nolya

dark-haired

nolya ("ñ")adj. "dark-haired" (PE17:125), i.e. very dark brown

nolya

adjective. dark-haired, dark-haired, *brown-haired

A word for “dark-haired”, part of a paradigm in which the Elvish tribe names were derived from their predominant hair color, in notes perhaps from around 1959-60:

> √ÑGOL = dark-hued, dark-brown. OQ ñolda, dark-haired; but after special association with Clan, this was not much used; the colour word taking form ñolya (cf. vanya [= blonde > Vanyar]). The predominant colour of Noldorin hair was very dark brown; no Elf had absolute black hair (PE17/125).

In earlier iterations of this concept, Tolkien instead had Q. {losca, loksa “brown of hair” >> hrúva >>} hróva “dark, dark brown (of hair)”, but Tolkien then added ñolda as an alternative before marking the entire note as rejected (PE17/154-155).

Neo-Quenya: In this paradigm, Tolkien (temporarily) rejected the notion that √ÑGOL referred to wisdom, but this meaning was restored later (e.g. on PM/340 from 1968). However, I still think nolya might be used for “brown-haired” by way of a reversal of the association, where it referred to hair like the Noldor rather than being the basis of the tribe name.

ñolda

dark-haired

†ñolda adj. "dark-haired" (PE17:125), associated with Noldor and hence not much used. Cf. nolya.

nolya-

verb. to study; to learn

A neologism appearing in PPQ in the early 2000s, suggested by Tamas Ferencz and Helge Fauskanger, as a verb meaning “to learn”, derived from the root √ÑGOL “knowledge, wisdom, lore”. This neologism was later outdated by the publication of par- “to learn” in PE17. Robert Reynolds suggested that this verb could instead by used with a slightly different meaning: “to study”, but that was outdated by the 2024 publication of Tolkien’s own use of the word: [ᴹQ.] nolya- “teach”.

nolyar

noun. teacher

noltar

noun. teacher

cenya-

verb. to study

A neologism appearing in PPQ in the early 2000s, suggested by Eddin Najetovic, as a verb meaning “to study” derived from the root √KEN “see”, perhaps with the original sense “to examine”. Unfortunately, it conflicts with Tolkien’s own use of the word ᴹQ. kenya- “see”, first published in 2015.

pëantar

noun. teacher

saitar

noun. teacher