Quenya 

rissë

cut

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

rista

cut

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

rista

noun. *cut, [ᴹQ.] cut

Derivations

  • RIS “cut, cleave, cut, cleave; [ᴹ√] slash, rip” ✧ PE17/087

Element in

  • ᴺQ. hórista “citation, quotation, (lit.) something cut out”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
RIS > rista[rista]✧ PE17/087

cir-

verb. to cut, to cut, [ᴱQ.] cleave; *to sail

@@@ Helge Fauskanger suggested that it means “sail” in Markirya: (QQ/círa).

Derivations

  • KIR “cut, cleave, pass swiftly through; shave; skim (surface), slip along, glide quickly”

Element in

  • Q. aucir- “to cut off (and get rid of or lose a portion)” ✧ WJ/365
  • ᴺQ. cirila “cutting”
  • Q. hócir- “to cut off (so as to have or use a required portion)” ✧ WJ/368
  • Q. métima hrestallo círa “leave the last shore” ✧ MC/221
  • ᴺQ. oscir- “to circumcise, (lit.) around-cut”
Quenya [MC/221; WJ/365; WJ/368] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cat-

verb. shape

shape, fashion

Quenya [PE 18:90] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

#nac-

hew, cut

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

canta

shape

canta (2) _("k") noun"shape" (PE17:175), also used as adj._ "shaped", also as quasi-suffix -canta ("k") "-shaped" (KAT)

venië

shape, cut

venië noun? "shape, cut" (LT1:254)

venwë

shape, cut

venwë noun? "shape, cut" (LT1:254)

nac-

verb. to hew, cut, to hew, cut; [ᴹQ.] to kill, slay; to hate

Cognates

  • S. dag- “to slay, to slay, [ᴱN.] kill”

Derivations

  • NDAK “hew, slay, slay; hew” ✧ PE22/156; VT49/24

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
NDAK > nakin[ndakin] > [nakin]✧ PE22/156
ndak- > nakin[ndakin] > [nakin]✧ VT49/24

Variations

  • nak- ✧ PE22/133
Quenya [PE22/133; PE22/156; VT49/24] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pelecta-

hew

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

hyatsë

cleft, gash

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

ciris

cleft, crack

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

sanca

cleft, split

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

nacca

noun. narrows, defile, pass, cut

falqua

cleft, mountain pass, ravine

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

hyar-

cleave

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

hyar-

verb. cleave

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

(a)nacca

noun. narrows, defile, pass, cut

A noun appearing in etymological notes from around 1964 (DD) with the glosses “narrows, defile, pass, cut” as a derivative of √NAKH “narrow, thin” (PE17/166).

Derivations

  • NAKH “narrow, thin” ✧ PE17/166

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
NAKH > (a)nakka[nakʰka] > [nakkʰa] > [nakka]✧ PE17/166

Variations

  • (a)nakka ✧ PE17/166

cirissë

slash, gash

cirissë ("k")noun "slash, gash" (KIRIS; the glosses "cleft" and maybe ?"crevasse" occurred in deleted material, VT45:23)

Sindarin 

Rest

noun. cut

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

rest

noun. *cut, [N.] cut

Derivations

  • rista “*cut” ✧ WJ/365
    • RIS “cut, cleave, cut, cleave; [ᴹ√] slash, rip”

Element in

  • S. Eglarest “*Forsaken Cut” ✧ WJ/365

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
rista > rest[rista] > [resta] > [rest]✧ WJ/365

rista-

verb. to cut

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

auth

noun. a dim shape, spectral or vague apparition

Sindarin [VT/42:9] Group: SINDICT. Published by

cant

noun. shape, shape; [N.] outline

Derivations

  • KAT “shape, shape, [ᴹ√] make”

Element in

  • S. cannas “[abstract] shape”
  • ᴺS. dorgant “landscape, scene, *(lit.) land-shape”
  • S. morchant “shadow cast by light, (lit.) dark shape” ✧ VT42/09

criss

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

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

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

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

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

Derivations

  • KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split”
  • kirissi “cleft” ✧ PE21/80
    • KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split”

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
kirissi > criss[kiríssi] > [kirísse] > [krisse] > [kriss]✧ PE21/80
Sindarin [PE17/087; PE21/81] Group: Eldamo. Published by

riss

adjective. cleft

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

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

cirith

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

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

falch

noun. deep cleft, ravine

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

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

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

rista-

verb. to rend, rip

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

drava

hew

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

drava

hew

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

fân

shape

_n._shape, with the added notion of light and whiteness. It was thus often used where we might use 'a vision' (of something beautiful and sublime). Q. fana-. Tolkien notes that "Yet being elvish, though it may be used of things remote, it has no implication either of uncertainty or unreality" (PE17:26). In the name Fanuilos of Elbereth, the Fân was the vision of majesty of Elbereth upon the mountain where she dwelt.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:26] < FAN white, esp. applied to reflected light as of clouds, snow, frost, mist. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

Rest

cut

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

criss

cut

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

rest

cut

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

ristannen

adjective. cut

Elements

WordGloss
rista-“to cut; to rend, rip”
Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

cant

shape

(noun) cant (i gant, o chant) (outline), pl. caint (i **chaint). The mutated pl. -chaint is attested as part of the compound morchaint**; see SHADOW.

cant

shape

(i gant, o chant) (outline), pl. caint (i chaint). The mutated pl. -chaint is attested as part of the compound morchaint; see SHADOW.

cirith

cleft

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

criss

cleft

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

cîl

cleft

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

falch

cleft

(ravine[?]), pl. felch

rest

cleft

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

rist

cleft

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

rist

cleft

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

thanc

cleft

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

thanc

cleft

(forked, split), pl. thainc

crista-

verb. to slash, cut, slice

Derivations

  • KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split”

criss

slash

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

criss

slash

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

echad

shape

(verb) echad- (i echad, in echedir) (fashion, make), pa.t. echant (VT45:19)

echad

shape

(i echad, in echedir) (fashion, make), pa.t. echant (VT45:19)

rista-

verb. to cut; to rend, rip

Element in

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

Primitive elvish

rista

noun. *cut

Derivations

  • RIS “cut, cleave, cut, cleave; [ᴹ√] slash, rip”

Derivatives

  • S. rest “*cut, [N.] cut” ✧ WJ/365

Element in

Primitive elvish [WJ/365] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kirissi

noun. cleft

Derivations

  • KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split”

Derivatives

  • S. criss “cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine” ✧ PE21/80
Primitive elvish [PE21/80] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ris

root. cut, cleave, cut, cleave; [ᴹ√] slash, rip

This root first appeared as ᴹ√RIS “slash, rip” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the derivative N. risto “rend, rip” (Ety/RIS¹). Tolkien then created a new entry for ᴹ√RIS without deleting the prior entry, with derivatives like ᴹQ. rista/N. rhest “a cut” and ᴹQ. rista-/N. rhista- “cut” (Ety/RIS²); this seems to reflect a conceptual shift of “slash, rip” >> “cut”. Indeed, the root √RIS reappeared in Tolkien’s later writings with the gloss “cut” (PE17/87). Christopher Tolkien gave this root the gloss “cleave” in the Silmarillion Appendix (SA/ris).

Derivatives

  • rinsa “cleft, cloven, separate” ✧ PE17/087
    • S. riss “cleft, cloven, separate; cleft” ✧ PE17/087
  • rinse “?cleft, ravine” ✧ PE17/087
    • Q. rissë “?cleft, ravine” ✧ PE17/087
  • rista “*cut”
    • S. rest “*cut, [N.] cut” ✧ WJ/365
  • Q. rista “*cut, [ᴹQ.] cut” ✧ PE17/087
  • S. crist “cleaver, cleaver; [N.] sword; [G.] knife; slash, slice” ✧ SA/ris

Element in

  • KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split” ✧ SA/ris
  • S. Angrist “Iron-cleaver” ✧ SA/ris
  • S. criss “cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine” ✧ PE17/087
  • S. Imladris “Rivendell, (lit.) Deep Dale of the Cleft” ✧ SA/ris

Variations

  • ris ✧ SA/ris
Primitive elvish [PE17/087; PE17/182; SA/ris] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kat

root. shape, shape, [ᴹ√] make

The root ᴹ√KAT “shape” first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. kanta- “to shape”, ᴹQ. kanta “shaped”, and N. echad- “fashion, shape” (Ety/KAT). All these derivatives reappeared in Tolkien’s later writings, though Q. canta was more typically used as the noun “shape” (PE17/175; PE18/84, 90). The root appeared frequently in both the first and second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa as an example of a biconsonantal root (TQ1: PE18/34, 46, 62; TQ2: PE18/84-85, 87, 89-90, 95).

Derivatives

  • aktō “artificer, artificer, [ᴹ✶] maker, wright” ✧ PE18/085; PE18/085; PE18/087
    • ᴺQ. ahto “wright, maker”
    • Q. ahto “wright, maker” ✧ PE18/085
  • kanta “shape; fashion” ✧ PE18/089
    • Q. canta “shape, framework, shape, framework, [ᴹQ.] frame; shaped”
  • kat- “to shape” ✧ PE18/095
  • katal “carving tool”
  • Q. canta “shape, framework, shape, framework, [ᴹQ.] frame; shaped” ✧ PE18/090
  • Q. cat- “to shape, fashion” ✧ PE18/090
  • Q. canwa “face”
  • S. cant “shape, shape; [N.] outline”

Element in

  • ᴺQ. cacátu- “to design, shape or fashion slowly”
  • S. echad- “to form, make, shape, cut out; (lit.) to shape out, to form, make, shape, cut out, [N.] fashion; [S.] (lit.) to shape out”
Primitive elvish [PE18/084; PE18/085; PE18/087; PE18/089; PE18/090; PE18/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kiris

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

Derivatives

  • kirissi “cleft”
    • S. criss “cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine” ✧ PE21/80
  • ᴺS. crisg “sharp [edged]”
  • S. criss “cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine”
  • S. crist “cleaver, cleaver; [N.] sword; [G.] knife; slash, slice”
  • ᴺS. crista- “to slash, cut, slice”

Element in

Variations

  • kris- ✧ SA/ris
Primitive elvish [SA/ris] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mak

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

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

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

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

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

Changes

  • m(b)aka-maka- ✧ VT41/10

Derivatives

  • maikā “blade of a cutting tool or weapon (especially sword-blade)” ✧ VT39/11
    • Q. maica “blade of a cutting tool or weapon (especially sword-blade)” ✧ VT39/11
  • makwā “a hand-full, complete hand with all five fingers” ✧ VT47/19
    • Q. maqua “hand-full, group of five (similar) things; hand (colloquial); closing or closed [hand] (facing down) for taking” ✧ VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/19
    • S. mâb “hand, hand, [N.] grasp” ✧ VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/19
    • T. mapa “hand” ✧ VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/19
    • T. mapa- “to take hold of, grasp” ✧ VT47/07
  • Q. mac- “to hew with a sword, to hew (with a sword); [ᴱQ.] to slay; to die” ✧ VT39/11
  • ᴺQ. maca- “to forge”
  • Q. macar “swordsman; †forger” ✧ VT39/11; VT41/10
  • Q. macil “sword, forged sword blade, cutting sword, sword, forged sword blade, cutting sword, [ᴱQ.] broadsword” ✧ VT39/11; VT41/10
  • ᴺS. maga- “to forge metal”
  • S. magor “swordsman”
  • S. megil “sword, longsword”

Element in

Variations

  • m(b)aka- ✧ VT41/10
  • maka- ✧ VT41/10
  • mak ✧ VT47/20
Primitive elvish [VT39/11; VT41/10; VT47/19; VT47/20] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kir

root. cut, cleave, pass swiftly through; shave; skim (surface), slip along, glide quickly

Tolkien used √KIR and roots like it for “cut, cleave” for most of his life. The earliest of these are ᴱ√KIŘI [KIÐI] and ᴱ√KISI “cut, split” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, the latter with an extended form ᴱ√KIRISI (QL/47). These forms apparently were all blended together in Qenya, but the most notable Gnomish derivatives from this period seem to all be based on ᴱ√K(I)RISI, such as G. criss “cleft, gash, gully” and G. crist “knife; slash, slice” (GL/27).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s the root became ᴹ√KIR “cleave” with extended forms ᴹ√KIRIK (unglossed but probably meaning “✱reap”) and ᴹ√KIRIS “cut”, the latter by way of combination with ᴹ√RIS “slash, rip” (Ety/KIR, KIRIK, KIRIS, RIS). One of the notable derivatives of this root was ᴹQ. kirya “ship” (Ety/KIR), a word that appeared as far back as the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/46). Noldorin and Sindarin cognates of this word also appeared, varying from N. ceir “ship” to S. cair due to shifts in Tolkien’s conception of the phonetic development of diphthongs in the Sindarin branch of Elvish.

KIR “cut” appeared regularly in Tolkien’s later writings (PE17/73, 87; VT42/13; WJ/392), and the validity of the extended forms √KIRIK and √KIRIS is indicated by Tolkien’s continued use of words like Q. Valacirca “Sickle of the Valar” (S/48) and S. Orcrist “Orc-cleaver” (LotR/280). One later derivative of interest was S. certh “rune” (LotR/1123), which in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 Tolkien said was derived from √KIR, the vowel change being the result of a-affection, and the Quenya form Q. certa being a loan from Sindarin (WJ/396). Rather cryptically in this essay Tolkien gave the primitive form as ✶kirtē “cutting”, so perhaps the Sindarin word was derivative from an adjectival variant.

Tolkien revisited the question of the origin of S. certh in notes from 1969:

> certar, LR III 395, could be emended in text to cirtar, and Certhas be held a late formation as it was. ... Phonology cannot be altered, since we have elenī > elin not ilin.

KIR. rather a mess here. LR has certar = cirth, and we have Angerthas, therefore √KER is indicated, & comparison with kirya is not in point of fact likely! Easy to say √KER = cut with tool/weapon, but √KIR = ? shave; skim (surface), slip along, glide quickly, and kirya is really an adj. = swift gliding. But what of Cirith. {Here we could say -itt.} e > i only before vanishing ī/j (PE22/150 and note #37).

Here Tolkien seems to be troubled again by the fact that Q. certa and S. certh are not direct cognates, and considered reorganizing the roots as √KER “cut” and √KIR “glide” (to allow the continued use of cirya “ship”), but then immediately recognized a problem with S. cirith “cleft, ravine” as in Cirith Ungol. Thus he seems to have abandoned this line of reasoning, leaving the 1959-60 notion that Q. certa is a loan from Sindarin as the most likely explanation. It is rather shocking to see how far he thought about going to “resolve” this problem, even considering a change in the basic rules of Sindarin phonology to allow i-affection of e > i in syllables other than those immediately before final i, which would have made keritt(e) > cirith possible.

Derivatives

  • kirtē “rune”
    • S. certh “rune” ✧ WJ/396
    • Q. certa “rune” ✧ WJ/396
  • kiryā “(small swift sailing) ship; swift (especially of things that pass easily through obstacles)”
    • Q. cirya “(sharp-prowed) ship; swift gliding, (sharp-prowed) ship, [ᴹQ.] boat; [Q.] swift gliding”
    • S. cair “ship”
  • Q. cir- “to cut, to cut, [ᴱQ.] cleave; *to sail”
  • ᴺQ. cirda “splinter, wood shaving”
  • Q. cirma “knife”
  • Q. cirya “(sharp-prowed) ship; swift gliding, (sharp-prowed) ship, [ᴹQ.] boat; [Q.] swift gliding” ✧ PE22/150; SA/kir
  • Q. cirya “cleft, pass”
  • S. certh “rune” ✧ PE22/150
    • Q. certa “rune” ✧ WJ/396
  • S. Ciril ✧ VT42/13

Element in

  • KIRIS “cleave, cleave, [ᴹ√] cut, [ᴱ√] split” ✧ SA/ris
  • Q. Calacirya “Pass of Light” ✧ PE17/073; SA/kir
  • ᴺQ. celvacir “butcher”
  • ᴺQ. cuimacir “butcher”
  • Q. cirincë “scarlet-plumed species of bird”
  • S. angerthas “runic alphabetic, (lit.) long rune-rows” ✧ SA/kir
  • S. Círdan “Shipwright” ✧ SA/kir
  • S. cirith “cleft, ravine, defile, cleft, ravine, defile, [N.] pass” ✧ PE17/087; PE22/150; SA/kir
  • N. cirith “cleft, pass”
  • S. criss “cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine” ✧ PE17/087

Variations

  • KER ✧ PE22/150
  • kir- ✧ SA/kir; SA/ris
  • Kiri ✧ WJ/392
Primitive elvish [PE17/073; PE17/087; PE17/157; PE22/150; SA/kir; SA/ris; VT42/13; WJ/392] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

rhest

noun. cut

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

rhest

noun. cut

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. rista “cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Derivations

  • ᴹ√RIS “slash, rip” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√RIS > rhest[rista] > [resta] > [rest] > [r̥est]✧ Ety/RIS²
Noldorin [Ety/RIS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rhista-

verb. to cut

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

rhista-

verb. to cut

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. rista- “to cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶rista- “cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²
    • ᴹ√RIS “slash, rip” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶rista- > rhisto[rista-] > [r̥ista-]✧ Ety/RIS²
Noldorin [Ety/RIS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

criss

noun. cleft, cut, slash

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

criss

noun. cleft, cut, slash; pass

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. kirisse “slash, gash” ✧ Ety/KIRIS; EtyAC/KIR

Derivations

  • ᴹ√KIRIS “cut” ✧ Ety/KIRIS; EtyAC/KIR

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√KIRÍS > criss[kiríssi] > [kirísse] > [krisse] > [kriss]✧ Ety/KIRIS
ᴹ√KIRÍS > criss[kiríssi] > [kirísse] > [krisse] > [kriss]✧ EtyAC/KIR
Noldorin [Ety/KIRIS; EtyAC/KIR; EtyAC/KIRIS; RS/419] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cîl

noun. cleft, pass between hills, gorge

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

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

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

draf-

verb. to hew

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

drava-

verb. to hew

Derivations

  • ᴹ√DARAM “beat, hew, beat, hew; [ᴱ√] batter, thud” ✧ Ety/DARÁM

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√DARÁM > dravo[daráma-] > [drama-] > [drava-]✧ Ety/DARÁM
Noldorin [Ety/DARÁM] Group: Eldamo. Published by

osgar-

verb. to cut round, to amputate

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

rhista-

verb. to rend, rip

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

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Qenya 

rista

noun. cut

Cognates

  • N. rhest “cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²
  • Ilk. rest “cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Derivations

  • ᴹ√RIS “slash, rip” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√RIS > rista[rista]✧ Ety/RIS²

rista-

verb. to cut

Cognates

  • N. rhista- “to cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶rista- “cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²
    • ᴹ√RIS “slash, rip” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶rista- > rista-[rista-]✧ Ety/RIS²

Doriathrin

rest

noun. cut

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

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. rista “cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Derivations

  • ᴹ√RIS “slash, rip” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√RIS > rest[ristā] > [rista] > [resta] > [rest]✧ Ety/RIS²
Doriathrin [Ety/RIS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

kiris

root. cut

Changes

  • KIRÍSKIRÍS “cut, slash” ✧ Ety/KIRIS

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. kirisse “slash, gash” ✧ Ety/KIRIS; EtyAC/KIR
  • N. criss “cleft, cut, slash; pass” ✧ Ety/KIRIS; EtyAC/KIR
  • N. crist “cleaver, sword” ✧ Ety/KIRIS

Elements

WordGloss
KIR“cleave”
RIS“slash, rip”

Variations

  • KIRÍS ✧ Ety/KIRIS; Ety/RIS²; EtyAC/KIR (KIRÍS); EtyAC/KIRIS (KIRÍS)
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KIRIS; Ety/RIS²; EtyAC/KIR; EtyAC/KIRIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lag

root. *cut

An unglossed root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the derivatives ᴹQ. lango “broad sword; prow of a ship” and N. lhang “cutlass, sword” (Ety/LAG), so probably meaning something like “✱cut”.

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. lango “broad sword; prow of a ship” ✧ Ety/LAG
  • N. lhang “cutlass, sword” ✧ Ety/LAG
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/LAG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rista-

verb. cut

Derivations

  • ᴹ√RIS “slash, rip” ✧ Ety/RIS²

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. rista- “to cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²
  • N. rhista- “to cut” ✧ Ety/RIS²
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/RIS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kir

root. cleave

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶kiryā “ship”
    • ᴹQ. kirya “ship, boat” ✧ PE19/060; PE19/060; PE19/060
  • ᴹQ. kirya “ship, boat” ✧ Ety/KIR
  • N. ceir “ship” ✧ Ety/KIR

Element in

  • ᴹ√KIRIK “*reap”
  • ᴹ√KIRIS “cut” ✧ EtyAC/KIR (KIRÍS)
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KIR; EtyAC/KIR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

fagin

adjective. cut

fanc

noun. cut

Derivations

  • ᴱ√FAKA “cut”

fag-

verb. to cut

Derivations

  • ᴱ√FAKA “cut”

Element in

  • G. fagin “cut” ✧ GL/33

crista-

verb. to slash, cut, slice

Derivations

  • ᴱ√KIRISI “cut, split” ✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√KIRI > crista-[kirísta-] > [krísta-]✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth
Gnomish [GL/27; LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pelectha-

verb. to hew

Cognates

  • Eq. pelekta- “to hew” ✧ LT2A/Peleg

Element in

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

tôb(a)

noun. shape, cut, fashion

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TAQA “fashion”

Variations

  • tôb ✧ GL/71
  • tôba ✧ GL/71

bentha-

verb. to cut, fashion, shape

Cognates

  • Eq. venta- “to cut, shape”

flig-

verb. to hew

Changes

  • flinciflinchi ✧ GL/35

Derivations

Variations

  • flinci ✧ GL/35 (flinci)
Gnomish [GL/33; GL/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

benn

noun. shape, cut, fashion, shapeliness

Changes

  • BenBenn ✧ GL/22

Cognates

  • Eq. venie “shape, cut” ✧ LT1A/Glorvent; LT1A/Glorvent

Derivations

  • ᴱ√VENE “shape, cut out, scoop” ✧ LT1A/Glorvent

Element in

  • G. benin “shapely, pretty” ✧ GL/22
  • G. benli “a pretty” ✧ GL/22 (benli)
  • G. bentha- “to cut, fashion, shape” ✧ GL/22
  • G. benthi “pretty” ✧ GL/22 (Benthi)
  • G. dorven “landscape, scene, *(lit.) land-shape” ✧ GL/30

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√VENE > benn[βenn] > [benn]✧ LT1A/Glorvent

Variations

  • Benn ✧ GL/22
  • Ben ✧ GL/22 (Ben)
  • benn ✧ LT1A/Glorvent
Gnomish [GL/22; GL/30; LT1A/Glorvent] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

feŋe

root. *cut

A root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with Qenya derivatives having to do with cutting (QL/38). The contemporaneous Gnomish word G. feng “arrow” is likely derived from this root (GL/34). There are no signs of this root in Tolkien’s later writing.

Derivatives

  • Eq. fenqa “keen, cutting” ✧ QL/038
  • Eq. fen “reed” ✧ QL/038
  • Eq. feng- “to cut” ✧ QL/038
  • G. feng “arrow, war arrow”
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/038] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kirisi

root. cut, split

Derivatives

  • Eq. kiris “cleft, crack” ✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth; QL/047
  • G. crî “knife”
  • G. crisc “sharp” ✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth
  • G. cris(s) “cleft, gash, gully, ravine” ✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth
  • G. crist “knife; slash, slice” ✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth
  • G. crista- “to slash, cut, slice” ✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth

Variations

  • KIRI ✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth
Early Primitive Elvish [LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth; QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kisi

root. cut, split

Derivatives

  • Eq. kisin “cleft” ✧ QL/047

Element in

  • Eq. kirkis “cleft, crack” ✧ QL/047
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kiði

root. cut, split

Derivatives

  • Eq. kiri- “to cleave; *to sail”
  • Eq. kinda “splinter” ✧ QL/047
  • Eq. kirya “ship, boat”
  • Eq. kirme “cleft, gully” ✧ QL/047

Element in

  • ᴱ√KIRISI “cut, split” ✧ QL/047
  • Eq. kirkis “cleft, crack” ✧ QL/047

Variations

  • KIŘI ✧ QL/047
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kiři

root. cut, split

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

tyaka

root. hew

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

Derivatives

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

faka Speculative

root. cut

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

Derivatives

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

feng-

verb. to cut

Derivations

  • ᴱ√FEŊE “*cut” ✧ QL/038

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√FEŊE > fengin[ɸeŋg-] > [feŋg-]✧ QL/038
Early Quenya [QL/038] Group: Eldamo. Published by

vilki-

verb. to cut

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√VḶKḶ > vilkin[βḷk-] > [vḷk-] > [vilk-]✧ QL/101
ᴱ√VḶKḶ > valke[βḹke-] > [vḹke-] > [valke-]✧ QL/101
Early Quenya [QL/101] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kisin

adjective. cleft

Derivations

  • ᴱ√KISI “cut, split” ✧ QL/047

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√KISI > kisin[kisin]✧ QL/047
Early Quenya [QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

venie

noun. shape, cut

Cognates

  • G. benn “shape, cut, fashion, shapeliness” ✧ LT1A/Glorvent; LT1A/Glorvent

Derivations

  • ᴱ√VENE “shape, cut out, scoop” ✧ LT1A/Glorvent; QL/100

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√VENE > venie[βeniē] > [βenie] > [venie]✧ QL/100

Variations

  • venië ✧ LT1A/Glorvent; LT1A/Glorvent
  • venwe ✧ QL/100
Early Quenya [LT1A/Glorvent; QL/100] Group: Eldamo. Published by

venwe

noun. shape, cut

venta-

verb. to cut, shape

Cognates

  • G. bentha- “to cut, fashion, shape”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√VENE “shape, cut out, scoop” ✧ QL/100

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√VENE > venta-[βenta-] > [venta-]✧ QL/100
Early Quenya [QL/100] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pelekta-

verb. to hew

Cognates

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

tyakta-

verb. hew

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TYAKA “hew” ✧ QL/049

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TYAKA > tyakta-[tʲakta-]✧ QL/049
Early Quenya [QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by