(i aphada, in aphadar) (WJ:387)
Quenya
hilya-
to follow
Sindarin
aphada
follow
aphadon
follower
(pl. Ephedyn, coll. pl. Aphadrim) (WJ:387). Also echil (no distinct pl. form); coll. pl. ?echillath
byr
follower
). No distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷr). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” bior, beor.
Primitive elvish
khil
root. follow (behind)
This root has a lengthy history in Tolkien’s writing. It first appeared as ᴱ√HIL, unglossed but with derivatives having to do with children and offspring (QL/40); in this sense it may have reemerged later as the root √KHIN “child” (PE17/157; WJ/403). In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, the root appeared as χili with derivatives like G. hiltha “youth”, G. hilwed “adolescent”, G. hilm “posterity”, and G. hilmir “heir” (GL/49); the words for “heir” were also based on √KHIL in Tolkien’s later writing.
The root reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√KHIL “follow”, its most notable derivative being ᴹQ. Hildi “followers, mortal men” as the second (following) race that were the children of Eru (Ety/KHIL). In later writings this name for Men became Q. Hildor “Followers” (S/103). The root √KHIL “follow” continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings (PE17/18, 101, 157; WJ/387).
In The Etymologies ᴹ√KHIL had no Noldorin derivatives, and in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 Tolkien said “the stem ✱KHILI ‘follow’ was not current in Sindarin” (WJ/387). Elsewhere, however, it is clearly evident as the basis for several Sindarin words, such as echil “follower(s)” (WJ/219) and Eluchíl “Thingol’s Heir” (S/188). It was also used with the sense “heir” in the phrase: Q. sinomë maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn’ Ambar-metta “in this place will I abide, and my heirs (hildë 1st-person-possessive plural), unto the ending of the world” (LotR/967), connecting back to its earliest meaning.
Derivatives
- Q. hildë “heir, follower, heir, follower; [ᴱQ.] child”
- Q. Hildor “Men, Aftercomers, (lit.) Followers” ✧ PE17/018; PE17/101; SA/khil; WJ/387
- ᴺQ. hilmë “following (act of)”
- ᴺQ. hilmë “offspring, *descendant”
- S. echil “follower”
- ᴺS. hil- “to follow”
- ᴺS. hilf “posterity; one’s descendants, progeny, offspring”
Element in
- S. hîl “heir” ✧ SA/khil
Variations
- khil- ✧ SA/khil
- KHILI ✧ WJ/387
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!
Middle Primitive Elvish
khil
root. follow
Derivatives
Element in
hilya- vb. "to follow" (KHIL)