sam

root. to have, have; [ᴹ√] unite, join

The root ᴹ√SAM “unite, join” was a later addition to The Etymologies of the 1930s with the derivative ᴹQ. samnar “diphthongs” (Ety/SAM). There is also evidence for it in the word ᴹQ. sampane “combination” as in ᴹQ. Lámasampane “Combination of Sounds”, a term used in the first version of the Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ1) from the 1930s (PE18/40), and again in the second version (TQ2) from around 1950 (PE18/90). In an isolated note from the late 1930s, Tolkien gave ᴹ√kam “bind, join” as a replacement for √sam along with a new word ᴹQ. okamna “diphthong” (VT44/13), but given the reappearance of Q. sampanë in TQ2 this may have been a transient idea, and in any case Tolkien used the word Q. ohlon for “diphthong” in the 1950s and 60s (VT39/9; VT48/29).

In notes grouped with Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, Tolkien gave √SAM as the basis for Elvish verbs for “to have”, with Q. samin and S. sevin “✱I have” (PE17/173). Whether this was connected to 1930s ᴹ√SAM “unite, join” is unclear. In notes associated with the 1959-60 essay Ósanwe-kenta, Tolkien gave the root √SAM with the gloss “mind, think, reflect, be aware” (VT41/5), but in later writings he used √SAN for “think, use mind” instead (PE22/158); see that entry for discussion.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I’d use √SAM = “have”.

sam

root. mind, think, reflect, be aware

sam-wē

noun. an act of thinking, a thought

im Reconstructed

root. same, alike, [ᴱ√] same, alike

A root whose existence is implied in Tolkien’s writings from the 1950s and 60s by various reflexive pronouns such as Q. imni “myself” and S. im “self(same)” (VT47/37). Though the root itself did not appear in Tolkien’s later writings, it seems to have been a long standing idea of his, appearing as ᴱ√IMI “same, alike” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives such as ᴱQ. iminqa “exactly alike, identical” and ᴱQ. inye- “imitate, make like” (QL/42). It seems to have had Gnomish derivatives from this period as well, such as G. inco “the same, the identical”, though Tolkien put this form under the root for the definite article: ᴱ√I (GL/50). In any case, √IM as the basis for “sameness” and reflexives seems to have been a well established idea in Tolkien’s languages.

asmarō

noun. *neighbor

sapnā

noun. delved hole, pit

sam

noun. chamber, chamber, [G.] room

The word sammath “chambers” appeared in the name Sammath Naur “Chambers of Fire” for the cavernous chambers in the interior of Mount Doom (LotR/942). It appears to be the class-plural of an otherwise unattested noun ✱sam “chamber”.

Conceptual Development: Earlier forms of this word were G. tham “chamber, room” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/72) and N. tham “hall” from The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√STAB (Ety/STAB). The Gnomish word was cognate to ᴱQ. sambe “room, chamber” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SAMA (QL/81), though the Gnomish form tham indicates the actual form of the root was (or became) ✱ᴱ√ÞAMA. Likewise the Noldorin word in the 1930s was cognate to ᴹQ. sambe “room, chamber” but with a distinct gloss = “hall” (Ety/STAB). The form sammath from the 1950s may indicate another revision of the root to √SAB or √SAM, though both of these conflict with other roots from the 1950s and 60s: √SAB “believe” (PE22/158) and √SAM “to have” (PE17/183).

Alternately, sammath could in fact be based on [N.] tham, with the initial consonant dissimilating away from the final -th, a phenomenon also seen in úthaes “temptation”. Hat-tip to Elaran for pointing this out to me.

Neo-Sindarin: I now prefer this final explanation of sammath as an abnormal class-plural of tham, and so would use tham for both “hall” and “chamber” in the singular, but would make sammath its class plural.

sam

noun. chamber

Sammath Naur

place name. Sammath Naur

topon. >> naur

sammath naur

place name. Chambers of Fire

The heart of Mount Doom, translated “Chambers of Fire” (LotR/942), a combination of the class-plural of sam “chamber” and the noun naur “fire”.

Sammath Naur

noun. chambers of fire

sam(b) (“chamber, room”) + ath (collective plural suffix), naur (“fire”)

sammar

noun. *neighbor

samarad

noun. two neighbours

sammar

noun. neighbour

sammath

noun. chambers

sam

chamber

sam (i ham, o sam), pl. saim, coll. pl. sammath

sam

chamber

(i ham, o sam), pl. saim, coll. pl. sammath

sammar

neighbour

sammar (i hammar, o sammar), pl. semmair (i semmair). Also ahamar (pl. ehemair). Dual samarad, 2 neighbours (VT48:20)

samp

noun. spade, shovel

perhael

masculine name. Samwise, (lit.) Half-wise

Sindarin name of Samwise (SD/126), literally “Half-wise” (PE17/102), appearing in its lenited form Berhael in the Praises of Cormallen (LotR/953). His name appears to be a combination of per- “half” and the lenited form of sael “wise”.

Conceptual Development: In unpublished epilogue to The Lord of the Rings, this name first appeared as N. Perhail “Halfwise” (SD/118), using an earlier word N. sail “wise” based on Noldorin phonology: see N. [[n|[ai] revised to [ae]]].

a pherhael ar am meril suilad uin aran o minas tirith nelchaenen ned echuir

to Samwise and Rose the King’s greeting from Minas Tirith, the thirty-first day of Stirring

sav-

verb. to have

A verb for “to have” in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, derived from the root √SAM of the same meaning (PE17/173). It was the opposite of pen- “to lack, have not”. As such, it seems the verb sav- was not usually negated, but pen- was used instead as in penim vast “we have no bread” [= (lit.) ✱“we lack bread”] (PE17/144).

ain

adjective. same, identical

A Neo-Sindarin analog of Q. imya. As originally coined by Fiona Jallings this word was aif, but Elaran pointed out that likely it would become ain because [[os|[mj] became [nj]]] in Old Sindarin: [imjā] > [inja] > [enja] > [ein] > [ain].

aif

adjective. same

sevin

8r$5% verb. I have

v. aor. & pron. suff. I have. Q. samin. >> -n

ahamar

noun. neighbour

ahamar

noun. *neighbor

cathr

noun. carpenter

ertha-

verb. to unite

feleg

noun. cave

n. cave, mine, underground dwelling. Q. felco. Q.

groth

noun. cave, tunnel, large excavation

groth

noun. delving, underground dwelling

rond

noun. cave roof

rond

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

roth

noun. cave

n. cave. Q. rondo.

an-

very

(as adverbial prefix) an-, as in:

an-

very

as in:

dae

very

dae (exceedingly). Lenited dhae.

dae

adverb. very

dae

very

(exceedingly). Lenited dhae.

ertha

unite

#ertha- (i ertha, in erthar). Isolated from the gerund #erthad (itself isolated from aderthad "reunion").

ertha

unite

(i ertha, in erthar). Isolated from the gerund #erthad (itself isolated from aderthad "reunion").

fela

cave

(pl. fili). In the Etymologies (LR:381 s.v. PHÉLEG) the name Felagund is said to include this word, but since Tolkien later re-explained this name as a borrowing from Dwarvish, some would consider fela as a word for ”cave” conceptually obsolete.

gar

have

(i ’âr, i ngerir = i ñerir) (hold, possess; be able, can); pa.t. garant. (AI:92, VT45:14)

gar

have

gar- (i **âr, i ngerir = i ñerir) (hold, possess; be able, can); pa.t. garant**. (AI:92, VT45:14)

golu

wisdom

*golu (i ngolu = i ñolu, o n**golu = o ñgolu) (secret lore), analogical pl. gely (in gely = i ñgely) if there is a pl. Archaic golw, hence golwath** as the likely coll. pl.

golu

wisdom

(i ngolu = i ñolu, o n’golu = o ñgolu) (secret lore), analogical pl. gely (in gely = i ñgely) if there is a pl. Archaic golw, hence golwath as the likely coll. pl.

groth

cave

(i ’roth) (delving, large excavation), pl. gryth (in gryth) (VT46:12)

grôd

cave

1) grôd (i **rôd, construct grod) (delving, excavation, underground dwelling), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414), 2) groth (i **roth) (delving, large excavation), pl. gryth (in gryth) (VT46:12), 3) rond (construct ron) (cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath, 4) roth (delving, large excavation), pl. ryth, 4) gathrod (i **athrod), pl. gethryd (i ngethryd = i ñethryd), 5) fela (pl. fili). In the Etymologies (LR:381 s.v. PHÉLEG) the name Felagund is said to include this word, but since Tolkien later re-explained this name as a borrowing from Dwarvish, some would consider fela** as a word for ”cave” conceptually obsolete.

grôd

cave

(i ’rôd, construct grod) (delving, excavation, underground dwelling), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414)

gûr

inner mind

(i ’ûr, construct gur) (heart), pl. guir (i nguir = i ñuir). Note: A homophone means ”death”, but has different mutations. (VT41:11)

ind

mind

ind (inner thought, meaning, heart), no distinct pl. form;, coll. pl. innath.

ind

mind

(inner thought, meaning, heart), no distinct pl. form;, coll. pl. innath.

othronn

fortress in a cave/caves

(pl. ethrynn for archaic öthrynn) (underground stronghold). Cited in archaic form othrond in the source (WJ:414).

pannen

adjective. arranged, settled, done

rhûd

artificial cave

(construct rhud, with article ?i thrûd or ?i rûd – *the lenition product of rh- is uncertain) (dwelling underground, rockhewn hall, mine), pl. rhuid (?idh ruid). (PM:365)*

rhûd

rockhewn hall

(construct rhud, with article ?i thrûd or ?i rûd – the lenition product of rh- is uncertain) (dwelling underground, artificial cave, mine), pl. rhuid (?idh ruid). (PM:365);

rond

cave

(construct ron) (cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

rond

hall with vaulted roof

(construct ron) (cave, cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

roth

cave

(delving, large excavation), pl. ryth, 4) gathrod (i ’athrod), pl. gethryd (i ngethryd = i ñethryd)

sab-

verb. to dig

saelas

noun. wisdom

@@@ Discord 2023-03-06

tham

hall

tham, pl. thaim, coll. pl. thammath;

tham

hall

pl. thaim, coll. pl. thammath;

thamas

great hall

pl. themais, coll. pl. thamassath;

thavron

carpenter

thavron (wright, builder), pl. thevryn, coll. pl. thavronnath

thavron

carpenter

(wright, builder), pl. thevryn, coll. pl. thavronnath****

sam-

verb. to have

A verb for “to have” in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, derived from the root √SAM of the same meaning. It was the opposite of pen- “to lack, have not”.

sampanë

noun. combination

A word appearing as an element in Lámasampanë “Combination of Sounds” from both the first (TQ1) and second (TQ2) versions of Tengwesta Qenderinwa from the 1940s and early 1950s (PE18/40, 90). It is likely a combination of ᴹ√SAM “unite, join” and ᴹ√PAN “place, fix”, hence “✱unite and place”.

sam-

have

#sam- vb. "have" (cited as samin, 1st person sg. aorist), pa.t. sámë (PE17:173)

samnar

diphthongs

samnar noun "diphthongs" (sg. #samna "diphthong"?) (SAM; in one text probably dating to late 1930s, Tolkien rejects "osamnar" as the word for "diphthong", introducing the form ocamna to replace it. See VT44:13-14.)

sambë

room, chamber

sambë (þ) noun "room, chamber" (STAB)

samin

silk

samin (samind-) noun "silk" (QL:81)

saminda

silken

saminda, saminwa adj. "silken" (QL:81)

samna

wooden post

samna (þ) noun "wooden post" (STAB)

samno

carpenter, wright, builder

samno (þ) noun "carpenter, wright, builder" (STAB)

sampa

spade

sampa noun "spade" (QL:82, PE16:145); cf. the verb sapa- "dig"

samna

noun. delved hole, pit

sampane#

noun. combination

combination

sáma

mind

sáma noun "mind" (pl. sámar and dual samat [sic, read *sámat?] are given) (VT39:23, VT41:5, VT49:33, PE17:183)

sáma

noun. mind

asambar

neighbour

asambar, asambaro noun "neighbour"; also armaro (VT48:20). Since the ending -o is associated with the masculine gender, the form asambar may be gender-neutral whereas the other forms are gender-marked as masculine.

osamnar

diphthong

osamnar, noun a word for "diphthong" (actually plural "diphthongs", sg. #osamna?) which Tolkien in the late thirties (?) replaced by ocamna, q.v.

asambar(o)

noun. *neighbor

sampan-

verb. to combine

A neologism for “to combine” coined by Orondil posted on 2023-02-24 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), inspired by sampanë “combination”.

sambesta

noun. flat, apartment

A neologism coined by Luinyelle posted on 2023-11-04 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of [ᴹQ.] sambe “room” with the collective suffix -sta.

sampa-

noun. to shovel

A neologism for “to shovel” coined by Luinyelle posted on 2025-05-25 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a verb form of the noun [ᴱQ.] sampa “shovel”.

sama-

verb. to bar, exclude

A neologism for “to bar, exclude” coined by Paul Strack in a 2023-04-24 discussion on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), based on ✶stama- of the same meaning.

samin

noun. silk

saminda

adjective. silken

sampa

noun. spade, *shovel

sama

pronoun. that thing/matter (mentioned)

samo

pronoun. that person (mentioned)

sampo

noun. *cellar, vault; cave, hollow

immo

same one, self

immo, "same one, self" (VT49:33), general singular reflexive pronoun (covering both the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person sg.), except where the subject is impersonal, in which case imma is used instead (VT47:37). Hence *tirin immo* "I watch [my]self", tirilyë immo "you watch [your]self", tiris immo "(s)he watches [him/her]self" (but apparently tiris imma** "it watches [it]self").

imya

same, identical, selfsame

imya adj. "same, identical, selfsame" (VT47:37)

im-

prefix. same, self

imma

pronoun. same, self-same, same thing

immo

pronoun. same one (person), self

imya

adjective. same, identical, self-same

imba

pronoun. same, self-same

harya-

verb. to have, to have, *hold, [ᴹQ.] possess

A verb in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “possess” under the root ᴹ√ƷAR “have, hold” (Ety/ƷAR). There was another variant arya- “to possess” under the entry for ᴹ√GAR, but this was deleted (EtyAC/GAR). The verb harya- reappeared in the Merin sentence merin sa haryalyë alassë nó vanyalyë Ambarello “I hope that you have happiness before you pass from the world”, probably from the 1950s.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mainly use harya- for “have” as in currently have ahold of or possess something which can be lost or given up. For more abstract senses of “have”, including possession of inalienable traits or relationships that do no imply ownership, I would use sam-.

pen-

to have

pen- vb. negative of #sam- "to have" (q.v.), used as a negative answer to inquires on ownership: penin "no / I haven't" (PE17:173)

imyalë

noun. sameness

Sauro

carpenter, wright, builder

[sauro] (2) (þ) noun "carpenter, wright, builder", changed by Tolkien to samno (VT46:15)

armaro

neighbour

armaro noun "neighbour"; also asambar, asambaro (VT48:20, VT49:25)

imma

itself

imma *"itself", impersonal reflexive pronoun referring to the "same thing" (VT47:37) as the subject; compare immo.

ita

very, extremely

ita, íta adv. 2) "very, extremely" (PE17:112). Like #1 above, this element emerged as part of Tolkiens efforts to explain the initial element of the name Idril (Q Itaril), so it is questionable if #1 and #2 were ever meant to coexist in the "same" version of Quenya.

sap-

dig

sap- or sapa- vb. "dig", pa.t. sampë (PE16:145, QL:82); cf. sampa, and sapsanta below.

sauna

wooden post

[sauna] (þ) noun "wooden post", changed by Tolkien to samna (VT46:15)

armaro

noun. *neighbor

insa

pronoun. itself

an-

very

an- (2) intensive or superlative prefix carrying the idea of "very" or "most", seen in ancalima "most bright" (cf. calima "bright"), antara "very high, very lofty" and #anyára "very old" or "oldest" (the latter form occurring in the so-called Elaine inscription [VT49:40], there with the dative ending -n). Assimilated to am- before p-, as in amparca ("k") "very dry", and to al-, ar-, as- before words in l-, r-, s- (though Tolkien seems to indicate that before words in l- derived from earlier d, the original quality of the consonant would be preserved so that forms in and- rather than all- would result). See also un-. (Letters:279, VT45:5, 36) Regarding the form of the superlative prefix before certain consonants, another, partially discrepant system was also set down in the Etymologies and first published in VT45:36. The prefix was to appear as um- or un- before labialized consonants like p-, qu-, v- (the consonant v preserving its ancient pronunciation b- following the prefix, thus producing a word in umb-), as in- (technically iñ-) before c- and g- (the latter presumably referring to words that originally had initial g-, later lost in Quenya but evidently preserved following this prefix), and as an- otherwise. However, this system would contradict the canonical example ancalima, which would have been *incalima if Tolkien had maintained this idea. In a post-LotR source, the basic form of the prefix is given as am- instead (see am- #2). In this late conception, the prefix still appears as an- before most consonants, but as ama- before r, l, and the form an- is used even before s- (whether original or from þ), not the assimilated variant as- described above. General principles would suggest that the form am- should also appear before y- (so the form #anyára probably presupposes an- rather than am- as the basic form of the prefix, Tolkien revisiting the earlier concept in the _Elaine inscription). (PE17:92)_

felco

cave, mine, underground dwelling

felco noun "cave, mine, underground dwelling" (PE17:118); also felca, felehta

felya

cave

felya noun "cave" (PHÉLEG), "mine, boring, tunnel, underground dwel[ling]" (PE17:118)

foa

hoard, treasure

foa (2) noun "hoard, treasure" (LT2:340; perhaps obsoleted by #1 above)

haura, hauza

noun. hoard

hoard, store

insa

itself

insa *"itself", 3rd person sg. impersonal reflexive pronoun, e.g. *tiris insa "it watches itself" (but apparently the general reflexive pronoun immo may also be used, and it may even be preferable since the cluster ns seems unusual for Quenya). Compare insë, the corresponding personal form.

lai

very

[lai adverbial particle "very" (VT45:8)]

nolwë

wisdom, secret lore

nolwë ("ñ")noun "wisdom, secret lore" (ÑGOL)

ocamna

diphthong

ocamna ("k")noun "diphthong" (VT44:13)

ocamnar

noun. diphthongs

diphthongs

ohlon

diphthong

ohlon (pl. ohloni is attested) noun "diphthong", used of both vocalic diphthongs and "consonantal diphthongs" like mb(VT39:9)

ohlon

noun. diphthong

rotelë

cave

rotelë noun "cave" (LT2:347)

rotto

cave, tunnel

rotto noun "cave, tunnel" (VT46:12), "a small grot or tunnel" (PM:365)

sanar

mind

sanar noun "mind" (literally "thinker" or "reflector", suggesting an underlying verb #sana- "to think, to reflect") (VT41:13)

síma

mind, imagination

síma noun "mind, imagination" (VT49:16); variant isima. Also attested with endings: símaryassen "in their imaginations" (with the ending -rya used = "their" rather than "his/her", according to colloquial useage) (VT49:16)

lai

adverb. very

sap-

verb. to dig

tham

noun. hall

thavron

noun. carpenter, wright, builder

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s appearing under the root ᴹ√STAB with the gloss “carpenter, wright, builder” and derived from ON. sthabro(ndo), itself an elaboration of ᴹ✶stabrō after the more ancient agental formation became too indistinct (Ety/STAB).

Conceptual Development: Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s had ᴱN. adengion, edengion or edebion “builder”, based on ᴱN. adag- “to build” with infinitive form ᴱN. adob, the latter also a noun for “a building” (PE13/136, 158).

dae

adverb. very

fela

noun. cave

fela

noun. cave

gathrod

noun. cave

gathrod

noun. cave

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cave”, apparently a combination of N. gath “cavern” and ᴹ√ROT “tunnel” (Ety/GAT(H)). Its initial element also appeared in the name N. Doriath “Land of the Cave”, but in later writings S. Doriath was redefined as “Land of the Fence” with final element S. iath “fence” (WJ/370), so N. gathrod “cave” was probably abandoned.

rhond

noun. cave roof

rhond

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

rhonn

noun. cave roof

rhonn

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

rond

noun. cave

tham

noun. hall

thamas

noun. great hall

thamb

noun. hall

thambas

noun. great hall

thavron

noun. carpenter, wright, builder

cathor

noun. carpenter

hauda

noun. hoard

hoard, store