Noldorin 

ôl

noun. dream

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “dream” derived from the root ᴹ√OLOS of the same meaning (Ety/LOS, ÓLOS). It replaced a deleted form oll (EtyAC/LOS). It had an abnormal plural form elei “dreams”, derived from primitive olosī, where the intervocalic s was lost resulting in a diphthong. Following Sindarin plural patterns, the result is more likely to be ely “dreams”; see thely < ✱tholosī the (archaic) plural of S. thôl (PE17/188).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had some similar words: G. oloth or olor “a dream, apparition, vision” and G. olm “a dream” (GL/62), all based on the early root ᴱ√OLO (QL/69).

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

ôl

noun. dream

Noldorin [Ety/370, Ety/379] Group: SINDICT. Published by

olfannor

masculine name. Lord of Dream-cloud

A surname for Lórien appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s, a combination of ôl “dream” and the name Fannor “Cloud-lord” that he shared with his brother Mandos (Ety/ÓLOS, SPAN).

Conceptual Development: This name appeared as G. Olfanthor in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s (GL/34, 62), a combination of the root or short form of G. oloth “dream” with G. Fanthor, precursor of N. Fannor.

Noldorin [Ety/ÓLOS; Ety/SPAN; EtyAC/LOS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

oltha-

verb. to dream, to dream; [G.] to appear as an apparition

A verb for “to dream” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶olsa- based on the root ᴹ√OLOS “dream” (Ety/LOS, ÓLOS), where the primitive ls became lth as was usual.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s G. oltha- was glossed “to appear as an apparition”, but could be used for “I dream” as an impersonal verb with the putative subject in the dative (GL/62). This seems to be similar to how Q. óla- “dream” was used in Tolkien’s later writings, which likewise was an impersonal verb (UT/396). The Gnomish Lexicon had another verb G. olma- “I dream” as well (GL/62). These Gnomish verbs were clearly based on the early root ᴱ√OLO (QL/69).

Noldorin [Ety/LOS; Ety/ÓLOS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

oltha-

verb. to dream

Noldorin [Ety/370, Ety/379] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhûr

noun. slumber

A noun appearing as N. lhûr “slumber” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, cognate to ᴹQ. lóre, derived from the root ᴹ√LOR “sleep” (EtyAC/LOS). Tolkien deleted this form when he revised the root to ᴹ√LOS.

Conceptual Development: G. lûr “slumber” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/55), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√LORO “doze, slumber” (QL/56).

Neo-Sindarin: I’d restore this word as ᴺS. lûr “sleep, slumber”, since I retain the connection between the root √LOR and sleep; see the entry on √(O)LOR for further discussion. Hints of this word can be seen in the pure Sindarin name S. Lothlúrien for Lothlórien “Dream-flower” (PE17/48).

Noldorin [EtyAC/LOS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dôl

noun. head

Noldorin [Ety/376, S/430, RC/268] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dôl

noun. hill or mountain

Noldorin [Ety/376, S/430, RC/268] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gloss

adjective. snow-white, dazzling-white

Noldorin [Ety/359, RGEO/70, VT/42:18] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelw

noun. air (as substance)

Noldorin [Ety/398, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelwen

noun. air, lower air (distinct from the upper air of the stars, or the outer)

Noldorin [Ety/398] gwelu+men. Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwilith

noun. air (as a region)

Noldorin [Ety/398] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhaw

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

Noldorin [Ety/368, LotR/II:IX] OS *λåhu, CE *slâsû (dual). Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhewig

noun. ear

Noldorin [Ety/368, LotR/II:IX] lhaw+-ig. Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhewig

noun. ear

Noldorin [Ety/LAS²; EtyAC/LAS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lhind

noun. air, tune

Noldorin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhinn

noun. air, tune

Noldorin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Quenya 

lórë

noun. dream, [ᴹQ.] slumber, *sleep; [Q.] dream

A word for “dream” in Tolkien’s later writings, most notably as an element in Lórien “✱Dream Lands” (Let/308; PE17/80). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, ᴹQ. lóre was glossed “slumber” under the root {ᴹ√LOR >>} ᴹ√LOS “sleep” (Ety/LOS).

Neo-Quenya: I generally use √LOR for “sleep” and √OLOS for “dream” for purposes of Neo-Eldarin. As such, I would use lóre for both “slumber, ✱sleep” and “dream” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, likely a blending of primitive ✱lōre and ✱lōse. But I would use it more for a “(dreamful) sleep”, with olor as the proper word for “dream” or “vision”.

Quenya [Let/308; PE17/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olor

dream

olor noun "dream" (LOS, ÓLOS, LT1:259 [the latter source also gives olórë]); perhaps changed by Tolkien to olos, q.v.

lindelorendor

proper name. Singing-dream-land

A descriptive name of Lórien appearing in the even longer Entish description of that land: Laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin (LotR/467). The name is a combination of the elements lindë “singing”, lórë “dream” and -ndor “land” (Let/308, PE17/80).

Quenya [Let/448; LotR/0467; PE17/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lórellin

place name. *Dream Pool

The lake in Lórien where Estë sleeps by day on an island (S/28). This name seems to be a compound of lórë “dream” and a derivative of the root √LIN “pool”.

Quenya [MRI/Lórellin; SI/Lórellin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lórien

proper name. *Dream Lands

The gardens of Irmo in Valinor, often used as the name of that Vala as well (S/28). Its initial element is lórë “dream”. Its final element -ien is seen in the names of other lands, such as Arvernien and Hildórien. This name was also used as the Quenya name for the forest-kingdom of Galadriel, S. Lórien, which appeared in the Quenya subtitle of the Namárië poem: Altariello nainië Lóriendesse “Galadriel’s lament in Lórien” (RGEO/58). This example also indicates that the stem form of this name was Lóriend-.

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, but in its earliest manifestation, ᴱQ. Lórien was only the name of the Vala (LT1/66), glossed “King of Dreams” (QL/56). In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Lórien was still only the name of the Vala (LR/205) and the name appeared in The Etymologies as a derivative of ᴹ√LOS “dream” (Ety/LOS). His true name Irmo did not emerge until Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (MR/150), at which point Lórien became the name of his lands.

Quenya [MRI/Lórien; PE17/048; PE17/049; RGEO/58; S/028; SI/Lórien¹; UT/253; UTI/Lórien¹; WJI/Lórien] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olor

noun. dream, vision

A word for a “dream” or “vision” with variant forms olor and olos, derived from the root √OLO-S “vision, phantasy” (UT/396).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where ᴱQ. olor or olōre “dream” appeared under the early root ᴱ√LORO or ᴱ√OLOR, both elaborations of ᴱ√OLO (QL/56, 69). Both noun forms were also mentioned in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/69). The Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s had ᴹQ. olar “dream” (PE21/33), but in The Etymologies written around 1937 this again became ᴹQ. olor “dream” from the root {ᴹ√OLOR >>} ᴹ√OLOS “dream” (Ety/LOS, ÓLOS; EtyAC/ÓLOS).

In one set of late notes in connection to Gandalf’s name Olórin, Tolkien modified its meaning:

> Olor is a word often translated “dream”, but that does not refer to (most) human “dreams”, certainly not the dreams of sleep. To the Eldar it included the vivid contents of their memory, as of their imagination: it referred in fact to clear vision, in the mind, of things not physically present at the body’s situation. But not only to an idea, but to a full clothing of this in particular form and detail (UT/396).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mainly use the form olor (archaic †olos) with the basic meaning “dream” that this word had for much of Tolkien’s life. I would assume that its derivation from ✱olos was influenced by its plural form olori < olozi and also by the related root √(O)LOR. Given Tolkien’s late note above, however, I think this word can also apply to waking visions, as well as particularly vivid memories or imagined forms.

olórin

masculine name. *Dream/vision one

Gandalf’s name “in the west”, that is Aman (LotR/670). This name is derived from olor “dream, vision” (UT/396), though its exact meaning is unclear.

Conceptual Development: This name was first written ᴹQ. Olórion in Lord of the Rings drafts, but was quickly changed to its final form ᴹQ. Olórin (WR/153). It may be that Tolkien originally intended the name to mean “✱Son of Dreams”.

Quenya [LotR/0670; LotRI/Gandalf; LotRI/Olórin; MRI/Olórin; NM/095; PE17/071; PE17/088; PMI/Olórin; SI/Olórin; UT/396; UTI/Olórin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

óla-

verb. to dream (impersonal)

An impersonal verb for “to dream” based on the root √OLO-S, so that presumably the putative subject would be in the dative: óla nin “[it] dreams to me = I dream”. This verb says something interesting about Elvish psychology, in that dreams are seen as things that happen to a dreamer rather than an action of the dreamer themselves. This may be related to the Elvish experience of receiving telepathic visions through dreams, from other Elves or from greater powers.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s has a verb G. oltha- that could likewise be used in an impersonal construction with the dative to mean “I dream” (GL/62).

Lórellin

dream-lake

Lórellin place-name, the lake where the Valië Estë sleeps; apparently meaning "Dream-lake" or "Slumber-lake" (Silm)

Olofantur

lord of dream-cloud

Olofantur noun "lord of Dream-cloud", surname of the Vala Lórien (ÓLOS, SPAN, VT45:28)

fanwos

mind-picture of apparition in dream

fanwos noun "mind-picture of apparition in dream", possibly ephemeral variant of indemma (q.v.) (PE17:174). Normally Quenya phonology seems to prohibit a combination like wo.

indemma

noun. mind-picture (of apparition in dream)

A word for a “mind-picture”, a combination of indo “mind” and emma “picture” (PE17/174, 176, 179). Tolkien described them thus:

> They [the Elves] held that a superior mind by nature, or one exerting itself to its full in some extremity of need, could communicate a desired vision direct to another mind. The receiving mind would translate this impulse into the terms familiar to it from its use of the physical organs of sight (and hearing) and project it, seeing it as something external ... indemmar were by Men mostly received in sleep (dream). If received when bodily awake they were usually vague and phantom-like (and often caused fear); but if they were clear and vivid, as the indemmar induced by Elves might be, they were apt to mislead Men into taking them as real things beheld by normal sight (PE17/179).

Thus this word was used for telepathically induced visions, used among the Elves for communication, but Men could sometimes be fooled (intentionally or not) into believing these visions were real if they were awake when they received them, otherwise the visions were perceived as dreams. These “sorcerous” visions were likely one of the reasons for the mistrust between Elves and Men towards the end of the Third Age.

Quenya [PE17/174; PE17/176; PE17/179] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maur

dream, vision

maur noun "dream, vision" (LT1:261)

olos

dream, vision

olos (1) noun "dream, vision" (olor-, as in pl. olori from earlier olozi) _(UT:396). _Cf. olor and see lár #2.

óla-

verb. to dream

óla- vb. "to dream" (said to be "impersonal", probably meaning that the dreamer is mentioned in the dative rather than the nominative) (UT:396)

olos

noun. dream, vision

cuilórë

noun. day-dream, (lit.) awake-dream

A neologism for “day-dream” coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo to replace ᴱQ. fanóre, it is a combination of √KUY “awake” with lórë “dream”.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Laurelindórinan

valley of singing gold

Laurelindórinan noun "Valley of Singing Gold", an earlier name of Laurenandë (Lórien) (UT:253); laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin *"Goldenlight-music-land-valley music-dream-land of yellow-trees tree-yellow", Quenya elements agglutinated in Entish fashion; this supposedly means something like "the valley where the trees in a golden light sing musically, a land of music and dreams; there are yellow trees there, it is a tree-yellow land" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in Letters:308). The last word ornemalin is defined in as "bearing yellow flowers" in PE17:80.

ambar

breast

ambar (3) noun ""breast" (chest), with stem in -s- or -r- (QL:30). The form ambar, translated "in bosom", occurs in MC:213 (this is "Qenya"). Note: if this word were to be adapted to LotR-style Quenya, we should probably have to read *ambas with stem ambar-; compare olos, olor- "dream" from a late source. However, the form ambos (q.v.) is less ambiguous and may be preferred.

cár

head

cár (cas-) ("k")noun "head" (KAS).The given stem-form appears doubtful within the phonological framework of LotR-style Quenya. Probably we should read cas with stem car- (PE14:69 indeed reads "kas head, pl. kari", and VT49:17 quotes the sg. "kas" from a post-LotR source). Compare other forms found in late sources: hlas "ear" with stem hlar- (PE17:62) and olos "dream", pl. olori (UT:396). In Tolkiens early "Qenya", post-vocalic -s became -r at the end of words but was preserved when another vowel followed. His later scheme either lets -r appear in both positions, or reverses the scenario altogether (hence olos, olor-). It would seem that the forms cár, cas- were distractedly carried over into the Etymologies from the Qenya Lexicon (kar, kas-, QL:45) even though they presuppose an earlier version of the phonology. An apparent variant form in late material, cára from earlier cáza ("k"), however fits the later phonology since intervocalic s would become z > r (PE17:188).

lindë

air, tune, singing, song

lindë noun "air, tune, singing, song" (SA:gond, (LIN2, [GLIN]); lindelorendor "music-dream-land"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... _(LotR2:III ch. 4, cf. Letters:308). _Also compare lindi- in lindimaitar, q.v. (but the other compounds here cited do not give a lindë a stem-form lindi-).

lor-

to slumber

lor- "to slumber" (LT1:259; the corresponding abstract noun lórë "slumber" is attested in Tolkien's later Quenya, so this verb must still be valid). Cf. also lor "dream" (Letters:308; probably just an Elvish "element" rather than a complete word)

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)

lórë

slumber

lórë noun "slumber" (LOS), "dream" (PE17:80)

olos

snow, fallen snow

olos (2) noun "snow, fallen snow" (prob. oloss-, cf. the longer form olossë below; this form should be preferred since olos also = "dream, vision") (GOLOS)

ambos

breast

ambos (ambost-) noun "breast" (chest). PE16:82

cas

head

cas ("k")"head" (VT49:17), cf. also deleted [cas] ("k")noun "top, summit" (VT45:19). This noun should evidently have the stem-form car-. See cár.

cas

noun. head, head, [ᴱQ.] top, summit

This is the Quenya word for “head”, with a stem form of car- because medial s generally became z and then r, but the s was preserved when final. This word can refer to the head of people and animals, as well as the metaphorical “head” (or top) of other things, in much the same way that Q. tál “foot” can refer to their base.

Conceptual Development: This word was established very early in Tolkien’s writing, being derived from the root ᴱ√KASA “head” all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/45), but its exact form varied as Tolkien changed his mind on the phonetic development of s in Quenya. Its form in the Qenya Lexicon was in fact ᴱQ. kar (kas-), since in Early Qenya period medial s survived and it was final s that became r (PE12/26). This kar (kas-) was the usual word for head in the 1910s and 20s, but in the typescript version of the Early Qenya Grammar Tolkien instead revised it to ᴱQ. kas (kast-) “head” (PE14/72 and note #5).

In noun declensions from the late 1920s and early 1930s, Tolkien instead had cas (car-), reflecting a conceptual shift in the phonologic development of s (PE13/112-113; PE21/22). However, for reasons unclear, the form ᴹQ. kár (kas-) was restored in The Etymologies written around 1937 under the root ᴹ√KAS “head” (Ety/KEM), despite s > z > r being the normal medial phonetic development in this period (PE19/33). This abnormal form slipped into The Lord of the Rings itself as part of the name Q. Eldacar “Elfhelm” (LotR/1038).

Tolkien generally used the form cas for “head” in his later writings (PE19/103; PE23/49; VT49/17), but in his notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien was forced to contrive another explanation for Eldacar:

> What is -kar in names. How could it stand for helm? E.g. as stem ✱kāsā (√KAS, head) would give kāra, but in compound forms -kāsă > -kas. Would not an ă be lost before voicing of s or at least before z > r (PE17/114).

In this note Tolkien considered having Q. carma “helm” < kas-mā, but discarded the idea since he felt karma “tool or weapon” < KAR “do, make” + was the more likely meaning. He then said “Eldă|kāzā in compounds to -kār(ă) > -kar” despite its phonological implausibility, and indeed kāza/kára appeared in a discussion of helms within 1964 notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD: PE17/188).

In Tolkien’s earlier writings the word kas was also frequently translated “top”, such as the glosses “head, top” in Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/79), “top, summit” in the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s (PE15/78), and the early-1930s allative form kasta “up (to the top)” (PE21/22).

Neo-Quenya: I would assume this second meaning “top” survived in Tolkien’s later conception of the language, analogous to English “head of the stairs”. Unlike English, I would not assume cas could be used for “front”, as in “head of the line”.

Quenya [PE17/188; PE19/103; VT49/17] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cára

noun. head

fáwë

snow

fáwë vb. "snow" (GL:35; rather lossë in Tolkien's later Quenya)

fúmë

sleep

fúmë noun "sleep" (LT1:253). Read perhaps *húmë in a LotR-compatible form of Quenya, since Tolkien later decided that fu- tended to become hu-.

hlas

ear

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

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.

Quenya [PE17/062; PE17/077; PE23/136] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lossë

snow

lossë (1) noun "snow" or adj. "snow-white" (SA:los, MC:213, VT42:18); losselië noun"white people" (MC:216, PE16:96)

murmë

slumber

murmë noun "slumber" (LT1:261)

muru-

verb. to slumber

muru- vb. "to slumber" (LT1:261)

niquë

snow

niquë (2) ("q")noun "snow" (NIK-W)

olossë

snow, fallen snow

olossë noun "snow, fallen snow" (GOLÓS, LOT[H])

vilwa

air, lower air

[vilwa < wilwa] noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL; in one place vilwa was not struck out, VT46:21) According to VT46:21, Tolkien considered vilda < wilda as a replacement form, but rejected it.

vilya

air, sky

vilya noun "air, sky", also name of tengwa #24. Older wilya. (Appendix E). Early "Qenya" has Vilya (changed from Vilna) "lower air" (LT1:273); also vilya "air" (MC:215)

wilma

air, lower air

wilma noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL)

Primitive elvish

(o)lor

root. dream, vision, [ᴹ√] sleep, [ᴱ√] doze, slumber; [√] dream, vision

Tolkien used similar roots for “dream” and “sleep” throughout his life, but the exact details varied. In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s he gave the root ᴱ√OLO as the basis for the names ᴱQ. Eriol “a dreamer” and ᴱQ. Olofantor who had to do with sleep (QL/69). It had an extended form ᴱ√OLOR with derivatives like ᴱQ. olóre “dream”, but Tolkien indicated these form more properly belonged to the root ᴱ√LORO (QL/69). The entry for ᴱ√LORO had glosses “doze, slumber”, along with derivatives like ᴱQ. lor- “slumber”, ᴱQ. lorda “slumbrous, drowsy”, and ᴱQ. Lôrien “King of Dreams” (QL/56). Various derivatives also appeared in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. lor- “sleep deep, dream (tr.)”, G. lorc “drowsy, dreamy, lazy”, and G. lûr “slumber” (GL/54, 55), along with G. olma- “dream” and G. oloth “dream, apparition, vision”, probably from ᴱ√OLO³ (GL/62).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien first gave the root ᴹ√LOS, revised it to ᴹ√LOR, and then back to ᴹ√LOS (EtyAC/LOS). Tolkien also gave an augmented variant ᴹ√OLOR, which was likewise altered to ᴹ√OLOS (EtyAC/ÓLOS). The unaugmented root was glossed “sleep”, and the augmented root “dream”. The unaugmented root had derivatives like ᴹQ. lóre “slumber” and ᴹQ. lorna “sleep” (Ety/LOS), with Noldorin cognates N. lhûr “slumber” and N. lhorn “asleep” rejected after ᴹ√LOR >> ᴹ√LOS (EtyAC/LOS). The augmented root had derivatives ᴹQ. olor “dream”, N. ôl “dream”, and N. oltha- “to dream” (Ety/ÓLOS). The Quenya form ᴹQ. olor may reflect Tolkien indecision in this period on the development of final -s: compare ᴹQ. kár (kas-) “head” (Ety/KAS). Ultimately he would decide that final -s survived, and intervocalic -s- > -r-, making the derivation of ᴹQ. olor from ᴹ√OLOS somewhat dubious.

In both the 1910s and 1930s, lor- forms were more closely associated with “sleep” and ol- forms with “dreams”. In writings from the 1950s and 60s, the only attested associations for these roots were with “dreams” and “visions”. Tolkien gave √OLOR “vision (of mind)” (PE17/88), olo-s “vision, fantasy” (UT/396) and √OLOS/R “dream” (PM/341). This last mention of the root was from The Shibboleth of Fëanor from the late 1960s, which indicated the root was an extension √OL, but Tolkien continued to use Q. lórë for “dream” in this period (PE17/80; Let/308), and the unaugmented root √LOR was mentioned in passing (without gloss) in a discussion of the root √DOR (PE17/181).

In later writings, Tolkien also used √OLOR or √OLOS as the basis for the true name of Gandalf: Q. Olórin (PE17/88; UT/396). In connection to that name Tolkien wrote:

> olo-s: vision, “phantasy”: Common Elvish name for “construction of the mind” not actually (pre)existing in Eä apart from the construction, but by the Eldar capable of being by Art (Karmë) made visible and sensible. Olos is usually applied to fair constructions having solely an artistic object, i.e. not having the object of deception, or of acquiring power (UT/396).

And also:

> Olor is a word often translated “dream”, but that does not refer to (most) human “dreams”, certainly not the dreams of sleep. To the Eldar it included the vivid contents of their memory, as of their imagination: it referred in fact to clear vision, in the mind, of things not physically present at the body’s situation. But not only to an idea, but to a full clothing of this in particular form and detail (UT/396).

Thus in Tolkien’s later conception, perhaps the most accurate translation of the root would be “(mental) vision”, not properly connected to “sleep” or “(sleeping) dreams” at all. However, the translation of the root as “vision of the mind” seems to have been intertwined with Galdalf’s Quenya name, and remnants of early ideas continued to appear, most especially the long-lived name Q. Lórien “✱Dream Lands” (S/28) as well as S. Lothlórien “Dream Flower” (LotR/467).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, using this root only for “vision of the mind” is problematic, in that it leaves us no good words for “sleep” or “(ordinary) dream”, nor any good explanation for the name (Loth)lórien. I think it is better to hearken back to earlier notions, and assume two distinct roots that influenced each other: √LOR “sleep” and √OLOS “dream, vision”. In Sindarin their derivatives would remain distinct, but in Quenya the two produce similar results, so that Q. lórë came to meaning “dreaming sleep”, usable for either dreams or sleep or both, where Q. olos properly meant “vision of the mind”, but sometimes took the form olor under the influence of √LOR.

Primitive elvish [PE17/088; PE17/160; PE17/170; PE17/181; PM/341] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kas

root. head

The root for “head” was established very early in Tolkien’s Elvish languages, appearing in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as ᴱ√KASA “head” (QL/45), though in this period its Qenya derivative was ᴱQ. kar (kas-) because [[eq|final [s] became [r]]] in Early Quenya (PE12/26). It had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. cas “head, skull” (GL/25), a word that reappeared in Early Noldorin word lists of the 1920s as ᴱN. cas “skull” (PE13/140).

The root ᴹ√KAS “head” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, still with the form ᴹQ. kár (kas-) “head” (Ety/KAS), but Tolkien eventually abandoned the Early Qenya phonology and the Quenya form became Q. kas after some vacillation (PE19/103). The root √KAS “head” continued to appear frequently in Tolkien’s later writing (PE17/114; PE21/70; VT42/12).

Primitive elvish [PE17/114; PE17/156; PE21/70; VT42/12] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kas

noun. head

Primitive elvish [PE17/188; PE19/102; PE21/75] Group: Eldamo. Published by

slas

root. ear

Primitive elvish [PE17/062; PE17/077; PE17/185] Group: Eldamo. Published by

slas

noun. ear

Primitive elvish [PE17/077; PE23/136] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Sindarin 

oltha

dream

(verb) oltha- (i oltha, in olthar)

oltha

dream

(i oltha, in olthar)

ôl

dream

(noun) ôl (in compounds olo-; pl. ely for archaic öly). The pl. ely is the suggested Sindarin equivalent of ”Noldorin” elei (LR:379 s.v. OLOS)

ôl

dream

(in compounds olo-; pl. ely for archaic öly). – The pl. ely is the suggested Sindarin equivalent of ”Noldorin” elei (LR:379 s.v. OLOS)

lor-

verb. to sleep, slumber, dream

fanwos Speculative

noun. mind-picture (of apparition in dream)

A Sindarin(?) word that seems to be the equivalent of Q. indemma “mind-picture”, based on the root √PHAN “veil” (PE17/174). This was a telepathic vision induced in another’s mind; see Q. indemma for further discussion.

Sindarin [PE17/174] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olui

な^hJ adjective. dreamy

Ol (dream) + -ui (full, having that quality)

Sindarin [Realelvish.com] Published by

losta-

verb. to sleep

A neologism for “sleep” coined by David Salo. I prefer ᴺS. lor- instead, since I connect √(O)LOR to “sleep” and √(O)LOS to “dream”.

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

-dhol

head

_ suff. _head (often applied to hills or mountains that had _not _a sharp apex). >> Fanuidhol

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:36] < S. _dol/doll_ head (often applied to hills or mountains that had _not _a sharp apex). Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

dol

noun. head

Sindarin [Ety/376, S/430, RC/268] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dol

noun. hill or mountain

Sindarin [Ety/376, S/430, RC/268] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dol

head

_ n. _head (often applied to hills or mountains that had _not _a sharp apex). >> -dhol, doll, Dol-fanui, Fanuidhol

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:32:36:173] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

doll

head

_ n. _head (often applied to hills or mountains that had _not _a sharp apex). >> -dhol, dol, Dol-fanui, Fanuidhol

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:32:36] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

gloss

adjective. snow-white, dazzling-white

Sindarin [Ety/359, RGEO/70, VT/42:18] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelu

noun. air (as substance)

Sindarin [Ety/398, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhaw

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

Sindarin [Ety/368, LotR/II:IX] OS *λåhu, CE *slâsû (dual). Group: SINDICT. Published by

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).

Sindarin [PE17/062; PE17/077; PE23/136; PE23/139; PE23/140; TT17/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lind

noun. air, tune

Sindarin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

los

snow

{ŏ}_ n. _snow. Q. losse. >> glos, glosui, loss, Loss(h)oth

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:161] < LOS snow (as a substance or a white mass). Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

loss

noun. snow (especially fallen or long-lying snow)

Sindarin [S/434, VT/42:18, RGEO/70] Group: SINDICT. Published by

loss

noun. snow

_ n. _snow. Q. losse. >> glos, glosui, los, Loss(h)oth

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:161] < LOS snow (as a substance or a white mass). Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

dôl

head

dôl (i dhôl, construct dol) (hill), pl. dŷl (i nŷl). Note: In the Etymologies, this word was derived from a root with initial nd- (NDOL), which would make the mutations different (i nôl, pl. i ndŷl). However, the later name Fanuidhol "Cloudyhead" apparently indicates that the lenited form of this d was later to be dh (whereas it would be n if the former derivation had been maintained).

dôl

head

(i dhôl, construct dol) (hill), pl. dŷl (i nŷl). Note: In the Etymologies, this word was derived from a root with initial nd- (NDOL), which would make the mutations different (i nôl, pl. i ndŷl). However, the later name Fanuidhol "Cloudyhead" apparently indicates that the lenited form of this d was later to be dh (whereas it would be n if the former derivation had been maintained).****

gwelu

air

  1. (as substance) gwelu (i **welu), analogical pl. gwely (in gwely) if there is a pl. The attested form is archaic gwelw** (LR:398 s.v. WIL). Hence the coll. pl. is likely *gwelwath, if there is a coll. pl..

gwelu

air

(i ’welu), analogical pl. gwely (in gwely) if there is a pl. The attested form is archaic gwelw (LR:398 s.v. WIL). Hence the coll. pl. is likely ✱gwelwath, if there is a coll. pl..

gwelwen

air

  1. (as a region) gwelwen (i **welwen), pl. gwelwin (in gwelwin), also gwilith (i **wilith), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwilith)

gwelwen

air

(i ’welwen), pl. gwelwin (in gwelwin), also gwilith (i ’wilith), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwilith)

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 lewigthe lenition product of lh is uncertain). This ia a singular formed from the collective

lind

air

  1. (of music) lind (song, tune; singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath (WJ.309)

lind

air

(song, tune; singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath (WJ.309)

lor-

な6Y verb. to sleep, slumber

A direct derivation from √(O)LOS/R, supported by the attested lûr, lorn, and Q. lor- & lórë.

Sindarin [PE17] Published by

loss

snow

(fallen snow) loss (construct los; pl. lyss if there is a pl.) (RGEO:61-62, Letters:278, VT42:18) (Note: homophones mean ”flower” [more commonly loth] and ”wilderness”.).

losta-

verb. to sleep

See instead: lor-.

Sindarin [David Salo] LOS+-TÂ. Published by

Adûnaic

huzun

noun. ear

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

Khuzdûl

bund

noun. head

Khuzdûl [PE17/036; TI/174] Group: Eldamo. Published by

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

Early Quenya

fanwe

noun. dream

A noun for “dream” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√FANA (QL/37). It reappeared unglossed in the phrase ᴱQ. fanwen tollillon lómealloi appearing in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, apparently meaning “✱a dream from the gloomy islands” (PE16/147).

Early Quenya [PE16/147; QL/037] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olóre

noun. dream

Early Quenya [LT1A/Lórien; LT1A/Olórë Mallë; PME/069; QL/056; QL/069] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olor

noun. dream

fantl

noun. vision, dream, hazy notion, imaginary idea

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “vision, dream, hazy notion, imaginary idea” under the early root ᴱ√FANA (QL/37).

Early Quenya [QL/037] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fanóre

noun. day-dream

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “a day-dream” under the early root ᴱ√FANA (QL/37).

Early Quenya [QL/037] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fanwen tollillon lómealloi

*a dream from the gloomy islands

Early Quenya [PE16/147] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ambos

noun. breast

Early Quenya [PE13/137; PE13/139; PE13/159; PE16/136; PE16/146] Group: Eldamo. Published by

anqa(r)

noun. ear

fum-

verb. to sleep

A verb for “sleep” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√FUMU of the same meaning (QL/39). An unglossed verb hum- on a page of Qenya Verb Forms from the 1910s might be another iteration of this verb (PE14/28).

Early Quenya [PE14/028; QL/039] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ilma

noun. air

A word for “air” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/142), probably based on the early root ᴱ√ILU “ether”. Later ᴹQ. Ilma was used for “Starlight” (Ety/GIL; LR/205).

Early Quenya [PE16/142] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kar

noun. head

Early Quenya [PE14/042; PE14/043; PE14/044; PE14/046; PE14/047; PE14/117; PE15/73; PME/045; QL/030; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

murme

noun. slumber, sleep

A noun for “slumber” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√MURU of the same meaning (QL/63). It also appeared with the gloss “sleep” in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/63).

Early Quenya [LT1A/Murmenalda; PME/063; QL/063] Group: Eldamo. Published by

qan

noun. ear

Early Quenya [PME/031; PME/076; QL/031; QL/076; QL/098] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

olm

noun. dream

Gnomish [GL/62; LT1A/Lórien] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lor-

verb. to sleep deep, dream (tr.)

A verb appearing as G. lor- “sleep deep, dream” (GL/54), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√LORO “doze, slumber” (QL/56).

Neo-Quenya: I’d retain the verb ᴺS. lor- for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, but with the sense “sleep, slumber” only; for “dream” I’d use N. oltha- (Ety/ÓLOS). This neologism has likely been floating around for a while, but it was first suggested to me by Elaran.

maur

noun. dream, vision

A noun for “a dream, vision” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/57), based on the early root ᴱ√MURU “slumber” (QL/63).

Gnomish [GL/57; LT1A/Murmuran] Group: Eldamo. Published by

murtha-

verb. to dream

A verb for “dream” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/58), based on the early root ᴱ√MURU “slumber” (QL/63).

olma-

verb. to dream

oloth

noun. dream, apparition, vision

Gnomish [GL/62; LT1A/Lórien] Group: Eldamo. Published by

oltha-

verb. to appear as an apparition; to dream

Gnomish [GL/62; LT1A/Lórien] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olor

noun. dream, apparition, vision

lorwen

noun. slumber, sleep

A noun for “slumber, sleep” appearing in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/54), based on the early root ᴱ√LORO “doze, slumber” (QL/56).

lûr

noun. slumber

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

amoth

noun. breast

gwail

noun. air

nôl

noun. head

Qenya 

olor

noun. dream

Qenya [Ety/LOS; Ety/ÓLOS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olar

noun. dream

olofantur

masculine name. Lord of Dream-cloud

A surname of Lórien as lord of dreams in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/205). In The Etymologies it was given as a compound of olor “dream” and Fantur “Lord of Cloud”, the latter of which also appeared in the surname of his brother, Nurufantur (Ety/ÓLOS, SPAN).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Olofantur “Fantur of Dreams” first appeared in the earliest Lost Tales, already with essentially the same meaning as above (LT1/66; QL/37, 69). This name disappeared from Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, but the term Q. Fëanturi was still used to collectively describe Mandos and Lórien.

Qenya [Ety/ÓLOS; Ety/SPAN; EtyAC/LOS; EtyAC/ÓLOS; LRI/Olofantur; MRI/Olofantur; UT/396; UTI/Olofantur] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lor-

verb. to sleep, to sleep, [ᴱQ.] slumber

The verb ᴱQ. lor- “slumber” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LORO “doze, slumber” (QL/56). The verb reappeared in a present participle form loralyar “asleep” in Koivienéni sentence which was probably composed in the late 1930s (VT27/7).

Neo-Quenya: I’d use lor- as the best available verb for “to sleep, slumber” for purposes of Neo-Quenya; see the entry on √(O)LOR for further discussion.

lóre

noun. slumber

ambor

noun. breast, breast, *chest

The word ᴹQ. ambor “breast” appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, derived from ᴹ✶amƀus (PE21/33). This word shows the Early Qenya sound change whereby [[eq|final [s] became [r]]]; in Tolkien’s later writings this change applied mainly to intervocalic [s]. This word also had the unusual development of u to o in final syllables, a sound change Tolkien used for Quenya in the Declension of Nouns but nowhere else.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien gave ᴱQ. ambar “breast” with stems ambar- or ambas- (QL/30); the word also appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa, but only with the stem ambas- (PME/30). ᴱQ. ambos was glossed “breast” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/136), and in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, ᴱQ. ambos (ambost-) appeared as a word related to both ᴱN. bost “back, from shoulder to shoulder” and ᴱN. amoth “shoulder” (PE13/137, 139, 159), the latter with primitive forms ᴱ✶a-mbod-t’ (PE13/137) or ᴱ✶a-mbos-t (PE13/159).

ᴱQ. ambar reappeared in the phrase ᴱQ. níve qímari ringa ambar “the pale phantoms in her cold bosom” from the Oilima Markirya poem written around 1930. Early 1930s ᴹQ. ambor seems to be the last published iteration of this word, as discussed above.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would adapt this word as ᴺQ. ambos (ambor-) “breast, chest” to fit better with later Quenya phonology. It might be an ancient combination of √AM “up” and ᴹ√OS “around”, perhaps with the original sense “upper enclosure (of the body)”.

kas

noun. head

kas

noun. head

Qenya [EtyAC/KAS; PE21/16; PE21/19; PE21/22; PE21/58] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kár

noun. head

Qenya [Ety/KAS; PE23/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lár

noun. ear

Qenya [Ety/LAS²; PE23/081; PE23/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

vista

place name. Air

Name for the region of Air in Silmarillion notes from the 1930s (SM/236). It is simply vista “air as substance” used as a name.

Qenya [LRI/Vista; SM/236; SM/240; SM/241; SMI/Vista; SMI/Wilwa] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

olo

noun. dream

Old Noldorin [EtyAC/ÓLOS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndolo

noun. head

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

Early Primitive Elvish

olo

root. *dream

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/069] Group: Eldamo. Published by

muru

root. slumber

A root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “slumber”, with derivatives like ᴱQ. murme “slumber, sleep” and ᴱQ. muru- “to slumber” (QL/63). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. maur “a dream, vision” and G. murtha- “dream” (GL/57-58). In Tolkien’s later writing sleep and dream words were mostly derived from √LOR.

Early Primitive Elvish [LT1A/Murmenalda; QL/063] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fumu

root. sleep

A root from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “sleep” with Quenya derivatives beginning with f- such as ᴱQ. fum- “sleep” (QL/38). This root was first given as (deleted) ᴱ√HUMU, as reflected in words appearing in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. hum- “sleep, drowze” (GL/49). In the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, Tolkien gave the (unglossed) Qenya verb hum-, which might be a reversion to ᴱ√HUMU. However, in later writings Tolkien generally attributed the meaning “sleep” to the root √LOR and its variants, so ᴱ√HUMU/ᴱ√FUMU was probably abandoned.

Early Primitive Elvish [LT1A/fumellar; QL/039] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kasa

root. head

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/031; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

olro-

verb. to dream

Middle Primitive Elvish [EtyAC/ÓLOS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olsa-

verb. to dream

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

amƀus

noun. breast

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE21/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kas

root. head

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KAS; PE18/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kas

noun. head

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE18/035; PE21/55; PE21/58; PE21/64] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lassē

noun. ear

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/LAS¹; Ety/LAS²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

los

root. sleep

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

wis

root. air

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

Early Noldorin

am(b)

noun. breast

Early Noldorin [PE13/137] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nod

noun. head

Early Noldorin [PE13/150; PE13/151] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Valarin 

šebeth

noun. air