airon

ocean

airon noun "ocean" (PE17:27). Also ëaron, q.v.

airon

noun. ocean

An (archaic) word for “ocean”, an augmentative form of airë mentioned in a couple of later notes (PE17/27, 149). A more modern form is ëaron.

Conceptual Development: The form ᴹQ. airen appeared in parenthesis beside ᴹQ. aire “sea” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/AY). Helge Fauskanger suggested that it might be a genitive form (QQ/airë), but in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s, aire “sea” >> airen (PE22/23 note #70), suggesting it is an alternate (augmentative?) form. If so, it is probably a precursor to airon.

Cognates

• S. gaearon “ocean, (lit.) great sea” ✧ PE17/027; PE17/149

Derivations

• ✶airō “ocean” ✧ PE17/149
  • √GAY(AR) “awe, dread; astound, make aghast; sea” ✧ PE17/149
  • √AY(AR) “sea” ✧ PE18/097

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶airō > airon	[airon]	✧ PE17/149

waya

noun. ocean

ëaron

ocean

ëaron noun "ocean" (PE17:27), also airon. Cf. ëar.

váya

noun. ocean, sea, ocean, [stormy] sea

A word in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 that Tolkien described as “used of sea (as waters, motion)”, a derivative of √WAYA “blow, or be disturbed” (PE17/33). This note was crossed through, but a similar note appeared afterwards with a (archaic?) word waya “ocean” (PE17/34).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, Tolkien had ᴱQ. Vai “Outer Ocean” (LT1/85), a word that also appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a derivative of ᴱ√VAẎA “enfold, wind about” (QL/100). The word ᴱQ. vea “sea” appeared in a number of poems Tolkien wrote in the late 1920s (MC/213-214, 216, 220; numerous references in PE16). ᴹQ. vea “sea” also appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ✶vaı̯ā (PE21/8, 17), and as an element in the name ᴹQ. Veaneldar “Sea-elves” from the 1930s and possibly Q. Vëantur, a name in later writings for a ship captain in Númenor (UT/171).

In Silmarillion drafts of the 1930s Tolkien used ᴹQ. Vaiya for “Enfolding Ocean” (SM/236) or “Outer Sea” (LR/209). This word was mentioned in The Etymologies as wai(y)a/vai(y)a “envelope” that was used “especially of the Outer Sea or Air enfolding the world within the Ilurambar”, a derivative of ᴹ√WAY “enfold” (Ety/WAY). In the Ambarkanta of early 1930s Tolkien likewise said that the ordinary meaning vaiya was “fold, envelope”, meaning “Outer Sea” when used as a proper name (SM/241). In Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957, the similar word váya/waya was given a new etymology from the root √WAYA “blow” rather than “enfold” as noted above, along with other derivatives having to do with “wind” (PE17/33-34).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I think the form váya is the best form, and given its derivation from the root for “wind”, I think it refers mainly to rough or stormy seas. The name Vëantur may contained a reduced form of this word.

Derivations

• √WAY “blow (of wind), be disturbed” ✧ PE17/033; PE17/034

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√WAYA > váya	[wāja] > [βāja] > [vāja]	✧ PE17/033
√WAYA > waya	[wāja] > [βāja] > [vāja]	✧ PE17/034

Variations

• waya ✧ PE17/034

eäron

noun. ocean, great sea

ëaren

noun. ocean, great sea

A word appearing as Eären “Great Sea” (PM/363) and eäron “ocean” (PE17/27), possibly also an element in the name Eärenya “Sea-day” (LotR/1110).

Conceptual Development: A form ᴹQ. earen appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a parenthetical form beside ᴹQ. ear “sea”; this might be a genitive form, but I suspect it is an early appearance of earon/earen “ocean” instead.

Cognates

• S. gaearon “ocean, (lit.) great sea” ✧ PE17/027; PM/363

Element in

• Q. Eärenya “Sea-day, *Thursday”

Variations

• eäron ✧ PE17/027
• Eären ✧ PM/363

airen

noun. sea

airë

sea

airë (2) noun "sea" (the form airen is given, intended as a genitive singular when Tolkien wrote this; in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be a dative sg.) (AYAR/AIR; cf. airon)

airë

noun. sea

An archaic word for “sea” which fell out of use to due conflict with “holy” words like aira or airë; it was a noun form of primitive ✶gaı̯ră (PE17/27). The more common modern word for “sea” is ëar.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. aire “sea” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√AYAR (Ety/AY); it appeared beside a form ᴹQ. airen that might be a genitive form, or might be a longer form; see the entry on ᴹQ. airon for discussion.

Cognates

• S. gaear “sea” ✧ PE17/027

Derivations

• ✶gayār “sea, the terrifier” ✧ PE17/027
  • √GAY(AR) “awe, dread; astound, make aghast; sea” ✧ PE17/027; PM/363; WJ/400

Element in

• Q. airon “ocean” ✧ PE17/027

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶gaı̯ră > aire	[gaira] > [ɣaira] > [aira]	✧ PE17/027

Variations

• aire ✧ PE17/027 (aire)

váya

sea

váya noun "sea" (considered as "waters, motion"). The wording of the source indicates that Tolkien only tentatively considered such a word (PE17:33)

vëa

sea

vëa (3) noun "sea" (MC:213, 214, 216; possibly obsoleted by #1 and #2 above, though some argue that the initial element of the late names Vëantur and Vëandur [q.v.] could be vëa #3 rather than #2 (it can hardly be #1) . In any case, the normal word for "sea" in LotR-style Quenya seems to be ëar.) Inflected vëan "sea" (MC:220), vëar "in sea" (a "Qenya" locative in -r, MC:213), vëassë "on sea" (MC:220). Cf. also vëaciryo.

ëar

sea

ëar noun "sea" (AYAR/AIR [gives also dat. sg. ëaren],WJ:413; see Letters:386 for etymology). Not to be confused with the pl. form of the verb ëa "be, exist". Pl. ëari "seas" (FS, LR:47); Eär "the Great Sea" (cf. ëaron "ocean"), ablative Eärello "from the Great Sea", et Eärello "out of the Great Sea" (EO). Eärë noun "the open sea" (SD:305). Compound ëaruilë noun "seaweed" (UY). Found in proper names like Eärendil "Sea-friend", Eärendur masc. name, *"Sea-servant"; in effect a variant of Eärendil(Appendix A). Eärendur was also used ="(professional) mariner" (Letters:386).Fem. name Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (Silm); Eärrámë "Sea-wing", "Wings of the Sea", name of Tuor's ship (RAM, AYAR/AIR, SA)

Rása

the sea

Rása noun "the Sea" (LT2:347; rather ëar in Tolkien's later Quenya)

ó

the sea

†Ó noun "the sea" (poetic word, hardly valid in Tolkien's later Quenya) (LT1:263, there spelt Ô)

aearon

ocean

_n. _ocean. Augmentative form of _aear _Sea. Q. earon, airon. nef aear, sí nef aearon lit. 'beyond the Sea, here beyond the Great Sea'. >> aear

aearon

noun. *ocean

belegaer

noun. ocean

_ n. _ocean.

gaearon

ocean

_n. _ocean. Augmentative form of _gaear _Sea. Q. earon, airon. >> gaear

gaer

ocean

_ n. _ocean.

gaeron

noun. ocean

_ n. _ocean.

gaeron

noun. *ocean

aearon

noun. great sea, ocean

Tolkien changed this word several times, see gaearon

aear

noun. sea

Tolkien changed this word several times, see gaear

aear

Sea

_n. _Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Q. ear. nef aear, sí nef aearon lit. 'beyond the Sea, here beyond the Great Sea'. >> gaear, gaer

aear

noun. sea

aer

noun. sea

Tolkien changed this word several times, see aear , gaear

gaear

noun. sea

gaear

Sea

_n. _Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Shorter form gaer. Q. ear. >> aear, gaer

gaear

noun. sea

A word for “sea” variously attested as gaear (PE17/027; PM/363; WJ/400), gaer (PE17/27; PE17/149), and aear (Let/386; RGEO/65) in later writings. Of these, I prefer gaear for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, reduced to gaer in compounds.

Possible Etymology: The presence or absence of the initial g- depends on whether the word’s root is √AY(AR) (as it appears in The Etymologies and some later writings) or √GAY(AR) (as it appears in other later writings). See the entry of the root √GAY(AR) for a discussion of this vacillation. Similarly, the form gaer appears primarily as an element in compounds, and can be explained as a reduced form of gaear in that context. For these reasons, this entry uses gaear as the ordinary Sindarin word for “sea”. This has the additional advantage of disambiguating it from the adjective gaer “dreadful”.

Conceptual Development: This word appeared as N. oer or oear “sea” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, reflecting the Noldorin sound change of ai to oe (Ety/AY). However name for the “Great Sea” was N. {Belegar >>} Belegaer in the narratives of this period (LR/19), and the name N. Rhûnaer “Eastern Sea” appeared in draft Lord of the Rings maps from 1943 (TI/307). The element N. oer did appear in the day-of-the-week name N. Aroeren “✱Sea-day” in drafts of The Lord of the Rings appendices, but this was revised to S. Oraeron (PM/130, 138).

Cognates

• Q. airë “sea” ✧ PE17/027
• Q. ëar “sea, great sea, sea, great sea, [ᴹQ.] open sea; water” ✧ Let/386; PE17/027; PM/363; RGEO/65; SA/ëar; WJ/400

Derivations

• √AY(AR) “sea” ✧ Let/386
• √GAY(AR) “awe, dread; astound, make aghast; sea” ✧ PE17/027; PE17/149; SA/gaer
• ✶gayār “sea, the terrifier” ✧ PE17/027; PM/363; WJ/400
  • √GAY(AR) “awe, dread; astound, make aghast; sea” ✧ PE17/027; PM/363; WJ/400

Element in

• S. Aerandir “Sea-wanderer”
• S. Belegaer “Great Sea” ✧ PM/363; SA/ëar; SA/gaer
• S. gaearon “ocean, (lit.) great sea” ✧ PE17/027; PE17/149; PM/363; RGEO/65
• S. Gaerdil “*Sea-lover” ✧ PE17/027
• ᴺS. gaeruil “seaweed”
• S. Gaerys “Ossë” ✧ SA/gaer
• ᴺS. gaessarn “pearl, (lit.) sea-pebble”
• S. nef aear, sí nef aearon “here ... beyond the Sea, beyond the wide and sundering Sea” ✧ LotR/0238; PE17/027; RGEO/63; RGEO/64
• S. Tirith Aear “Sea-ward Tower”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶gaı̯ră > gaer	[gaira] > [gair] > [gaer]	✧ PE17/027
✶Gayar- > gaear	[gaiara] > [gaiar] > [gaear]	✧ PM/363

Variations

• aear ✧ Let/386; RGEO/65
• gaer ✧ PE17/027; PE17/149; SA/ëar; SA/gaer

gaearon

noun. great sea, ocean

gaearon

noun. ocean, (lit.) great sea

A word for “ocean” (PE17/27), “great sea” (PM/363) or “great ocean” (RGEO/64) variously attested as gae(a)ron (PE17/027; PE17/149; PM/363) or aearon (RGEO/65), and a combination of gaear or aear “sea” with the augmentative suffix -on (PE17/27, RGEO/65). Since I prefer gaear for sea; I also prefer gaearon or gaeron for “ocean”. Of these, I think gaeron is the ordinary form, and gaearon is more archaic or poetic.

Cognates

• Q. airon “ocean” ✧ PE17/027; PE17/149
• Q. ëaren “ocean, great sea” ✧ PE17/027; PM/363

Element in

• S. nef aear, sí nef aearon “here ... beyond the Sea, beyond the wide and sundering Sea” ✧ LotR/0238; PE17/027; RGEO/63; RGEO/64
• S. Oraeron “Sea-day, *Thursday”
• S. Seron Aearon “Sea-lover” ✧ PM/348

Elements

Word	Gloss
gaear	“sea”
-on	“augmentative suffix”

Variations

• (g)aearon ✧ PE17/027
• gaer(on) ✧ PE17/149
• gae(a)ron ✧ PM/363
• aearon ✧ RGEO/65

gaer

noun. sea

gaer

Sea

_n._Sea, especially the Great (Western) Sea. Shorter form of gaear.Q. aire (obsolete). >> aear, gaear

gaer

noun. sea

gaeron

noun. great sea, ocean

aear

ocean

aear (sea), pl. aeair.

aear

ocean

(sea), pl. aeair.

gaear

ocean

gaear (i **aear) (sea), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair** = i ñaeair).

gaear

ocean

(i ’aear) (sea), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair).

gaearon

great ocean

(i ‘Aearon), pl. Gaearyn (i Ngaearyn = i Ñaearyn) if there is a pl.

aear

sea

aear (ocean); pl. aeair. The shorter form aer (for N oer) is maybe best avoided since it can be confused with aer "holy", unless the latter is actually a lenited form of gaer. Forms with g-, representing an alternative concept of the word for ”sea”: gaear (i **aear) (ocean), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair) (PM:363), also gaer (i **aer, no distinct pl. form except with article: i ngaer = i ñaer), but homophones of the latter mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy".

aear

sea

(ocean); pl. aeair. The shorter form aer (for N oer) is maybe best avoided since it can be confused with aer "holy", unless the latter is actually a lenited form of gaer. Forms with g-, representing an alternative concept of the word for ”sea”: gaear (i ’aear) (ocean), pl. gaeair (i ngaeair = i ñaeair) (PM:363), also gaer (i ’aer, no distinct pl. form except with article: i ngaer = i ñaer), but homophones of the latter mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy".

azra

noun. sea

The Adûnaic word for “sea” (SD/429), appearing as azar in some early texts (SD/305). It is fully declined on SD/431.

Element in

• Ad. azra-zâin “sea-lands, maritime regions” ✧ SD/429; SD/435
• Ad. azrîya du-phursâ akhâsada “that [the] seas should gush into [the] chasm” ✧ SD/247
• Ad. azrē nai {phurusam >>} phurrusim akhās-ada “seas might-flow Chasm-into” ✧ SD/311
• Ad. Azrubêl “Sea-lover, Friend of the Sea” ✧ PM/373; SD/305; SD/429

Variations

• azar ✧ PM/373; SD/305

pharaz

noun. sea

A draft word for “sea”, deleted and replaced with azar (SD/305), which later become azra. This word reappeared later with a different meaning: pharaz “gold”.

Changes

• pharaz → azar “sea” ✧ SD/305

Element in

• Ad. Pharazîr “Sea-lover” ✧ SD/305 (Pharazîr*)

Variations

• pharaz ✧ SD/305 (pharaz)

airō

noun. ocean

Changes

• airē → airō ✧ PE17/149

Derivations

• √GAY(AR) “awe, dread; astound, make aghast; sea” ✧ PE17/149
• √AY(AR) “sea” ✧ PE18/097

Derivatives

• Q. airon “ocean” ✧ PE17/149

Variations

• airē ✧ PE17/149 (airē)
• air- ✧ PE18/097

ay(ar)

root. sea

Changes

• AY(AR) → GAY(AR) ✧ PE17/027

Derivatives

• ✶airō “ocean” ✧ PE18/097
  • Q. airon “ocean” ✧ PE17/149
• Q. ëar “sea, great sea, sea, great sea, [ᴹQ.] open sea; water” ✧ Let/386
• S. gaear “sea” ✧ Let/386

Element in

• Q. ailin “a large lake, (large) lake, [ᴹQ.] pool” ✧ PE17/160
• Q. Eärendil “Lover of the Sea” ✧ Let/386
• S. ael “lake, pool”

Variations

• AYAR ✧ Let/386; PE18/097
• AYA(R) ✧ PE17/149; PE17/160

oear

noun. sea

oear

noun. sea

aer

noun. sea

oer

noun. sea

oer

noun. sea

Cognates

• ᴹQ. aire “sea” ✧ Ety/AY
• ᴹQ. ear “(open) sea; water” ✧ Ety/AY

Derivations

• ᴹ√AY(AR) “sea” ✧ Ety/AY; Ety/AY; Ety/UY

Element in

• N. Airlond “(?sea-stead)”
• N. Belegoer “Great Sea” ✧ Ety/AY
• N. oeruil “seaweed” ✧ Ety/UY
• N. Oeros “Osse”
• N. Aroeren “Sea-day”
• N. Rhûnaer “Eastern Sea” ✧ TI/307

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√ÁYAR > oear	[ajar] > [aiar] > [oear]	✧ Ety/AY
ᴹ√AI̯R > oer	[ajr] > [air] > [oer]	✧ Ety/AY

Variations

• oear ✧ Ety/AY
• aer ✧ TI/307 (aer)