-ima

fair

-ima adjectival suffix. Sometimes it is used to derive simple adjectives, like vanima "fair" or calima "bright"; it can also take on the meaning "-able" (PE17:68), as in mátima "edible" (mat- "eat"), nótima "countable" (not- "count") and (with a negative prefix) úquétima "unspeakable" (from quet- "speak"). Note that the stem-vowel is normally lengthened in the derivatives where -ima means "-able", though this fails to occur in cenima "visible" (q.v., but contrast hraicénima, q.v.) and also before a consonant cluster as in úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176). "X-ima" may mean "apt to X" (when the ending is added to an intransitive verbal stem), as in Fírimar "mortals", literally "those apt to die" (WJ:387). The adj. úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176) also appears as úfantuma (PE17:180), indicating the existence of a variant ending -uma (possibly used to derive adjectives with a "bad" meaning; compare the ending *-unqua next to -inqua, q.v.)

vanya

fair

vanya (1) adj. "fair" (FS), "beautiful" (BAN), a word referring to beauty that is "due to lack of fault, or blemish" (PE17:150), hence Arda Vanya as an alternative to Arda Alahasta for "Arda Unmarred" (ibid., compare MR:254). Nominal pl. Vanyar "the Fair", the first clan of the Eldar; the original meaning of this stem was "pale, light-coloured, not brown or dark" (WJ:382, 383, stem given as WAN), "properly = white complexion and blonde hair" (PE17:154, stem given as GWAN); stems BAN vs. WAN discussed, see PE17:150.

vanë

fair

vanë adj. "fair" (LT1:272; in Tolkien's later Quenya rather vanya)

vanë

adjective. fair, fair, [ᴱQ.] lovely

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/056

Element in

• Q. úvanë(a) “without beauty”
• Q. vanessë “beauty” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. vanië “beauty” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. vanima “beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair” ✧ PE17/056

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√BAN > vane	[bani] > [bane] > [βane] > [vane]	✧ PE17/056

Variations

• vane ✧ PE17/056

fairë

free

fairë (4) adj. "free" (LT1:250) (rather léra, lerina or mirima in LotR-style Quenya)

firë

mortal man

firë noun "mortal man" (PHIR), pl. firi given (the latter is not clearly glossed and may also be the archaic form from which firë is derived, since word-final short i became e in Quenya but since we would rather expect the spelling phiri if it were an archaic form, it is best taken as the pl. of firë.)

firya

proper name. Mortal

A shorter variant of Fírima (WJ/219, 387). It is the adjectival form of the root √PHIR produced by the suffix -ya.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies, the word ᴹQ. firya is glossed “human” and is derived from the same root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR).

Cognates

• S. Feir “Mortal, Mortal, [N.] mortal man” ✧ WJ/219; WJI/Feir; WJ/219

Derivations

• √PHIR “exhale, expire, breathe out, exhale, expire, breathe out; [ᴹ√] die of natural causes” ✧ WJ/387

Derivatives

• S. Feir “Mortal, Mortal, [N.] mortal man” ✧ WJ/387

Elements

Word	Gloss
firya	“mortal; human, [ᴹQ.] human; [Q.] mortal”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√PHIRI > Firyar	[pʰirja] > [ɸirja] > [firja]	✧ WJ/387

mairëa

beautiful

mairëa adj. "beautiful" (of things made by art) (PE17:163). An alternative (and peculiar) form "mairia" is also implied in the source.

alima

fair, good

alima adj. "fair, good" (also alya) (PE17:146)

alima

adjective. fair, good

Derivations

• √AL(A) “good (physically), blessed, fortunate, prosperous, health(y)” ✧ PE17/146

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√AL > alima	[alima]	✧ PE17/146

alya

fair, good

alya (1) adj. "fair, good" (PE17:146), "prosperous, rich, abundant, blessed" (GALA). In a deleted entry in Etym, the glosses provided were "rich, blessed"; another deleted entry defined alya as "rich, prosperous, blessed". (GALA, [ÁLAM], VT42:32, 45:5, 14)

alya

adjective. fair, good, [ᴹQ.] rich, prosperous, abundant, blessed; [Q.] fair, good

Derivations

• √AL(A) “good (physically), blessed, fortunate, prosperous, health(y)” ✧ PE17/146

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√AL > alya	[alja]	✧ PE17/146

Fírimo

mortal

#Fírimo noun "mortal", see fírima

fírima

mortal

fírima adj. "mortal" (PHIR; firima with a short i in VT46:4); also used as noun: Fírima pl. Fírimar "those apt to die", "mortals", an Elvish name of Mortal Men (WJ:387). This adj. is also the source of an explicit noun, personalized #Fírimo = mortal, mortal man. Pl. Fírimor (VT49:10-11), dative pl. fírimoin "for men" in Fíriel's Song; cf. also the pl. allative fírimonnar in VT44:35.

aranya

free

aranya, also ranya, adj. "free". Another gloss was not certainly legible, but the editors suggest "uncontrolling" (VT46:10)

lerina

free

lerina adj. "free" of things: not guarded, reserved, made fast, or "owned" (VT41:5)

léra

free

léra adj. noun "free", of persons (VT41:5)

mirima

free

mirima adj. "free" (MIS). ("Free" is rather expressed as léra in Tolkiens later Quenya; mirima would be prone to confusion with mírima above.)

forya

right

forya adj. "right" (PHOR), "dexter" (VT46:10)

laica

green

laica (1) adj. "green" (in older sources laiqua) (Letters:282, PE17:159). Laicolassë (laica + #olassë) "green-foliage" (PE17:46), Quenya cognate of Sindarin Laegolas (dialectal form Legolas); compare olassië. Adj. laicalassë "green as leaves", literally "green-leaf" (PE17:56).

laica

adjective. green

Cognates

• S. laeg “fresh and green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), fresh” ✧ Let/282; PE17/084; PE17/159
• Nan. lego “green” ✧ Let/282

Derivations

• ✶laikā “green” ✧ Let/282
  • √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ Let/282
• √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ PE17/159

Element in

• Q. laicalassë “green-leaf, green as leaves”
• ᴺQ. laicelumir “malachite (lit.) green-flowing-jewel”
• Q. Laicolassë “Green-foliage” ✧ PE17/056
• ᴺQ. laimaril “emerald”
• Q. Laiquendi “Green-elves”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶laikā > laica	[laikā] > [laika]	✧ Let/282
√LAY > laika	[laikā] > [laika]	✧ PE17/159

Variations

• laikā ✧ PE17/084
• laika ✧ PE17/159

marya

pale, fallow, fawn

marya adj. "pale, fallow, fawn" (MAD)

melima

loveable, fair

melima adj. "loveable, fair" (MEL, VT45:34); Melimar a name of the Lindar (in Tolkien's former conception = the later Vanyar, not the Teleri) (MEL)

mára

adjective. good

virya

fresh

virya (1) adj. "fresh" (VT46:22)

linda

fair, beautiful

linda adj. "fair, beautiful" (of sound) (SLIN, LIND; VT45:27), "soft, gentle, light" (PE16:96), "beautiful, sweet, melodious of sound" (PE17:150); for Linda as a noun, see Lindar.

vanima

beautiful, fair

vanima adj. "beautiful, fair" (BAN, VT39:14) (glossed "proper, right, fair" in early "Qenya", LT1:272, though a later source says the word is used "only of living things, especially Elves and Men", PE17:150); nominal pl. vanimar "beautiful ones", partitive pl. genitive vanimálion, translated "of beautiful children", but literally meaning *"of [some] beautiful ones") (LotR3:VI ch. 6, translated in Letters:308). Arwen vanimalda "Beautiful Arwen", literally "Arwen your beauty" (see -lda for reference; changed to Arwen vanimelda in the second edition of LotR; see vanimelda).

vanima

adjective. beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair

A word for “beautiful, fair” derived from the root √BAN of similar meaning (PE17/55, 143, 150, 165). Tolkien specified that this word was used “only of living things, especially Elves or Men” (PE17/150). Tolkien further stated that this would did not mean only “fair (blond)”, because it was applicable to Arwen who had dark hair (PE17/165). Thus it applied to any physically beautiful living creature.

Conceptual Development: The first appearance of this word was the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where ᴱQ. {vana >>} vanĭma was glossed “proper, right, as it should be, fair” under the early root ᴱ√VANA (QL/99). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹQ. vanima “fair” under the root ᴹ√BAN (Ety/BAN). In this document it was the basis for ᴹQ. Vanimo “the Beautiful”, indicating that by the 1930s its base meaning had shifted from “proper” to “beautiful”.

Neo-Sindarin: In the “Neologism of the Day” (NotD) series on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server as posted 2023-05-30, Delle pointed out that this word was not specifically feminine, so could also mean “✱handsome” when applied to males.

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/149; PE17/150; PE17/165

Element in

• Q. úvanima “not fair, ugly; hard to call beautiful, hideous” ✧ PE17/143; PE22/156; VT39/14
• Q. úvanimo “monster, corrupt or evil creature” ✧ PE17/150
• Q. vanimelda “beautiful and beloved, elven-fair” ✧ PE17/056; PE17/057
• Q. vanimalda “most beautiful, exceeding fair; thou beautiful, thou beautiful; most beautiful, exceeding fair” ✧ PE17/055 (vanimalda)

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√ɃAN > vanima	[banima] > [βanima] > [vanima]	✧ PE17/149
√BAN > vanima	[banima] > [βanima] > [vanima]	✧ PE17/150
√BAN > vanima	[banima] > [βanima] > [vanima]	✧ PE17/165

Variations

• vanima ✧ PE17/055 (vanima); PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/143; PE17/149 (vanima); PE17/150; PE17/165 (vanima); VT39/14
• vănĭmā ✧ PE17/057
• vănima ✧ PE22/156

wenya

adjective. fair, beautiful

Cognates

• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/191

Derivations

• ✶gwenyā “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • √GWEN “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶gwenyā > wenya	[gwenjā] > [ɣwenjā] > [wenjā] > [wenja]	✧ PE17/191

Amarië

good

Amarië fem. name; perhaps derived from mára "good" with prefixing of the stem-vowel and the feminine ending -ië (Silm)

Formen

north

Formen noun "north" (SA:men), also name of tengwa #10 (Appendix E, PHOR, MEN; replacing the rejected form Tormen). In Formenos, place-name "Northern Fortress" (SA:formen). Allative formenna, VT49:26.

Lindar

singers

Lindar noun "Singers" (sg. Linda), what the Teleri called themselves (WJ:380, MR:349, UT:253, 286). It seems that Lindar is also interpreted "the Beautiful" (cf. the common adj. linda "fair, beautiful"), but this interpretation apparently belongs primarily to Tolkien's earlier conception, when Lindar was the name of the First Clan, the name of which he revised to Vanyar (similarly meaning "the Fair"). Adj. Lindarin = Telerin (but Tolkien of course held it to be = Vanyarin when the First Clan, the later Vanyar, were still called Lindar before he decided to apply this name to the third clan, the Teleri) (TĀ/TA3)

formen

noun. north, north, [ᴹQ.] right-hand [direction]

Cognates

• S. forod “north” ✧ LotR/1123; PE17/018; SA/formen
• S. forn “north, north, [N.] right” ✧ PE17/018; SA/formen

Element in

• Q. ar cé mo formenna tentanes Amanna “and if northwards, it pointed towards Aman” ✧ VT49/26
• Q. Follondië “North-harbourage” ✧ PE17/028
• Q. Formenos “Northern Fortress” ✧ SA/formen
• Q. Forostar “Northlands” ✧ UT/165

Elements

Word	Gloss
forya	“right (hand), dexter”
men	“way, way; [ᴹQ.] place, spot”

Variations

• Formen ✧ SA/men

laiqua

green

laiqua ("q")adj. "green" (LÁYAK, LT1:267, MC:214), "Qenya" pl. laiquali ("q")(MC:216). Occurs in the phrase laiqua'ondoisen ("q") "green-rocks-upon" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"), Laiqualassë ("q") masc. name "Legolas" (Greenleaf) (LT1:267). Used as noun in the phrase mi laiqua of somebody clad "in green" (PE17:71). In later material, the word for "green" appears as laica, and the cognate of Legolas is said to be Laicolassë, q.v. (PE17:56)

laiqua

adjective. green

Changes

• laiqua → laikā “green” ✧ PE17/084

Cognates

• S. laeg “fresh and green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), fresh” ✧ PE17/153
• Nan. lego “green” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• ✶laikwā ✧ PE17/153

Element in

• ᴺQ. laiquaril “emerald”
• Q. sanomë tarnë Olórin, Aracorno, Eomer, Imrahil, mi mísë, mi telepta yo morna, mi laiqua yo ninquë, mi luinë, ta Gimli mi lossëa “There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil in grey, in silver and black, in green and white, and in blue, and also Gimli in white” ✧ PE17/071

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶laiquā > laiqua	[laikwā] > [laikwa]	✧ PE17/153

látie

noun. openness

Elements

Word	Gloss
láta	“open (not closed)”
-ië	“abstract noun, adverb”

látië

openness

látië noun "openness" (VT39:23)

mírya

beautiful

mírya adj. "beautiful" (of work of art only) (PE17:165)

vanima

adjective. beautiful

írima

lovely, beautiful, desirable

írima adj. "lovely, beautiful, desirable" (ID, FS, PE17:155), in FS also pl. írimar; in the "Qenya" of Fíriel's Song, adjectives in -a form their plurals in -ar instead of -ë as in LotR-style Quenya.

calwa

beautiful

calwa ("k") adj. "beautiful" (LT1:254)

resta

sown field, acre

resta noun "sown field, acre" (VT46:11 cf. RED-). The word parma-restalyanna, probably meaning *"(up)on your book-fair", seems to use #resta in the sense of "fair" (as held in a field?) Carl F. Hostetter however suggests that #resta "fair" may be related to ré "day" (VT49:39-40); if so this word is wholly distinct from resta "sown field".

-ië

openness

-ië (2) abstract ending, often used to derive abstracts from adjectives, e.g. látië "openness" vs. láta "open", mornië "darkness" vs. morna "black, dark", vanië (for *vanyië) "beauty" vs. vanya "fair".

céva

fresh, new

céva ("k")adj. "fresh, new" (VT48:7, 8)

resta

noun. sown field

sown field, tilled ground, acre

ala-

good

ala- (3), also al-, a prefix expressing "good" or "well" (PE17:146), as in alaquenta (q.v.) Whether Tolkien imagined this ending to coexist with the negative prefix of the same form (#2 above) is unclear and perhaps dubious.

isca

pale

isca ("k") adj."pale" (LT1:256)

luina

pale

[luina] adj. "pale" (VT45:30)

nívë

pale

nívë adj."pale" (MC:213; this is "Qenya" Tolkien's later Quenya has néca)

Tormen

north

[Tormen] noun "north" (MEN; replaced by Formen, q.v.)

ezel

green

ezel, ezella adj. "green" (in Vanyarin Quenya only). Adopted and adapted from Valarin. (WJ:399)

ezel(la)

adjective. green

lehta

free, released

lehta (2) adj. "free, released" (VT39:17); #lehta tengwë "free element, released element", a term for "vowel" (only pl. lehta tengwi [ñ] is attested; we would rather expect *lehtë tengwi with the pl. form of the adjective) (VT39:17)

limbë

quick, swift

limbë (1) adj. (stem limbi-, given primitive form ¤lĭmbĭ) "quick, swift" (PE17:18)

melwa

lovely

melwa adj. "lovely" (LT1:262); compare melda in Tolkiens later Quenya.

méla

loving, affectionate

méla adj. "loving, affectionate" (VT39:10), apparently compounded in mélamar, q.v. (in that word rather meaning "dear").

néca

pale, vague, faint, dim to see

néca ("k") adj "pale, vague, faint, dim to see", pl. nécë ("k") in Markirya

resta

noun. sown field, tilled ground, acre; *fair

A noun for “sown field, tilled ground” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from primitive ✶reddā (PE19/91). Later in the same document it was glossed “acre” (PE19/101). The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. resta “‘sown’, sown field, acre” also from primitive ᴹ✶reddā under the root ᴹ√RED “scatter, sow” (Ety/RED; EtyAC/RED). The form resta did not appear in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/383), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne noted its existence in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/11).

Tolkien seems to have used this word to mean “✱fair” as in parma-resta “✱book-fair” in the untranslated phrase nai elen siluva parma-restalyanna meldonya from around 1964 (VT49/38). Carl Hostetter proposed that this phrase meant “✱may a star shine upon your book­-fair, my friend”, referring to the appearing of Martin Blackman at the World Book Fair in June of 1964 (VT49/39). Assuming this interpretation is correct, Hostetter suggested it might be due the use of fields as a common location for fairs.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s had ᴱQ. arwa “field” derived from the early root ᴱ√ƷARA “spread, extend sideways” (QL/32), cognate to G. garw “sown-field” (GL/38). The word ᴱQ. milnar or milnarwa “sown field” under the early root ᴱ√MILI seems to be an elaboration of ᴱQ. arwa, prefixed by a reduced form of ᴱQ. milin “grain of seed” (QL/61).

Cognates

• S. rîdh “sown field, sown field, [N.] acre” ✧ PE19/092

Derivations

• ✶reddā “sown field, acre” ✧ PE19/091; PE19/092
  • √RED “scatter, sow” ✧ PE19/091; PE19/092

Element in

• Q. nai elen siluva parma-restalyanna meldonya “*may a star shine upon your book-fair, my friend” ✧ VT49/39
• Q. parma-resta “*book-fair” ✧ VT49/39
• ᴺQ. restassë “countryside, the country”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶reddā > rezdā > resta	[reddā] > [rezdā] > [restā] > [resta]	✧ PE19/091
✶reddā > resta	[reddā] > [rezdā] > [restā] > [resta]	✧ PE19/092

ráva

free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless

ráva (1) adj. "free, unfettered, uncontrolled, lawless" (PE17:78), "wild, untamed"_ (RAB). _In PE17:78, the gloss "wild" is given to the variant hráva instead.

vanya

adjective. fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy

Cognates

• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/150; PE17/154; PE17/165
• S. gwain “blond” ✧ PE17/150
• S. gwân “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/165

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/056; PE17/149; PE17/150
• ✶wanya “fair-haired (yellow to golden)” ✧ PE17/150; PE17/150
  • √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/150
• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/154; PE17/165
• ✶banya “beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
  • √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/165

Element in

• Q. Arda Vanya “Arda Unmarred” ✧ PE17/150
• Q. ilvan(y)a “perfect” ✧ PE17/150
• Q. úvana “marred” ✧ PE17/150
• Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√BAN > vanya	[banja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/056
√ɃAN > vanya	[banja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/149
√BAN > vanya	[banja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/150
✶wanya > vanya	[wanja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/150
✶wana > văna	[wanja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/150
√GWAN > vanya	[gwanja] > [ɣwanja] > [wanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/154
✶banya > vanya	[banja] > [βanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/165
√GWAN > wana	[gwanja] > [ɣwanja] > [wanja] > [vanja]	✧ PE17/165

Variations

• văna ✧ PE17/150
• wana ✧ PE17/165 (wana)
• wanya ✧ PE17/165 (wanya)

wenya

green, yellow-green, fresh

wenya adj. "green, yellow-green, fresh" (GWEN), apparently "fair, beautiful" ("probably originally "fresh, fair, unblemished especially of beauty of youth") in a later deleted note (PE17:191).

melima

adjective. loving, very affectionate

melima

adjective. loving, very affectionate, [ᴹQ.] loveable, fair; [Q.] loving, very affectionate

Element in

• Q. lamélima “unlovable” ✧ PE22/156
• Q. mélima yondion, lenna antanyes mélio cenwa “*dear [one] of sons I give it to be read with love” ✧ Minor-Doc/1955-CT

Elements

Word	Gloss
mel-	“to love”
-ima	“-able, possibility, -able, [ᴹQ.] -ible, able to be done, [ᴱQ.] possible”

Variations

• mélima ✧ Minor-Doc/1955-CT

ferya

adjective. quick, ready, prompt

@@@ Discord 2022-02-13

Cognates

• S. fair “quick, ready, prompt”

Derivations

• ✶pheryā “quick, ready, prompt”
  • √PHER “*ready, prompt” ✧ PE17/181

bain

fair

_ adj. _fair, good, blessed, wholesome, favourable, without evil/bad element, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bân

bân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, good, wholesome, favourable, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bain

fair

noun. mortal

fair

noun. right (hand)

fair

adjective. quick

_adj. _quick, ready, prompt. >> feir

fair

adjective. quick, ready, prompt

Cognates

• ᴺQ. ferya “quick, ready, prompt”

Derivations

• ✶pheryā “quick, ready, prompt” ✧ PE17/181
  • √PHER “*ready, prompt” ✧ PE17/181

Element in

• S. fergar “soon done” ✧ PE17/181
• S. fergenol “quick to see or perceive, sharp-sighted or witted” ✧ PE17/181

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶pheryā > feir > fair	[pʰerjā] > [pʰerja] > [ɸerja] > [ferja] > [feria] > [feri] > [feir] > [fair]	✧ PE17/181

gwain

adjective. fair

adj. fair. . This gloss was rejected.

gwana

noun/adjective. fair

Changes

• gwain → gwana “fair, general word for Elves” ✧ PE17/140

Derivations

• ✶wanasō ✧ PE17/140

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶wanasō > gwana	[wanasō] > [wanaso] > [wanaho] > [gwanaho] > [gwanah] > [gwana]	✧ PE17/140

Variations

• gwain ✧ PE17/140 (gwain)

gwân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, pale.

lind

adjective. fair

Derivations

• √LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle”

Element in

• S. Linhir “Fair Stream” ✧ RC/587

Variations

• lin ✧ RC/587 (lin)

feir

noun. mortal

feir

noun. Mortal, Mortal, [N.] mortal man

A term used for Men meaning “Mortal”, appearing in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, cognate to Q. Firya of the same meaning, both derived from √PHIR which was the basis of words for natural death (WJ/387). According to Tolkien this word was borrowed from Quenya, since the Noldor had pre-knowledge of the nature of Men having learned of them from the Valar. The plural form of Feir was Fîr and its class plural Firiath, the latter also appearing in contemporaneous Silmarillion drafts (WJ/219 footnote). It is unclear why this word did not become ✱Fair, since ei became ai in Sindarin monosyllables. Perhaps it remained Feir because it was an adaptation from Quenya, or it could be a conceptual remnant of its Noldorin form (see below).

Conceptual Development: Probably the first precursor to this word was ᴱN. fion “man, human being” from Index of Names for The Lay of the Children of Húrin compiled in the early 1920s (PE15/62), also appearing with the gloss “mortal man” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the same period (PE13/143). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gaven N. {fîr “man, mortal” >>} feir pl. fîr “mortals” under the root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR; EtyAC/PHIR), hence with basically the same form, meaning and etymology as it had in later Sindarin.

Cognates

• Q. Firya “Mortal” ✧ WJ/219; WJI/Feir; WJ/219

Derivations

• Q. Firya “Mortal” ✧ WJ/387
  • √PHIR “exhale, expire, breathe out, exhale, expire, breathe out; [ᴹ√] die of natural causes” ✧ WJ/387

Element in

• S. Fíriel
• S. Firieth “(Female) Mortal” ✧ WJ/387
• S. Firion “(Male) Mortal” ✧ WJ/387

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
Q. Firya > Feir	[firja] > [ferja] > [feria] > [feri] > [feir]	✧ WJ/387
Q. Firya > Fîr	[firji] > [firi] > [fir]	✧ WJ/387

feir

adjective. quick

_adj. _quick, ready, prompt. >> fair

fuir

adjective. north

fuir

adjective. north

@@@ likely from [pʰorja] as suggested by David Salo (GS/255), thus a later version of than feir “right (hand)” with a different phonetic development. In the 2008 version of his Sindarin Dictionary, Didier Willis suggested fair as the Sindarized form of N. feir (HSD/fair), but more recent research indicates that fuir < ✱phorya is more likely, as suggested to me in a private chat by Elaran on 2018-08-26; see the entry on how [[s|[œi] became [ui] or [y]]] in Sindarin for further details.

Derivations

• ᴹ√PHOR “right-hand”

Element in

• S. Eryn Fuir “North Wood” ✧ VT42/20

Variations

• Fuir ✧ VT42/20 (Fuir)

firin

adjective. mortal

adj. mortal. >> firen

firion

noun. mortal man

fíreb

adjective. mortal

fíreb

noun. Mortal

Cognates

• Q. Fírima “Mortal, (lit.) One Apt to Die” ✧ WJ/387

fíreb

adjective. mortal

An adjective meaning “mortal”, more literally “those apt to die”, a Sindarin adaptation of Q. fírima of the same meaning, both based on the root √PHIR having to do with natural death (WJ/387). It was also used as Fíreb to refer to Mortal Men, a variant of Feir of similar meaning. Tolkien said “Fíreb as compared with Fírima shows the use of a different suffix, since the S equivalent of Q -ima (✱-ef) was not current” (WJ/387).

Derivations

• √PHIR “exhale, expire, breathe out, exhale, expire, breathe out; [ᴹ√] die of natural causes” ✧ WJ/387

Element in

• S. Fíreb “Mortal” ✧ WJ/387

Elements

Word	Gloss
fir-	“to fade, *die”
-eb	“adjective suffix”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√PHIRI > Fíreb	[pʰīrikwā] > [pʰīripā] > [pʰīripa] > [ɸīripa] > [ɸīrepa] > [fīrepa] > [fīrep] > [fīreb]	✧ WJ/387

Variations

• Fíreb ✧ WJ/387

for

adjective. north

gwân

adjective. pale, fair

Cognates

• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/165

Derivations

• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/165

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√GWAN > gwân	[gwana] > [gwan] > [gwān]	✧ PE17/165

Fíriel

noun. mortal maid

firiath

noun. mortals, human beings

firieth

noun. mortal woman

bain

adjective. beautiful, fair

bain

beautiful

_ adj. _beautiful. Q. vanya.

bain

good

_ adj. _good, wholesome, blessed, fair (esp. of weather). . This gloss was rejected.

bain

adjective. fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired

Cognates

• Q. vaina “blonde, fair of hair” ✧ PE17/155
• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/150; PE17/154; PE17/165
• Q. wenya “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/150
• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/154
• √GWAY ✧ PE17/154
• ✶banya “beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
  • √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
• ✶gwenyā “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • √GWEN “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Element in

• ᴺS. banath “beauty”
• ᴺS. beinas “beauty”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√BAN > bân	[ban] > [bān]	✧ PE17/150
√GWAN > bain	[gwanja] > [banja] > [bania] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/154
√GWAY > baen	[gwain] > [bain] > [baen]	✧ PE17/154
✶banya > bain	[banja] > [bania] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/165
✶gwenyā > bein > bain	[gwenjā] > [benjā] > [benja] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein] > [bain]	✧ PE17/191

Variations

• bân ✧ PE17/150
• baen ✧ PE17/155 (baen)

dail

adjective. lovely

_ adj. _lovely, beautiful. Q. lelya. >> deil

fael

adjective. fair minded, just, generous

forn

adjective. north, north, [N.] right

Cognates

• Q. formen “north, north, [ᴹQ.] right-hand [direction]” ✧ PE17/018; SA/formen

Element in

• S. Cirith Forn en Andrath “High-Climbing Pass of the North”
• ᴺS. Forchalad “aurora, (lit.) northern radiance”
• S. Forfalas “North Falas”
• S. Forlindon “Lindon north of the Gulf of Lune”
• S. Forlond “North Haven”
• S. Forlonnas “North-harbourage”
• S. Fornarthan “North Beacon” ✧ VT42/30
• S. Fornost “Norbury, (lit.) Northern Fortress” ✧ RC/774; SA/formen

Variations

• for ✧ PE17/018
• for(n)- ✧ VT42/30

forn

noun. right, north

lain

adjective. free, freed

maer

good

_ adj. _good.

maer

good

adj. good, proper, excellent. Q. mára good, proper, Q. maira excellent. >> mae-. This gloss was rejected.

maer

adjective. excellent

_ adj. _excellent. Q. maira admirable, excellent, precious. >> maer-, maeron

maer

adjective. good, excellent, fair, good, excellent, fair; [N.] useful, fit, good (of things)

Cognates

• Q. maira “admirable, excellent, precious, splendid, sublime” ✧ PE17/163; PE17/163; PE17/172
• Q. mára “good, proper, good, proper; [ᴹQ.] useful, fit, good (of things), [ᴱQ.] excellent; mighty, power, doughty” ✧ PE17/172

Derivations

• √MAY “excellent, admirable, beautiful; make [art]; suitable, useful, proper, serviceable; right” ✧ PE17/162; PE17/163; PE17/163
• √MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ PE17/172

Element in

• ᴺS. maeras “goodness”
• ᴺS. novaer “goodbye, farewell, (lit.) be well”
• ᴺS. navaer “farewell, (lit.) be well”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MAY > maer	[mairā] > [maira] > [mair] > [maer]	✧ PE17/162
√MAG > maer	[magrā] > [magra] > [maɣra] > [maira] > [mair] > [maer]	✧ PE17/172

forod

noun. north

forod

noun. north

Cognates

• Q. formen “north, north, [ᴹQ.] right-hand [direction]” ✧ LotR/1123; PE17/018; SA/formen

Element in

• S. Forochel “*Northern Ice” ✧ PE17/116
• S. Forodwaith “North-region, Northmen”

forvo

noun. right hand

forvo

noun. right side

laeb

adjective. fresh

laew

adjective. fresh

_ adj. _fresh.

laew

adjective. fresh

Derivations

• √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ PE17/159

Element in

• ᴺS. laeweth “freshness”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√LAY > laew	[laiwa] > [laiw] > [laew]	✧ PE17/159

ma

adjective. good

_ adj. _good. Archaic and obsolete except as interjection 'good, excellent, that's right'.

cîw

adjective. fresh, new

rîdh

noun. sown field

sown field, tilled ground

rîdh

noun. sown field, sown field, [N.] acre

A noun for a “sown field” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from primitive ✶reddā (PE19/91). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. rîð “‘sown’, sown field, acre” also from primitive ᴹ✶reddā under the root ᴹ√RED “scatter, sow” (Ety/RED; EtyAC/RED). The form N. rîð did not appear in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/383), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne noted its existence in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/11).

Conceptual Development: There were several other “field” words in Tolkien’s earlier writings. G. garw “sown-field” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, also functioning as an adjective meaning “tilled” (GL/38). ᴱN. gwas “field” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/146).

Cognates

• Q. resta “sown field, tilled ground, acre; *fair” ✧ PE19/092

Derivations

• ✶reddā “sown field, acre” ✧ PE19/091; PE19/092
  • √RED “scatter, sow” ✧ PE19/091; PE19/092

Element in

• ᴺS. rídhas “the country, countryside, farmland”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶reddā > rezdā > rîdh	[reddā] > [rezdā] > [rezda] > [rēda] > [rēða] > [rīða] > [rīð]	✧ PE19/091

Variations

• ríð ✧ PE19/092 (ríð)

deil

lovely

_ adj. _lovely, beautiful. Q. lelya. >> dail

laeb

adjective. green

_ adj. _green. A theoretical equivalent to Q. laiqua but that did not exist in Sindarin.

laeg

green

_ adj. _green. >> Legolas

laeg

adjective. green

_ adj. _green (of leaves, herbage). Q. laika.

laeg

adjective. "viridis", fresh and green

Seldom used (replaced by calen )

nimp

adjective. pale

adj. pale, pallid. nimp << nim (PE17:168). >> niphred

raud

excellent

_ adj. _excellent, noble, eminent.

bân

adjective. fair, good, wholesome, favorable

calen

adjective. green

calen

green

(galen) _ adj. _green (fresh, vigorous). galen after a sg. noun. Q. kălina (lit. illumined) sunny, light.

melui

adjective. lovely, sweet

This word only occurs in the place name Imloth Melui, a vale where roses grew

bain

fair

bain (beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

fair

(beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

fair

mortal man

(human) fair (fír-), pl. fîr, coll. pl. firiath. Archaic sg. feir (WJ:387). Wheareas the above-mentioned terms are apparently gender-neutral, the following are gender-specific:

fair

mortal man

(fír-), pl. fîr, coll. pl. firiath. Archaic sg. feir (WJ:387). Wheareas the above-mentioned terms are apparently gender-neutral, the following are gender-specific:

fair

adjective. right (hand)

fuir

right

1) (adj, of direction), also used as noun "right hand": fuir (north), pl. fŷr (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR). 2) (direction, not "correct") fôr (north), pl. fŷr. 3) (straight) tîr (lenited dîr, no distinct pl. form) Note: a homophone means ”looking, view, glance” (noun).

fuir

right

(north), pl. fŷr (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR).

firin

mortal

?firin. No distinct pl. form.

firin

mortal

. No distinct pl. form.

firion

mortal man

firion (pl. firyn).

firion

mortal man

firion (pl. firyn) and

fíreb

mortal

(adj. and noun) fíreb (pl. fírib), coll. pl. firebrim. The literal meaning is "apt to die" (WJ:387).

fíreb

mortal

(pl. fírib), coll. pl. firebrim. The literal meaning is "apt to die" (WJ:387).

firieth

mortal woman

(pl. firith).

adleitha

free

(i adleitha, in adleithar), also †adleg- (i adleg, in edlegir), pa.t. adlenc, pp. adlengen, pl. edlengin).

bain

beautiful

bain (fair). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

beautiful

(fair). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

maer

good

_(”useful” of things _ not of moral qualities) maer (lenited vaer, no distinct pl. form) (fit, useful). For ”good” as an adjective describing human qualities, the word fael ”fair-minded, just, generous” may be considered.

maer

good

(lenited vaer, no distinct pl. form) (fit, useful). For ”good” as an adjective describing human qualities, the word fael ”fair-minded, just, generous” may be considered.

rain

free

rain (wandering, erratic). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”border” (VT46:10; suggested Sindarin form of ” Noldorin” rhain)

cîw

fresh

1) cîw (lenited gîw; no distinct pl. form) (new), 2) laeb (no distinct pl. form). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” lhoeb (LR:368 s.v. LÁYAK) 3) laeg (green), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386).

forod

north

#forod (isolated from Forodrim ”northmen”), also fôr (the latter also = right). The term Forven may refer to ”north” as a direction rather than a region (the element -ven means ”way”).

forod

north

(isolated from Forodrim ”northmen”), also fôr (the latter also = right). The term Forven may refer to ”north” as a direction rather than a region (the element -ven means ”way”).

fôr

right

(north), pl. fŷr.

maidh

pale

1) maidh (lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn), 2) nimp (nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form, 3) thind (grey); no distinct pl. form; 4) gael (glittering), lenited ael; no distinct pl. form. 5) *malu (lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

maidh

pale

(lenited vaidh; no distinct pl. form) (fallow, fawn)

tîr

right

(lenited dîr, no distinct pl. form) Note: a homophone means ”looking, view, glance” (noun).

leitha

set free

(i leitha, i leithar)

lasgalen

leaf-green

(pl. lesgelin).

mith

pale grey

(lenited vith; no distinct pl. form). David Salo would read mîth with a long vowel. Note: a homophone means ”white fog, wet mist”.

rîdh

sown field

rîdh (acre); no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (idh rîdh)

rîdh

sown field

rîdh (acre); no distinct pl. form except possinly with article (idh rîdh) (VT46:11)

gael

pale

(glittering), lenited ’ael; no distinct pl. form.

laeg

green

(fresh), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386). 

malu

pale

(lenited valu; analogical pl. mely; lenited valu) (fallow). Cited in archaic form malw (LR:386 s.v. SMAL).

nimp

pale

(nim-) (white); no distinct pl. form

thind

pale

(grey); no distinct pl. form

brêg

quick

brêg (sudden, lively), lenited vrêg, pl. brîg

brêg

quick

(sudden, lively), lenited vrêg, pl. brîg

calen

green

1) (etymologically "bright") calen (lenited galen), pl. celin (attested in lenited form in the name Pinnath **Gelin, "Green Ridges"). 2) laeg (fresh), no distinct pl. form. (Note: a homophone means ”keen, sharp, acute”.) In the Woodland dialect lêg, whence leg- in the name Legolas** ”Greenleaf” (Lettters:282, 386).

calen

green

(lenited galen), pl. celin (attested in lenited form in the name Pinnath Gelin, "Green Ridges").

gwind

pale blue

(lenited ’wind; no distinct pl. form).

milui

loving

milui (lenited vilui; no distinct pl. form) (friendly, kind)

milui

loving

(lenited vilui; no distinct pl. form) (friendly, kind)

elu

pale blue

(analogical pl. ely). Archaic elw (pl. ilw?).

resta

noun. sown field

sown field, tilled ground

ezel(la)

adjective. green

Element in

• Van. Ezellohar “Green Mound” ✧ WJ/399

Variations

• ezel/ezella ✧ WJ/399

lego

adjective. green

Cognates

• Q. laica “green” ✧ Let/282
• Q. laiqua “green” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• ✶laikā “green” ✧ Let/282
  • √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ Let/282
• ✶laikwā ✧ PE17/153

Element in

• Nan. Legolas “Greenleaf” ✧ Let/282; PE17/153

Variations

• leg ✧ Let/282
• lēgo ✧ PE17/153
• lĕgo ✧ PE17/153

lygn

adjective. pale

Primitive form given as lugni "blue", sc. the stem LUG1 (LR:370, not defined) with an ending -ni not otherwise attested, though -i is an ending found on many primitive colour-adjectives. The ending _-i _causes umlaut u > y; compare yrc as the plural of urc "Orc". That a short original final -i is capable of causing such an umlaut at the Common Eldarin stage is somewhat surprising, since Primitive Quendian lugni should have become *lugne at this stage, and final e would hardly cause umlaut. Perhaps we are to understand that the change of final i to Common Eldarin e happened relatively late, after the Eldar had crossed the Hihtaeglir and parted with the Nandor?

bani

adjective. fair

Element in

• Q. vanië “beauty” ✧ PE17/057
• Q. vanima “beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair” ✧ PE17/057

Variations

• vanĭ ✧ PE17/057

del

root. *fair

A root meaning “delicate” or “fair of form” that appears in a couple distinct etymological note from 1959; in one of them it was the basis for Q. Elda/S. Edhel (PE17/159). Given the revised etymologies for words for “Elf” in the Quendi and Eldar essay written soon thereafter, this root may have been short lived.

Derivatives

• ✶delya “lovely, fine, beautiful” ✧ PE17/151; PE17/151
  • Q. lelya “delicate, beautiful and fine, slender, lovely” ✧ PE17/151; PE17/151
  • S. dail “beautiful, fine, delicate, lovely” ✧ PE17/151; PE17/151
• ✶edelā “the fair” ✧ PE17/151
  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
  • S. Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141
  • S. Edhel “Elf” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/151
• Q. lelya- “to appear (of beautiful things); to attract, enchant (with dative)” ✧ PE17/151

Element in

• ✶spindilā “head of hair” ✧ PE17/151

Variations

• DEL ✧ PE17/145; PE17/151
• DĔL ✧ PE17/151

wanyā

adjective. fair

Derivations

• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ WJ/383

Derivatives

• Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ WJ/380; WJ/383
  • T. Vania “Vanya” ✧ WJ/383

Variations

• wanjā ✧ WJ/380; WJ/383

(g)wan

root. pale, fair

A root appearing several times in notes written on or shortly before 1960 with a general meaning “pale, fair” (PE17/150, 154, 165, 189; WJ/383), as opposed to √BAN which was simply “beautiful”. It seems Tolkien introduced this root when he realized that “VAN cannot only = fair (blonde), since vanima is applied in LR to Arwen who was like Lúthien dark” (PE17/165). In the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 he used this root for a new etymology for the tribal name of the Vanyar referring to their fair, blond hair.

This root appeared as √GWAN, √WAN and √GWAY, though the note where the last of these appeared was marked through (PE17/154). With √GWAN the root would merge with √BAN in both Quenya and Sindarin: Q. vanya and S. bain “fair and beautiful” (PE17/154). But with √WAN the two would remain distinct in Sindarin, as in bain “beautiful” vs. gwain “fair haired” (PE17/150). I find the second paradigm more interesting, and thus recommend assuming the ancient root was √WAN for the purposes of Neo-Eldarin.

This root might be a restoration of an earlier separation of ᴱ√ɃANA versus ᴱ√WANA in the Elvish languages as Tolkien conceived of them in the 1910s, though the semantic divisions in the earlier conception were not the same. See the entry on √BAN for further discussion.

Derivatives

• ✶wanya “fair-haired (yellow to golden)” ✧ PE17/150
  • Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/150; PE17/150
  • S. gwain “blond” ✧ PE17/150
• ✶wanyā “fair” ✧ WJ/383
  • Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ WJ/380; WJ/383
  • T. Vania “Vanya” ✧ WJ/383
• ᴺQ. vaina “blonde, fair of hair”
• Q. Vána “Ever-young, *(lit.) Beauty” ✧ WJ/383
• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/154; PE17/165
• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/154
• S. gwân “pale, fair” ✧ PE17/165

Variations

• WAN ✧ PE17/150; PE17/189; WJ/383
• GWAN ✧ PE17/154 (GWAN); PE17/154; PE17/165 (GWAN)

ler

root. free

A root appearing twice in a list of roots from 1959-60, the first time described as “free (of moveable things or moving things), able to move as willed, unimpeded, unhampered, loose, not fixed fast or static” and the second time as “am free to do, sc., am under no restraint (physical or other)” (VT41/5-6). In the second instance it was compared to √POL which had the sense of being physically able to do something. It seems that √LER = “able to do something because there is nothing preventing it” vs. √POL = “able to something because of physical ability”. It might also be contrasted with √LEK which has the sense of freeing something that was once bound, whereas with √LER the thing that is free may have never been bound in the first place.

Derivatives

• Q. léra “free (of persons)” ✧ PE17/160; VT41/05
• ᴺQ. lerië “issue, release, edition”
• Q. lerina “free (of things)” ✧ PE17/160; VT41/05
• Q. lerta- “to be free to do” ✧ PE17/160; VT41/06
• Q. lerya- “to release, set free, let go” ✧ PE17/160; VT41/05

Element in

• Q. lerya- “to release, set free, let go”

Variations

• ler ✧ VT41/05; VT41/06

laikā

adjective. green

Derivations

• √LAY “*be alive, flourish, [ᴱ√] be alive, flourish” ✧ Let/282

Derivatives

• Nan. lego “green” ✧ Let/282
• Q. laica “green” ✧ Let/282
• S. laeg “fresh and green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), green, viridis, green (of leaves/herbiage), fresh” ✧ Let/282

manrā

adjective. good

Derivations

• √MAN “good (morally), blessed, holy, unmarred, free from evil, good (morally), blessed, holy, unmarred, free from evil; [ᴹ√] holy spirit” ✧ PE17/162

Derivatives

• Q. mára “good, proper, good, proper; [ᴹQ.] useful, fit, good (of things), [ᴱQ.] excellent; mighty, power, doughty” ✧ PE17/162

gwenyā

adjective. fair, beautiful

Derivations

• √GWEN “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Derivatives

• Q. wenya “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/191

banya

adjective. beautiful

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/165

Derivatives

• Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ PM/402
  • T. Vania “Vanya” ✧ WJ/383
• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/165
• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/165

ban

root. beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful

The root √BAN (or some variant) was connected to beauty for most of Tolkien’s life. One notable derivative was the name of the Valie Vána. In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien gave this root as ᴱ√VANA (unglossed) with derivatives like ᴱQ. vane “fair, lovely” and ᴱQ. vanesse “beauty”, but also ᴱQ. Vanar as another name for the Valar (QL/99). The Gnomish words had distinct forms like G. Ban “Vala” (GL/18) vs. G. gwant “beautiful” (GL/44). Thus it seems that ᴱ√VANA in the 1910s is actually a blending of two roots, ✱ᴱ√BANA (or ᴱ√ɃANA) “divine” vs. ✱ᴱ√WANA “beautiful”. This second variant reappeared much later in the 1959 root √(G)WAN “fair, pale” (PE17/154; WJ/383); see below.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√BAN and it seems at this stage it was associated exclusively with beauty, given derivatives like ᴹQ. vanya and N. bein “beautiful, fair” (Ety/BAN). These words survived into later iterations of the languages as Q. vanya and S. bain (PE17/150). The root √BAN reappeared with these derivatives in several etymological notes written around 1959 (PE17/149-150, 165).

In these 1959 notes, Tolkien first connected √BAN to “fair” as it was in the 1930s (PE17/149), but reversed himself, noting “VAN cannot only = fair (blonde), since vanima is applied in LR to Arwen who was like Lúthien dark” (PE17/165). This prompted Tolkien to reintroduce the root √(G)WAN “fair”, as noted above, limiting √BAN to “beauty” only. He then refined its meaning, saying “√BAN ... appears originally to have referred simply to ‘beauty’, but with implication that it was due to lack of fault or blemish” (PE17/150). The root applied to Vána because she was perfect and unmarred in her beauty.

Derivatives

• ✶banya “beautiful” ✧ PE17/165
  • Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ PM/402
  • T. Vania “Vanya” ✧ WJ/383
  • Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/165
  • S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/165
• Q. Vána “Ever-young, *(lit.) Beauty” ✧ PE17/149; PE17/150
• Q. vanë “fair, fair, [ᴱQ.] lovely” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. vanima “beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair” ✧ PE17/149; PE17/150; PE17/165
• ᴺQ. vanita- “to grow/become fair; to beautify, make fair/beautiful”
• Q. vanya “fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden), fair, beautiful, unmarred; fair-haired (yellow to golden); [ᴱQ.] good (not evil), holy” ✧ PE17/056; PE17/149; PE17/150
• S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/150

Variations

• VAN ✧ PE17/146
• ɃAN ✧ PE17/149 (ɃAN)

pheryā

adjective. quick, ready, prompt

Derivations

• √PHER “*ready, prompt” ✧ PE17/181

Derivatives

• ᴺQ. ferya “quick, ready, prompt”
• S. fair “quick, ready, prompt” ✧ PE17/181

gwen

root. fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)

This root appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives having to do with freshness and greenness, as in ᴹQ. wenya “green, yellow-green, fresh” and Ilk. gwên “greenness”. In that document it was also the basis for N. bein “fair, beautiful” by way of blending with ᴹ√BAN “beautiful”. In the entry for ᴹ√GWEN Tolkien said it needed to be distinguished from ᴹ√WEN(ED) “maiden”, but in the entry for ᴹ√WEN(ED) he said maiden words needed to be transferred to ᴹ√GWEN (Ety/WEN).

This connection between “fresh” and “maiden” reappeared in notes from 1959, where √GWEN was given with gloss “fair, beautiful (probably originally fresh, fair, unblemished especially of beauty of youth)” as this basis for “maiden” words (PE17/191). But Tolkien soon rejected this notion and reverted back to √WEN(ED); this may be a reflection of Tolkien’s ongoing vacillation between Q. wende versus vende as the proper Quenya word for “maiden”; wende (which seems to be his preference) would be better supported by an ancient root beginning with gw-, but that would also invalidate the Sindarin form gwend “maiden” (not ✱✱bend).

Tolkien seems to have given up on √GWEN for maiden words, and the sense “fresh” seems to have been reassigned to the root √KEW in later notes (VT48/7), so √GWEN may have been abandoned completely.

Changes

• GWEN → WEN-ED “fair, beautiful; (probably originally) fresh, fair, unblemished (especially of beauty of youth)” ✧ PE17/191

Derivatives

• ✶gwenyā “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • Q. wenya “fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/191
  • S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/191
• Q. vendë “maiden, *virgin” ✧ PE17/191

Element in

• S. Eledhwen “Elfsheen, Elven-fair”

gwen

root. fresh, *green, fair, unblemished, beautiful

@@@ might still be valid for Quenya derivations in the Etymologies

Element in

• ᴺQ. wenwa “lime (fruit)”

feir

noun. mortal

feir

noun. right (hand)

feir

adjective. right (hand)

Cognates

• ᴹQ. forya “right (hand), dexter” ✧ Ety/PHOR

Derivations

• ᴹ√PHOR “right-hand” ✧ Ety/PHOR

Element in

• N. forgam “righthanded” ✧ Ety/PHOR

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√PHOR > fœir > feir	[pʰorja] > [ɸorja] > [forja] > [foria] > [fœria] > [fœri] > [fœir] > [feir]	✧ Ety/PHOR

Variations

• feir ✧ Ety/PHOR
• foeir ✧ EtyAC/PHOR

fœir

noun. right (hand)

firiel

noun. mortal maid

forn

noun. right, north

rhain

adjective. free

Cognates

• ᴹQ. (a)ranya “free” ✧ EtyAC/RAN

Derivations

• ᴹ✶(a)ranyā “free, ?uncontrolling” ✧ EtyAC/RAN
  • ᴹ√RAN “wander, stray” ✧ Ety/RAN

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶(a)ranı̯ā > rhein > rhain	[ranjā] > [ranja] > [rania] > [renia] > [reni] > [rein] > [r̥ein] > [r̥ain]	✧ EtyAC/RAN

Variations

• rhain ✧ EtyAC/RAN
• erein ✧ EtyAC/RAN (erein)

forod

noun. north

forod

noun. north

Cognates

• ᴹQ. formen “north, right hand” ✧ Ety/PHOR

Derivations

• ᴹ✶phoroti “right or north” ✧ Ety/PHOR
  • ᴹ√PHOR “right-hand” ✧ Ety/PHOR

Element in

• N. Osforod “Northburg”
• N. forodren “northern” ✧ Ety/PHOR
• N. Forodrim “Northmen” ✧ Ety/PHOR
• N. Forodweith “Northmen, Northland” ✧ Ety/PHOR

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶phoroti > forod	[pʰoroti] > [pʰorote] > [ɸorote] > [forote] > [forot] > [forod]	✧ Ety/PHOR

Variations

• Forod ✧ WRI/Forod

lhaeb

adjective. fresh

lhain

adjective. free, freed

lhoeb

adjective. fresh

lhoeb

adjective. fresh

Changes

• lhaeb → lhoeb ✧ Ety/LÁYAK

Cognates

• ᴹQ. laiqa “green” ✧ Ety/LÁYAK

Derivations

• ᴹ✶laikwā “fresh” ✧ Ety/LÁYAK
  • ᴹ√LAYAK “*fresh, green” ✧ Ety/LAIK; Ety/LÁYAK

Element in

• N. Lhoebelidh “Green-elves” ✧ Ety/LÁYAK; EtyAC/LÁYAK (Lhebenidh/Lhebelidh)

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶laı̯k-wā > lhoeb	[laikwa] > [laipa] > [laip] > [l̥aip] > [l̥aib] > [l̥oeb]	✧ Ety/LÁYAK
ᴹ✶laı̯k-wā > lhaeb	[laikwa] > [laipa] > [laip] > [l̥aip] > [l̥aib] > [l̥aeb]	✧ Ety/LÁYAK

Variations

• lhaeb ✧ EtyAC/LÁYAK (lhaeb)

maidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn

bein

adjective. beautiful, fair

bein

adjective. fair, beautiful

Cognates

• ᴹQ. vanya “beautiful, fair” ✧ Ety/BAN

Derivations

• ᴹ✶bányā “beautiful” ✧ Ety/BAN
  • ᴹ√BAN “*beauty” ✧ Ety/BAN
• ᴹ√GWEN “*fresh, green” ✧ Ety/GWEN

Element in

• N. Banwen “Vana”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶bányā > bein	[banjā] > [banja] > [bania] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein]	✧ Ety/BAN
ᴹ√GWEN > bein	[gwenja] > [benja] > [benia] > [beni] > [bein]	✧ Ety/GWEN

forgam

adjective. right-handed

forven

noun. north

forven

noun. north

Cognates

• ᴹQ. formen “north, right hand” ✧ Ety/PHOR

Derivations

• ᴹ√PHOR “right-hand” ✧ Ety/PHOR

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√PHOR > forven	[pʰormena] > [ɸormena] > [formena] > [formen] > [forven]	✧ Ety/PHOR

gael

adjective. pale, glimmering

lhein

adjective. free, freed

nim-

adjective. pale, white

nimp

adjective. pale, white

nimp

adjective. pale

Cognates

• ᴹQ. ninqe “white” ✧ Ety/NIK-W

Derivations

• ᴹ√NIK(W) “*snow; white” ✧ Ety/NIK-W

Element in

• N. Ered Nimras “White Mountains”
• N. Ered Nimrath “White Mountains”
• N. Ephel Nimrais
• N. Nimbrethil
• N. Nimloth “Pale Blossom”
• N. nimmid(a)- “to whiten” ✧ Ety/NIK-W
• N. Nimdil “White Horn”
• N. nínim “snowdrop”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√NIK-W > nimp	[niŋkwi] > [niŋkwe] > [nimpe] > [nimpʰe] > [nimɸe] > [nimfe] > [nimf] > [nimp] > [nimp]	✧ Ety/NIK-W

calen

adjective. green

meidh

adjective. pale, fallow, fawn