falmari

collective name. Sea-elves, (lit.) Wave-folk

A name for the Teleri as Elves of the sea (S/53). It is an elaboration on falma “wave” (SA/falas) and its literal meaning is “Wave-folk” (PM/386).

Conceptual Development: Earlier Quenya words connecting the third tribe of Elves to the sea include ᴱQ. Solosimpe “Shore Piper” (LT1/50; QL/35, 85), ᴹQ. Solonyeldi “✱Surf Singers” (Ety/NYEL, SOL) and ᴹQ. Falanyel “✱Beach Singer” (Ety/PHAL).

Cognates

• S. Falathrim “Elves of the Falas, Wave-folk” ✧ PM/386

Elements

Word	Gloss
falma	“(crested or foaming) wave, breaker, (crested or foaming) wave, breaker; [ᴱQ.] foam”

falma

(crested/foaming) wave

falma noun "(crested/foaming) wave" (PHAL/PHÁLAS), "a wave-crest, wave" (VT42:15), "foam wave" (PE17:127), "a breaker" (PE17:62), partitive pl. falmali "many waves" (PE17:73), allative falmalinnar "on the foaming waves" in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67); the phrase an i falmalī _(PE17:74) seems to be a paraphrase of this with an independent preposition instead of the allative ending -nna (see an #1). Compounded in Falmari, a name of the Teleri, and Mar-nu-Falmar, "Home/Land under Waves", a name of Númenor after the Downfall. (SA:falas) Falmari "wave-folk", a name of the Teleri (PM:386). In earlier "Qenya", falma was glossed "foam" (LT1:253, cf. MC:213). Compare also the early "Qenya" words falmar "wave as it breaks" (LT1:253), pl. falmari "waves" (MC:216)_

falmari

Falmari

The name is Quenya and related to the word falma "wave". The singular term may have been Falmar or Falmaro meaning "wave-er" (cf. ending -ro).[source?] In The Silmarillion the Teleri of Aman are simply known as 'the Teleri', from the Vanyar and Noldor point of view; in fact the Teleri of Aman were properly just the branch of that people.