Quenya 

noldo

noun. Noldo

Noldo, Gnome

Quenya [PE 18:40 PE 19:76] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

noldo

proper name. one of the wise folk, Gnome

An Elf of the second tribe, known as “The Wise” (WJ/383). Their name developed from the primitive root √ÑGOL having to do with wisdom (PM/360, WJ/383).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Noldo dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, and in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s, where it already had the derivation given above (QL/67). In Tolkien’s earlier writings, he often translated this name as “Gnome”, in the sense of the Greek origin of this word (having to do with thought and wisdom) rather than that of a dwarf-like creature. This translation of ᴹQ. Noldo continued to appear in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/201), but became less common in Tolkien’s later writings, and was not used in the published version of The Silmarillion.

In Tolkien’s earliest writings, the plural form of this word was usually ᴱQ. Noldoli (LT1/21), but by the 1930s this had been replaced by ᴹQ. Noldor (LR/119), the form that was used thereafter.

In notes from the 1950s, Tolkien considered an alternate etymology of this name from the root √ÑGOL “dark-hued, dark-brown” referring to their dark hair (PE17/125), just as the tribal name of the Vanya referred to their fair hair. Presumably he considered this alternate origin because the newly-awakened Noldor would not yet have been known for their wisdom, but there is no evidence that this alternate etymology was anything other than a transient idea.

Changes

  • ŋoldongoldo ✧ LotR/1123

Cognates

  • Ed. Nóm “Wisdom” ✧ WJI/Noldor
  • Ed. Sômar “Wisdom” ✧ WJI/Noldor
  • S. golodh “lore-master, sage” ✧ MR/470; PE17/141
  • S. Golodh “one of the wise folk, Noldo” ✧ PE17/153; PM/360; SA/golodh; SI/Golodhrim; SI/Noldor; WJ/364; WJI/Golodh; MR/350; WJ/383; WJI/Noldor
  • T. Goldo “Noldo” ✧ PM/360; WJI/Goldo; WJ/383; WJI/Noldor
  • S. Gódhel “(Exiled) Noldo” ✧ WJI/Noldor

Derivations

  • ñgolodō “lore-master, sage” ✧ MR/350; MR/470; PE17/141; PE17/153; PE19/076; PM/360; WJ/364; WJ/380; WJ/383
    • ÑGOLOD “*one of the wise folk, Gnome, [ᴹ√] one of the wise folk, Gnome”
    • ÑGOL “knowledge, wisdom, lore, knowledge, wisdom, lore; [ᴹ√] wise, be wise” ✧ PM/360; WJ/383
  • Aq. ñolda “dark-haired” ✧ PE17/125
    • ÑGOL “dark-hued, dark-brown” ✧ PE17/125
  • ÑGOL “knowledge, wisdom, lore, knowledge, wisdom, lore; [ᴹ√] wise, be wise” ✧ SA/gûl

Derivatives

  • S. Noll “Noldo” ✧ PE17/141

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ngolodō > Ñoldor[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ MR/350
ngolodō > noldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ MR/350
ngolodõ > Noldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ MR/470
Aq. ñolda > ŋoldo > noldo[ŋgoldo] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ PE17/125
ñgolodō > ñoldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ PE17/153
ñgolodō > ñoldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ PE19/076
Ñgolodō > Noldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ PM/360
ngol- > Noldor[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ SA/gûl
ñgolodō > Ñoldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ WJ/364
ñgolodō > Ñoldor[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ WJ/380
ñgolodō > Ñoldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ WJ/383

Variations

  • noldo ✧ LotR/1123; MR/350; PE17/125
  • ngoldo ✧ LotR/1123 (ngoldo)
  • ñoldo ✧ PE17/141; PE17/141; PE17/153; PE19/076
  • ŋoldo ✧ RC/736 (ŋoldo)
  • Ñoldo ✧ VT39/16; WJ/364; WJ/383
Quenya [LBI/Noldor; Let/176; LotR/1123; LotRI/Eldar; LotRI/Noldor; MR/230; MR/350; MR/470; MRI/Noldor; PE17/086; PE17/125; PE17/141; PE17/153; PE18/073; PE19/076; PM/030; PM/360; PMI/Noldor; RC/736; S/087; SA/golodh; SA/gûl; SI/Golodhrim; SI/Noldor; UTI/Noldor; VT39/16; WJ/364; WJ/380; WJ/383; WJI/Goldo; WJI/Golodh; WJI/Noldor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Sindarin 

noll

noun. Noldo

Changes

  • nŏlnoll ✧ PE17/141

Derivations

  • Q. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ PE17/141
    • ñgolodō “lore-master, sage” ✧ MR/350; MR/470; PE17/141; PE17/153; PE19/076; PM/360; WJ/364; WJ/380; WJ/383
    • ÑGOLOD “*one of the wise folk, Gnome, [ᴹ√] one of the wise folk, Gnome”
    • ÑGOL “knowledge, wisdom, lore, knowledge, wisdom, lore; [ᴹ√] wise, be wise” ✧ PM/360; WJ/383
    • Aq. ñolda “dark-haired” ✧ PE17/125
    • ÑGOL “dark-hued, dark-brown” ✧ PE17/125
    • ÑGOL “knowledge, wisdom, lore, knowledge, wisdom, lore; [ᴹ√] wise, be wise” ✧ SA/gûl

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
Q. ñoldo > nold > noll[noldo] > [nolðo] > [nolð] > [noll]✧ PE17/141

Variations

  • noll ✧ PE17/141
  • golt ✧ PE17/141
  • nolt ✧ PE17/141
  • nŏl ✧ PE17/141 (nŏl)
Sindarin [PE17/141] Group: Eldamo. Published by

golodh

noldo

(one of the Noldor) Golodh (i **Ngolodh = i Ñolodh, o N**golodh = o Ñgolodh), pl. Gelydh (in Gelydh = i Ñgelydh), coll. pl. Golodhrim. While Golodh is the actual Sindarin cognate of Quenya Noldo, the Noldor themselves apparently found this form unpleasing (WJ:379) and preferred the word Gódhel (i **Ódhel), pl. Gódhil (i Ngódhil = i Ñódhil), coll. pl. Gódhellim. Also Ódhel, pl. Ódhil, coll. pl. Ódhelllim** (WJ:364, 378-9). Adj.

golodh

noldo

(i Ngolodh = i Ñolodh, o N’golodh = o Ñgolodh), pl. *Gelydh* (*in Gelydh* = i Ñgelydh), coll. pl. Golodhrim. While Golodh is the actual Sindarin cognate of Quenya Noldo, the Noldor themselves apparently found this form unpleasing (WJ:379) and preferred the word Gódhel (i ’Ódhel), pl. *Gódhil*** (i Ngódhil = i Ñódhil), coll. pl. **Gódhellim. Also Ódhel, pl. Ódhil, coll. pl. Ódhelllim (WJ:364, 378-9). Adj.

golodhren

of the noldor, noldorin

*(WJ:318; Christopher Tolkien found the ”last letters illigible”, but the context might suggest Golodhrin as a pl. adj. ”Noldorin (ones)”. Lenited Ngolodhren = Ñolodhren*.

Telerin 

goldo

noun. Noldo

Cognates

  • Q. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ PM/360; WJI/Goldo; WJ/383; WJI/Noldor

Derivations

  • ñgolodō “lore-master, sage” ✧ PM/360; WJ/383
    • ÑGOLOD “*one of the wise folk, Gnome, [ᴹ√] one of the wise folk, Gnome”
    • ÑGOL “knowledge, wisdom, lore, knowledge, wisdom, lore; [ᴹ√] wise, be wise” ✧ PM/360; WJ/383

Element in

Variations

  • golodo ✧ PM/360
Telerin [PM/360; WJ/383; WJI/Goldo; WJI/Noldor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Nandorin 

golda

adjective. noldo

The primitive form of Quenya Noldo (and hence also Nandorin golda) is given in WJ:364, 380 as ñgolodô. This example demonstrates that in Nandorin, like in Quenya, the second of two identical vowels in adjacent syllables is lost in words that had another syllable following the lost vowel. This word alone provides a clear example of the change of primitive final _-ô to -a_. The form golda also suggests that in Nandorin as in Sindarin, the original initial nasalized stops ñg, nd, mb were simplified to g, d, b, though examples for d and b are lacking in our very small corpus. The stems involved are found in LR:377: ÑGOL "wise" and the extended form ÑGOLOD "one of the wise folk". Ñgolodô is thus either formed from ÑGOL by ómataina (suffixed base-vowel), suffixed D and the nominal (often masculine or agental) ending , alternatively simply the longer ending -dô (of similar meaning) suffixed to the ómataina-form of the stem ÑGOL (sc. ñgolo-).

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (WJ:364, 377, 380)] < ÑGOL/ÑGOLOD. Published by

edel

noun. Elda, High-elf

Stated in the Etymologies to be derived from a stem ÉLED (LR:356), defined as "Star-folk"; Tolkien points out that Doriathrin and Danian used a "transposed" form, clearly referring to the sounds L and D changing place. In Etym the development is apparently meant to be eledâ (this primitive form is explicitly given in Letters:281) > edela > edel. Later Tolkien reconstructed the primitive form of Quenya Elda as eldâ (WJ:360); whether this could regularly yield Nandorin edel is doubtful, unless final -ld metathesized to -dl and a vowel developed to break up this final cluster.

In Etym, Tolkien first gave the Nandorin form as elda, then changed it. *Eledâ could not yield elda, since final is regularly lost in Nandorin. Since in this word we do not see loss of the second of two identical vowels (compare golda), we must conclude that final -a was lost before this could happen.

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (Letters:281, LR:356)] < ÉLED. Published by

Noldorin 

golodh

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD; LBI/Golodh; SMI/Golodh

Derivations

  • On. ngolodo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
    • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
On. ngolodo > golodh[ŋgolodo] > [golodo] > [goloðo] > [goloð]✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
ᴹ√ÑGÓLOD > goeloeidh > geleidh[ŋgolodi] > [golodi] > [goloði] > [gœlœði] > [gœlœið] > [geleið]✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Variations

  • golodh ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD; PE22/034
Noldorin [Ety/ÑGOLOD; LBI/Golodh; LR/201; PE21/57; PE22/034; PE22/041; SM/077; SMI/Golodh] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Ancient quenya

ñgoldō

noun. Noldo

Derivations

  • ñgolodō “lore-master, sage”
    • ÑGOLOD “*one of the wise folk, Gnome, [ᴹ√] one of the wise folk, Gnome”
    • ÑGOL “knowledge, wisdom, lore, knowledge, wisdom, lore; [ᴹ√] wise, be wise” ✧ PM/360; WJ/383

Element in

Ancient quenya [WJ/374] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

noldo

proper name. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Cognates

  • On. ngolodo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • N. Golodh “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD; LBI/Golodh; SMI/Golodh
  • ᴹT. golodo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • Ilk. (n)gold “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • Dan. golda “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD; PE18/040
  • ᴹ✶ñgolodō “gnome” ✧ PE19/036; PE19/058
    • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome”

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑGÓLOD > noldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
ᴹ√ŊGÓLODŌ > ŋoldo > noldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ PE18/040
ᴹ✶ñgolodō > ñoldo[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ PE19/036
ᴹ✶ñgòlodṓ > ñgoldṓ[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋoldō] > [ŋoldo] > [noldo]✧ PE19/058

Variations

  • noldo ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD; PE18/040; PE21/08; PE22/051
  • ñoldo ✧ EtyAC/ÑGOL; PE19/036; PE22/051 (ñoldo)
  • ñgoldṓ ✧ PE19/058
  • ŋoldo ✧ PE22/019; PE22/022
Qenya [Ety/ÑGOLOD; EtyAC/ÑGOL; LBI/Golodh; LR/119; LR/168; LRI/Noldoli; LRI/Noldor; PE18/023; PE18/040; PE19/036; PE19/058; PE21/08; PE22/019; PE22/022; PE22/051; RSI/Noldor; SDI2/Noldor; SM/085; SMI/Golodh; SMI/Noldor; TI/167; TII/Noldor; WRI/Noldor] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

gold

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

(n)gold

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

A Doriathrin name for the ᴹQ. Noldo from the same primitive root ᴹ√ÑGÓLOD (Ety/ÑGOLOD). In the entry for ÑGOLOD in The Etymologies, it appeared as (n)gold, indicating a variation of the usual rule that [[ilk|initial [ŋg] became [g]]] in Ilkorin. The second [o] of the primitive form was lost due to the Ilkorin syncope. Its genitive form golda also appeared as an element in the name Goldamir “✱Noldo-jewel” = Silmaril.

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Element in

  • Ilk. Goldamir “Silmaril, *(lit.) Noldo-jewel” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑGÓLOD > (n)gold[ŋgolodo] > [ŋgoldo] > [ŋgold] > [ŋgold]✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
Doriathrin [Ety/ÑGOLOD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Ossriandric

golda

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

A noun glossed “one of the wise folk, Gnome” developed from the root ᴹ√ÑGOLOD (Ety/ÑGOLOD), most likely from primitive ✱✶ñgolodō given its cognates. It is an example of the Danian syncope, with second unstressed [o] vanishing after the identical vowel. It is also one of the Danian words for which a long final vowel developed into short final [a]. Finally, it provides an example of how initial nasals vanished before stops.

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑGÓLOD > golda[ŋgolodō] > [ŋgoldō] > [ŋgolda] > [golda]✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
Ossriandric [Ety/ÑGOLOD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

ngolodo

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Derivatives

  • N. Golodh “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ÑGÓLOD > ngolodo[ŋgolodo]✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
Old Noldorin [Ety/ÑGOLOD; PE21/58] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

ñgolod

root. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Derivatives

  • Ilk. (n)gold “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • Dan. golda “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • ᴹ✶ñgolodō “gnome”
    • ᴹQ. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ PE19/036; PE19/058
  • ᴹ✶ŋgolóndē “Gnome-realm” ✧ PE18/040
    • ᴹQ. Ingolonde “Land of the Gnomes” ✧ PE18/040
  • ᴹQ. Ingolonde “Land of the Gnomes” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • ᴹQ. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD; PE18/040
  • N. Angolonn “Land of the Gnomes” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • N. Golodh “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • On. ngolodo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
    • N. Golodh “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • ᴹT. golodo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Elements

WordGloss
ÑGOL“wise, wisdom, be wise”

Variations

  • ÑGÓLOD ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
  • ŊGOLOD ✧ PE18/034; PE18/061; PE18/061
  • ŊGÓLODŌ ✧ PE18/040
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ÑGOLOD; EtyAC/ÑGOL; PE18/034; PE18/040; PE18/061] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ñgolodō

noun. gnome

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome”

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ PE19/036; PE19/058

Element in

Variations

  • ñgòlodṓ ✧ PE19/058
  • ŋgolǝdō ✧ PE21/33
  • ŋgoldō ✧ PE21/33
Middle Primitive Elvish [PE19/036; PE19/058; PE21/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Telerin

golodo

noun. one of the wise folk, Gnome

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. Noldo “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD

Derivations

  • ᴹ√ÑGOLOD “one of the wise folk, Gnome” ✧ Ety/ÑGOLOD
Middle Telerin [Ety/ÑGOLOD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

golda

noun. Gnome, wise one

Cognates

  • Eq. Noldo “Gnome” ✧ GG/13; GL/41; LBI/Golda; LT1A/Noldoli; PE13/099; PE14/009

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶ŋolđō ✧ GL/41
    • ᴱ√ŊOLO “to know”
  • ᴱ√ŊOLO “to know” ✧ LT1A/Noldoli
  • ᴱ✶ŋōlo ✧ PE13/117; PE13/117
    • ᴱ√ŊOLO “to know”
  • ᴱ✶ŋolta ✧ PE13/117
    • ᴱ√ŊOLO “to know”

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ✶ŋolđō > golda[ŋolðō] > [ŋgolðō] > [ŋgolða] > [ŋgolda] > [golda]✧ GL/41
ᴱ✶ŋolþoi > golþī > goilþī > gylt[ŋolþoi] > [gylt]✧ PE13/117
ᴱ✶ŋōloi > gūlī > guil > guil(t)[ŋōloi] > [guil]✧ PE13/117

Variations

  • golda ✧ GG/08; GG/08; GG/13; GL/41
  • gold ✧ PE13/099
  • gôl ✧ PE13/117 (gôl)
  • gul ✧ PE13/117
  • goltha ✧ PE14/009
Gnomish [GG/08; GG/13; GG/15; GL/17; GL/41; LBI/Golda; LT1A/Noldoli; PE13/099; PE13/117; PE14/009] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gold

noun. Gnome

goltha

noun. Gnome

goldrin

adjective. Gnome

Elements

WordGloss
Golda“Gnome, wise one”

gul

noun. Gnome

Early Noldorin

golt

noun. gnome

goloth

noun. gnome

Changes

  • goltgoloth ✧ PE13/120

Variations

  • goloth ✧ PE13/120
  • golt ✧ PE13/121 (golt); PE13/123
Early Noldorin [PE13/120; PE13/121; PE13/123; PE15/62] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

noldo

proper name. Gnome

Changes

  • ŇOLDOŇOLDO “goblin, gnome” ✧ QL/067

Cognates

  • G. Golda “Gnome, wise one” ✧ GG/13; GL/41; LBI/Golda; LT1A/Noldoli; PE13/099; PE14/009
  • G. Goldothrim “People of the Gnomes” ✧ GL/32
  • En. Golodh “Gnome, Deep-elf” ✧ PE13/145
  • Et. goldo ✧ PE13/145

Derivations

Derivatives

Element in

Variations

  • noldo ✧ GG/13; GL/41; PE13/145; PE14/009; PE15/72
  • Ňoldo ✧ PME/067
  • ŇOLDO ✧ QL/067; QL/067 (ŇOLDO)
Early Quenya [GG/13; GL/32; GL/41; LBI/Golda; LBI/Noldoli; LT1/021; LT1/050; LT1/162; LT1A/Noldoli; LT1I/Noldoli; LT1I/Noldor; LT2I/Noldoli; LT2I/Noldor; PE13/099; PE13/145; PE14/009; PE14/042; PE14/045; PE14/047; PE14/048; PE14/071; PE14/079; PE14/081; PE15/72; PME/067; QL/067; SM/013; SMI/Noldoli; WJI/Noldor] Group: Eldamo. Published by