WJ:365)

gar

be able

gar- (i **âr, i ngerir = i ñerir) (hold, have, possess; can); pa.t. garant**. (AI:92, VT45:14)

gar

be able

(i ’âr, i ngerir = i ñerir) (hold, have, possess; can); pa.t. garant. (AI:92, VT45:14)

lae-

verb. to not be

gwathra-

verb. to overshadow, dim, veil, obscure

A verb meaning “overshadow, dim, veil, obscure” appearing in The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, from the root √WATH (VT42/9).

penninor

last day of the year

(i benninor, o phenninor), pl. penninoer (i phenninoer). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” penninar (LR:400 s.v. YEN).

amartha-

verb. to define, decree, destine

brasta-

verb. tower up

_v. _tower up, loom.

brasta-

verb. to tower up, loom

A verb glossed “tower up, loom” in notes from the late 1960s (PMB) based on the root √BARAS which in that document was one of various roots used to “express great height combined with strength, size, majesty” (PE17/22-23). The other derivatives of this root were words for cliffs and precipices.

medui

adjective. last

meth

noun/adjective. last, last; [N.] end

The noun N. meth “end” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from ᴹ✶metta under the root ᴹ√MET of the same meaning and followed by an adjective form N. methen that was also glossed “end” (Ety/MET). It reappeared as an element in the name Rochon Methestel “Rider of the Last Hope” (UT/313). It is therefore possible that meth shifted from a noun to an adjective, but its Quenya equivalent metta “ending, end” remained a noun in Tolkien’s later writings.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would avoid meth as an independent word, and would use the unambiguous noun form methed and adjective forms medui or [N.] methen. If you do use meth, I recommend using it as a noun.

míria-

verb. to shine like a mîr or jewel

_v. _to shine like a mîr or jewel, to sparkle like jewels. Fmîr, míriel

reth-

verb. to remain in same place

A verb for “remain in same place” based on the root √REÞ of the same meaning, appearing in a list of Sindarin words from around 1957 (PE17/182).

aglar

glitter

aglar (brilliance, glory), pl. eglair if there is a pl.

aglar

glitter

(brilliance, glory), pl. eglair if there is a pl.

avorn

staying

(not moving, fast), pl. evyrn

brenia

endure

1. brenia- (i vrenia, i mreniar), 2) dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, last) (VT45:8) LONG ENDURED, see brûn under OLD

brenia

endure

(i vrenia, i mreniar)

brona

last

(verb) 1) brona- (survive) (i vrona, i mronar), 2) dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, endure) (VT45:8)

brona

last

(survive) (i vrona, i mronar)

brûn

long endured

under

dartha

remain

dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, last, endure) (VT45:8)

dartha

stay

1. dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (wait, remain, last, endure) (VT45:8), 2) dortha- (i northa, i ndorthar) (dwell). Adj.

dartha

endure

(i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, last) (VT45:8)  

dartha

last

(i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, endure) (VT45:8)

dartha

remain

(i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, last, endure) (VT45:8)

dartha

stay

(i dhartha, i narthar) (wait, remain, last, endure) (VT45:8)

dortha

stay

(i northa, i ndorthar) (dwell). Adj.

dov-

verb. to lie heavy

A neologism for “to lie heavy” proposed by Elaran based on the root ᴹ√DUB of similar meaning.

gil-

verb. to gleam, shine pale and silver (as of the moon [or stars])

gîl

silver glint

(i ngîl = i ñîl, o n’gîl = o ñgîl, construct gil) (star, bright spark), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. *giliath (RGEO, MR:388)*

medui

last

(adjective) 1) medui (lenited vedui; no distinct pl. form), 2) meth (lenited veth, pl. mith). Note: the word is also used as a noun ”end”.

medui

last

(lenited vedui; no distinct pl. form)

meth

last

(lenited veth, pl. mith). Note: the word is also used as a noun ”end”.

nev-

verb. to seem, appear

ovra

abound

ovra- (i ovra, in ovrar)

ovra

abound

(i ovra, in ovrar)

ross

glitter

†ross (polished metal), pl. ryss (idh ryss). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”spray, foam, rain, dew”.

ross

glitter

(polished metal), pl. ryss (idh ryss). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”spray, foam, rain, dew”.

tar-

verb. to stand

thia

seem

thia- (appear)

thia

seem

(appear)

thilia

glisten

thilia- (glister);

thilia

glisten

(glister);

thilion

glistening silver

pl. thilyn

thir-

verb. to seem, appear, look

tinna

glint

(vb.) *tinna- (cited as a ”Noldorin” infinitive tinno) (i dinna, i thinnar). Noun

tinna

glint

(cited as a ”Noldorin” infinitive tinno) (i dinna, i thinnar). Noun