fêr

noun. beech-tree

A word for “beech-tree” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√PHER(EN) “beech” (Ety/PHER). Tolkien said that “Exilic fêr was usually replaced by brethil”, indicating that fêr was probably archaic. In The Etymologies, N. brethil was “beech-tree” (Ety/BERÉTH).

Neo-Sindarin: In Tolkien’s later writings, he typically said S. brethil was a type of silver-birch. I would assume the ordinary Sindarin word for “beech” was instead neldor (LotR/469; RC/384), but would keep †fêr as an archaic word for “beech”.

fêr

noun. beech-tree

brethel

noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch

brethel

noun. beech

brethil

noun. beech

fêr

beech

†fêr (stem feren-, pl. ferin) (mast);

fêr

mast

(of a beech, not on a ship) †fêr (feren-, pl. ferin) (beech)

fêr

beech

(stem feren-, pl. ferin) (mast);

fêr

mast

(feren-, pl. ferin) (beech)

brethil

noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch

neldor

noun. beech

A Sindarin word for “beech” appearing in the names Taur-na-Neldor “Beech-forest” (LotR/469; RC/384) and Neldoreth, the name of a forest with beeches (S/55; PE17/81).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Ilk. neldor was an Ilkorin word based on ᴹ√NÉL-ED “three”, which Tolkien said was “properly name of Hirilorn the great beech of Thingol with three trunks = neld-orn ? [question mark from Tolkien]” (Ety/NEL). In the 1910s and 20s, ᴱQ. neldor “beech” was an Early Qenya word (PE16/139; QL/65), and its cognates in this period were G. deldron “beech” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/30), G. deil(i)an or delwen “beech” in Gnomish Lexicon Slips (PE13/112), and ᴱN. {de(i)lian >>} deilian “beech-tree” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/142).

Possible Etymology: The Ilkorin derivation from √NELED is no longer suitable in Sindarin, since we would expect [[s|[d] > [ð]]] as in S. neledh “three”. It is possible Tolkien simply never reexamined the etymology of this word after it became Sindarin. Alternately, it could be nel- “tri-” + taur “forest” or -dor “-lord” or something similar.

neldor

beech tree

(pl. neldyr), also brethorn (i vrethorn), pl. brethyrn (i mrethyrn) (VT46:3). The mallorn or ”golden-tree” found in Lórien was supposedly beechlike: mallorn (i vallorn), pl. mellyrn (i mellyrn).

tolf

noun. mast

A neologism coined by Gilruin and Cellindir, posted on 2022-03-27 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) as the Sindarin equivalent of Q. tyulma “mast” as derived from primitive ᴹ✶tyulmā. If you instead assume that the primitive form is ✶kyulmā as it was in Tolkien’s later writing, then the (Neo) Sindarin form would be [ᴺS.] colf, but I prefer tolf for better compatibility with attested words like [N.] tulus “poplar” from the same root. See Q. tyulma for further discussion.

sulum

noun. mast

A noun translated “mast” illustrating the development of Primitive Adûnaic palatals, or c-series (SD/419). This example may also be related to the draft (?Adûnaic) name for the Pillar of Heaven Meneltyūlā, which contains a word much like the cognate of sulum: Q. tyulma.

kyulmā

noun. mast

feren

beech, beech-tree

feren (stem fern-, as in pl. ferni) noun "beech, beech-tree". Also fernë. (BERÉTH, PHER/PHÉREN)

ferna

mast, beechnuts

ferna noun "mast, beechnuts" (PHER/PHÉREN)

fernë

beech-tree

fernë noun "beech-tree" (pl. ferni given). Also feren. (PHER/PHÉREN)

neldor

beech

neldor noun "beech" (LT2:343)

tyulma

mast

tyulma noun "mast" _(TYUL, SD:419). "_Qenya" pl. tyulmin "masts" in MC:216; read *tyulmar in LotR-style Quenya.

tyulma

noun. mast

This was the Quenya word for “mast” for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱQ. tyulma “mast” in Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√TYULU “tall” (QL/50). It was ᴱQ. tyulme “mast” [with an e] in notes associated with a draft of the ᴱQ. Earendel (Poem) from around 1930 (PE16/100); in the final poem it appeared in its nominative plural form tyulmin “masts” (MC/216). In The Etymologies from 1937 it was again ᴹQ. tyulma “mast” derived from primitive ᴹ✶tyulmā under the root ᴹ√TYUL “stand up (straight)” (Ety/TYUL).

At some point Tolkien changed the form of its root without changing the word itself. In notes on the Adûnaic language from this period Tolkien gave its primitive form of ᴹQ. tyulma “mast” as ᴹ✶kyulumā (SD/419). The primitive form ᴹ✶kyulma “mast” also appeared in an earlier document Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants dated “Apr. 28 [19]36” (PE21/55 note #1, PE21/65) and as ᴹ✶kı̯ulmā “mast” in Notes for Qenya Declensions from the 1940s (PE21/68). Notes on Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s had both primitive ✶kjulmā “mast” (PE21/74) and Q. tyulma “mast” (PE21/80).

Neo-Quenya: Tolkien’s change of √TYUL to √KYUL is in keeping with his abandonment of palatalized dentals in Ancient Elvish; see the discussion of phonetic developments in Ancient Telerin for details. This has no effect on Quenya word forms, since ancient ky became ty in that language branch. It does affect Sindarin forms, however, and I prefer to retain earlier palatalized dental roots like √TYUL to preserve words like [N.] tulus “poplar-tree”, also derived from this root.