[narwë (and short nar, unless this is an incomplete form) noun "sign, token"] (VT45:37)
Quenya
tengwesta
noun. grammar
narwë
sign, token
sarat
letter
sarat (pl. sarati given) noun "letter", any individual significant mark, used of the letters of Rúmil after the invention of Fëanor's tengwar (WJ:396). Cf. sarmë.
sarmë
writing
sarmë noun "writing" (VT39:8). Cf. sarat.
sarmë
noun. writing
Derivations
- √SAR “score, incise; write, score, incise; [extended sense] write; [ᴹ√] *stone”
Variations
- sarme ✧ VT39/08
taina
sign
#taina (2) noun "sign", isolated from Tainacolli *"Sign-bearer" MR:385
tanna
sign, token
tanna (1) noun "sign, token" (MR:385, PE17:186), also tanwa (PE17:186)
tanwa
sign, token
tanwa noun "sign, token" (Tolkien marked this word with a query, but it is not clearly rejected). Also tanna (#1). (PE17:186)
tengwa
noun. sign
sign, indicator, letter
tengwa
letter
tengwa (pl. tengwar is attested) (1) noun "letter" Tengwa (ñ) is defined as "any one visible sign representing (theoretically) any one audible teñgwe" (phoneme) (VT39:17). In non-technical usage tengwa was equivalent to "consonant", since only the consonants were full signs (WJ:396, TEK). In the Etymologies, tengwa was apparently emended from tengwë (VT46:17).
tengwa
noun. (written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar
Cognates
- S. têw “letter” ✧ LotR/1117; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/122; PE17/122; WJ/396
Derivations
- ✶tekmā “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE18/104
- √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044
- ✶teñwā “letter, sign, token” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149
- √TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149
Element in
- Q. óma-tengwë “vowel-sign”
- Q. tengwa- “to read written matter” ✧ VT49/48
- Q. tengwacilmë “spelling” ✧ PE22/149
- ᴺQ. tengwalóra “unlettered”
- Q. tengwassë “alphabet”
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶tekmā > tegmā > teñma > tengwa [tekmā] > [tegmā] > [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa] ✧ PE17/043 ✶tek-mā > tengwa [tekmā] > [tegmā] > [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa] ✧ PE17/044 ✶teñwa > tengwa [teŋwa] > [teŋgwa] ✧ PE17/044 ✶teñma > tengwa [teŋwa] > [teŋgwa] ✧ PE17/044 ✶teñwa > tengwa [teŋwa] > [teŋgwa] ✧ PE17/044 ✶tekma > tengwa [tekma] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋgwa] > [teŋgwa] ✧ PE18/104 ✶teñ-wā > teñgwa [teŋwā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa] ✧ PE19/097 ✶teŋmā > tengwa [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa] ✧ PE22/149 Variations
- teñgwa ✧ PE19/097; VT39/17
tengwesta
system or code of signs
tengwesta ("ñ")noun "a system or code of signs", "Language", referring particularly to structure, including morphology and grammar (VT39:15). As a technical term for "language", this includes languages not made up of sounds (WJ:394), but usually it means "spoken language" when unqualified (WJ:395). In the Etymologies, tengwesta is glossed "grammar" (TEK).
tengwesta
noun. grammar, morphology, system or code of signs, collection of matter concerning writing, *language structure
Element in
- Q. tengwestië “language [as a concept]” ✧ WJ/394
Elements
Word Gloss tengwë “sign, token, indication; writing, sign, token, indication; writing; [ᴱQ.] knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought” -sta “land, part, part; [ᴹQ.] close grouping, land” Variations
- teñgwesta ✧ PE17/138; PE21/82; VT39/15
- Tengwesta ✧ PE18/008; PE18/071
saitalë
noun. education
Elements
Word Gloss saita- “to teach, *train, (lit.) make wise”
grammar