sír(ë)

noun. river, river, [ᴱQ.] stream

The most common Quenya word for “river”, derived from the root √SIR “flow”.

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as ᴱQ. sīre “stream” as a derivative of ᴱ√SIŘI [SIÐI] (QL/84), and this form and gloss also appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/84). The form ᴹQ. siri- “river” appeared in the Declension of Nouns (DN) from the early 1930s, along with uninflected sire with short i and various inflected forms with siry- (PE21/10). The form sīre “river” with long ī appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√SIR “flow” (Ety/SIR; EtyAC/SIR). In several notes from the mid-1960s, it appeared in monosyllabic form sír (PE17/65) or sīr (VT49/17), but it had dual form siryat from the late 1960s implying a stem form of sirĭ- and a development similar to that of DN from the early 1930s (VT47/11).

Neo-Eldarin: Its form síre is probably better known and more commonly used in Neo-Quenya. For example this is the typical form in Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT).

celusindi

river

celusindi _("k")_noun "river" (LT1:257; hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, where the terms sírë and sirya appear instead)

nen

river

nen noun "river" (LT1:248), "river, water" (LT1:262) (In Tolkien's later Quenya, nén with a long vowel means "water", but hardly "river" - that is sírë.)

sindi

river

sindi noun "river" (LT1:265; rather sírë in LotR-style Quenya)

sirya

river

#sirya noun "river", attested in the dual form siryat (VT47:11). Compare sírë.

sír

river

sír noun "river", shorter form of sirë (PE17:65, VT49:17)

sírë

river

sírë noun "river" (SIR, VT46:13), "stream" (LT1:265). Also short form sír, q.v.Compare #sirya.

nuinë

suffix. river

-(n)duinë

suffix. (large) river

An element in several river names such as Q. Anduinë and Q. Nunduinë, the equivalent of S. duin. It did not survive as an independent word in Quenya:

> Common Eldarin bases DUY and LUY, for instance, were distinct. DUY meant “to flood, drench, inundate”, but LUY was the base of words for “blue”. Both would become LUY in Quenya. Which probably accounts for the disappearance from Quenya of C.E. ✱duinē “large river (liable to flood surrounding land)” seen in [S.] Anduin “long river” and Baranduin “brown river”: it became identical with [Q.] luine adj. “blue” (VT48/23).

In fact, its use in Quenya river names may have been a later loan from Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: In one place Tolkien did consider the suffix’s survival as an archaic independent Quenya noun †nuine, but Tolkien rejected the note where it appeared, replacing it with the above (VT48/30 note #2).

anduinë

place name. Long River

The Quenya form of S. Anduin (PE17/40), a compound of anda “long” and archaic †-(n)duinë “river”, which appears only in compounds (VT48/30).

nunduinë

place name. *West River

A river in Western Númenor (UT/168), probably a compound of núna “western” and -(n)duinë “(large) river”.

nén

noun. water, water, [ᴱQ.] river

The word for “water”, a derivative of the root √NEN of the same meaning (PE17/52; Ety/NEN). Its stem form was nen- (Ety/NEN) and its primitive form was given as ✶nē̆n, the vowel length variation due to distinct subjective nēn versus objective/inflected nĕn- in ancient monosyllables (PE21/64).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with two senses: “river” and (archaic) “†water”. Tolkien indicated the two senses were based on distinct roots: ᴱ√NEŘE [NEÐE] and ᴱ√NENE respectively, with two distinct stem forms nend- and nēn (QL/64-65). The Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa also mentions the forms nen (nēn-) “water” versus nen(d-) “river” (PME/64-65). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the mid-1920s Tolkien had both nēn “river” (PE15/76) and nēn “water” (PE15/78), but in the Early Qenya Grammar he had only nēn “water” (PE14/43, 72), also appearing as nen “water” in documents on The Valmaric Script from this period (PE14/110).

In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. nēn “water”, but in this document it had nēn- with long ē in its inflected forms as well (PE21/23). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, uninflected nén “water” had a stem form of nen- with short e (Ety/NEN), and the reasons for this variation was discussed in Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants from 1936, the nominative/objective distinction noted above (PE21/64). This seems to be the paradigm Tolkien stuck with thereafter, as evidenced by S. nen “water” rather than ✱✱nîn.

etsir

mouth of a river

etsir noun "mouth of a river" (ET)

hlóna

river, especially given to those at all seasons full of water from mountains

[hlóna (2) noun "a river, especially given to those at all seasons full of water from mountains" (VT48:27; the word is marked with a query and the note containing it rejected; it was apparently replaced by lón, q.v.)]

lóna

noun. (deep) pool, mere, river-feeding well

A noun lóna glossed “pool, mere” derived from the root √LON and distinct in origin from Sindarin lô “flood” < √LOG (VT42/10).

Conceptual Development: This word seems to be a remnant of Tolkien’s investigation into the origin of the river-name S. Lhûn (PE17/136-137; VT48/27-28), where Tolkien first considered having a related Quenya word hlōna “a river” (PE17/136), then another related word lōn(e) “deep pool or lake” (PE17/137), but this notion was rejected and Tolkien said:

> The stem (S)LOW- does not appear in Quenya, where it is replaced by √LŎNŎ, as in lōn/lōne (pl. lōni) “deep pool or river-feeding well” (PE17/137).

This word and its derivation seems to have reemerged as lóna “pool, mere” in the notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, as described above (VT42/10).

nuinë

river (of large volume, and liable to flooding)

nuinë noun "river (of large volume, and liable to flooding)". The word is said to be archaic, surviving chiefly in topographical names. It comes from earlier duine, hence appearing in that form in a name like Nunduinë (VT48:30-31), apparently also Anduinë (q.v.) Tolkien struck out the paragraph where nuinë occurs, but the names Nunduinë/Anduinë would suggest that the word as such is conceptually valid.

-duinë

suffix. (large) river

caitas lá i sír

it is beyond the river

caitas palla i sír

it is far beyond the river

lendes lann’ i sír

he came (to a point) beyond the river

lendes pallan(na) i sír

he came (to a point) far beyond the river

lón(ë)

noun. deep pool, river-feeding well

olla

over

olla prep "over" (= beyond, of things passed over, as in "I went over a river" or "they went over the hill") (PE17:65)

or

over

or prep. "over" (CO); in early "Qenya", this preposition was also defined as "on, upon" (LT1:256, MC:216). Prefixed or- is translated "up" in ortil, q.v.

ratta

noun. street; course, river-bed

A neologism created by Boris Shapiro and Petri Tikka in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s, based on S. and N. rath of the same meaning. I think it is better to use ratta with its attested meaning “track”, first published in 2021.

-ya

his

-ya (4) pronominal suffix "his" (and probably also "her, its"), said to be used in "colloquial Quenya" (which had redefined the "correct" ending for this meaning, -rya, to mean "their" because it was associated with the plural ending -r). Hence e.g. cambeya ("k") "his hand", yulmaya "his cup" (VT49:17) instead of formally "correct" forms in -rya. The ending -ya was actually ancient, primitive ¤-jā being used for "all numbers" in the 3rd person, predating elaborated forms like -rya. It is said that -ya "remained in Quenya" in the case of "old nouns with consonantal stems", Tolkien listing tál "foot", cas "head", nér "man", sír "river" and macil "sword" as examples. He refers to "the continued existence of such forms as talya his foot", that could apparently be used even in "correct" Quenya (VT49:17). In PE17:130, the forms talya "his foot" and macilya ("k") "his (or their) sword" are mentioned.

caita-

verb. lie

caita- vb. "lie" (= lie down, not "tell something untrue"), aorist tense "lies" in the sentences sindanóriello caita mornië "out of a grey land darkness lies" (Nam, RGEO:67), caitas lá/palla i sír "it is [lit. lies] (far) beyond the river" (PE17:65); the latter example demonstrates that caita can also be used of a geographical feature that "lies" in a certain place. According to PE17:72 and VT48:12-13, the pa.t. is cainë or cëantë rather than **caitanë. The "Qenya" form kakainen, translated "were lying", may seem to be related (VT27:7, 21)

lón

deep pool

lón, lónë (pl. lóni given) noun "deep pool", "river-[?feeding] well" (the second gloss was not certainly legible). A rejected paragraph in Tolkien's manuscript defined the word as "deep pool or lake" (VT48:28, PE17:137)

ráva

bank

ráva (2) noun "bank" (especially of a river) (RAMBĀ)

tol

island, isle

tol noun "island, isle" (rising with sheer sides from the sea or from the river, SA:tol, VT47:26). In early "Qenya", the word was defined as "island, any rise standing alone in water, plain of green, etc" (LT1:269). The stem is toll-; the Etymologies as published in LR gives the pl. "tolle" (TOL2), but this is a misreading for tolli (see VT46:19 and compare LT1:85). The primitive form of tol is variously cited as ¤tolla (VT47:26) and ¤tollo (TOL2).

-rya

his, her

-rya 3rd person sg. pronominal ending "his, her" and probably "its" (VT49:16, 38, 48, Nam, RGEO:67), attested in coivierya *"his/her life", máryat "her hands", ómaryo "of her voice" (genitive of *ómarya "her voice"), súmaryassë "in her bosom" (locative of súmarya "her bosom"); for the meaning "his" cf. coarya "his house" (WJ:369). The ending is descended from primitive ¤-sjā via -zya (VT49:17) and therefore connects with the 3rd person ending -s "he, she, it". In colloquial Quenya the ending -rya could be used for "their" rather than "his/her", because it was felt to be related to the plural ending -r,e.g. símaryassen "in their [not his/her] imaginations" (VT49:16, 17). See -ya #4.

-zya

his, her, its

-zya, archaic form of the pronominal ending -rya "his, her, its", q.v. (VT49:17)

-úmë

large

-úmë (3) suffix "large" (of quantity)", as in liyúmë "host" (VT48:32)

Nénar

water

Nénar noun name of a star (or planet), evidently derived from nén "water" (Silm), tentatively identified with Uranus (MR:435)

Uinen

water

Uinen (Uinend-, as in dative Uinenden) fem. name, used of a Maia, spouse of Ossë (UY, NEN). Adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:404), though it is also said that it contains -nen "water" (SA:nen); the latter explanation may be folk etymology. In the Etymologies, the name is derived from the same stem (UY) as uilë "long trailing plant, especially seaweed".

aiqua

steep

aiqua("q")adj. "steep" (AYAK). Not to be confused with the pronoun *aiqua "if anything, whatever" that post-Tolkien writers have extrapolated from aiquen (q.v.) on the basis of such pairs as ilquen vs. ilqua (q.v.)

alat-

large, great in size

alat- prefix "large, great in size". (ÁLAT, cf. VT45:5). In Alatairë.

alta

large, great in size

alta (1) adj. *"large, great in size" (root meaning)(ÁLAT). Alat- in Alatairë, q.v.

anto

mouth

anto (1) noun "mouth", also name of tengwa #13 (Appendix E)

anto

noun. mouth, mouth [as a thing for eating]; [ᴱQ.] jaw

The basic Quenya word for “mouth”, appearing as the name of tengwa #13 [4] in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E (LotR/1123). It is likely derived from the root √MAT “eat” from primitive ✱amtō, and hence refers to the mouth as a thing for eating. Quenya has a number of other more specialized words for the mouth, however, such as Q. pé for the closed mouth, Q. ópa for the mouth opening, Q. songa for the interior of the mouth and Q. náva for the entire mouth apparatus (tongue, lips and teeth) used for speech.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. anto “mouth” first appeared in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s, where it replaced ᴹQ. anta “jaws” (PE22/50 note #50). In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. anto (antu-) was itself glossed “jaw” and was based on the early root ᴱ√MATA “eat” (QL/31, 59).

axa

waterfall

axa ("ks") (2) noun "waterfall" (LT1:249, 255 - this "Qenya" word may have been obsoleted by # 1 above)

carpa

mouth

carpa ("k") (1) noun "mouth", including lips, teeth, tongue etc. (PE17:126); also used for "language", in particular the phonetic system.Cf. náva and páva.

celu

stream

celu _("k")_noun "stream" (LT1:257; rather celumë in LotR-style Quenya)

celumë

stream, flow

celumë ("k")noun "stream, flow" (KEL, LT1:257); locative pl. celumessen ("k") in Markirya (ëar-celumessen is translated "in the flowing sea", lit. *"in sea-streams").

furu

lie

furu noun "a lie" _(LT2:340, GL:36) _Read perhaps *huru in a LotR-compatible form of Quenya, since Tolkien decided that fu- tended to become hu-.

lanta-

verb. to fall, to fall; [ᴱQ.] to drop

The Quenya verb for “to fall”, dating all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, though in that document it had the form ᴱQ. lant- and the additional gloss “drop” (QL/51). In the Qenya Lexicon it was derived from the early root ᴱ√LANTAN [LṆTṆ], but in The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien changed the root {ᴹ√LANTA >>} ᴹ√DA(N)T “fall down” as the basis for ᴹQ. lanta- “to fall” (Ety/DAT; EtyAC/LANTA). Q. lanta- “fall” appeared regularly in Tolkien’s later writings as well (MC/222; PE17/62; VT49/47), most notably in the Namárië poem in its first phrase: ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen “ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind” (LotR/377).

The word lanta was occasionally used as a noun for “a fall”; see that entry for discussion.

Neo-Quenya: In Tolkien’s later writings, lanta- was used only for intransitive “fall”. However, we have no Quenya verbs for transitive “drop” other than 1910s ᴱQ. lant-, so I would assume that lanta- can be used this way as well for purposes of Neo-Quenya (QL/51). For example, lantan “I fall” vs. lantan i macil “I drop [make fall] the sword”.

londa

path

[londa noun "path"], changed by Tolkien to londë noun "road (in sea)" (VT45:28)

lutta-

verb. flow, float

lutta- vb. "flow, float" (LT1:249)

lutu-

verb. flow, float

lutu- vb. "flow, float" (LT1:249)

lóna

island, remote land difficult to reach

lóna (2) noun "island, remote land difficult to reach" (LONO (AWA) ). Obsoleted by #1 above?

mallë

street, road

mallë pl. maller noun"street, road" (MBAL, LR:47, 56, LT1:263, SD:310)

nellë

brook

nellë noun "brook" (NEN)

nerdo

large, strong man

nerdo noun "large, strong man" (compare nér) (VT47:33)

náva

mouth

náva ("ñ")noun "mouth", apparently not only the lips but also the inside of the mouth (VT39:13 cf. 8). Possibly, but probably not, the same element that is translated "hollow" in Návarot, q.v.

nén

water

nén (nen-) noun "water" (NEN).

oronta

steep

oronta adj. "steep" (LT1:256)

pol

large, big (strong)

pol (2) adj. "large, big (strong)". Since this would be the sole example of a monosyllabic Quenya adjective, it may be that Tolkien is here citing the root POL rather than a complete word. Cf. polda.

páva

mouth

páva noun "mouth" (including tongue, lips and teeth). Apparently changed by Tolkien to náva, q.v. (VT39:19)

páva

noun. mouth

sir-

verb. flow

sir- (1) vb. "flow" (SIR)

sir-

verb. flow

sirya

verb. flow

songa

mouth

songa noun "mouth", in the sense of "interior cavity behind the teeth, containing tongue" (PE17:126)

tarna

crossing, passage

tarna noun "crossing, passage" (LT2:347)

tier

path

tier is, besides the pl. form of tië "path" above, an ephemeral word for "so", abandoned by Tolkien in favour of tambë (VT43:17)

tië

path, course, line, direction, way

tië noun "path, course, line, direction, way" (TE3, VT47:11); pl. tier in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67); tielyanna "upon your path" (UT:22 cf. 51; tie-lya-nna "path-your-upon")

wentë

brook

wentë noun "brook" (GL:46)

ópa

mouth

ópa noun "mouth", in the sense of mouth-opening with lips as the edges (PE17:126)

úra

large

úra (2) adj. "large" (UR), probably obsoleted by #1 above

ranta

noun. course

sîr

noun. river

celon

noun. river

sîr

noun. river

beleghir

place name. Great River

Precursor to the river name Anduin appearing in the Lord of the Rings from the 1940s (RS/410), a combination of beleg “great” and the lenited form of sîr “river”.

calenhir

place name. *Green River

A river in the early maps of Gondor (TI/312, WR/436), removed by the time The Lord of the Rings was published. It is a compound of calen “green” and -hir, the lenited form of sîr “river”.

rhaw

noun. bank (especially of a river)

A noun given as N. rhaw “bank, especially of a river” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, a derivative of the root ᴹ√RAB, also the basis for N. rham “wall” (Ety/RAMBĀ; EtyAC/RAMBĀ).

Neo-Sindarin: If adapted to Neo-Sindarin, this would would become ᴺS. raw as suggested in HSD (HSD), but I think it is better still to use the less ambiguous N. duirro for “river bank” given the other homonyms for S. raw.

duirro

noun. *river-bank

A word appearing above N. rhaw “bank (especially of a river)”, probably of the same basic meaning, likely a combination of (Ilk.) duil “river” + rhaw as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne (EtyAC/RAMBĀ). This is plausible, since [[p|[lr] became [ll]]] in Ancient Elvish.

anduin

place name. Great River

caer

noun. flat isle on a river

duin

noun. water, river

ethir

noun. mouth of a river

rath

noun. course, river-bed

sirion

noun. great river

athrad

noun. (river-)crossing, ford, way

caer

noun. flat isle in river, opp. of toll-

duirro

noun. river-bank

ethir

noun. mouth (of a river), estuary

lhûn

place name. Blue River

nen

noun. water (used of a lake, pool or lesser river)

rhaw

noun. bank (especially of a river)

toll

noun. island, (steep) isle rising with sheer sides from the sea or from a river

rath

noun. course, riverbed

Brithombar

Brithombar (name)

Brithombar comes from the name of the river Brithon, which means "pebbly".

baradh

adjective. steep

baradh

adjective. steep

An adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “steep”, derived from primitive ᴹ✶baradā “lofty, sublime” that was also the basis for the name ᴹQ. Varda (Ety/BARÁD).

borg

adjective. large

A word for “large” in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s, in borg’ā “large ā” (PE23/26). Its etymology is unclear.

dant-

verb. to fall

gwathlo

place name. Greyflood

iôr

noun. course

iôr

noun. course

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “course” derived from ON. yura under the root ᴹ√YUR “run” (Ety/YUR).

lhonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lhonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lhorn

noun. quiet water

lhorn

noun. anchorage, harbour

lond

noun. narrow path or strait

lond

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. path

nen

noun. waterland

nen

noun. water

ostrad

noun. street

ostrad

noun. street

A word appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as N. ostrad “street”, a combination of N. ost “city” and N. râd “path, track” (Ety/RAT).

Neo-Sindarin: Some Neo-Sindarin writers update this word to ᴺS. othrad “street” as suggested in HSD (HSD), based on words like othrond “stronghold” = ost + rond. I think either is fine if we assume othrad is an ancient compound and ostrad was a late (or reformed) compound; compare N. mistrad “error” which also shows medial str.

rath

noun. street (in a city)

rhib-

verb. to flow like a (torrent ?)

The reading of the gloss is uncertain

râd

noun. path, track

siria-

verb. to flow

sirion

place name. Sirion

sîr

noun. river

anduin

place name. Great River, (lit.) Long River

The “Great River” of northwestern Middle-earth (LotR/52), a compound of and “long” and duin “river”, and thus literally meaning “Long River” (RC/765, VT48/23).

Conceptual Development: This river was first mentioned as N. Anduin in the earliest versions of the “Fall of Númenor” from the 1930s (LR/33). In the earliest drafts of the Lord of the Rings from the 1940s this river was named N. Beleghir “Great River”, but it was quickly changed to Anduin (RS/410). As he composed the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien considered other variants: Sirvinya “New Sirion” (TI/119) and Andon (TI/298), but all were rejected in favor of Anduin.

celduin

place name. River Running

A river flowing from lake Esgaroth into the river Carnen, translated “River Running” (LotR/1046). It is most likely a combination of some form of the root √KEL “flow” and S. duin “duin”.

duin

noun. (large) river, (large) river; [N.] water

A Sindarin word for river, more specifically a large one (LotR/1138; PM/54; RC/765; VT48/24), derived from primitive ✶duinē and the root √DUY “flow (strongly), flood, inundate” (RC/766; VT48/23-24).

Conceptual Development: The first precursor to this word seems to be G. duif “stream” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶duiwe and related to G. duil “flight” (GL/31). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. duin under the root ᴹ√DUI̯, but there it was a loan word from Ilk. duin “water, river”. After Tolkien abandoned Ilkorin, it became a native Sindarin word.

duinhir

masculine name. *River Lord

A Gondorian, Lord of Blackroot Vale (LotR/770). His name is most likely a combination of duin “river” and hîr “lord” (as suggested by David Salo, GS/347).

eglahir

place name. *Elf-river

A name for a river in Beleriand, replacing earlier Ilk. Eldor/Eglor (SM/227) and replaced in turn by the name S. Nenning (WJ/117). It appears to be a combination of the prefixal form Egla- of Eglan “Forsaken (Elf)” and the lenited form -hir of sîr “river” also appearing in names such as Linhir and Nanduhirion.

esgalduin

place name. River under Veil, River under Shade

A river flowing through Doriath (S/121), translated “River under Shade” (PE17/15, 184) or “River under Veil” (Ety/SKAL¹). This name is a combination of esgal “shadow, screen” and duin “river” (SA/esgal, duin; PE17/184).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱN. Esgalduin first appeared in the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s where it was described as the “Elf-river” (LB/76), perhaps related to G. Egla “Elf” (GL/32). This name reappeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/103, LR/260), and in The Etymologies, Ilk. Esgalduin was designated an Ilkorin name, already with essentially the same derivation as given above (Ety/DUI, SKAL¹).

glanduin

place name. Border-river

River marking the southern border of Eriador (LotR/1039), translated “Border-river” (UT/261, VT42/7). This name is combination of glan(n) “border” and duin “river” (VT42/7-8).

gwathir

place name. River of Shadow

Old Sindarin name for the river Gwathló, a combination of gwath “shadow” and the lenited form of sîr “river” (UT/263).

limhír

place name. Clear/Sparkling River

A name Tolkien considered as a replacement for the river Celon (WJ/320), appearing with both short i and long î in the final syllable and translated “clear/sparkling river” (WJ/337). He indicated it was a repetition of a name appearing in The Lord of the Rings, which Christopher Tolkien suggested might be a reference to the river Limlight. Indeed, Tolkien indicated in notes from the late 1960s that Límhir (earlier †Limphîr) was the Sindarin name for “Limlight”, and the English name was a partial adaptation rather than a full translation. Its elements were limp “clear, sparkling; (bright/clear/gleaming) liquid” the soft mutation of sîr “river” (NM/284). Elsewhere Tolkien gave the other Sindarin forms for “Limlight”, such as S. Limlint.

lithir

place name. ?Ash River

A small river flowing south out of the Ered Wethrin appearing in the Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s and associated maps (WJ/181, 261) but not in the published version of The Silmarillion. The final element is likely the lenited form of sîr “river”, and the initial element might be lith “ash” (as suggested by David Salo, GS/383).

malduin

place name. Yellow River

River in Beleriand (S/205) translated “Yellow River” by Christopher Tolkien (SI/Malduin), a combination of the root-form √MAL “yellow” and the lenited form of duin “river” (SA/mal, duin).

rath

noun. street, street, track; [N.] course, river-bed

A word used in street-names in Minis Tirith, most notably Rath Celerdain “Lampwrights’ Street” (LotR/768) and Rath Dínen “Silent Street” (LotR/826). It was also an element in the (rejected) name Raith ’Ngorthrim “Paths of the Dead” (RC/526) and the river-name Rathlóriel “Golden-bed” (S/235), but the last of these may be a remnant of its 1930s meaning (see below). In the “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings Tolkien indicated that rath meant “street (in a city)” (RC/523, 551).

The most extensive description of this word appears in a 1968 discussion of the (possibly related) name Amroth which Tolkien said “is connected with a stem RATH meaning ‘climb’ - with hands and feet, as in a tree or up a rocky slope”. Regarding S. rath Tolkien said:

> Both Quenya and Lindarin also possessed a word ratta, which might be a derivative (by lengthening the medial consonant, a frequent device in Primitive Eldarin) from either ✱rattha or ✱ratta from the stem RAT ... It meant ‘a track’; though often applied to ways known to mountaineers, to passes in the mountains and the climbing ways to them, it was not confined to ascents ... This is evidently the origin also of S. rath ... [which] had the same senses as Q., L. ratta, though in mountainous country it was most used of climbing ways ... In Minas Tirith, in the Númenórean Sindarin that was used in Gondor for the nomenclature of places, rath had become virtually equivalent to ‘street’, being applied to nearly all the paved ways within the city. Most of these were on an incline, often steep (NM/364).

Thus Sindarin rath was a blending of √RATH “climb” and ✶ratta “track” < √RAT “find a way”, and in the context of Minas Tirith was generalized to “(city) street” since most of that city’s streets were sloped.

Rath seems to have been used in the sense “climb” or “climbing track” in the name Andrath [= “✱Long Climb”] for the high-climbing pass from Rivendell over the Misty Mountains that Bilbo and the Dwarves took in The Hobbit, as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (UT/271, 278 note #4). However, the name Andrath was also used for the road running from Fornost down to Tharbad (TI/305; UT/348) which was unlikely to climb much, so in that case may have been used in the sense “street”, “track”, or “course”.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. rath was also derived from ON. rattha < ᴹ✶rattā̆ under the root ᴹ√RAT “walk”, but in that document it was glossed “course, river-bed” (Ety/RAT). In this sense it was the basis for the river-name N. Rathloriel, translated “Bed of Gold” in narratives from this period (LR/141). This translation of Rathlóriel survived in The Silmarillion as published (S/235), but may have been a remnant of the 1930s meaning of rath.

Neo-Sindarin: Tolkien’s 1968 note implies that original sense of S. rath was a “(climbing) track”, and may have meant “street” only in Númenórean Sindarin, or possibly just for street names in Minas Tirith. For city streets in other contexts I would use [N.] ostrad or [ᴺS.] othrad. I would furthermore ignore the 1930s translation N. rath “course, river-bed”, and would assume that Rathlóriel had a more metaphorical meaning: “✱Golden Street/Track”. For “(river) course” I was instead use the better-attested S. rant; see that entry for details.

sirion

place name. Great River

The Great River of Beleriand (S/120), a combination of sîr “river” and the adjective iaun “wide”, reduced to its suffixal form -ion also seen in the names of lands (PE17/42).

Conceptual Development: This river was named G. Sirion in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/238) and was explained as an archaic word for “river” in the Gnomish Lexicon (GL/67). The name N. Sirion appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as an elaboration of N. sîr (Ety/SIR). The derivation given above appeared in Tolkien’s Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/42). In an early name list its Qenya equivalent was given as ᴱQ. Sirion as well (PE13/102).

sîr angren

place name. *River of Iron

Sindarin name of the river Isen (UT/261), a combination of sîr “river” and angren “of iron”.

sîr ninglor

place name. Gladden River

Name of the Gladden River (UT/280), a combination of sîr “river” and ninglor “golden water-flower”, also seen in Loeg Ningloron “Gladden Fields, (lit.) Pools of the Golden Water-flowers” (S/295; SI/Gladden Fields, Loeg Ningloron). The name Sîr Ninglor appears to be Sindarin, but could also be Nandorin like the related name Loeg Ningloron.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this river was first named as N. Palathrin “Gladden” (RS/432).

Anduin

noun. long river

and (“long”) + duin (“long and large river”)

Baranduin

noun. gold-brown river

baran (“gold-brown”) + duin (“long and large river”) David Salo: ”dh and mh were liable to revert to d and m when they came to follow a nasal after syncope” TolkLang message 19.31.

Brithombar

noun. land of river Brithon

Brithon (name of the river “pebbly” [HKF]) + (m-)bar (“dwell, inhabit”)

Celduin

noun. running river

cell (adj. “running, flowing”) + duin (“big and large river”)

Duilwen

noun. green river

duil (“river” [Etym. DUI-] #Ilk.“only”?) + gwên (Ilk. “green”)

Duin D(h)aer

noun. great river (Gelion)

duin (“river”) + daer (“great”); #The variation of the second element might reflect Tolkien's reluctance to use the “uncouth” digraph dh.

Duinhir

noun. river lord

duin (“river”) + hîr (“lord”)

Esgalduin

noun. veiled river

esgal (“veil, screen, cover”) + duin (“river”)

Esgalduin

noun. 'the river under shadow'

n. lit. 'the river under shadow'.

Ethir Anduin

noun. mouths of great river (Anduin)

[His.] ed (“out”) + sîr (“flow, river”), and (“long”) + duin (“long and large river”) David Salo: ”dh and mh were liable to revert to d and m when they came to follow a nasal after syncope” TolkLang message 19.31.

Glanduin

noun. border river

gland (“boundary”) + duin (“long and large river”) David Salo: “dh and mh were liable to revert to d and m when they came to follow a nasal after syncope” TolkLang message 19.31.

Glanhír

noun. border river

gland (“boundary”) + sîr (“river”)

Harnen

noun. South(ern) river

har (from harad “south”) + nen (“water, lesser river”)

Malduin

noun. golden river

mall ([Etym. SMAL-] malt “gold”) + duin (“long and large river”) David Salo: ”dh and mh were liable to revert to d and m when they came to follow a nasal after syncope” TolkLang message 19.31.

Morgulduin

noun. black magic river

morn (“dark, black”) + (n-)gûl (“magic, necromancy”) + duin (“long and large river”)

Sirannon

noun. gate river

sîr (“river”) + annon (“great door, gate”)

Sîr Ninglor

noun. gladden (water-gold) river

sîr (“river”), nîn (pl. of nen “water”) + glaur (“gold”); not clear why the second element of Ninglor is not lenited, David Salo states that gh before a nasal could probably revert back to g, before it became zero, TolkLang message 19.31.

duilwen

place name. *Fresh-river

A river in Beleriand (S/123). The meaning of this name is unclear. Given the river’s location in Ossiriand, this name might be Nandorin instead.

Conceptual Development: This river was named Duilwen in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/263). In The Etymologies, it was designated an Ilkorin name, a compound of Ilk. duil “river” and a form of Ilk. gwene “green” (Ety/DUI, GWEN). Like many of the river names in Ossiriand, Tolkien did not give a new etymology of the name after he abandoned the Ilkorin language.

sirion

noun. the great river

sîr (“river”) + on (augmentative suffix) #Another possible interpretation: “the land of the waters” where ion is archaic pl. genitive suffix.

sirion

place name. properly 'the Vale or lands about the River Síre' or 'the Great Stream'

_ topon. _properly 'the Vale or lands about the River Síre' or 'the Great Stream'. >> -ion

Esgaliant

noun. bridge over veiled river

esgal (“veil, screen, cover”) + iant (“bridge”)

athrad

noun. (river-)crossing, ford, way

duin

noun. (long and large) river (having strong current)

ethir

noun. mouth (of a river), estuary

nen

noun. water (used of a lake, pool or lesser river)

raw

noun. bank (especially of a river)

tol

noun. island, (steep) isle rising with sheer sides from the sea or from a river

rath

noun. course, riverbed

duin

river

(long, large river with strong current) duin (i dhuin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nuin) (VT48:24)

lind

river

”singer” may also be used of rivers (see

sîr

river

1. (also = rill) sîr (i hîr, o sîr), in compounds sir- or -hir or -hír; no distinct pl. form except with article (i sîr), coll. pl. siriath. Note: sîr is also the adverb ”today”. 2) celon (i gelon, o chelon), pl. celyn (pl. i chelyn), 3) The word lind ”singer” may also be used of rivers (see . (WJ.309).

celon

river

(i gelon, o chelon), pl. celyn (pl. i chelyn)

sîr

river

(i hîr, o sîr), in compounds sir- or -hir or -hír; no distinct pl. form except with article (i sîr), coll. pl. siriath. Note: sîr is also the adverb ”today”.

Anduin

long river or great river

Anduin is a Sindarin name meaning "long river" or "great river", composed of and + duin.

Baranduin

Golden-brown river

The name Baranduin was Sindarin for "golden-brown river", from baran and duin.

The Hobbits of the Shire originally gave it the punning name Branda-nîn, meaning "border water" in original Hobbitish Westron. This was later punned again as Bralda-hîm meaning "heady ale" (referring to the colour of its water), which Tolkien renders into English as Brandywine.

The word "Brandywine" both resembles the original Elvish name "Baranduin", and provides the Hobbitish meaning adequately.

duin

large river

(i dhuin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nuin), coll. pl. duinath (Names:179, PM:54); compare the river-name Anduin, ”long river”.

duin

large river

duin (i dhuin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nuin), coll. pl. duinath (Names:179, PM:54); compare the river-name Anduin, ”long river”. GREAT RIVER sirion (i hirion, o sirion), pl. siryn (i siryn); compare Sirion as the name of a river in Beleriand. MOUTH (OUTFLOW) OF A RIVER ethir (estuary), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. ethiriath. Note: a homophone means "spy".

ethir

mouth of a river

ethir (outflow of a river, estuary), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. ethiriath. Note: a homophone means "spy". (noun):

ethir

mouth of a river

(outflow of a river, estuary), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. ethiriath. Note: a homophone means "spy".****

ethir

outflow of a river

ethir (mouth of a river, estuary), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. ethiriath. Note: a homophone means "spy".

ethir

outflow of a river

(mouth of a river, estuary), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. ethiriath. Note: a homophone means "spy".****

lanthir

noun. waterfall

A word for “waterfall” in the name S. Lanthir Lamath “Waterfall of Echoing Voices” (S/235; PM/349). It is probably a combination of the variant root √LAT “fall” (more typically √DAT) and S. sîr “river”, hence “✱falling river”.

duin

large river

(i dhuin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nuin), coll. pl. duinath (Names:179, PM:54)

duin

large river

duin (i dhuin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nuin), coll. pl. duinath (Names:179, PM:54)

ethir

of a river

(estuary), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. ethiriath. Note: a homophone means "spy".

raw

noun. bank (especially of a river)

sirion

great river

(i** hirion, o sirion), pl. siryn (i** siryn).

sirion

great river

sirion (i hirion, o sirion), pl. siryn (i siryn).

sîr

rill (river)

sîr (i hîr, o sîr), in compounds -hir or -hír; no distinct pl. form except with article (i sîr), coll. pl. siriath. Note: sîr is also the adverb ”today”.

thall Speculative

adjective. steep, falling steeply (of river)

Sirannon

noun. gate-stream

sîr (“river”) + annon (“great door or gate”)

athra-

verb. to cross (to and fro)

A verb for “to cross (to and fro)” based on the root √THAR, also used as a prefix (PE17/14).

Conceptual Development: The Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s had ᴱN. athra- “to face, look in a certain direction, oppose” < ᴱON. anthra- based on ᴱN. ant “face, front”.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would assume this verb (and prefix) is used for either crossing back and forth as in athrabeth “conversation”, or a static crossing such as i iant athra i hîr “the bridge crosses the river”. For crossing in a single direction, I would use [N.] athrada- “to cross, traverse”, as in i adan athrada i eryd “the man crosses the mountains [one way]”. For the Early Noldorin sense “to face” I would use ᴺS. nevra-.

gwathló

place name. Greyflood

The Sindarin name of the river “Greyflood” translated on the map of The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1082). This name is a combination of gwath “shadow” and l(h)ô “flood” (UT/263).

Conceptual Development: This name first appeared as N. Gwathlo with a short o on the draft maps of the Lord of the Rings from the 1940s (TI/304, 312).

or

over

(adjectival prefix) or- (above, high)

or

over

(above, high)

thar

over

(adverbial prefix) thar- (across, athwart, beyond)

thar

over

(across, athwart, beyond)

lhûn

lhûn

applied to rivers always full of water, at all seasons draining from mountains, as ringlo, gwathlo.  

Anduin

Anduin

Anduin is a Sindarin name meaning "long river" or "great river", composed of and + duin.

Baranduin

Baranduin

The name Baranduin was Sindarin for "golden-brown river", from baran and duin. The Hobbits of the Shire originally gave it the punning name Branda-nîn, meaning "border water" in original Hobbitish Westron. This was later punned again as Bralda-hîm meaning "heady ale" (referring to the colour of its water), which Tolkien renders into English as Brandywine. The word "Brandywine" both resembles the original Elvish name "Baranduin", and provides the Hobbitish meaning adequately. The word brandywine was actually the archaic English word for brandy as imported from the Dutch brandewijn. David Salo noted that it represents a possible Old English *baernedwin, meaning "burned wine", which would resemble quite closely the original Elvish Baranduin. making Hobbitish Brandywine a legitimate corruption of S. Baranduin.

raw

bank

(esp. river-bank) raw (pl. roe, idh roe), coll. pl. ?rawath or ?roath. Note: homophones mean ”lion” and also ”rush, roaring noise”.

sirion

Sirion

Sirion is a Sindarin/Noldorin name which contains the element sîr. Depending on the meaning of the second element, the name could either mean "great river" or "land of waters" (-ion as augmentative suffix or archaic plural genitive suffix). Its name in Khuzdul was Gabilān, with the element Gabil - "Great".

othrad

street

1. *othrad (pl. ethraid for archaic öthraid). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” ostrad. 2) rath (climb, climbing path, course, riverbed), pl. raist (idh raist) (UT:255). 3)

rath

street

(climb, climbing path, course, riverbed), pl. raist (idh raist) (UT:255).

rath

course

rath (climb, climbing path, street, riverbed), pl. raist (idh raist) (UT:255)

rath

course

(climb, climbing path, street, riverbed), pl. raist (idh raist) (UT:255)

-deid

suffix. his

_3rd sg. poss. suff. his, her.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -ed_. >> -deith, -dyn, -ed, [[]]

-deith

suffix. his

_3rd sg. poss. suff. his, her.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -ed_. >> -deid, -dyn, -ed, [[]]

-dyn

suffix. his

_3rd sg. poss. suff. his, her.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -ed_. >> -deid, -deith, -ed, [[]]

beleg

adjective. large

adj. large, great. Q. melek-.

beleg

adjective. large

adj. large, great, big. . This gloss was rejected.

danna-

verb. to fall

A Sindarin verb for “fall” in Notes on Galadriel’s Song (NGS) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, cognate to Q. lanta- and derived from √DAN-TA (PE17/62). Elsewhere the root for “fall down” was √DAT (VT47/29; VT48/24; Ety/DAT), so √DAN-TA was probably a nasal-infixed variant of the root; compare ᴹ√DAT vs. ᴹ√DANT from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/DAT). In Sindarin, medial ancient nt became nn, so ✱danta- > S. danna-.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. {lanta- >>} lantha- “fall onto, settle on, alight” (GL/52). It had a past form lantathi with a light pencil stroke through it indicating was thus tentatively rejected. This Gnomish verb is clearly cognate to ᴱQ. lant- “drop, fall” from the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LANTAN [LṆTṆ] (QL/51).

The Etymologies of the 1930s had the root {ᴹ√LANT >>} ᴹ√DAT or ᴹ√DANT “fall down” (Ety/DAT, TALÁT; EtyAC/LANTA). Under the entry for ᴹ√DAT, Tolkien had N. dant- “to fall” with passive participle dannen “fallen” (Ety/DAT). Likely N. dant- was a stem form which would become dann- when inflected, since in Noldorin of the 1930s and 40s ancient medial nt also became nn, as it did in Sindarin.

iaun

adjective. large

adj. large, extensive, wide, vast, huge. Q. yāna-. >> -ion

lanthir

noun. waterfall

lhûn

Lhûn

topon. . This gloss was rejected.

lond

noun. narrow path or strait

lond

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lorn

noun. quiet water

lorn

noun. anchorage, harbour

nen

noun. waterland

nen

water

{ĕ}_ n. _water, lake. Q. nén. >> nîn

othrad

noun. street

rath

noun. street

n. street.

rath

noun. street (in a city)

rib-

verb. to flow like a (torrent ?)

The reading of the gloss is uncertain

sîr

stream

_ n. _stream. >> Nanduhirion

tîn

adjective. his

tîn

pronoun. his

Non-lenited form suggested by Carl Hostetter (VT31/21).

în

adjective. his (referring to the subject)

ŷr

noun. course

Harnen

Harnen

Harnen seems to mean "South Water" in Sindarin.

aearon

great ocean

also Gaearon (i** ’Aearon), pl. Gaearyn (i** Ngaearyn = *i Ñaearyn). Also short form Gaeron (i** ‘Aeron), pl. Gaeryn (i** Ngaeryn = i Ñaeryn*). Coll. pl. Gaearonnath, Gaeronnath.

ardhon

great province

(great region, world), pl. erdhyn, coll. pl. ardhonnath.

athrad

crossing

1. athrad (ford), pl. ethraid**, 2) iach (ford), pl. iaich**

athrad

crossing

(ford), pl. ethraid, 2) iach (ford), pl. iaich

baradh

steep

baradh (pl. beraidh, lenited varadh).

baradh

steep

(pl. beraidh, lenited varadh).

bâd

pathway

(i vâd, construct bad) (beaten track), pl. baid (i maid).

celeth

stream

(noun) 1) celeth (i geleth, o cheleth), pl. celith (i chelith), 2) sirith (i hirith, o sirith) (flowing), no distinct pl. except with article (i sirith), 3) nên (water, lake, pool, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn, 4) rant (watercourse, water-channel, lode, vein), pl. raint (idh raint), coll. pl. rannath.

celeth

stream

(i geleth, o cheleth), pl. celith (i chelith)

daedhelos

great fear

daedhelos (i naedhelos, o ndaedhelos), pl. daedhelys (i ndaedhelys). Coll. pl. daedhelossath. A side-form ends in -oth instead of -os. The word appears in the mutated form "ndae<u>d</u>elos" in LotR Appendix F, but since the second element must be delos "abhorrence" and it would surely be lenited following a vowel, this would seem to be one of the cases where Tolkien wrote d even though dh would be technically correct. Another term for GREAT FEAR is goe (i **oe) (terror), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngoe** = i ñoe).

daedhelos

great fear/dread

(i** naedhelos, o ndaedhelos), pl. daedhelys (i** ndaedhelys). Coll. pl. daedhelossath. A side-form ends in -oth instead of -os. The word appears in the mutated form "ndaedelos" in LotR Appendix F, but since the second element must be delos "abhorrence" and it would surely be lenited following a vowel, this would seem to be one of the cases where Tolkien wrote d even though dh would be technically correct.

daer

large

daer (great), lenited dhaer, no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means "bridegroom", but has a different lenited form.

daer

large

(great), lenited dhaer, no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means "bridegroom", but has a different lenited form.

fû Speculative

noun. path

A noun appearing only it is plural form fui “paths” in the name Fui ’Ngorthrim “Paths of the Dead” (RC/526). The most plausible singular form is ✱fû “path”.

gobem

noun. mouth

goe

great fear

goe (i **oe) (terror), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngoe** = i ñoe);

gond

great stone

(i ’ond, construct gon) (rock), pl. gynd (i ngynd = i ñynd), coll. pl. gonnath (Letters:410).

imrad

path

(between mountains, hills or through trackless forest) imrad (pass), pl. imraid.

imrad

path

(pass), pl. imraid.

lae

great number

(no distinct pl. form) (VT45:27), also rim (crowd, host), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh** rim), coll. pl. rimmath**. Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”.

lanthir

waterfall

lanthir (no distinct pl. form). Coll. pl. lanthiriath.

lanthir

waterfall

lanthir (no distinct pl. form). Coll. pl. lanthiriath.

lorn

quiet water

(anchorage, haven, harbour), pl. lyrn (VT45:29).

nên

water

nên (lake, pool, stream, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn. FLOOD-WATER (or ”wash”) iôl (pl. ŷl) (RC:334, VT48:33).

nên

water

(lake, pool, stream, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn.

nên

stream

(water, lake, pool, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn

othrad

noun. street

othrad

street

(pl. ethraid for archaic öthraid). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” ostrad.

pada

walk

(i bada, i phadar)

rant

stream

(watercourse, water-channel, lode, vein), pl. raint (idh raint), coll. pl. rannath.

raw

bank

(pl. roe, idh roe), coll. pl. ?rawath or ?roath. Note: homophones mean ”lion” and also ”rush, roaring noise”.

rimma

flow like a torrent

(i rimma, idh rimmar)

roval

great wing

(pinion, wing), pl. rovail (idh rovail); this is a suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” *rhoval* pl. *rhovel*.

râd

path

râd (track), construct rad, pl. raid (idh raidh).

râd

path

(track), construct rad, pl. raid (idh raidh).

siria

flow

(vb.) siria- (i hiria, i siriar).

siria

flow

(i hiria, i siriar).

sirith

stream

(i hirith, o sirith) (flowing), no distinct pl. except with article (i sirith)

taur

great wood

(i daur, o thaur) (forest), pl. toer (i thoer), coll. pl. torath. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”lofty, high, sublime, noble” etc.

thamas

great hall

pl. themais, coll. pl. thamassath.

tirion

great watchtower

(i** dirion, o thirion), pl. tiryn (i** thiryn).

toll

island

toll (i doll, o tholl, construct tol), pl. tyll (i thyll)

toll

island

(i doll, o tholl, construct tol), pl. tyll (i thyll)

tín

his

*tín (only attested in lenited form dín, following a noun with article). Possibly, the word also covers ”her(s)” and ”its” as a general 3rd person form. If ”his” refers to the same person as the subject, the form ín* is used instead (e.g. i venn sunc i haw ín** ”the man drank his (own) juice”, but *i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his (somebody elses) juice”.

tín

his

(only attested in lenited form dín, following a noun with article). Possibly, the word also covers ”her(s)” and ”its” as a general 3rd person form. If ”his” refers to the same person as the subject, the form ín is used instead (e.g. ✱i venn sunc i haw ín ”the man drank his (own) juice”, but ✱i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his (somebody else’s) juice”.

yr

course

; no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. yrath). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” iôr.

ín

his

(pronoun referring to the subject, e.g. ✱i venn sunc i haw ín ”the man drank his [own] juice”, as opposed to ✱i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his [= another’s] juice”)

ŷr

course

*ŷr (construct yr; no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. yrath). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” iôr.

duinē

noun. (large) river

orlā

preposition. over

nen

root. water, water, [ᴱ√] flow

A root connected to water and (to a lesser extent) rivers for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appearance was as ᴱ√NENE “flow” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, though Tolkien marked both the root and the gloss with a “?”; it had derivatives like ᴱQ. nen “river, †water” and ᴱQ. nēnu “yellow water lily” (QL/65). Under this entry Tolkien noted that “nen water is perhaps different from nen river, which is from neře” (QL/65); elsewhere in QL Tolkien gave ᴱ√NERE² or ᴱ√NEŘE [NEÐE] as the basis for nen (nend-) “river”, a root he said was often confused with ᴱ√NESE “give to feed; feed, pasture; graze” (QL/66). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon he had G. nenn “(1) water, (2) river” and G. nendil “water fay” which were probably a blending of NENE and NEÐE, as well as G. nern “brook” from ✱nere¹ (GL/60), probably corresponding to ᴱ√NERE² from QL.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had unglossed ᴹ√NEN with derivatives like ᴹQ. nén/N. nen “water” and ᴹQ. nelle “brook” (Ety/NEN), whereas ᴱ√NERE² and ᴱ√NEÐE from the 1910s seems to have been abandoned. The primitive form √NEN or nē̆n “water” continued to appear regularly in Tolkien’s writings from the 1940s, 50s and 60s (PE17/52, 167; PE19/102; PE21/64, 79).

sir

root. flow

The root √SIR and similar roots meant “flow” for most of Tolkien’s life. The earliest form of this root was ᴱ√SIŘI [SIÐI] “flow” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with variant sini and derived forms like ᴱQ. sindi “river” and ᴱQ. síre “stream” (QL/84). The latter word became “river” in Tolkien’s later writings, and words appearing in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon like G. sîr “river” and G. siriol “flowing” (GL/67-68) rather than ✱✱sidh- indicate Tolkien very early revised the root to ✱ᴱ√SIRI. Indeed, the root was ᴹ√SIR “flow” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, and the root appeared with this form and essential meaning several times in Tolkien’s later writings (PE22/127, 135).

nē̆n

noun. water

siriānā

place name. Sirion

slōno

place name. Lhûn

kelus

noun. brook

aþra-

verb. to cross (to and fro)

nenda

noun. water

sīru

noun. stream

tollă

noun. island

duinë

noun. (large) river

gabilân

place name. Great River

nâla

noun. path, course, river-course or bed

agathurush

place name. Greyflood

The Adûnaic name of the river S. Gwathló “Greyflood” (UT/263), also glossed “flood under shadow” (VT42/9). This later name does not fit the Adûnaic phonetic rules described by Tolkien in Lowdham’s Report, since “sh” [ʃ] is not a phoneme used in Adûnaic (SD/418). It may be that Tolkien changed his mind about the phonemes of Adûnaic, or it may be that Agathurush had already undergone some of the phonetic changes leading to the Westron language, which had this sound (LotR/1120). It isn’t clear how this name could be decomposed into its elements.