lau

no indeed not, on the contrary

lau negation "no indeed not, on the contrary" ("also used for asking incredulous questions") (LA)

lauva

lauva

lauva, see lá #1

laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin

Laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin

@@@ an Entish phrase

Laurelin

g.sg. laurelinden

Laurelin ("g.sg. Laurelinden" or Laurelingen; in LotR-style Quenya this is dat.sg.) Name of the Golden Tree of Valinor, interpreted both *"singing-gold" (stem Laurelind-) and "hanging-gold" (stem Laureling-) (LIN2, VT45:27, LÁWAR/GLÁWAR, [GLAW(-R)], SA, Letters:308)

Laurelindórinan

valley of singing gold

Laurelindórinan noun "Valley of Singing Gold", an earlier name of Laurenandë (Lórien) (UT:253); laurelindórenan lindelorendor malinornélion ornemalin *"Goldenlight-music-land-valley music-dream-land of yellow-trees tree-yellow", Quenya elements agglutinated in Entish fashion; this supposedly means something like "the valley where the trees in a golden light sing musically, a land of music and dreams; there are yellow trees there, it is a tree-yellow land" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in Letters:308). The last word ornemalin is defined in as "bearing yellow flowers" in PE17:80.

Laurundo

glorund

Laurundo masc. name "Glorund" (> Glaurung). Also Undolaurë. (LT2:341)

lauca

warm

lauca ("k")adj. "warm" (LAW)

laulesta

livelihood

laulesta noun "livelihood" (QL:53)

laumë

no indeed not, on the contrary

laumë < lá umë negation "no indeed not, on the contrary" ("also used for asking incredulous questions")This is a combination of the negation lá "not" and the negative verb umë "is not, does not" (LA)

laupë

shirt, tunic

laupë noun "shirt, tunic" (QL:51)

laurina

golden

laurina adj. "golden" (LT1:258). Compare laurëa in later material.

laurië

goldenness

laurië noun "goldenness", also used as adv. "goldenly" (PE17:74); the word laurië occurring in Namarië Tolkien variously interpreted either as this adverb or as the pl. form of laurëa, q.v.

laurë

gold

†laurë noun "gold", but of golden light and colour, not of the metal: "golden light" (according to PE17:61 a poetic word). Nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto "may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading" (VT49:47). In Etym defined as "light of the golden Tree Laurelin, gold", not properly used of the metal gold (LÁWAR/GLÁWAR, GLAW(-R), VT27:20, 27, PE17:159). In early "Qenya", however, laurë was defined as "(the mystic name of) gold" (LT1:255, 258) or simply "gold" (LT1:248, 268). In Laurelin and Laurefindil, q.v., Laurenandë "Gold-valley" = Lórien (the land, not the Vala) (UT:253) and laurinquë name of a tree, possibly *"Gold-full one" (UT:168). Laurendon "like gold" or "in gold fashion" (but after citing this form, Tolkien decided to abandon the similative ending -ndon, PE17:58).

laurëa

golden, like gold

laurëa adj. "golden, like gold"; pl. laurië is attested (Nam, RGEO:66)

laustaner

not 'roared' or 'rushed' but made a windy noise

laustaner vb. in past tense 'lausted' ("not 'roared' or 'rushed' but made a windy noise" but in MC:220, Tolkien himself translated laustanéro as "rushed") (MC:216; this is "Qenya")

laustanë

roaring

laustanë adj.? participle? "roaring" (MC:213; this is "Qenya")

la

no, not

la negation "no, not" (see lá); also prefix la- as in lacarë, q.v. (VT45:25)

laurē

noun. sheen of gold

PQ. sheen of gold

lauta-

verb. abound

Undolaurë

glorund

Undolaurë masc. name "Glorund" (> Glaurung). Also Laurundo. (LT2:341)

alaurē†

noun. sheen of gold

PQ. sheen of gold

Laurelin

Laurelin

Laurelin is said to mean "Song of Gold". In the Etymologies, the element laure ("gold") in Laurelin derives from the root LÁWAR-. The name Laurelin appears to be Quenya.

laulema

adjective. inhabiting

laulesta

noun. livelihood

Lalwendë

laughing maiden

Lalwendë (also short Lalwen) noun "Laughing Maiden", fem. name (PM:343)

lala-

laugh

lala-(1) vb. "laugh" (PM:359), possibly with pa.t. *landë because the stem is given as g-lada-.

lalasta

noun. laughter

lalda

noun. laugh

-ndon

similative

-ndon, case-ending for "similative": wilwarindon "like a butterfly" (see wilwarin), laurendon "like gold" _(PE17:58) In the post-LotR period Tolkien decided to abandon this ending, apparently because it was to similar to the agental suffix -ndo (PE17:58)_, and it does not appear in the Plotz decension.

-uva

fill

-uva future tense ending. In avuva, caluva, cenuva, hiruva, (en)quantuva, (en)tuluva, laituvalmet, lauva, maruvan, termaruva, tiruvantes. A final -a drops out before the ending -uva is added: quanta- "fill", future tense quantuva (PE17:68). A verbal stem in -av- may be contracted when -uva follows, as when avuva is stated to have become auva (VT49:13). Origin/etymology of the ending -uva, see VT48:32. In VT49:30, the future tense of the verb "to be" is given as uva, apparently the future-tense "ending" appearing independently, but several other sources rather give nauva for "will be" (see ná #1).

il-

verb. no, *un-

il- (prefix) "no, *un-" (LA); cf. ilfirin "immortal" (vs. firin "dead"). This prefix "denotes the opposite, the reversal, i.e. more than the mere negation" (VT42:32). But il- can also mean "all, every"; see ilaurëa, ilqua, ilquen.

lindë

air, tune, singing, song

lindë noun "air, tune, singing, song" (SA:gond, (LIN2, [GLIN]); lindelorendor "music-dream-land"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... _(LotR2:III ch. 4, cf. Letters:308). _Also compare lindi- in lindimaitar, q.v. (but the other compounds here cited do not give a lindë a stem-form lindi-).

lá

no, not

lá (1) adv. "no, not" (LA, VT45:25) According to VT42:33, lá is the stressed form, alternating with la when the negation is unstressed. In another conceptual phase of Tolkien's, lá had the opposite meaning "yes" (VT42:32-33), but this idea is contradicted by both earlier and later material: usually lá is conceived as a negation. The negation can receive tense markers and be used as a negative verb "when [another] verb is not expressed" (VT49:13), apparently where the phrase "is not" is followed by a noun or an adjective as a predicate, or where some verb is understood, as in English "I do not" (i.e. "I do not do whatever the context indicates"). With pronominal endings la- in the aorist, e.g. lanyë "I do not, am not" (etc.) (Tolkien abandoned the form lamin.) Exemplified in the sentence melin sé apa lanyë hé *"I love him but I do not [love] him" (another person) (VT49:15). Present tense laia, past lánë, perfect alaië, future lauva.

lá umë

no indeed not, on the contrary

lá umë > laumë negation "no indeed not, on the contrary" ("also used for asking incredulous questions"). This is a combination of the negation lá "not" and the negative verb umë "is not, does not" (LA)

malinornë

yellow-tree

malinornë noun "yellow-tree" (malina + ornë), fictional species of tree (Sindarin mallorn; in Quenya also called maldornë) (PE17:50). Cf. malinornélion "of yellow-trees"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... (LotR2:III ch. 4; cf. Letters:308). Malinornélion is partitive pl. genitive of malinornë (UT:167, normal pl. malinorni, UT:168).

nandë

valley

nandë (1) noun "valley" in Laurenandë (UT:253), elided nand in the name Nand Ondoluncava (k") "Stonewain Valley" (PE17:28). Possibly the complete word is here meant to be the variant nando (PE17:80), as suggested by the alternative form Ondoluncanan(do) ("k") "Stonewain Valley". Also nan, nand- noun "valley" (Letters:308); Nan-Tasarion "Vale of Willows" (LotR2:III ch. 4) (Note that this and the next nandë would be spelt differently in Tengwar writing, and originally they were also pronounced differently, since nandë "harp" was ñandë in First Age Quenya.)

ornemalin

bearing yellow flowers

ornemalin adj. "bearing yellow flowers" (PE17:80); this is Entish-style Quenya. See laurelindórenan lindelorendor…

ornë

tree

ornë noun "tree" _(Letters:308, SD:302: "when smaller and more slender like a birch or rowan", Etym stem ÓR-NI: "tree, high isolated tree"). For the etymology, see Letters:426; for (original) difference in meaning between ornë and alda, see alda. In ornemalin "tree-yellow"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... (LotR2:III ch. 4; cf. Letters:308), also as final element in malinornë "yellow-tree, mallorn" (q.v.) Masc. name Ornendil *"Tree-friend" (Appendix A)_, compound Ornelië "tree-folk" (Quenya name of the Galadhrim, the tree-people of Lórien) (TI:239).

saiwa

hot

saiwa adj. "hot" (LT1:248, 255, 265); rather lauca in Tolkien's later Quenya

quëatarwa

noun. vegetable or kitchen garden

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo to replace ᴱQ. laukien of the same meaning, a combination of quëa “vegetable” and [ᴱQ.] tarwa “garden”.

laptë

noun. gluttonous eating

A noun appearing as Q. lapsa “gluttonous eating” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s from primitive ✶labdā (PE19/91-92 note #110). It also appeared as ᴹQ. lapsa in Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from the 1940s with the glosses “licking up (food or drink), gluttonous eating”, the first of these presumably the original (archaic?) meaning (PE19/45). Both examples illustrate the sound change whereby pt becoming to ps. However, Tolkien abandoned this sound change and decided that pt became ꝑt [ɸt], though still spelt pt and later pronounced u̯t in Exhilic Quenya of the first age. As part of this conceptual change, Tolkien revised lapsa >> lapte with a new primitive form ✶labdē before deleting the entire section and rewriting it with new examples.

Neo-Quenya: I’d retain ᴺQ. laptë “gluttonous eating” for purposes of Neo-Quenya since the sound changes producing it remained valid.

Nando

valley, wide valley

nando (2) "valley, wide valley", variant of nandë #1, q.v. (PE17:80)

Tar-culu

gold

Tar-culu ("k"), name listed in the Etymologies but not elsewhere attested. The second element is apparently culu "gold" (a word Tolkien seems to have abandoned); Hostetter and Wynne suggest that this may be an alternative name of Tar-Calion (= Ar-Pharazôn "the Golden"); see VT45:24.

alda

tree

alda noun "tree" (GALAD, GÁLAD, SA, Nam, RGEO:66, LR:41, SD:302, LT1:249, LT2:340, VT39:7), also name of tengwa #28 (Appendix E). Pl. aldar in Narqelion; gen. pl. aldaron "of trees" in Namárië. Etymology of alda, see Letters:426 and UT:266-7. The latter source states that primitive ¤galadā, whence Quenya alda, originally applied to stouter and more spreading trees such as oaks or beeches, while straighter and more slender trees such as birches were called ¤ornē, Quenya ornë - but this distinction was not always observed in Quenya, and it seems that alda became the general word. According to PE17:25, primitive galada (sic) referred to "a plant (large) and was a general term". Place-name Aldalómë ""tree-night" or "tree-shade-night" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in PE17:82); Aldarion masc. name, *"Son of (the) Trees" (Appendix A), Tar-Aldarion a Númenorean King (UT:210). Aldaron a name of Oromë (Silm); aldinga "tree-top" (VT47:28), aldarembina (pl. aldarembinë attested) adj. "tree-tangled", the cognate of Sindarin galadhremmin**(PM:17:26).Aldúya fourth day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the Trees (Appendix D). The word seems to include Aldu, a dual form referring to the Two Trees. The Númenóreans altered the name to Aldëa (presumably < aldajā), referring to one tree (the White) only. The dual Aldu seems to occur also in Aldudénië** "Lament for the Two Trees" (a strange word, since Quenya does not permit intervocalic d as in this word perhaps the Vanyarin dialect of Quenya did) (Silm)

alda

noun. tree

alda

noun. tree, tree, [ᴱQ.] branch

The basic Quenya word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. alda “tree” appeared under the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” (QL/29). Tolkien seems to have switched its derivation to ✱galadā in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where ᴹQ. alda “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD of the same meaning (Ety/GALAD). See also ornë “(tall) tree” for a discussion of another similar word.

Conceptual Development: There were a few instances where the word alda had a different meaning. In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, alda was glossed “branch” (PE16/139). In notes from 1959 Tolkien said “✱galadā, originally only large flourishing plant, as tree, and especially one that flowered, Q alda, S galað; the general word for ‘tree’ was Q orne ‘upstanding plant’ (PE17/153)”. But in its numerous appearance elsewhere, alda was simply a general word for “tree”.

amya-

verb. [unglossed]

arra

adjective. [unglossed]

cairë

?. [unglossed]

coi

life

coi ("k")"life" (LT1:257; in Tolkien's later Quenya cuilë)

coivië

life

coivië _("k")_noun "life" (coivierya, *"his/her life", VT49:41, 42). In early material, the word is glossed "awakening" instead (LT1:257; in LotR-style Quenya cuivië, as in Cuiviénen)

coivië

noun. life, life, [ᴱQ.] liveliness; awakening

The usual word for “life” in Tolkien’s later writings based on the root √KOY (NM/84, 119; VT49/42), in one place appearing with the variant koive (PE17/68). In another place Tolkien instead used kuivie for “life” in the phrase kuivie-lankasse “on the brink of life”, reflecting Tolkien’s ongoing vacillation between √KOY and √KUY as the root for life.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. koivie was “awakening” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/48) as reflected in the name ᴱQ. Koivie-néni “Waters of Awakening” from this period (QL/48), but the word was glossed “liveliness” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/29). The noun for “life, being alive” was ᴹQ. kuile in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KUY “come to life, awake” (Ety/KUY), but was usually coivie in Tolkien’s writings from the 1950s and 60s, as noted above.

Neo-Quenya: I prefer √KOY as the root for “life” for purposes of Neo-Eldarin, so I’d use coivie as the noun “life, liveliness”, and use cuivië for “awakening” as seen in the later form of the name Q. Cuiviénen “Water of Awakening” (S/48).

coivë

noun. life

conta-

verb. [unglossed]

cuilë

life, being alive

cuilë ("k")noun "life, being alive" (KUY)

cuivië

noun. life

culo

gold

[culo, culu ("k")noun "gold" (substance)] (KUL, VT49:47; the word culu_ also occurred in early "Qenya" [LT1:258], but in the Etymologies it was struck out; the regular Quenya word for "gold" is apparently _malta. In another version, culo meant "flame" [VT45:24], but this is apparently also a word Tolkien abandoned.)

cúma

noun. [unglossed]

felca

adjective. [unglossed]

felehta-

verb. [unglossed], *to excavate, tunnel, mine

An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from ✱phelektā- or ✱phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “✱to excavate, tunnel, mine”.

finca

noun. [unglossed]

findë

hair

findë (1) noun "hair" (especially of the head) (PM:340), "a tress or plait of hair" (PM:345), "tress, braid of hair, lock of hair" (SPIN)

finë

hair

finë (1) (stem *fini-, given the primitive form ¤phini) noun "a hair" _(PM:340, PE17:17) or "larch" (SPIN)_

hendas

?. [unglossed]

hindo

noun. [unglossed]

hindë

noun. [unglossed]

holdë

noun. [unglossed]

hríva

place name. [unglossed]

hróva

dark, dark brown

hróva adj. "dark, dark brown", used to refer to hair (PE17:154)

háro

?. [unglossed]

húro

storm

húro noun "storm" (MC:214; this is "Qenya")

lala

no indeed not, on the contrary

lala (3) negation "no indeed not, on the contrary" ("also used for asking incredulous questions") (LA)

lapsa

noun. licking up

licking up, gluttonous eating

lingi-

verb. [unglossed]

loxë

hair

loxë (1) ("ks")noun "hair" (LOK). In later sources Tolkien uses findë, findessë, findilë for "hair", leaving the conceptual status of loxë uncertain.

lá-

verb. to not be

lóna

dark

?lóna (4) adj. "dark" (DO3/DŌ). If this is to be the cognate of "Noldorin"/Sindarin dûr, as the context seems to indicate, lóna is likely a misreading for *lóra in Tolkien's manuscript.

lúna

dark

lúna adj. *"dark" in Lúnaturco and Taras Lúna, Quenya names of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). (PE17:22). In the Etymologies, lúnë "blue" was changed by Tolkien from lúna (VT45:29).

lúrëa

dark, overcast

lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)

maitya

?. [unglossed]

malsa

?. [unglossed]

malta

gold

malta noun "gold", also name of tengwa #18 (Appendix E). The Etymologies (entry SMAL) instead has malda, q.v. for discussion, but according to VT46:14, the form malta originally appeared in the Etymologies as well. Also compare the root MALAT listed in PM:366.

melya-

verb. [unglossed], *to be in love

mori-

dark, black

mori- "dark, black" in a number of compounds (independent form morë, q.v.):Morimando "Dark Mando" = Mandos (MBAD, VT45:33), morimaitë "black-handed" (LotR3:VI ch. 6, VT49:42). Moriquendi "Dark Elves" (SA:mor, WJ:361, 373), Moringotto "Black Foe", Sindarin Morgoth, later name of Melkor. The oldest form is said to have been Moriñgotho (MR:194). In late material, Tolkien is seen to consider both Moringotto and Moricotto _("k") _as the Quenya form of the name Morgoth (VT49:24-25; Moricotto also appears in the ablative, Moricottollo). Morion "the dark one", a title of Morgoth (FS). Morifinwë "dark Finwë", masc. name; he was called Caranthir in Sindarin (short Quenya name Moryo). (PM:353) In the name Morinehtar, translated "Darkness-slayer", the initial element is defined would thus seem to signify "darkness" rather than "dark" as an adjective (see mórë). (PM:384, 385)

morna

dark, black

morna adj. "dark, black" (Letters:282, LT1:261; also used of black hair, PE17:154), or "gloomy, sombre" (MOR). Used as noun in the phrase mi…morna of someone clad "in…black" (PE17:71). In tumbalemorna (Letters:282), q.v. Pl. mornë in Markirya**(the first version of this poem had "green rocks", MC:215, changed to ondolisse mornë** "upon dark rocks" in the final version; see MC:220, note 8).

morĭ

adjective. dark

PQ. dark

máriel

feminine name. [unglossed]

móri

dark

móri adj. "dark" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"; in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

nalda

valley

nalda adj. "valley" (used as an adjective), also "lowly" (LT1:261, QL:66)$

nandë

noun. valley

naue

?. [unglossed]

nulla

dark, dusky, obscure

nulla adj. "dark, dusky, obscure" (NDUL), "secret" (DUL). See also VT45:11.

níva

?. [unglossed]

núla

dark, occult, mysterious

núla ("ñ")adj. "dark, occult, mysterious" (PE17:125)

pirya

juice, syrup

pirya noun "juice, syrup" (PIS)

quanta-

fill

quanta- (2) vb. "fill" (PE17:68), cf. enquantuva "will refill" in Namárië. This verb seems to spring from a secondary use of the adjective quanta "full" as a verbal stem, whereas the synonym quat- (q.v.) is the original primary verb representing the basic root KWAT.

quat-

fill

quat- vb. "fill" (WJ:392), future #quantuva "shall fill" (enquantuva "shall refill") (Nam, RGEO:67) Irrespective of the prefix en- "re", the form enquatuva (VT48:11) displays the expected future tense of quat-. The Namárië form enquantuva seems to include a nasal infix as well, which is possibly an optional feature of the future tense. On the other hand, PE17:68 cites the verb as quanta- rather than quat-, and then the future-tense form quantuva would be straightforward.

quessë

feather

quessë noun "feather", also name of tengwa #4 (Appendix E, WJ:417, KWES, VT45:24); súriquessë "wind feather" (referring to a "tuft of radiating grass" in a drawing by Tolkien) (J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator, p. 197)

quessë

noun. feather

The Quenya word for “feather” and the name of tengwa #4 [z] (LotR/1122).

Conceptual Development: Some similar words appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√QASA: ᴱQ. qasil “arrow-feather, arrow” and ᴱQ. qasilla “tuft, nodding spray, tassel, plume” (QL/76); quasil was only glossed “arrow” in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/76). ᴹQ. qesse “feather” first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KWES (Ety/KWES), already the name of tengwa #4 (EtyAC/KWES). It was also the name of this tengwa in notes on the Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 1940s (PE22/22, 51, 61), and remained so into the published version of The Lord of the Rings.

quëa

vegetable

quëa noun "vegetable", apparently with variant ceula (latter word is not clearly defined). (PE17:159).

quëa

noun. vegetable

A word for “vegetable” in Quenya Notes from 1957 (QN) derived from √KWĒ “live of vegetables” (PE17/159).

rávëa

roaring

rávëa adj. "roaring" (Markirya)

rávëa

adjective. roaring

A word for a “roaring” in the 1960s version of Q. Markirya poem (MC/222), an adjectival form of Q. rávë “roaring noise” (MC/223).

sal-

verb. [unglossed]

sáva

juice

sáva noun "juice" (SAB)

sélo

?. [unglossed]

sóla

?. [unglossed]

thar-

verb. [unglossed]

tomba

noun. [unglossed]

tompë

noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat

@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20

ui

no

ui interjection "no" (originally an endingless negative verb in the 3rd person aorist: "it is not [so]"; see #u-). Apparently this is the word for "no" used to deny that something is true (compare vá, which is rather used to reject orders, or to issue negative orders). (VT49:28) Compare uito.

ulca

adjective. dark

dark, gloomy, sinister

um(ba)-

prefix. [unglossed]

umbacarin

noun. [unglossed]

vilwa

air, lower air

[vilwa < wilwa] noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL; in one place vilwa was not struck out, VT46:21) According to VT46:21, Tolkien considered vilda < wilda as a replacement form, but rejected it.

vilya

air, sky

vilya noun "air, sky", also name of tengwa #24. Older wilya. (Appendix E). Early "Qenya" has Vilya (changed from Vilna) "lower air" (LT1:273); also vilya "air" (MC:215)

wilma

air, lower air

wilma noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL)

éna

?. [unglossed]

úpa-

verb. [unglossed]

þúna

?. [unglossed]

locco

noun. ringlet

A neologism for “ringlet” coined by Boris Shapiro in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s, based on N. lhoch of the same meaning as derived from ᴹ✶lokko. I prefer to use Q. lócë “bight, bend, curl of hair”, which was published after Shapiro coined this word.

laudh

noun. gluttonous eating

A noun appearing as S. laudh “gluttonous eating” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s from primitive {✶labdā >>} ✶labdē (PE19/91-92 note #110). It also appeared as N. lauð in Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from the 1940s with the glosses “licking up (food or drink), gluttonous eating”, the first of these presumably the original (archaic?) meaning (PE19/45). In OP2, the section where it appeared was marked through when Tolkien revised the Quenya phonetic developments, but the Sindarin phonetic developments remain sound, so I’d retain ᴺS. laudh “gluttonous eating” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

laud

noun. feather

A Sindarin word for “feather”, attested only its suffixal form -lod in the name gwaelod “wind feather” (PE23/142). It is derived from ✶lauto, so its Sindarin singular form would be ✱laud.

laudh

noun. licking up

Dor. licking up, gluttonous eating

laug

adjective. warm

laug

warm

laug (pl. loeg)

laus

ringlet

laus (pl. loes, coll. pl. losath)

laub

noun. shirt

laug

adjective. warm

laug

warm

(pl. loeg)

laus

noun. ringlet

laus

ringlet

(pl. loes, coll. pl. losath)

lalaith

feminine name. Laughter

Name of Túrin’s deceased sister, translated “Laughter” (S/198). It is apparently the noun lalaith used as a name.

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion revisions from the late 1950s, her name was changed to Lalaeth (MR/374), but that was not the name Christopher Tolkien used in the published Silmarillion.

glawar

laure

1a n. Q. laure, Nand. lór. >> Lothlórien, Lothlúrien, Lothlýrian

lalaith

noun. laughter

lalaith

noun. laughter

gladh-

verb. to laugh

lall

noun. laugh

gladha

laugh

(verb) gladha- (i **ladha, in gladhar**)

gladha

laugh

(i ’ladha, in gladhar)

glawar

laurelin, radiance of

glawar (i **lawar) (sunlight, gold), pl. glewair (in glewair**) (VT41:10)

lalaith

laughter

lalaith; no distinct pl. form..

lalaith

laughter

; no distinct pl. form..

glóriel

adjective. golden

This appears to be an adjectival form of glaur “gold (colour or light)” seen only as a element in names like Galadlóriel “Golden Rain” (MR/155; RS/187) [not an exact translation] and Rathlóriel “Golden-bed” (S/235).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s these names had a short o under the root ᴹ√(G)LAWAR, indicating a Noldorin form of N. gloriel (Ety/LÁWAR). The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. glôriol “golden, like gold” based on G. glôr “gold” (GL/40).

malt

noun. gold, gold (as metal)

A noun for “gold” based on the root √MALAT. The Etymologies of the 1930s specified that N. malt was “gold (as metal)” derived from the root ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” (Ety/SMAL). This is consistent with Tolkien’s later notes in which Q. malta was “gold (metal)”, as opposed to Q. laurë/S. glaur which was “gold (colour or light)” (PE17/51, 159). Note that in The Etymologies the form was revised to (h)malt indicating an archaic voiceless hm that was the result of ancient sm (EtyAC/SMAL), but this would no longer be the case after the root became √MALAT.

malad

gold

(as metal) 1) malad (i valad), pl. melaid (i melaid) if there is a pl. 2) malt (i valt), pl. melt (i melt) if there is a pl. (VT42:27). ”Gold” in extended senses: glawar (i **lawar) (sunlight, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair**) (VT41:10) GOLD (COLOUR?) *mall (i vall), pl. mail (i mail) if there is a pl. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” malt.

malt

gold

(i valt), pl. melt (i melt) if there is a pl. (VT42:27). ”Gold” in extended senses: glawar (i ’lawar) (sunlight, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair) (VT41:10)

baw

interjection. no, don't!

born

adjective. hot, red

cidinn

?. [unglossed]

cinnog

?. [unglossed]

dúath

adjective. dark

_ adj. _dark, black shadow.

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

dûr

dark

_ adj. _dark, gloomy, 'hellish'.

galadh

noun. tree

galadh

tree

_n. Bot._tree, like oak (nordh) and beech. A galadh was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. In Sindarin, there was no much distinction in size between galað and orn. A galað was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. Birch, ash and oak are of the orn kind. Q. alda. >> orn

galadh

tree

{ð} n. tree. In Sindarin, there was no much distinction in size between galað and orn. A galað was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. Birch, ash and oak are of the orn kind. Q. alda. >> orn

galadh

noun. tree

The basic Sindarin word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates back at least to The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. galadh “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD (Ety/GALAD). See also orn “(tall) tree” of similar meaning.

Conceptual Development: Gnomish of the 1910s had some earlier version of this “tree” word: G. galdon >> alwen “tree” in the Name-list to the Fall of Gondolin (PE15/24) and archaic/poetic G. †alwen “tree” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/19), the latter probably from the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” that was the basis for ᴱQ. alda “tree” (QL/29).

gwelu

noun. air (as substance)

hand

noun. [unglossed]

im

noun. valley, valley; [N.] dell, deep vale

An archaic element meaning “valley” that survived only in compounds, a derivation of ✶imbi “between” (VT47/14). The basic sense “valley” was transferred to its more elaborate form imlad as in Imladris “Rivendell”, and †im “valley” fell out of use due to its conflicted with other words like the reflexive pronoun im.

Conceptual Development: N. imm “dell, deep vale” was mentioned in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√IMBE, alongside its elaboration N. imlad of the same meaning (Ety/IMBE).

imlad

noun. deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides (but a flat habitable bottom)

imloth

noun. flower-valley, flowery vale

This word only occurs in the place name Imloth Melui, a vale where roses grew

imrad

noun. a path or pass (between mountains, hills or trackless forest)

imrath

noun. long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise

laws

noun. hair ringlet

lebethron

noun. a tree - its black wood was used by the woodwrights of Gondor

In the original manuscript, one of the earlier (rejected) form of this name was lebendron. Didier Willis proposed the etymology lebed+doron "finger-oak", actually a real tree name (Finger Oak or Quercus digitata)

lind

noun. air, tune

loch

noun. ringlet

madu

?. [unglossed]

malh

golden

adj. #golden. This word is not explicitly presented as S. >> mall, mallorn

malhorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

mall

golden

adj. #golden. This word is not explicitly presented as S. >> malh, mallorn

mallen

adjective. golden, golden, [N.] of gold

An adjective for “golden” mentioned in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings as an element in the name Cormallen “Golden Circle” (RC/625). It may also be seen in Rathmallen, a variant of the name Rathlóriel “Golden-bed”, replacing the second element glóriel “golden” with mallen (WJ/353). The word N. mallen also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” as an “analogical” variant of N. malthen “of gold” (Ety/SMAL).

Possible Etymology: In Tolkien’s later writings, this adjective was probably based on the root √MAL(AT) “gold”, also seen as the basis for the noun malt “gold [as metal]” (PE17/50; VT42/27). It was likely in keeping with the 1950s and 60s sound change whereby medial lth became voiceless ll; a similar sound shift may be seen in S. mallorn “golden tree” < OS. malthorn = malt + orn (VT42/27). In Noldorin of the 1930s lth was preserved, so 1930s N. mallen may have been based on ✱(s)maldina instead.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use this word only for golden colors, and would use [N.] malthen for “of gold [metal]”; see that entry for discussion.

mallorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

malthorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

maud

?. [unglossed]

nîdh

noun. juice

juice

nîdh

noun. juice, [N.] honeycomb; [S.] juice

A noun for “juice” appearing in 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2), derived from ✶negdē “exudation” based on the root √NEG “ooze, drip”; its Quenya cognate was Q. nehtë “honey” (PE19/91). Sindarin nîdh was a later iteration of N. {nēdh >>} nīdh “honeycomb” in The Etymologies of the 1930s which had essentially the same derivation (EtyAC/NEG). This in turn was a later form of G. nectha “honey comb” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/60), cognate to ᴱQ. nekte “honey” and hence derived from the early root ᴱ√NEHE having to do with bees and honey (QL/65).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I’d use nîdh with its earlier meaning “honeycomb”. For “juice” I’d use other words like [N.] saw and [ᴺS.] paich (adapted from N. peich).

orn

noun. (any large) tree

oron

noun. tree

n. Bot. tree. Also in compound -(o)rŏnō. >> orn

paich

noun. juice, syrup

panna-

verb. to fill

tum

noun. deep valley, under or among hills

urui

noun/adjective. hot

urui

noun/adjective. the month of august

ú

prefix. no, not (negative prefix or particle)

û

interjection. no

adv. or interj. no, not (of fact).

alagos

storm of wind

(pl. elegys, coll. pl. alagossath)

baw!

no

! (interjection expressing refusal or prohibition, not denying facts) baw! (dont!) Prefix

baw!

no

(don’t!) Prefix

born

hot

(red), lenited vorn, pl. byrn.

brassen

white-hot

(lenited vrassen, pl. bressin)

cuil

life

cuil (i guil, o chuil), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chuil)

cuil

life

(i guil, o chuil), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chuil)

doll

dark

doll (dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.

doll

dark

(dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.

dúath

dark shadow

(i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith);

dûr

dark

dûr (sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

dûr

dark

(sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

fast

shaggy hair

(pl. faist if there is a pl.).

find

hair

(construct fin), no distinct pl. form, coll. pl. finnath.

fîn

hair

1) (a single hair) fîn (construct fin), no distinct pl. form. (PM:362), 2) (lock of hair, tress) find (construct fin), no distinct pl. form, coll. pl. finnath.

fîn

hair

(construct fin), no distinct pl. form. (PM:362)

galadh

tree

1) galadh (i **aladh), pl. gelaid (i ngelaidh = i ñelaidh) (Letters:426, SD:302). 2) orn (pl. yrn**). Note: a homophone means ”tall”.

galadh

tree

(i ’aladh), pl. gelaid (i ngelaidh = i ñelaidh) (Letters:426, SD:302).

galadhon

of or related to trees

(lenited ‘aladhon, pl. galadhoen). Archaic ✱galadhaun. The latter is based on David Salo’s analysis of the name Caras Galadhon; others have interpreted the last word as some kind of genitive plural, maybe influenced by Silvan Elvish.

galadhrim

people of the trees

(Elves of Lórien). Adj.

glóren

golden

(glórin-), lenited ’lóren; pl. glórin

graurim

dark people

(VT45:16);

graw

dark

graw (swart), lenited raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

graw

dark

(swart), lenited ’raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

guldur

dark sorcery

(i nguldur = i ñuldur), pl. gyldyr (in gyldyr = i ñgyldyr)

gwaew

storm

1) gwaew (i **waew) (wind), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaew**), 2)

gwaew

storm

(i ’waew) (wind), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaew)

gwelu

air

2) (as substance) gwelu (i **welu), analogical pl. gwely (in gwely) if there is a pl. The attested form is archaic gwelw** (LR:398 s.v. WIL). Hence the coll. pl. is likely *gwelwath, if there is a coll. pl..

gwelu

air

(i ’welu), analogical pl. gwely (in gwely) if there is a pl. The attested form is archaic gwelw (LR:398 s.v. WIL). Hence the coll. pl. is likely ✱gwelwath, if there is a coll. pl..

gwelwen

air

1) (as a region) gwelwen (i **welwen), pl. gwelwin (in gwelwin), also gwilith (i **wilith), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwilith)

gwelwen

air

(i ’welwen), pl. gwelwin (in gwelwin), also gwilith (i ’wilith), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwilith)

gú

no, not

also ú

huorn

walking tree of fangorn

(i chuorn, o chuorn), pl. huyrn (i chuyrn).

imloth

flowering valley

(pl. imlyth) (VT42:18).

imrath

valley

(long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise) imrath (pl. imraith)

lae-

verb. to not be

lebethron

oak tree

.

lind

air

3) (of music) lind (song, tune; singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath (WJ.309)

lind

air

(song, tune; singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath (WJ.309)

loch

ringlet

loch (pl. lych)

loch

noun. ringlet

loch

ringlet

(pl. lych)

lâd

valley

(lowland, plain), construct lad, pl. laid

malad

gold

(i valad), pl. melaid (i melaid) if there is a pl.

mall

gold

(i vall), pl. mail (i mail) if there is a pl. – Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” malt.

mallen

golden

(lenited vallen; pl. mellin).

malthen

golden

1) (of gold) malthen (melthin- in compounds; lenited valthen; pl. melthin), 2) (shining with golden light) glóren (glórin-), lenited lóren; pl. glórin, 3) mallen (lenited vallen; pl. mellin).

malthen

golden

(melthin- in compounds; lenited valthen; pl. melthin)

morn

dark

morn (black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

morn

dark

(black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

môr

dark

môr (black), lenited vôr, pl. mŷr (Letters:382), also

môr

dark

(black), lenited vôr, pl. m**ŷr* (Letters:382)*, also

nand

valley

1) nand (construct nan) (wide grassland, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. nannath (VT45:36), 2) lâd (lowland, plain), construct lad, pl. laid, 3) (long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise) imrath (pl. imraith).

nand

valley

(construct nan) (wide grassland, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36)

nothlir

family tree

(family line); no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nothliriath.

orn

tree

(pl. yrn). Note: a homophone means ”tall”.

ovra

abound

ovra- (i ovra, in ovrar)

ovra

abound

(i ovra, in ovrar)

paich

juice

(i baich, o phaich) (syrup), pl. pîch (i phîch). The source (LR:382 s.v. PIS) cites the archaic form peich.

pathra

fill

pathra- (i bathra, i phathrar). Also panna- (i banna, i phannar), but pathra- may be preferred for clarity since panna- also means ”open, enlarge”.

pathra

fill

(i bathra, i phathrar). Also panna- (i banna, i phannar), but pathra- may be preferred for clarity since panna- also means ”open, enlarge”.

pess

noun. feather

saw

juice

1) saw (i haw, o saw), pl. soe (i soe). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was sui (LR:385 s.v. SAB). 2) *paich (i baich, o phaich) (syrup), pl. pîch (i phîch). The source (LR:382 s.v. PIS) cites the archaic form peich.

saw

juice

(i haw, o saw), pl. soe (i soe). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was sui (LR:385 s.v. SAB).

talath

wide valley

(i** dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, plain), pl. telaith (i** thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v.*

talath

dal

Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the Silmarillion.

toss

low-growing tree

(i** doss, o thoss, construct tos), pl. tyss (i** thyss). Tolkien mentioned ”maple, hawthorn, blackthorn, holly, etc.” as examples of the low-growing trees covered by this word. Specific trees, see

úrui

hot

1) úrui (no distinct pl. form), 2) born (red), lenited vorn, pl. byrn.

úrui

hot

(no distinct pl. form)

laudh

noun. licking up

licking up, gluttonous eating

lhaug

adjective. warm

An adjective appearing as N. lhaug “warm” in The Etymologies of the 1930s from primitive ᴹ✶lauka under the root ᴹ√LAW of the same meaning (Ety/LAW).

Conceptual Development: G. laug appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “(of plants) alive, having sap, green, vigorous” (GL/53), likely based on the early root ᴱ√LAWA having to do with the life of plants (QL/52).

Neo-Sindarin: This word is usually adapted as ᴺS. laug “warm” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD), since the unvoicing of initial l is not a feature of later Sindarin.

lhaug

adjective. warm

glaur

noun. gold

lhaws

noun. ringlet

A noun appearing as N. lhaws “ringlet” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√LOKH, cognate to ᴹQ. lokse “hair” (Ety/LOKH). In this word, the spirantal χ vocalized to u after o as usual in Noldorin and then ou became au (aw).

Neo-Sindarin: Some people adapt this word as ᴺS. laus for Neo-Sindarin, replacing the unvoiced lh with voiced l. However, this is not the only relevant phonetic difference between Noldorin and Sindarin: χ generally vocalized to i in Sindarin and in any case seems not to have vocalized at all before s. It’s probably better to avoid such issues and just use ᴺS. loch for “ringlet”, adapted from N. lhoch.

gloriel

adjective. golden

adwen

noun. [unglossed]

An untranslated word appearing in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the late 1940s or early 1950s (PE23/26). It might be a later iteration of G. adhwen “approach, avenue” from the 1910s, or is perhaps related to S. adu and ᴹQ. atwa “double”.

al-

prefix. no, not

alagon

noun. storm

alagos

noun. storm of wind

borth

?. [unglossed]

clei

?. [unglossed]

coen

?. [unglossed]

cuil

noun. life

cuil

noun. life, life, [G.] lifetime

A noun for “life” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KUY “come to life, awake” (Ety/KUY).

Conceptual Development: This word dates back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where Tolkien clarified that G. cuil “life” was “usually [the] quality of being alive, but [was] also used = lifetime” (GL/27). ᴱN. cuil “life” also appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/141).

côl

noun. gold (metal)

diragas

?. [unglossed]

doll

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

dolt

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

dûr

adjective. dark

fast

noun. shaggy hair

findel

noun. (braided) hair

finnel

noun. (braided) hair

galadh

noun. tree

galadh

noun. tree

gwelw

noun. air (as substance)

gwelwen

noun. air, lower air (distinct from the upper air of the stars, or the outer)

gwilith

noun. air (as a region)

imlad

noun. deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides (but a flat habitable bottom)

lhaws

noun. hair ringlet

lhind

noun. air, tune

lhinn

noun. air, tune

lhoch

noun. ringlet

lhoch

noun. ringlet

A noun appearing as N. lhoch “ringlet” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√LOKH (Ety/LOKH).

Neo-Sindarin: Since the unvoicing of initial liquids did not occur in Sindarin, many people adapt this word as ᴺS. loch “ringlet” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

mallen

adjective. of gold, golden

malt

noun. gold (as metal)

malthen

adjective. of gold, golden

mauth

?. [unglossed]

menwed

?. [unglossed]

mû

interjection. no

nith

?. [unglossed]

nithrad

?. [unglossed]

níth

?. [unglossed]

orn

noun. (any large) tree

orn

noun. tree

ovra-

verb. to abound

pannod

verb. to fill

pathra-

verb. to fill

peich

noun. juice, syrup

porennin

?. [unglossed]

saw

noun. juice

saw

noun. juice

A noun in The Etymologies of the late 1930s glossed “juice” from the root ᴹ√SAB of the same meaning (Ety/SAB).

Conceptual Development: G. gwâs “juice” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s is a possible precursor (GL/44).

telwen

?. [unglossed]

tum

noun. deep valley, under or among hills

lauda

noun. licking up

licking up, gluttonous eating

lauda

noun. gluttonous eating

galada

noun. tree

galla

noun. tree

lal

root. laugh

A root for “laugh” appearing in notes written around 1959 (PE17/159), likely connected to S. Lalaith “Laughter”, the name of Túrin’s deceased sister (S/198). Some possible precursors appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s: unglossed ᴱ√LALA whose derivatives had to do with babbling (QL/50), and ᴱ√KAKA “laugh” with derivatives in both Qenya and Gnomish (QL/44; GL/24).

Tolkien gave a different primitive form ✶glada- as the basis for “laugh” words in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from the late 1960s; this produced S. glað- but still resulted in Q. lala- (PM/359). This new primitive had two problems (1) it is not compatible with S. Lalaith and (2) it shows a rather unusual assimilation of primitive d to preceding l in Quenya rather than the normal change to r: ✶(g)lada- > laða- > Q. lala- instead of ✱✱lara-. Elsewhere such assimilation did not occur, for example Q. lerembas < ✶led(e)mbasse (PE17/52).

Thus for purposes of Neo-Eldarin I think it is preferable to assume √LAL was the root for “laugh” words. However, I also think it is worth retaining √GLAD as a Sindarin-only root for similar concepts, perhaps “guffaw” and “joke”, given the limited semantic space we have in Elvish roots.

glada-

verb. laugh

glaware

noun. sheen of gold

labdē

noun. licking up (food or drink)

dom

root. dark, dark, [ᴹ√] faint, dim

This root was the basis for the main Elvish words for “dusk, night”, which was established as Q. lómë in Quenya for most of Tolkien’s life. The earliest form of this root was ᴱ√LOMO in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but with various derivatives having to do with “dusk” and “shadow” (QL/55). One notable derivative was ᴱQ. lóme “dusk, gloom, darkness”, which survived in Tolkien’s later writings as “night” and in the 1910s was the basis for ᴱQ. Hisilóme/G. Hithlum “Shadowy Twilights”. Another notable derivative was G. lómin “shady, shadowy, gloomy; gloom(iness)” (GL/45) used in the name G. Dor Lómin, which in the 1910s was translated as “Land of Shadow” (LT1/112).

The “shadow” meaning of this early root seems to have transferred to ᴹ√LUM from The Etymologies of the 1930s, which served as the new basis for N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM), as opposed contemporaneous N. Dor-lómen which was redefined as “Land of Echoes (< ᴹ√LAM via Ilkorin or in later writings, via North Sindarin). The “dusk” sense was transferred to a new root ᴹ√DOM “faint, dim”, which (along with ᴹ√DOƷ) was the basis for the pair words ᴹQ. lóme/N. dû “night” (Ety/DOMO).

These two words for “night” survived in Tolkien’s later writing in both Quenya and Sindarin (Let/308; SA/dú). In notes from the 1940s Tolkien clarified that it “has no evil connotations; it is a word of peace and beauty and has none of the associations of fear or groping that, say, ‘dark’ has for us” (SD/306). The Elves were quite comfortable being under the night sky, dating back to the time when the Elves lived under the stars before the rising of the Sun and the Moon. The root √DOM reappeared in etymologies for star-words from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/152). It appeared again in some very late notes from 1969 where it was glossed “dark” and served as the basis for words meaning “blind” as well as “night”, though this paragraph was rejected (PE22/153, note #50).

lemek

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s illustrating certain phonetic combinations (PE19/98), and therefore possibly not a “real” root.

lā-

verb. to not be

mal

root. gold, yellow, gold

This was the root for Elvish words meaning “yellow” for much of Tolkien’s life, though with some minor variations. It appeared as ᴱ√MALA “yellow” (usually mali-) in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. malina “yellow” and ᴱQ. malikon “amber” (QL/58). It also appeared in a list of M-roots at the end of that section (QL/63). It had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. malon “yellow” and G. malthos “butter cup” (GL/56).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it seems Tolkien first gave this root as ᴹ√MAL (EtyAC/MAL) but rejected this and replaced it with ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” (Ety/SMAL). It had derivatives like ᴹQ. malina/N. malen “yellow”, ᴹQ. malta/N. malt “gold (as metal)” and ᴹQ. malo/N. hmâl “pollen, yellow powder” (< ᴹ✶smalu), with some revisions in Noldorin forms as Tolkien vacillated on whether or not primitive sm- resulted in voiceless nasal hm- or a voiced nasal m-.

This √SMAL vs. √MAL variation seems to have continued into Tolkien’s later writings, as seen in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s where ✶malu >> ✶smalu “dust, grit” (PE21/80), probably a later iteration of ᴹ✶smalu “pollen, yellow powder” from The Etymologies. But it seems Tolkien settled on √MAL as evidenced by the extended root √MALAT “gold” from The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 (PM/366).

malat

root. gold

mornā

adjective. dark

phin

root. hair

phut

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root appearing in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2) as an etymological variation of √PUT (PE18/90).

sal

root. [unglossed], *harp(ing), lyre

The unglossed root ᴱ√SALA appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. salma “lyre, small harp” and ᴱQ. salumbe “harping, music” (QL/81). The root √SAL appeared again Common Eldarin: Verb Structure from the early 1950s to illustrate the reformed perfect form of its verb Q. asálie (PE22/132), but since these later forms are unglossed it is unclear whether they have the same meaning (“✱harp(ing)”) as the earlier version of the root.

stuk

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in a rejected section of the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, serving to illustration certain phonetic developments: ✶stuknā > Q. thúna (PE19/86).

tig

root. [unglossed]

A root appearing in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 as the basis for the verb Q. tinga- “go (for a long while)” (PE22/157). The etymology was marked with an “X” and so was probably a transient idea (PE22/157 note #70).

wagmē

noun. storm

du Reconstructed

root. dark

graw Reconstructed

root. [unglossed], [ᴹ√] dark, swart

This root appeared as a primitive form grawa serving as the basis of the word Q. roa “bear” >> “dog” in notes on monosyllabic roots from 1968 (VT47/35); a Sindarin derivative S. graw “bear” appeared in other notes written around the same time (VT47/12). Patrick Wynne suggested that in the sense “bear” grawa might be connected to the root ᴹ√GRAWA “dark, swart” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (EtyAC/GRAWA).

lóri

noun. gold

galad

noun. tree

galad

noun. tree

>> Galadrim

galad

noun. tree

Derived from galadâ "great growth", "tree", applied to stout and spreading trees such as oaks and beeches (UT:266, Letters:426; in the latter source, the root GAL is defined as "grow", intransitive). It is interesting to notice that this word, given in a source much later than the Etymologies that provides most of the Nandorin material, nonetheless agrees well with the older words cited by Tolkien: again we see the loss of original final -â, whereas original post-vocalic d is unchanged as in the word edel.

nand

noun. valley

Isolated from Lindórinand, Lórinand (q.v. for reference). While this word is not given in the Etymologies, it is clearly derived from the stem NAD (LR:374) and hence a close cognate of the similar Doriathrin word nand "field, valley". The Quenya cognate nanda (meaning "water-mead, watered plain") indicates a primitive form *nandâ; as in most cases, the final -â is lost in Nandorin.

búrz

adjective. dark

búrz

adjective. dark

asdi

?. [unglossed]

A word Tolkien used to illustrate Adûnaic pronunciation (pronounced [azdi]) without giving its meaning (SD/421).

pharaz

noun. gold

A noun meaning “gold”, the only Adûnaic word defined in The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1114).

Conceptual Development: This noun also appears in “Lowdham’s Report on the Adunaic Language” from the 1940s (SD/426).

pharazôn

masculine name. Golden

The son of Gimilkhâd who usurped the throne to become the 25th and final ruler of Númenor, translated “Golden” (LotR/1114, S/270). His Quenya name was Tar-Calion. Since Calion appears to mean “✱Son of Light”, Ar-Pharazôn is an example of a Númenórean ruler whose Adûnaic and Quenya names had different meanings.

The first element in his name is the noun pharaz “gold”. Since Pharazôn is glossed “Golden”, the second element -ôn may be an adjectival suffix. Andreas Moehn instead suggested (EotAL/PHAR’Z) that the name means “✱Golden One”, closer to its Quenya equivalent, and that the suffix -ôn is a masculine variant of the agental suffix -ân. Either way, the name is also notable in that it does not undergo the Adûnaic syncope when its suffix is added.

Conceptual Development: The name also appeared in “The Notion Club Papers” from the 1940s (SD/311), in some examples inflected into the subjective case (SD/247, 428-9).

sapda

?. [unglossed]

A word Tolkien used to illustrate Adûnaic pronunciation without giving its meaning (SD/421).

duban

noun. valley