vard-

rule, govern

vard- vb. "rule, govern" (LT1:273; hardly valid in Tolkien's later Quenya)

tur-

wield, control, govern

tur- vb. "wield, control, govern" (1st pers. aorist turin "I wield" etc.), pa.t. turnë (TUR). The verb is elsewhere defined "master, conquer, win" (PE17:115), virtually the same meanings are elsewhere assigned to turu- #1, q.v.

heru-

to rule

heru- vb. "to rule" (LT1:272; rather tur- in LotR-style Quenya)

cunta-

verb. to rule

cunya-

verb. to rule

A verb appearing only in a rejected exploration of the etymology of S. Felagund, apparently derived from √KUN along with its cognate cundo. It might have been rejected along with this root. See the discussion of √KUN(DU) for further details. @@@

Derivations

• √KUN(DU) “to lead; lord, to lead; lord, [ᴹ√] prince”

Variations

• cunta ✧ PE17/117 (cunta)
• cunya ✧ PE17/117 (cunya)

harya-

possess

harya- vb. "possess" (3AR)

vala-

to rule

vala- (2) vb. "to rule", only with reference to the Valar (see Vala). Future tense valuva is attested (WJ:404)

tur-

verb. to master, conquer, dominate, win, to master, conquer, dominate, win; [ᴹQ.] to control, govern, *rule; to wield; [ᴱQ.] can, to be able

Cognates

• ᴺS. tor- “to win, have victory”

Derivations

• √TUR “dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power, dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power; [ᴹ√] victory; [ᴱ√] am strong” ✧ PE17/115

Element in

• Q. túrindië “*kingdom”
• Q. túrinasta “*kingdom”
• ᴺQ. immoturië “self-control”
• ᴺQ. ortur- “to overpower, conquer, prevail”
• Q. Turambar “Master of Doom, Master of Fate” ✧ PE17/124
• ᴺQ. útúrima “unruly”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√TUR > tur-	[tur-]	✧ PE17/115

turu-

master, defeat, have victory over

turu- (1) vb. "master, defeat, have victory over" (PE17:113, not clearly said to be Quenya, but the Q name Turucundo "Victory-prince" is listed immediately afterwards). Compare tur-; cf. also *turúna.

cunta

rule

cunta, also cunya, vb. (or less likely noun) "rule" (PE17:117)

sanyë

rule, law

sanyë (þ) noun "rule, law" (STAN)

cunya-

verb. to rule, *govern, reign over

Derivations

• √KUN(DU) “to lead; lord, to lead; lord, [ᴹ√] prince”

herdir

noun. master

herdir

noun. master

Changes

• herdir → Cherdir “master” ✧ AotM/062

Element in

• S. edregol e aníra tírad i Cherdir Perhael (i sennui Panthael estathar aen) Condir i Drann “in especial he desires to see Master Samwise (who should be called Fullwise) Mayor of the Shire” ✧ AotM/062; SD/129

Elements

Word	Gloss
hîr	“lord, master”
dîr	“man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix”

tûr

noun. master, [N.] mastery, victory, [ᴱN.] power [over others]; [S.] master

Derivations

• √TUR “dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power, dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power; [ᴹ√] victory; [ᴱ√] am strong”

Element in

• S. Turamarth “Master of Doom” ✧ SA/amarth
• S. Turgon “Ruling Lord, Victory Prince, (lit.) Master Shout”
• S. Túrin

Variations

• tur ✧ SA/amarth (tur)

hîr

noun. master, lord

heron

master

(i cheron, o cheron) (lord), pl. heryn (i cheryn), coll. pl. heronnath. (VT45:22). Since the pl. heryn clashes with the fem. sg. heryn ”lady”, other words for ”lord, master” may be preferred.

gar

possess

gar- (i **âr, i ngerir = i ñerir) (hold, have; be able, can); pa.t. garant**. (AI:92, VT45:14)

gar

possess

(i ’âr, i ngerir = i ñerir) (hold, have; be able, can); pa.t. garant. (AI:92, VT45:14)

herdir

master

(noun) 1) herdir (i cherdir), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cherdir). Possibly used = ”Mr.” (i cherdir Perhael ”the Master Samwise” or *”Mr. Samwise”). (SD:128-31). Coll. pl. ?herdiriath. 2) heron (i cheron, o cheron) (lord), pl. heryn (i cheryn), coll. pl. heronnath. (VT45:22)._ Since the pl. heryn clashes with the fem. sg. heryn ”lady”, other words for ”lord, master” may be preferred. 3) hîr (i chîr, o chîr; also hir-, her- at the beginning of compounds) (lord), no distinct pl. form even with article (i chîr). (Letters:282, 386; VT41:9)_ 4) (also used = ”mastery”) tûr (i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, power, control; victor, lord), pl. tuir (i thuir), coll. pl. túrath

herdir

master

(i cherdir), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cherdir). Possibly used = ”Mr.” (i cherdir Perhael ”the Master Samwise” or ✱”Mr. Samwise”). (SD:128-31). Coll. pl. ?herdiriath.

hîr

master

(i chîr, o chîr; also hir-, her- at the beginning of compounds) (lord), no distinct pl. form even with article (i chîr). (Letters:282, 386; VT41:9) 

orthor

master

(vb.) orthor (i orthor, in ertherir for archaic in örtherir) (conquer)

orthor

master

(i orthor, in ertherir for archaic in örtherir) (conquer)

tortha

wield

(i** dortha, i** thorthar) (control)

tûr

master

(i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, power, control; victor, lord), pl. t**uir (i th**uir), coll. pl. túrath

tûr

master, mastery

(i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, power, control; victor, lord), pl. t**uir (i th**uir), coll. pl. túrath

maetha

wield

(i** vaetha, i** maethar) (handle, manage, deal with). In Tolkien’s earlier material, the verb maetha- meant ”fight”.

matha

wield

1) matha- (i vatha, i mathar) (stroke, feel, handle), 2) maetha- (i vaetha, i maethar) (handle, manage, deal with). In Tolkiens earlier material, the verb maetha- meant ”fight”. 3) tortha- (i dortha, i thorthar) (control)

matha

wield

(i** vatha, i** mathar) (stroke, feel, handle)

kher

root. possess, possess, [ᴹ√] rule, govern, [ᴱ√] have power

The basic root for rulership was √KHER for most of Tolkien’s life. The root appeared as ᴱ√HERE “rule, have power” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, and in this period already had the derivative ᴱQ. heru “lord” and ᴱQ. heri “lady” (QL/40), words that retained the same form and meaning throughout Tolkien’s life. Gnomish derivatives from this period include G. herma “protection, lordship, sway”, G. hermon “lord”, G. hîr “care, anxiety; heed”, and G. hiril “queen†, princess” (GL/49).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s these last two Gnomish words became N. hîr “master” and N. hiril “lady” as derivatives of ᴹ√KHER “rule, govern, possess”; the words ᴹQ. heru/ᴹQ. heri reappeared as well (Ety/KHER). All four of these words reappeared frequently in Tolkien’s later writing, though S. hîr was more typically glossed “lord” (PM/210; SD/129; VT41/9; Let/382; UT/318). The root √KHER itself reappeared in a 1954 letter to Naomi Mitchison with the gloss “possess” (Let/178).

Derivatives

• Ad. khôr “lord”
• ✶khēr “lord, master”
  • Q. heru “lord, master” ✧ Let/282; VT41/09
  • S. hîr “lord, master” ✧ Let/282; VT41/09
• ✶kherī “lady”
  • Q. heri “lady”
• ✶kheru- “to lord it over, be master of, own”
  • ᴺQ. heru- “to lord it over, be master of, own, [ᴱQ.] rule”
• ✶kherū “lord, master”
  • Q. heru “lord, master” ✧ Let/282; PE17/097
• ᴺQ. hérë “lordship”
• ᴺS. herf “protection, lordship, sway”

Element in

• ᴺQ. herulatsë “estate, domain”
• ᴺQ. ohérë “government”
• S. rochir “knight, horse-lord” ✧ Let/178

Variations

• kher- ✧ Let/178

heron

noun. master

orthor-

verb. to master, conquer

tortha-

verb. to wield, control

hîr

noun. master, lord