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!

Early Quenya

kar

noun. head

Early Quenya [PE14/042; PE14/043; PE14/044; PE14/046; PE14/047; PE14/117; PE15/73; PME/045; QL/030; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karneambar

noun/adjective. robin, (lit.) red-breast

A word appearing as ᴱQ. karneambar “robin” in both the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, a combination of ᴱQ. karne “red” and ᴱQ. ambar “breast” (QL/48; PME/49). Somewhat oddly, Tolkien specified this word was both “adj. or noun”, but then hinted at a specifically adjectival form ᴱQ. [[eq|[karneambar]a]] by adding —a on the line below it.

Neo-Quenya: I would adapt this word as ᴺQ. carniambos “robin, (lit.) red-breast” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, combining Q. carnë (carni-) “red” with ᴺQ. ambos “breast”.

Early Quenya [PME/049; QL/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karnevaite úri kilde hísen níe nienaite

amid the red skies the Sun with wet eyes dropped tears of mist

The eighteenth phrase (the second part of line 20 and lines 21-22) of the first version of the Oilima Markirya poem (MC/221). Its English translation is quite liberal. The first Qenya word is a compound of karne “red” and an adjectival form vaite (“skied”) of vaiya “sky”, as indicated by the Glossary Commentary accompanying the sixth draft (PE16/75).

The subject úri is a variant form of Ûr “Sun” followed by the verb kilde, the aorist 3rd-singular feminine form of kili- “to see”. As indicated by the Glossary Commentary accompanying the sixth draft (PE16/75), the combination kili- nie (nienaite) is idiomatic Qenya meaning “have tears in the eyes”, more literally “see a dropping [(lit.) tearful] tear” (PE16/75).

In the middle of this phrase is the word hísen “of mist”, which superficially resembles a nominative but seems to function as a genitive, something supported by its translation in the Glossary Commentary as “misty”, it is possible, though that it is a distinct adjective.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> karne-vaite úri kil-de híse-n níe nienaite = “✱red-skied Sun see-she mist-of tear tearful”

Conceptual Development: This phrase appeared in the fourth draft of this poem, where after experimenting with and rejecting some alternate wording, Tolkien settled on a phrase quite close to its final form, with the addition of the preposition ter “through” before nie “tear” (OM1d: PE16/62). This preposition was removed in the sixth draft (OM1f: PE16/74).

Early Quenya [MC/221; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karnevaite úri kilivande hísen nie nie nienaite

*red-skied the sun will gaze through a haze of tears

The eleventh phrase (lines 20-22) of the intermediate version of the Oilima Markirya poem (PE16/77). The first word is a descriptive compound of the adjectives karne and vaite “skied”, followed by the subject of the phrase: úri “sun”.

The verb kilivande is the future 3rd-singular feminine form of kili- “see”, followed by the genitive form of híse, the noun nie “tear” (twice) and the adjective nienaite “tearful”. As discussed in the notes for the sixth draft of the poem, the combination kili- nie (nienaite) is idiomatic Qenya meaning “have tears in the eyes”, more literally “see a dropping [(lit.) tearful] tear” (PE16/75).

This phrase corresponds to the lines of the English translations of the poem LA2a-LA2b (PE16/68-9): “under a red sky, the bleared sun blinking”. It is closer to the eighteenth and nineteenth lines of the first English translation LA1a (PE16/67): “when the sky was red, the sun gazed through a haze of tears”.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> karne-vaite úri kil-iva-nde híse-n nie nie nienaite = “✱red-skied sun see-(future)-she mist-of tear tear tearful”

Early Quenya [PE16/077] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karp-

verb. to pluck

A verb in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s with present form karpe and past form karpie, derived from primitive ᴱ✶kṛp- “to pluck” (PE14/58), clearly related to the early root ᴱ√KᴬRPᴬR [KṚPṚ] from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/45). This verb appeared unglossed with various inflected forms in a document on Qenya Verb Forms, probably from the 1910s (PE14/34). A Qenya form karp- appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, but it is unclear whether this was a verb or just a representation of Qenya derivatives of the root (GL/27).

Early Quenya [GL/27; PE14/034; PE14/058] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karpale

noun. a plucking, tugging, wrenching; deceiving, tricking

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√KᴬRPᴬR [KṚPṚ], with glosses “a plucking, tugging, wrenching — deceiving, tricking” (QL/45).

Early Quenya [QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karpan

noun. hank (of wool etc.)

A word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “hank (of wool, etc.)” under the early root ᴱ√KᴬRPᴬR “pluck” (QL/45).

Early Quenya [QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karkanel

noun. fang

A word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “fang”, a combination of ᴱQ. karka “fang” and ᴱQ. nele “tooth” (QL/48).

Early Quenya [QL/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karkapolka

noun. boar, *(lit.) tusk-pig

The word ᴱQ. karkapolka “boar” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a combination of ᴱQ. karka “fang, tooth, tusk” and ᴱQ. polka “pig” (QL/48), hence literally “✱tusk pig”.

Conceptual Development: The word for “boar” in the Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s was ᴱQ. úro (PE16/132), but its derivation is unclear.

Neo-Quenya: I’d use ᴺQ. carcapolca for “boar” in Neo-Quenya, as its etymology is more transparent.

Early Quenya [PME/048; QL/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karkara

adjective. toothed

A word appearing as ᴱQ. karkara “toothed” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, an adjectival form of ᴱQ. karka “fang, tooth” (QL/48).

Neo-Quenya: Since Q. carca “tooth” continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings, I think ᴺQ. carcara “toothed” can be retained for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

Early Quenya [QL/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kara-

verb. to do, make

Early Quenya [PE14/058; PE14/084; PE15/71; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karape

noun. cloak, outer garment

Early Quenya [GL/37] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karda-

verb. to admire, have affection or respect for

Early Quenya [GL/42] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karka

noun. fang, tooth, tusk

Early Quenya [LT2A/Karkaras; PME/048; QL/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karkaras

masculine name. Knife-fang

Early Quenya [GL/25; LBI/Carcharoth; LT2/021; LT2/068; LT2/227; LT2A/Karkaras; LT2I/Karkaras; PME/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karkasse

noun. row of spikes or teeth

Early Quenya [LT2A/Karkaras; PME/048; QL/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karina

adjective. finished

Early Quenya [QL/041; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karka-

verb. to snarl

Early Quenya [MC/213] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karko

noun. alimentary canel

A word for “alimentary canal” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, derived from ᴱ✶grgu- (PE13/144).

Early Quenya [PE13/144] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karma

noun. shape, fashion; act, deed

Early Quenya [PE15/32; QL/045; QL/097] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karmalin(da)

noun. russet, orange-red

Early Quenya [PME/049; QL/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karne

adjective. red

Early Quenya [MC/214; MC/221; PE15/76; PE16/062; PE16/065; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/075; PE16/077; PME/048; QL/048; QL/061; VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karneambara

adjective. *red-breasted

Early Quenya [QL/048; VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karo

noun. deed, act, action

Early Quenya [PE14/045; PE14/075; PE15/68; PE15/71] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karpalima

adjective. tricky, clever, willy

Early Quenya [PE12/006; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kart

noun. bunch, tuft

Early Quenya [QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ka

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE14/054] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karkaras

noun. row of spikes or teeth

karkasarma

adjective. large saw

Early Quenya [QL/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karon

noun. crow

Early Quenya [PME/045; QL/045] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karo ohtan

a deed of (some actual) war

Early Quenya [PE14/045; PE14/075] Group: Eldamo. Published by

karpi-

verb. to pluck

karwalin

noun. russet

kalar

noun. lettuce

A word appearing as ᴱQ. kalar “lettuce” in Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s derived from primitive ᴱ✶karase (PE14/70), where the final s became z and then r, after which the medial r dissimilated to l.

Neo-Quenya: The dissimilations in later Quenya were different, with the medial r preventing the z from becoming r and instead dissimilating it back to s (PE19/73). As such, I would adapt this word as ᴺQ. caras “lettuce” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, which also has the advantage of differentiating it from Q. calar “lamp”. Note that the stem for this word would also be caras- rather than the usual carar- due to the same dissimulative forces.

Early Quenya [PE14/070] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kas

noun. head, top, summit

Early Quenya [PE14/069; PE14/071; PE14/072; PE14/078; PE14/079; PE15/78; PE16/112; PE16/113; PE16/114; PE16/115; PE16/136] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nele

noun. tooth

Early Quenya [PME/065; QL/048; QL/065] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ukárele

noun. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE12/006] Group: Eldamo. Published by

alle

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/143] Group: Eldamo. Published by

anaukante

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE12/027] Group: Eldamo. Published by

angwe

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/145] Group: Eldamo. Published by

anqin

noun. bunch

Early Quenya [QL/031] Group: Eldamo. Published by

anwe

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/147] Group: Eldamo. Published by

aukaine

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE12/027] Group: Eldamo. Published by

eant

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE12/027] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ematte

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fingwe

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/145] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hingwe

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/145] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hyanta

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/143] Group: Eldamo. Published by

intya

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE14/107] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kabu

noun. bunch, tuft

kilapi

noun. robin

A word for “robin” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with a variant [kilap]ink, related to the verb ᴱQ. kilapitya- “to chirp” (QL/46) and G. cilobinc “robin” from the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/26).

Early Quenya [QL/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kilapink

noun. robin

laisifalle

noun. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/052] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lantanwa

adjective. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE12/006] Group: Eldamo. Published by

las

noun. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lilyen

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

linqarassea

adjective. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lossiattea

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/147] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lungwe

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/145] Group: Eldamo. Published by

láwakéle

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/052] Group: Eldamo. Published by

min-

verb. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE14/028] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nauto

noun. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/064] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nawa-

verb. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/064] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nierme

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ningwe

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/145] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nyat

noun. tooth

Early Quenya [PE16/136] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nyúken

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/077] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pingwe

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/145] Group: Eldamo. Published by

porokoi

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/075] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pundo

noun. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/111] Group: Eldamo. Published by

póya

adjective. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/074] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ralle

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/143] Group: Eldamo. Published by

saile

noun. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [GL/72] Group: Eldamo. Published by

saqa-

verb. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE14/034] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sauke

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/082] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sinqita-

verb. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sivilda

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

súlimarya

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

súme

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

talarin

adjective. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/088] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tantilta-

verb. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE14/058] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tirípti

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [LT1/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tolma

noun. helm

Early Quenya [PE14/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

toron

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/094] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tultárie

adjective. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE14/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tyanta

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/142] Group: Eldamo. Published by

táne

adjective. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE13/161] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tánie

adjective. [unglossed]

umpai

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE12/027] Group: Eldamo. Published by

upaitya-

verb. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/034] Group: Eldamo. Published by

usult

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [QL/087] Group: Eldamo. Published by

valle

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/143] Group: Eldamo. Published by

vingwe

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/145] Group: Eldamo. Published by

yu

?. [unglossed]

Early Quenya [PE16/146] Group: Eldamo. Published by

úro

noun. boar

Early Quenya [PE16/132] Group: Eldamo. Published by