Quenya 

esta

first

esta (2) adj. "first" (ESE/ESET); this entry was marked with a query. The word Yestarë (q.v.) "Beginning-day" in LotR suggests that Tolkien decided to change the stem in question to _YESE/YESET_. We could then read *yesta for esta (but later this became a noun "beginning" rather than an adj. "first", PE17:120) and also prefix a y to the other words derived from ESE/ESET (essë* > yessë, essëa > yessëa). Estanossë noun "the firstborn", read likewise Yestanossë** (*Yestanessi?) but in a later text, Tolkien used Minnónar (q.v.) for "the Firstborn" as a name of the Elves, and this form may be preferred. _(In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the word _Estanossë is cited as "Estanesse", but according to VT45:12, the second-to-last vowel is actually o in Tolkien's manuscript.)

estat-

verb. estat-

estat-, see etsat-

esta-

to name

esta- (1) vb. "to name" (ES, VT45:12). In an earlier form of the relevant entry in the Etymologies, Tolkien let esta- mean "to place, set, plant" (VT45:12); a deleted entry SET also had esta- "precede" (VT46:13)

estat-

verb. to distribute in even portions, to distribute (in even portions), *partition

esta-

verb. name

Quenya [PE 22:124] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

yesta

beginning

yesta (2) noun "beginning" (PE17:120). Also attested in the compound yestarë (see below), but cf. esta #2.

yesta

noun. beginning, beginning, *start

@@@ gloss “start” suggested by Robert Reynolds

esta

adverb. outwards

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

estatina

adjective. divided, shared, distributed

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

estatië

noun. portion, share

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

tulca-

fix, set up, establish

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

essë

beginning

essë (3) noun "beginning" (ESE/ESET). This entry was marked by a query in Etym, and a word in the appendices to LotR suggests that it was emended to *YESE/YESET; we may therefore read *yessë for essë. (See esta #2.) However, for the purposes of writing the form yesta "beginning" from PE17:120 may be preferred.

essëa

primary

essëa adj. ?"primary" (gloss not certainly legible); read probably *yessëa in LotR-style Quenya; see esta #2 below (ESE/ESET). The meaning Tolkien originally assigned to the word essëa in the Etymologies was "in place, local" (VT45:12).

herulatsë

noun. estate, domain

A neologism coined by Arael in the “Neologism of the Day” (NotD) series on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server posted at 2023-06-08, a combination of √KHER “possess, rule” and [ᴺQ.] latsë “area”.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

marya-

verb. to found, establish, settle (as dwelling)

A neologism for “to found, establish, settle (as dwelling)” coined by Röandil on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) on 2022-03-05 from √MBAR “establish, settle”, a transitive verb as opposed to intransitive mar- “abide, dwell”.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

tulca-

verb. to set up, establish, *found; to fix, stick in,

etsat-

distribute in even portions

etsat- vb. "distribute in even portions" (apparently et- "out" + the base sat "divide, apportion"). Not cited with a final hyphen in the source (VT48:11), but some ending would obviously be required in Quenya; the verb should probably be treated as a consonant stem (primary verb). Alternative form estat-, but as pointed out in VT48:12, the transposition ts > st is not regular in Quenya.

yestië

noun. beginning

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

-on

name

-on gen.pl. ending (3O), in aldaron, aranion, elenion, Eldaron, #esseron, Ingweron, Istarion, Númevalion, Quendion, Silmarillion, Sindaron, tasarion (see Nan-Tasarion), Valion, wenderon, yénion. Normally the ending -on is added to the nominative plural, whether it ends in -i or -r, but some nouns in -ë that would have nominative plurals in -i seem to prefer the ending -ron in the genitive (hence #esseron as the gen. pl. of essë "name", though the nominative pl. is attested as essi and we might have expected the gen. pl. *ession; similarly wenderon, Ingweron).

ampan-

verb. build

Quenya [PE 22:108] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

ampanóta-

verb. build, erect a building, construct

Quenya [PE 22:114,118] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

carasta-

build

carasta- vb. "build" (PE17:84)

carasta-

verb. to build, to build, construct

ello

call, shout of triumph

[ello] noun "call, shout of triumph" (GYEL (< GEL) )

enna

first

[enna adj. "first" (VT45:12)]

esse

noun. name

Quenya [PE 22:124] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

essë

name

essë (1) noun "name", also later name of Tengwa #31, originally (MET) called árë (ázë). (Appendix E). With a pronominal ending esselya "thy name" (VT43:14). Pl. #essi in PM:339 and MR:470, gen.pl. #esseron "of names" in the compound Nómesseron (q.v.); we would rather have expected *ession, given the nom.pl. essi; perhaps #esser is a valid alternative plural form. Essecarmë noun "name-making" (MR:214, 470), Eldarin ceremony where the father announces the name of his child. Essecenta *("k") noun "Name-essay" (see centa) (MR:415); Essecilmë noun "name-choosing", an Eldarin ceremony where a child named him- or herself according to personal lámatyávë (q.v.) (MR:214, 471). The meaning Tolkien originally assigned to the word essë** in the Etymologies was "place" rather than "name" (VT45:12).

essë

noun. name

Quenya [LotR/1123; MR/216; MR/470; PM/339; UT/266; UTI/epessë; VT42/17; VT43/14; WJ/359] Group: Eldamo. Published by

etsat-

verb. to distribute in even portions

har-

verb. dwell, abide, reside permanently

Quenya [PE 22:125] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

inga

first

inga (2) adj. "first" (ING)

minya

first

minya adj. "first" (MINI) (cf. Minyatur, Minyon); "eminent, prominent" (VT42:24, 25). Minyar "Firsts", the original name of the Vanyar (or rather the direct Quenya descendant of the original Primitive Quendian name) (WJ:380)

panya-

fix, set

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

sanda

name

[sanda, sandë] (þ) (2) noun "name" (VT46:16)

sanda

firm, true, abiding

sanda (þ) (1) adj. "firm, true, abiding" (STAN)

sanya

name

[sanya] (þ) (2) noun ?"name" (reading of gloss uncertain, VT46:16)

setta

first

[setta, setya adj. "first" (possibly also "primary", but Tolkien's gloss was not certainly legible) (VT46:13)]

tanca

firm, fixed, sure

tanca ("k")adj. "firm, fixed, sure" (TAK)

tancata

verb. to make firm, fix

Quenya [PE 22:157] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

tulca

firm, strong, immovable, steadfast

tulca (1) ("k") adj. "firm, strong, immovable, steadfast" (TULUK)

umpano

build

umpano noun "build" (read: building), alternative form of ampano, which form is probably to be preferred (VT45:36, compare PAN; VT46:8 records how Tolkien in one case altered umpano to ampano)

yello

call, shout of triumph

yello (2) noun "call, shout of triumph" (GYEL); changed by Tolkien from ello.

yessë

noun. beginning

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Sindarin 

esta-

verb. to call, *name

A verb appearing in a future-passive form estathar “should be called” in the King’s Letter from the early 1950s. It also appeared (unglossed) as a present-passive estar “✱is called” in the Túrin Wrapper from the 1950s. Its gloss “be called” is because it is being used with passive voice; in active voice it would be “to call” or (more accurately) “✱to name”, as with its Quenya cognate ᴹQ. esta- “to name” (Ety/ES).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien gave G. enu- or enwa- “am called, am named” (GL/32), clearly derived from the early root ᴱ√ENE having to do with names (QL/35). A few lines below he wrote but deleted {en(1) “am called”}.

Sindarin [AotM/062; SD/129; VT50/13] Group: Eldamo. Published by

esta-

verb. to name

Sindarin [estathar SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

esta

name

(verb.) esta- (call) (i esta, in estar)

esta

name

(call) (i esta, in estar)

esta

call

1) (vb.) esta- (to name) (i esta, in estar), 2) (call out) ialla- (VT46:22), also can- (i gân, i chenir) (shout, cry out). See also CRY (OUT).

esta

call

(to name) (i esta, in estar)

estannen

adjective. named, called

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

tangada

establish

tangada- (confirm, make firm) (i dangada, i thangadar). LONG ESTABLISHED, see brûn under OLD

tangada

establish

(confirm, make firm) (i dangada, i thangadar).

adaba-

verb. to build, establish, erect

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

brûn

long established

under

tangada

make firm

(confirm, establish) (i dangada, i thangadar)

tangada

make firm

tangada- (confirm, establish) (i dangada, i thangadar)

tangada

make firm

tangada- (confirm, establish) (i dangada, i thangadar)

eneth

noun. name

Sindarin [VT/44:21,24] Group: SINDICT. Published by

main

ordinal. first, (only in the sense of) prime, chief, pre-eminent

Sindarin [VT/42:10, VT/42:25] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mein

ordinal. first, (only in the sense of) prime, chief, pre-eminent

Sindarin [VT/42:10, VT/42:25] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mein

ordinal. first

minui

ordinal. first

Sindarin [VT/42:10, VT/42:25] Group: SINDICT. Published by

minui

ordinal. first

Sindarin [VT42/10; VT42/25] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nalla

noun. call

nallan

noun. call

A word appearing in the 1st edition of The Lord of the Rings from 1954 in the phrase le nallan sí di’nguruthos. In Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien translated {nallon >>} nallon as “a call”, followed by another form nalla, with alternates nalla, nalloth, nallar in the upper margin. Christopher Gilson suggested that the gloss might instead be “to call” or “my call”; if the latter is correct, then nallan might be the 1st sg. possessive form of nalla.

In the 2nd edition of The Lord of the Rings from 1965 Tolkien changed nallan to nallon. In The Road Goes Ever On (RGEO) from 1967 he confirmed that this new form was a verb form meaning “I cry” (RGEO/64).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I think we can retain nallan as a noun for “a call”. While it is tempting to use the form nalla instead, I have no idea how the a might have survived at the end of this word, so I think nallan is better.

nallar

noun. call

nalloth

noun. call

ned

noun. first, *one more; first; *during

This word replaced the preposition uin “of the” in the third version of the King’s Letter, appearing in the phrase nelchaenen ned Echuir “the thirty-first day of Stirring”. Both Carl Hostetter (VT31/30) and David Salo (SG/229) theorized that this replacement has a similar prepositional function, from either √NOT “count” or √NED “middle”. Fiona Jallings suggested it might be a temporal preposition, with sense “during” (FJNS/349).

On VT47/40, note 67, Patrick Wynne suggested that this word might be a cognate of the newly published Quenya word net(ë) “one more”. This theory is supported by the most likely interpretation of nelchaenen. This word seems to mean “thirtieth” rather than “thirty-first”, and Patrick Wynne suggested that nelchaenen ned means “thirtieth and one more” = “thirty-first”. I find this theory the most compelling, and use it here.

taug

adjective. firm

adj. firm, strong, ?withstand. Q. tauka stiff, wooden.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:115] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

car

build

car- (i gâr, i cherir), pa.t. agor (make, do) (WJ:415)

car

build

(i gâr, i cherir), pa.t. agor (make, do) (WJ:415)

dortha

dwell

dortha- (i northa, i ndorthar) (stay)

dortha

dwell

(i northa, i ndorthar) (stay)

eneth

name

(noun) eneth (pl. enith)

eneth

name

(pl. enith)

ennen

adjective. named

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

erui

first

(single, alone). No distinct pl. form. Some would argue that Tolkien abandoned erui as a word for ”first”.

ess

noun. name

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

ialla-

call

(VT46:22), also can- (i gân, i chenir) (shout, cry out). See also

minui

first

1) minui (lenited vinui; no distinct pl. form), 2) mîn (lenited vîn; no distinct pl. form) (isolated, towering). Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the number ”one”; 3) erui (single, alone). No distinct pl. form. Some would argue that Tolkien abandoned erui as a word for ”first”.

minui

first

(lenited vinui; no distinct pl. form)

mîn

first

(lenited vîn; no distinct pl. form) (isolated, towering). Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the number ”one”

penia

fix

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

penia

fix

(i benia, i pheniar) (set);

pân

fixed board in a floor

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

tanc

firm

(adj.) tanc (lenited danc; pl. tainc)

tanc

firm

(lenited danc; pl. tainc)

thala

firm

1) thala (steady, stalwart), pl. ?theili, 2) thand (true, abiding), pl. thaind (VT46:16; notice that the forms “thenid” and “thenin” in LR:388 s.v. STAN represent misreadings of Tolkiens manuscript).

thala

firm

(steady, stalwart), pl. ?theili

thand

firm

(true, abiding), pl. thaind (VT46:16; notice that the forms “thenid” and “thenin” in LR:388 s.v. STAN represent misreadings of Tolkien’s manuscript).

Primitive elvish

mbar

root. settle, dwell; establish, fix, decide, determine, make a decision, settle; establish, fix, decide, determine, make a decision; dwell, [ᴹ√] inhabit, [ᴱ√] live

This root was connected to the sense “dwell” for all of Tolkien’s life. In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s it appeared as ᴱ√MBARA “dwell, live”, though in Qenya it was blended with ᴱ√ŊWAÐA “tarry, linger” since [[eq|initial [ŋʷ] became [m]]] (QL/60). In Gnomish the two roots remained distinct: G. bar “home” (GL/21) vs. G. gwadh- “dwell” (GL/46). However, other Gnomish derivatives hint at an unstrengthened variant ᴱ√MARA: G. mar “Earth, ground, soil” and G. Môr “The Earth”, of which Tolkien said “mar and môr probably conceal two roots and a confusion; mbara” (GL/56). The source of this confusion might be ᴱ√MARA “ripe” (QL/59, 63).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s the root appeared as ᴹ√MBAR “dwell, inhabit” (Ety/MBAR); an earlier version of this entry had the extra gloss “build” (EtyAC/MBAR). In The Etymologies, it seems this root was a strengthened form of ᴹ√BAR “raise” (Ety/BAR), but the root ᴹ√MBARAT “fate” seems to be unrelated at this point (Ety/MBARAT). The root mbar- was mentioned in the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from the 1930s (PE19/36) and again as √MBAR “{house >>} dwell” in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2) from around 1950 (PE18/92).

The root √MBAR still had the basic sense “dwell” in Notes on Galadriel’s Song (NGS) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/64); in those notes it seems it was distinct from both √BAR “raise” and √MAR(AT) or √MBART “doom, fate” (PE17/66). But in notes on Fate from 1968 (NM/226-231; PE17/104-109), Tolkien shifted the meaning of the root:

> English “settle” in its various branches of meaning closely resembles the development of the meanings of √MBAR: thus settlement can mean the act of colonizing or taking up an abode, or the area or place so occupied (by a family or community); or (the terms of) an agreement fixed after debate. The development was not, however, the same: the senses of settle proceed from a sense “place in or take up” a firm position, especially in a place that seems suitable; from which the sense of settling affairs that were in confusion or doubt arose. √MBAR meant basically to make a decision, and the meanings relating to dwelling or occupying land proceeded from that (PE17/105).

This new definition for √MBAR was to support a more direct connection between this root and words like Q. umbar “fate”, hence establishing an etymological relationship to extended √MBARAT for the first time, for example with √MBAR > ✶mbartā- “to define, decree, destine” (PE17/104).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think this late 1960s meaning “settle, decide, establish; (by extension) dwell” is probably the best.

Primitive elvish [NM/226; NM/228; PE17/064; PE17/066; PE17/078; PE17/090; PE17/104; PE17/105; PE17/124; PE17/163; PE17/164; PE18/092; PE22/131] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ambar(a)

noun. the settlement, establishment, the world

Primitive elvish [NM/228; PE17/104; PE17/105; PE17/124] Group: Eldamo. Published by

yeset Reconstructed

root. beginning

The root ᴹ√ESE(T) “precede” and ᴹ√SET “precede forward” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. esse “beginning”, ᴹQ. esta “first”, and N. seth {“first” >>} “forth”, but the ᴹ√SET forms were rejected and the ᴹ√ESE(T) forms marked with a “?”, being in conflict with ᴹ√ES “indicate, name” (Ety/ESE; EtyAC/SET). The appearance of Q. yesta “beginning” and Q. Yestarë “first day of the year” in later writings (LotR/1108-1109; PE17/120) indicate the root was probably revised to ✱√YESET.

minya

ordinal. first

Primitive elvish [VT42/25] Group: Eldamo. Published by

en

root. name

Noldorin 

tangad(a)-

verb. to make firm, confirm, establish, to make firm, confirm, establish, [ᴱN.] fix

Noldorin [Ety/TAK; PE17/044] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tangada-

verb. to make firm, confirm, establish

Noldorin [Ety/389] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tanc

adjective. firm, firm; [ᴱN.] steady, steadfast; [G.] settled

edhen

adjective. first

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

dortha-

verb. to dwell, stay

Noldorin [Ety/376] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ereg

place name. First

Earlier name for the river S. Erui from Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, apparently a Noldorin word meaning ereg “first” (TI/312, WR/436).

Noldorin [TI/312; TII/Ereg; WR/436; WRI/Erui] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ereg

adjective. first

ial

noun. (?) a call, (?) a cry

Noldorin [VT/46:22] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ialla-

verb. to call

Noldorin [VT/46:22] Group: SINDICT. Published by

penia-

verb. to fix, to set

Noldorin [Ety/380] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tanc

adjective. firm

Noldorin [Ety/389] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thand

adjective. firm, true, abiding

Misreading thenid, thenin rectified according to VT/46:16

Noldorin [Ety/388, VT/46:16] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thann

adjective. firm, true, abiding

Misreading thenid, thenin rectified according to VT/46:16

Noldorin [Ety/388, VT/46:16] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Telerin 

minya

ordinal. first

Adûnaic

mag- Speculative

verb. to build

A hypothetical verb from which the agental-formation magân “wright, ✱builder” is derived, itself attested only as an element in the name Balkumagân “Shipwright”. It may be related to the Elvish root ᴹ√MAG “use, handle”, as suggested by Andreas Moehn (EotAL/MAG).


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 

esta

adjective. first

Qenya [Ety/ESE; EtyAC/SET] Group: Eldamo. Published by

estanosse

collective name. Firstborn

A rejected term for the Elves as Firstborn of Iluvator (EtyAC/SET), a combination of (rejected) esta “first” and nosse “clan”.

Qenya [Ety/ESE; EtyAC/ESE; EtyAC/SET] Group: Eldamo. Published by

esta-

verb. to precede

esta-

verb. to name

Qenya [Ety/ES; EtyAC/ES; PE22/124] Group: Eldamo. Published by

esta-

verb. to place, set, plant

estaina

adjective. named, named, *called

enna

adjective. first

ampan-

verb. to build

esse

noun. name

Qenya [Ety/ES; PE22/022; PE22/051; PE22/124; SD/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

esse

noun. beginning

inga

adjective. first

minya

ordinal. first

Early Quenya

est

adjective. outwards

Early Quenya [QL/036] Group: Eldamo. Published by

esta-

verb. to send

Early Quenya [PE16/133] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tulka-

verb. to fix, stick in, set up, establish

Early Quenya [LT1A/Tulkas; QL/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

en(we)

noun. name

Early Quenya [QL/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by

en-

verb. to be called

Early Quenya [QL/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by

minya

ordinal. first

Early Quenya [PE14/051; PE14/082; PE14/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tirtina

adjective. divided, shared, distributed

Early Quenya [QL/094] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

adag-

verb. to build, establish, erect

Early Noldorin [PE13/132; PE13/136; PE13/158; PE13/165; PE14/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

adab-

verb. to build, establish

tengedion

noun. confirmer, fixer, establisher

Early Noldorin [PE13/165] Group: Eldamo. Published by

brond

adjective. firm

Early Noldorin [PE13/140] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tangod-

verb. to fix

tenged-

verb. to fix

Early Primitive Elvish

atak-

verb. to build, establish

Early Primitive Elvish [PE13/158; PE14/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ataqa-

verb. to build, establish

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

atāqa

verb. to build, establish

Early Primitive Elvish [PE13/132; PE13/136; PE13/158] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tṃpṃ

root. build

A root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “build”, with derivatives ᴱQ. tump- “build”, ᴱQ. tumpo “shed”, and ᴱQ. tampo “well” (QL/93). It was likely related to ᴱ√TAMA “(beat) smelt, forge” (QL/88), as further evidenced by ᴱ✶tṃp- “beat” > ᴱQ. tump- in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/58). It thus may have reemerged in the later root √TAM “construct” from the late 1960s (PE17/107).

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/093; QL/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ẇaða

root. dwell

Early Primitive Elvish [GL/46; QL/102] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

tankāta-

verb. to make firm

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE17/044] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ednōno

noun. firstborn

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

edenā

adjective. first

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

settā

adjective. first

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

tanka

adjective. firm

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE17/044] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

bada-

verb. to build

enn

noun. name