gap

root. bend (tr.)

A root from etymological notes from the late 1960s glossed “bend (tr.)” with the derivatives Q. ampa and S. gamp “hook” (VT47/20). This root first appeared (unglossed) as ᴹ√GAP in The Etymologies of the 1930s with Quenya and Noldorin words having the same form (Ety/GAP), albeit slightly different meanings: the Noldorin word was glossed “hook, claw” whereas the Sindarin word from the late 1960s was glossed “hook, crook”.

yag

root. gap, gap; [ᴹ√] yawn, gape

This root appeared as ᴹ√YAG “yawn, gape” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. yáwe/N. iau “ravine, cleft, gulf” and N. ia “gulf”, the last of these the final element in N. Moria (Ety/YAG). The root √YAG was mentioned several times in Tolkien’s later writings, usually in connection to S. Moria (Let/383; PE17/35, 42). In one place it was given the gloss “gap” (PE17/42).

(ñ)gay

root. gape, become wide, open, vast

A root appearing in notes on words and phrases from The Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s, serving as an explanation for √GAY(AR) “sea” (PE17/27). Its gloss was “gape, become wide, open, vast”, but elsewhere “sea” words were generally attached to roots meaning “awe, dread”, so I think this was likely a transient idea. See the entry on √GAY(AR) for further discussion.

ekka

noun. hole