dond

noun. fist

A word for “fist” appearing as dond or donn only in draft notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s derived from primitive ✶dond(a) (VT47/23 note #25). A more usual word for “fist” is S. paur.

paur

fist

(baur) _ n. _fist. Q. quáre. >> Celebrimbor

donn

noun. fist

angbor

masculine name. *Iron-fist

The lord of Lamedon during the War of the Ring (LotR/875). His name was not translated by Tolkien, but it appears to be a compound of ang “iron” and the suffixal form -bor of paur “fist” (also seen in Celebrimbor), as suggested by Hammond and Scull (RC/588) among others.

Conceptual Development: The name N. Angbor already had its final form when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (WR/419).

celebrimbor

masculine name. Silver-fist

Last descendant of Fëanor, who crafted the Elvish rings of power (LotR/242), translated “Silver-fist” (PE17/42) or “Silver Grasp” (PM/179). His name is a combination of celebrin “silver” and the suffixal form -bor of paur “fist” (PE17/42, SA/celeb). At various points Tolkien imagined his Sindarin name was adapted from his Quenya name T(y)elpinquar or Telperinquar (PE17/42), or the Telerin form of his name Telperimpar (PM/318; VT47/8).

Conceptual Development: This name already had its final form when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (RS/449). The name N. Celebrimbor also appeared in The Etymologies, already with its final meaning (Ety/KWAR).

ithilbor

masculine name. *Moon-fist

Father of Saeros (UT/77), his name appears to be a combination of Ithil “moon” and the suffixal form -bor of paur “fist”. Given that his son was Nandorin, the name Ithilbor might be a Nandorin name as well.

paur

noun. fist, closed hand

The Sindarin word for a “fist” or a “closed hand” (PE17/42; PM/179), derived from either ✶kwārē or ✶kwāră (PE17/42; VT47/8) with the usual sound changes of ancient kw to p and ā to au. The word paur is most notable as the element -bor in the name Celebrimbor “Silver-fist”, with the usual soft-mutation of p to b and the change of au to o in polysyllables. In 1968 notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals Tolkien specified that “its chief use was in reference to the tightly closed hand as in using an implement or a craft-tool rather than to the ‘fist’ as used in punching” (VT47/8). For a “punching fist” the word [N.] drambor is more likely to be used.

Conceptual Development: N. paur “fist” first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KWAR (Ety/KWAR). In the first version of this root, the form was N. par “hand” (EtyAC/KWAR).

The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s instead had G. {gend >>} gen “closed hand, grip” (GL/38).

tegilbor

masculine name. *Pen-fist

A term for one skilled in calligraphy (PM/318), a combination of tegil “pen” and the suffixal form -bor of paur “fist”.

Araphor

noun. royal fist

aran (“king”) + paur (“fist”)

drambor

noun. heavy-blow fist

dramb (“heavy stroke”) + paur (“clenched fist”)

Celebrimbor

noun. silver fist

celebrin (“silver-like”) + paur (“a tightly closed hand as in using an implement or a craft-tool”) Sindarized form of Tel. Telperimpar, Q Tyelpinquar.

dond

noun. fist, hand (especially in punching)

donn

noun. fist, hand (especially in punching)

paur

noun. fist (often used to mean "hand", its chief use was in reference of the tighly closed hand, as in using an implement or a craft-tool, rather than to the fist used in punching)

dond

fist

1. dond (i dhond; construct don) (hand), pl. dynd (i nynd), coll. pl. donnath (VT47:23). 2) paur (i baur, o phaur, also -bor in compounds) (tightly closed hand), pl. poer (i phoer), coll. pl. porath. or

dond

fist

(i dhond; construct don) (hand), pl. dynd (i nynd), coll. pl. donnath (VT47:23).

paur

fist

(i baur, o phaur, also -bor in compounds) (tightly closed hand), pl. poer (i phoer), coll. pl. porath.

drambor

blow with fist

(i dhrambor) (clenched fist), pl. dramboer (in dramboer). Archaic ✱drambaur (dram + paur).

drambor

blow with fist

drambor (i dhrambor) (clenched fist), pl. dramboer (in dramboer). Archaic *drambaur (dram + paur).

drambor

clenched fist

drambor (i dhrambor) (blow with fist), pl. dramboer (in dramboer). Archaic *drambaur (dram + paur).

drambor

clenched fist

(i dhrambor) (blow with fist), pl. dramboer (in dramboer). Archaic ✱drambaur (dram + paur).

drambor

blow with fist

drambor (i dhrambor), pl. dramboer (in dramboer). Archaic *drambaur (dram + paur).

Celebrimbor

Celebrimbor

The name Celebrimbor is the Sindarin translation of his Quenya father-name Telperinquar (pron. [ˌtelpeˈriŋʷkʷar]). His mother-name is unknown. Celebrimbor consists of celebrin ("silver-like") + baur ("fist").

celeb

noun. silver

celeb

silver

_n. _silver. >> Celebdil, Celebrant, celebrin

celeb

noun. silver

The word celeb was the word for “silver” in Sindarin and its conceptual precursors throughout Tolkien’s life.

Conceptual Development: G. celeb “silver” appeared all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was related to the early root ᴱ√TELEPE of the same meaning (GL/25; QL/91). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s ᴱN. celeb was derived instead from ᴱ✶kelekwé with the sound change of primitive kw to p and later to b (PE13/140), though in that same document he considered (but rejected) ᴱ✶t’lépe > ᴱN. tlub “silver” (PE13/154). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien introduced a new root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver” to be the basis of N. celeb, with the sound change whereby intial ky became k (c) (Ety/KYELEP). This sound change continued to be a feature of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, and Tolkien retained this derivation going forward.

ithildin

noun. a silver-colored substance, which mirrors only starlight and moonlight

mithril

noun. true-silver, a silver-like metal

celeb

silver

1. (noun) celeb (i geleb, o cheleb), pl. celib (i chelib) if there is a pl. form. 2) (adj., "of/like silver") celebren (lenited gelebren, pl. celebrin; also celebrin- as first element of compounds, as in Celebrindal). Also celefn (lenited gelefn, pl. celifn). As for ”silver” as adjective, see also SHINING WHITE. Adj.

dram

blow

dram (i dhram) (heavy stroke), pl. draim (in draim);

dram

blow

(i dhram) (heavy stroke), pl. draim (in draim);

gamp

claw

gamp (i **amp) (hook, crook), pl. ?gaimp or ?gemp (i ngaimp = i ñaimp or i ngemp = i ñemp), coll. pl. gammath**

gamp

claw

(i ’amp) (hook, crook), pl. ?gaimp or ?gemp (i ngaimp =  i ñaimp or i ngemp = i ñemp), coll. pl. gammath

quárë

fist

quárë (also quár) noun "fist" _(SA:celeb, KWAR; in the Etymologies, Tolkien first wrote _quár pl. quari, and quár is also found in PM:318 and VT47:8, in the latter case changed from quárë, VT47:22. As usual, the spelling of the Etym forms shows q instead of qu_.) _According to PM:318 and VT47:8, the "chief use [of this word] was in reference to the tightly closed hand as in using an implement or a craft-tool rather than to the 'fist' as used in punching".

quár(ë)

noun. fist, closed hand

The Quenya word for a “fist” or a “closed hand”. In 1968 notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals Tolkien specified that “its chief use was in reference to the tightly closed hand as in using an implement or a craft-tool rather than to the ‘fist’ as used in punching” (VT47/8). Tolkien represented this word as both quáre (PE17/42) and quár (VT47/8). Based on its Sindarin and Telerin cognates S. paur and T. pár, the vowel was long in the primitive ancestor of the word, which Tolkien represented as either ✶kwārē or ✶kwāră (PE17/42; VT47/8).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave both ᴹQ. qár “hand” and ᴹQ. qáre “fist” in two different entries for the root ᴹ√KWAR, neither of which was deleted (Ety/KWAR). The form ᴹQ. qár had a plural form qari, indicating a primitive stem form ✱kwăr- with short ă where the long vowel was based on the ancient subjective form kwār, analogous to ᴹQ. nér (ner-) “man” and other similar words.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume quár < ✶kwār(ă) is the normal form of this word, with quáre an occasional variant perhaps extrapolated from plural quári. Since we don’t know the Quenya word for a “fist for punching”, I would assume quár can be used for a closed hand in general, either grasping a tool or empty, although the closed empty fist was not its only (or even its primary) use.

telpinquar

masculine name. Silver-fist

Quenya name of Celebrimbor appearing as Telpinquar and longer Telperinquar (PE17/42). In the Silmarillion Appendix, Christopher Tolkien gave only longer Telperinquar, which is a more direct equivalent of Celebrimbor (SA/celeb). In private writings Tolkien most often use the (archaic) short form Tyelpinquar (PM/318; VT47/8). As such, this name seems to be a compound of the adjective telpina “like silver” and quár(ë) “fist” (SA/celeb, PE17/42).

Tyelperinquar

silver-fist, celebrimbor

Tyelperinquar masc. name, "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (PM:318; also Telperinqar, q.v.)

telpë

silver

telpë noun "silver" (in one example with generalized meaning "money", PE14:54), telep- in some compounds like Teleporno; assimilated telem- in Telemnar and the adj. telemna (KYELEP/TELEP, SA:celeb, LT1:255, 268; also tyelpë, telep-, UT:266). The true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē is tyelpë, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In various names: Telperion the White Tree of Valinor; Telperien ("Telperiën"), fem. name including telp- "silver" (Appendix A); Telperinquar "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (SA:celeb - also Tyelperinquar); Telporno, Teleporno "Silver-high" = Sindarin _Celeborn(Letters:347, UT:266). _It seems that Teleporno is properly Telerin, Quenyarized as Telporno. Compare adjectives telemna, telpina, telepsa, telepta (q.v.)

namma

claw, talon

namma noun "claw, talon" (also nappa) (VT47:20)

nappa

claw, talon

nappa noun "claw, talon" (also namma) (VT47:20)

silma

silver, shining white

silma adj. "silver, shining white" (SIL), "crystal (white)" (PE17:23)

telempë

silver

telempë noun "silver" (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya telpë, which is actually also found in early "Qenya")

telepta

silver

telepta adj. "silver" (as adj.: silvery) (LT2:347), used as noun in the phrase mi telepta of someone clad "in silver", where the context (involving other colour-words) shows that this adj. describes something of silver colour(PE17:71). Compare telemna, telepsa, telpina.

telepta

adjective. silver, silver, *silver-coloured

An adjective for “silver” appearing in the phrase Sanome tarne Olórin, Arakorno, Eomer, Imrahil, mi mīse, mi telepta yo morna, mi laiqua yo ninque, mi luini, ta Gimli mi losseä “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” in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/71).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had unglossed ᴱQ. telepta under the early root ᴱ√TELEPE whose derivatives had to do with silver (QL/91). A similar form ᴹQ. telepsa “of silver” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver”, which Tolkien equated to ᴹQ. telpina (Ety/KYELEP). This form telepsa may reflect the 1930s sound change whereby pt became ps; compare ᴹQ. lepse “finger” from ᴹ√LEPET (Ety/LEPET). Tolkien revised the entry for ᴹ√KYELEP, replacing telepsa with (unglossed) ᴹQ. telemna (Ety/KYELEP). The adjective telepta “silver” was restored in the 1960s (see above) after Tolkien abandoned the ps > pt sound change.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I would use this word primarily for silver as a color.

telpë

noun. silver, silver; [ᴱQ.] money

This was the Quenya word for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The word was derived from the root √KYELEP, which became †tyelpë in Quenya and S. celeb in Sindarin. However, the Quenya form of the word was influenced by Telerin telpë “because the Teleri in their lands, to the north of the Noldor, found a great wealth of silver, and became the chief silversmiths among the Eldar” (Let/426). The archaic Quenya form †tyelpë was retained for the name of the palatal series of tengwar consonants, the tyelpetéma (LotR/1120), but in ordinary use (and most names) the forms telpë or telep- (in compounds) were used.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. telpe based on the early root ᴱ√TELEPE, but its Gnomish cognate was G. celeb (QL/91). Tolkien did not explain this difference in these early documents from the 1910s. In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s he had ᴱQ. telqe and ᴱN. celeb “silver” derived from primitive ᴱ✶kelekwé, explaining initial t in the Qenya form as the result of dissimilation away the kw (PE13/140).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien introduced a root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver” as an alternate to ᴹ√TELEP, with derivatives ᴹQ. telpe or tyelpe, N. celeb and ᴹT. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). He then said “Q telpe may be Telerin form (Teleri specially fond of silver, as Lindar of gold), in which case all forms may refer to KYELEP”. It seems that he stuck with this idea thereafter and abandoned ᴹ√TELEP.

Note that in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s Tolkien used ᴱQ. telpe for “money” (PE14/54), and I would give telpë this meaning for purposes of Neo-Quenya as well, much like the French word argent means both “silver” and “money”.

tyelpë

silver

tyelpë noun "silver" (KYELEP/TELEP), etymology also in Letters:426 and UT:266. Tyelpë is the true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In the Etymologies, tyelpë is also the name of Tengwa #1 with overposed dots, this symbol having the value ty (VT45:25). Cf. tyelpetéma as the name of the entire palatal series of the Tengwar system.

tyelpë

noun. silver

vangwë

blow

vangwë noun "blow" (PE17:34), i.e. a blast of wind

váva

blow

váva vb.? "blow" (the wording used in the source is unclear, but wā-ya is said to mean "blow", and after discussing Sindarin forms Tolkien instructs himself to "alter Quenya", introducing a new primitive form ¤wā-wā with váva- as the Quenya outcome. Possibly this still means "blow" as a verb referring to wind.) PE17:34

wáya-

blow

wáya- "blow" (PE17:34, cf. wanwa), perhaps altered to váva (q.v.; the wording of the source is unclear)

paur

noun. fist

drambor

noun. clenched fist; blow with a fist, clenched fist; blow with a fist; [G.] thudder

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “clenched fist, hence blow with fist”, a combination of dram “heavy blow” and paur “fist” (Ety/DARÁM). It seems this word can refer to both a punch with a fist and a clenched fist ready for a punch.

Conceptual Development: G. drambor was glossed “thudder” in the name G. Dramborleg “Thudder-sharp” (PE13/103; PE15/22).

celebrimbor

masculine name. Silver-fist

drambor

noun. clenched fist

drambor

noun. blow (with fist)

paur

noun. fist (often used to mean "hand", its chief use was in reference of the tighly closed hand, as in using an implement or a craft-tool, rather than to the fist used in punching)

celeb

noun. silver

celeb

noun. silver

celebren

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth)

celefn

adjective. of silver

celevon

adjective. of silver

dond(a)

noun. fist

kwāra

noun. fist

kyelep

root. silver

This root and ones like it were used for Elvish words for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The earliest iteration of the root began with T-, however, appearing as unglossed ᴱ√TELEPE in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. telpe “silver” (QL/91). Even at this early stage, however, the Gnomish equivalent was G. celeb (GL/25), but the reason for the t/c variation isn’t clear. The closest explanation is that palatal consonants like [c] became [tʲ] in Qenya vs. [k] in Gnomish (compare ᴱQ. tyava- vs. caf- “taste” from ᴱ√TYAVA) but this doesn’t explain why the Qenya form has initial t- rather than ty-.

Elsewhere in the Elvish languages of the 1910s there seem to be etymological variations of [k] vs. [t], such as ᴱQ. kitya- vs. G. tisca- “tickle” (QL/47; GL/70) and ᴱQ. talqe vs. G. celc “glass” (QL/88; GL/25), so perhaps ᴱQ. telpe vs. G. celeb “silver” is another example of this. Another explanation appeared in Early Noldorin word lists from the 1920s, where the primitive form was ᴱ✶kelekwé which produced ᴱN. celeb as usual but the Qenya form was ᴱQ. telqe with “k = t by dissimilation” (PE13/140), presumably away from q.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had the root ᴹ√KYELEP with variant ᴹ√TELEP, producing N. celeb but ᴹQ. tyelpe or ᴹQ. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). But Tolkien revised this entry, marking ᴹ√TELEP as questionable and introducing the Telerin form ᴹT. telpe < ᴹ√KYELEP, concluding that ᴹQ. telpe must be a loan from Telerin. This finally put N. celeb vs. ᴹQ. telpe (borrowed from Telerin) on a solid phonological foundation. Tolkien seems to have stuck with this explanation, mentioning this borrowing from Telerin to Quenya several times in his later writings, with the proper but now archaic Quenya form being Q. †tyelpë (Let/426; PM/356; UT/266).

kyelepē

noun. silver

wiw

root. blow

wāya

verb. blow

donda

noun. fist

pár

noun. fist

telperimpar

masculine name. Silver-fist

telpe

noun. silver

kibil

noun. silver