Quenya 

linda

proper name. Singer

The name that the Teleri used to refer to themselves, usually appearing in the plural form Lindar and glossed “The Singers” (SI/Teleri, UT/286). They were so called because in legend, they sang before they could speak with words (WJ/382). The name was derived from the root √LIN “sing” (SA/lin, WJ/382).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name was used for the first tribe, with the gloss “The Fair” (LR/168). It usually appeared as a collective noun, but sometimes appeared in the singular (PE22/51). In The Etymologies, it is given as ᴹQ. linda “fair, beautiful (of sound)” used as a name (Ety/LIND). In later writings, the name of the first tribe became the Vanyar, and Tolkien repurposed this name as another name of the third tribe with a slightly different derivation and meaning.

Cognates

  • Nan. Lindē “Lindar” ✧ NM/347
  • S. Glinnel “*Singer-elf” ✧ WJI/Glinnel; WJ/378
  • T. Linda “Teler” ✧ WJ/382; WJI/Lindar

Derivations

  • LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle” ✧ SA/lin²
  • lindā “*sweet sounding” ✧ WJ/378; WJ/380; WJ/382

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
lin- > Lindar[lindar]✧ SA/lin²
Lindāi > Lindar[lindar]✧ WJ/378
lindā > Lindar[lindā] > [linda]✧ WJ/380
Lindā > Lindar[lindā] > [linda]✧ WJ/382
Quenya [MR/349; MRI/Lindar; NM/347; PE18/073; PMI/Lindar; SA/lin²; SI/Teleri; UT/253; UT/286; UTI/Lindar; WJ/378; WJ/380; WJ/382; WJI/Glinnel; WJI/Lindar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nyello

singer

nyello noun "singer" (NYEL). Compare the final element of Falanyel, #Solonyel, q.v

lírë

song

lírë noun "song", stem #líri- in the instrumental form lírinen "in [the] song" or *"by [the] song" (Nam, RGEO:67)

lírë

noun. song

Derivations

  • LIR “sing, warble, sing, warble, [ᴹ√] trill” ✧ PE17/067

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
LIR > līrĭ-[līri] > [līre]✧ PE17/067

Variations

  • líre ✧ PE17/067
Quenya [LotR/0377; PE17/067; PE17/076; PM/364; RGEO/58; RGEO/59] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lindo

singer, singing bird

lindo noun "singer, singing bird" (LIN2)

lindë

air, tune, singing, song

lindë noun "air, tune, singing, song" (SA:gond, (LIN2, [GLIN]); lindelorendor "music-dream-land"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... _(LotR2:III ch. 4, cf. Letters:308). _Also compare lindi- in lindimaitar, q.v. (but the other compounds here cited do not give a lindë a stem-form lindi-).

lindë

noun. singing, song, musical sound, singing, song, musical sound; [ᴹQ.] air, tune

Cognates

  • S. lind “song, chant, singing; singer, song, chant, singing, [N.] air, tune; [N. and S.] singer”

Derivations

  • LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle”

Element in

Quenya [Let/308; NM/351; PE17/080; PE17/163; SA/gond] Group: Eldamo. Published by

vilwa

air, lower air

[vilwa < wilwa] noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL; in one place vilwa was not struck out, VT46:21) According to VT46:21, Tolkien considered vilda < wilda as a replacement form, but rejected it.

wilma

air, lower air

wilma noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL)

vilya

air, sky

vilya noun "air, sky", also name of tengwa #24. Older wilya. (Appendix E). Early "Qenya" has Vilya (changed from Vilna) "lower air" (LT1:273); also vilya "air" (MC:215)

lirusta

noun. singing, chant

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

lindëa

adjective. singing, *musical

Elements

WordGloss
lindë“singing, song, musical sound, singing, song, musical sound; [ᴹQ.] air, tune”

Sindarin 

laer

noun. song

Element in

laer

noun. song, long lay

Sindarin [Laer Cú Beleg S/406, VT/45:28, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

aerlinn

noun. (unknown meaning, perhaps a song about the sea, or possibly holy song)

Sindarin [RGEO/70, X/ND4] aer+lind (?) "sea-song" or (?) "holy song", OS *airelinde. Group: SINDICT. Published by

lind

noun. song, chant, singing; singer, song, chant, singing, [N.] air, tune; [N. and S.] singer

Cognates

  • Q. lindë “singing, song, musical sound, singing, song, musical sound; [ᴹQ.] air, tune”

Derivations

  • LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle” ✧ PE17/027
  • linde “singer, singing” ✧ WJ/309
    • LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle”

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
LIN > lind[lindē] > [linde] > [lind] > [linn]✧ PE17/027
linde > lin(d)[lindē] > [linde] > [lind] > [linn]✧ WJ/309

Variations

  • lind ✧ PE17/027
  • linn ✧ PE17/027; VT44/24
  • glind ✧ VT50/14
  • glinn ✧ VT50/18
  • lin(d) ✧ WJ/309 (lin(d))
Sindarin [PE17/027; VT44/24; VT50/14; VT50/18; WJ/309] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lind

noun. air, tune

Sindarin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lîr

noun. song, poem, lay

Sindarin [VT/45:28, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lend

adjective. tuneful, sweet

Sindarin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelu

noun. air (as substance)

Sindarin [Ety/398, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lind

singer

(also used of rivers) lind (song, air, tune), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath. (WJ.309). As for "yellow singer", the name of a bird, see YELLOWHAMMER.

lind

singer

(song, air, tune), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath. (WJ.309). As for "yellow singer", the name of a bird, see

linnor

noun. singer

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. lindo “singer, singing bird”

Elements

WordGloss
lind“song, chant, singing; singer, song, chant, singing, [N.] air, tune; [N. and S.] singer”
Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

glîr

song

1) glîr (i **lîr, construct glir) (poem, lay), no distinct pl. form except with article (in glîr), coll. pl. glíriath. 2) laer (no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”summer”. 3) lind (air, tune; also = singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form (WJ.309). See also HYMN regarding the word aerlinn**.

glîr

song

(i ’lîr, construct glir) (poem, lay), no distinct pl. form except with article (in glîr), coll. pl. glíriath. 2)  laer (no distinct pl. form). Note: a homophone means ”summer”. 3) lind (air, tune; also = singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form (WJ.309). See also

lind

air

3) (of music) lind (song, tune; singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath (WJ.309)

lind

air

(song, tune; singer, in the latter sense also used of rivers), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath (WJ.309)

gwelwen

air

1) (as a region) gwelwen (i **welwen), pl. gwelwin (in gwelwin), also gwilith (i **wilith), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwilith)

gwelwen

air

(i ’welwen), pl. gwelwin (in gwelwin), also gwilith (i ’wilith), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwilith)

gwelu

air

2) (as substance) gwelu (i **welu), analogical pl. gwely (in gwely) if there is a pl. The attested form is archaic gwelw** (LR:398 s.v. WIL). Hence the coll. pl. is likely *gwelwath, if there is a coll. pl..

gwelu

air

(i ’welu), analogical pl. gwely (in gwely) if there is a pl. The attested form is archaic gwelw (LR:398 s.v. WIL). Hence the coll. pl. is likely ✱gwelwath, if there is a coll. pl..

lend

tuneful

lend (sweet), pl. lind. Note: a homophone means ”way, journey”.

lend

tuneful

(sweet), pl. lind. Note: a homophone means ”way, journey”.

Primitive elvish

linde

noun. singer, singing

Derivations

  • LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle”

Derivatives

  • S. lind “song, chant, singing; singer, song, chant, singing, [N.] air, tune; [N. and S.] singer” ✧ WJ/309
Primitive elvish [WJ/309] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

lhinn

noun. air, tune

Noldorin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhaer

noun. song, long lay

Noldorin [Laer Cú Beleg S/406, VT/45:28, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwilith

noun. air (as a region)

Noldorin [Ety/398] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhind

noun. air, tune

Noldorin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

glîr

noun. song, poem, lay

Noldorin [Ety/359] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhîr

noun. song, poem, lay

Noldorin [VT/45:28, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelwen

noun. air, lower air (distinct from the upper air of the stars, or the outer)

Noldorin [Ety/398] gwelu+men. Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelw

noun. air (as substance)

Noldorin [Ety/398, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhend

adjective. tuneful, sweet

Noldorin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Valarin 

šebeth

noun. air

Qenya 

liruste

noun. singing, chant

Element in

  • ᴹQ. lirustea “fit for singing, to be sung” ✧ PE22/110

Elements

WordGloss
liru-“to sing (gaily)”
-ste“general action verbal suffix”

nyello

noun. singer

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NYEL “ring, sing, give out a sweet sound” ✧ Ety/NYEL

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NYEL > nyello[njello]✧ Ety/NYEL

vista

place name. Air

Name for the region of Air in Silmarillion notes from the 1930s (SM/236). It is simply vista “air as substance” used as a name.

Elements

WordGloss
vista“air as substance”
Qenya [LRI/Vista; SM/236; SM/240; SM/241; SMI/Vista; SMI/Wilwa] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

lind

noun/adjective. tuneful, sweet; *singing

An adjective meaning “tuneful, sweet” developed from primitive ᴹ✶lindā (Ety/LIND, EtyAC/LIND). It is an example of how the usual Ilkorin a-affection was prevented or reverted before [nd], as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL-Ilkorin/lind). This word may also have had the sense “✱singing” in the word myrilind “nightingale = ✱night singing”, from primitive ᴹ✶lindē.

Cognates

  • N. lhend “tuneful, sweet” ✧ Ety/LIND

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶lindā “sweet sounding” ✧ Ety/LIND
    • ᴹ√LIN “sing” ✧ EtyAC/LIND
  • ᴹ√LIN “sing” ✧ Ety/TIN

Element in

  • Ilk. myrilind “nightingale” ✧ Ety/TIN

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶LINDĀ > lind[lindā] > [linda] > [lenda] > [linda] > [lind]✧ Ety/LIND
Doriathrin [Ety/LIND; Ety/TIN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

lindē

noun. *singing

Derivations

  • ᴹ√LIN “sing”

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. linde “air, tune”
  • N. lhinn “air, tune”

Element in

Middle Primitive Elvish [SD/302] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lindō

noun. singer

Derivations

  • ᴹ√LIN “sing” ✧ Ety/TUY

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. lindo “singer, singing bird”

Element in

  • ᴹ✶tuilelindō “spring-singer, swallow” ✧ Ety/TUY
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/TUY] Group: Eldamo. Published by

wis

root. air

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. vista “air as substance” ✧ Ety/WIS
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/WIS; EtyAC/SWES] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

dólin

noun. song

Derivations

Element in

  • G. Gondolin “Stone of Song” ✧ LT1A/Gondolin

Variations

  • dôlin ✧ GL/29
Gnomish [GL/29; LT1A/Gondolin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwail

noun. air

Derivations

  • ᴱ√GWILI “*fly” ✧ GL/45

Element in

  • G. gwailtha- “to air; expose to air” ✧ GL/45

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√gu̯il > gwail[gʷīl] > [gʷail]✧ GL/45

Early Noldorin

golyn

noun. song

gôl

noun. song

Variations

  • gól ✧ PE13/145
  • golyn ✧ PE13/145
Early Noldorin [PE13/145] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

linda

adjective. singing

Element in

  • Eq. Ondolinda “Singing Stone” ✧ LT1A/Gondolin

Elements

WordGloss
lin“melody, air, tune, musical voice”

Variations

  • linda ✧ LT1A/Gondolin (linda)
Early Quenya [LT1A/Gondolin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lindo

noun. singer

Derivations

Element in

  • Eq. tuilindo “swallow, (lit.) spring-singer” ✧ LT1A/Tuilérë
  • Eq. Varavilindo “*Birdwarden”
Early Quenya [LT1A/Tuilérë] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lindea

adjective. singing, *musical

Element in

Early Quenya [MC/216; PE16/090; PE16/092; QL/054] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ilma

noun. air

A word for “air” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/142), probably based on the early root ᴱ√ILU “ether”. Later ᴹQ. Ilma was used for “Starlight” (Ety/GIL; LR/205).

Elements

WordGloss
ILU“ether, the slender airs among the stars”
Early Quenya [PE16/142] Group: Eldamo. Published by