A neologism for “car” coined by Luinyelle posted on 2025-06-03 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) as a combination of √nor- “run” and [N.] gaud “machine”.
Sindarin
ruin
adjective. (fiery) red
run-
verb. to rub, grind
noriod
noun. car, automobile, (lit.) run-machine
nor
run
(verb) 1) nor- (i nôr, in nerir). Only attested as imperative noro! 2) *yr-. Only the ”Old Noldorin” form yurine* ”I run” is given in the source; the verbal stem would become ior**- in ”Noldorin”, but apparently *yr- in Sindarin. Compare COURSE, q.v., where the words come from the same root __-.
nor
run
(i nôr, in nerir). Only attested as imperative noro! 2) ✱yr-. Only the ”Old Noldorin” form yurine ”
nor-
verb. to run (of men and animals using legs), to run (of men and animals using legs); [G.] to roll [of vehicles]
A verb for “to run”, most famously used in the phrase noro lim, noro lim Asfaloth “run swift, run swift, Asfaloth” (LotR/213; PE17/18). In Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien indicated its full meaning was “run (of men and animals using legs: not of fluids etc.)” (PE17/18), while in notes from around 1965 Tolkien said it meant “run (or leap: of animals, men etc.)” and was derived from the root √NOR of the same meaning (PE17/168).
Conceptual Development: This verb dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, which had G. nor- “run, roll” (GL/61), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√NORO “run, go smoothly, ride, spin” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Nornorë; QL/67). The root ᴹ√NOR reappeared in a rejected page of verbal roots in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) of 1948, where it was glossed “run as of wheels, roll along” (PE22/127). The verb N. nor- was also used in Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s in the untranslated phrase nora-lim, nora-lim (RS/196).
Neo-Sindarin: It is possible that by the 1950s and 60s, S. nor- could only be used for “run (with legs)”. However, for purposes of Neo-Sindarin I prefer to assume it could still be used of vehicles moving on wheels, but only when those vehicle are moving at or near full speed. It is clear that it cannot be used for running water, however.
Lossoth
noun. the Snowmen
anfangrim
noun. the Longbeards (a tribe of Dwarves)
anglennatha
verb. (he) will approach
avo
verb. don't!
Used as a negative adverb before an imperative: avo garo "don't do it!". Sometimes used as prefix: avgaro
avon
verb. I won't
caran
adjective. red
caran
red
_ adj. _red, ruddy. >> Caradhras
caran
adjective. red
cuio
verb. live!
dagorath
noun. all the battles
drúwaith
noun. the wilderness of the Drû-men (q.v.)
falathrim
noun. people of the Falas
gaer
adjective. red, copper-coloured, ruddy
galadhad
noun. the Two Trees of Valinor
lammas
noun. account of tongues
lâf
verb. (he) licks
lôd
verb. (he) floats
nor-
verb. to run
nor-
verb. to ride
nor-
verb. run (of men and animals using legs : not of fluids
noro
verb. run! ride!
Untranslated in LotR, but written nora-lim and rendered as "ride on" in RS/196 (not a literal translation) and later translated as "run swift" in RC/195. A verb nor- is attested in the old Gnomish lexicon, PE/11:61, with the meaning "to run, roll"
noro lim, noro lim asfaloth
run swift, run swift, Asfaloth
northa-
verb. make run
_v. _make run, specially of riding horses or other animals. Q. norta-. >> nor-
northa-
verb. to make run, to make run (of horses and animals), *ride; [G.] to send rolling [as a vehicle], speed
A causative verb in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s based on the root √NOR “run”, meaning “make run, specially used of riding horses or other animals” so probably also having the sense “✱ride” like its Quenya cognate Q. norta- (PE17/168).
Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. northa- “to send rolling, speed” (GL/61), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√NORO “run, go smoothly, ride, spin” (QL/67). This early root had other derivatives like G. norn “wheel”.
Neo-Sindarin: I let the root √NOR retain the sense “roll” for purposes of Neo-Eldarin, so I would keep the sense “send rolling, speed” for S. northa- as well, using it for both “ride [an animal]” and “ride [a vehicle]”.
pêd
verb. (he) says
rammas
noun. (great) wall
rib-
verb. to flow like a (torrent ?)
The reading of the gloss is uncertain
roch
noun. horse, swift horse for riding
roch
noun. horse
The usual word for “horse” in Sindarin, a derivative of ✶rokkō (Let/282, 382) and very well attested. There are indications that this word was more specifically a “swift horse” (Let/382; EtyAC/ROK), but in most cases Tolkien used it generically.
Conceptual Development: The first precursor to this word seems to be G. brog “horse” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/24), though at the time it had no Qenya cognates. ᴱN. brog “horse” reappeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/139), but by The Etymologies of the 1930s it had become N. roch “horse”, already with the derivation given above (Ety/ROK; EtyAC/ROK). Tolkien seems to have mainly stuck with this form thereafter.
rochirrim
noun. horse-lords, the people of Rohan
tôl
verb. (he) comes
According to WJ/301, the expression tôl acharn "vengeance comes" was later changed to tûl acharn by Tolkien
ónen
noun. I gave
Written onen in some editions of LotR. In the Qenyaqetsa, Qenya anta- is marked as having an irregular past tense áne. Assuming the same sound-shifts as observed in other words, this would indeed lead to onen in Sindarin, see PE/12:31 and TT/14:48-49
annor-
verb. to attack, assault, (lit.) towards-run
bad
go
#bad- (i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.
bad
go
(i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.
born
red
(hot), lenited vorn, pl. byrn
caran
red
1) caran (lenited garan, pl. cerain). Also carn (lenited garn, pl. cern), 2) coll (scarlet), lenited goll, pl. cyll (VT45:15, 24). Note: homophones mean "hollow" and also "cloak". 3) born (hot), lenited vorn, pl. byrn, 4) (fiery red) naru (analogical pl. nery). The archaic fom narw is also listed (LR:374 s.v. _NAR_1). 5) rhosc (russet, brown), lenited ?throsc or ?rosc (the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhysc. Cf. also
caran
red
(lenited garan, pl. cerain). Also carn (lenited garn, pl. cern)
cell
running
(of water: flowing), lenited gell; pl. cill
coll
red
(scarlet), lenited goll, pl. cyll (VT45:15, 24). Note: homophones mean "hollow" and also "cloak".
crann
ruddy
(lenited grann, pl. crain).
gaer
red, reddish
(copper-coloured, ruddy); lenited ’aear; no distinct pl. form. (This is a suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” goer.) Note: homophones mean "dreadful, awful, fearful; holy" and also "sea".
ior
i
in ”Noldorin”, but apparently ✱yr- in Sindarin. Compare
lob-
verb. to gallop, *lope, [G.] run
lobor
horse
lobor, analogical pl. lebyr (VT45:28)
lobor
horse
analogical pl. **lebyr **(VT45:28)
naru
red
(analogical pl. nery). The archaic fom narw is also listed (LR:374 s.v. NAR1).
rhosc
red
(russet, brown), lenited ?throsc or ?rosc *(the lenition product of rh is uncertain)*, pl. rhysc. Cf. also
rimma
flow like a torrent
(i rimma, idh rimmar)
roch
horse
(swift horse for riding) roch, pl. rych (idh rych) (Letters:282)
roch
horse
pl. rych (idh rych) (Letters:282)
siria
flow
(vb.) siria- (i hiria, i siriar).
siria
flow
(i hiria, i siriar).
A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2020 specifically for Eldamo based on the root √RUN of similar meaning (PE17/89). This very hypothetical verb is one of the few situations in which basic verb might have the vowel u, since normally in Sindarin a short u became o, but it is preserved before nasals as with trunc “great stake” or mund “bull”.