poldorë

strong, burly

poldorë noun? (not glossed, derived from polda "strong, burly": possibly "strength" as an abstract) (POL/POLOD)

astalda

adjective. strong, *valiant

An adjective glossed “strong” and derived from the root √STAL in a page of notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115). This page was rejected, but Tolkien used Astaldo “Valiant” as a sobriquet of Tulkas in later versions of The Silmarillion. As such, I would assume [ᴺQ.] astalda is valid for purposes of Neo-Quenya, but I would use it with the meaning “✱valiant” rather than “strong”.

Derivations

• √STAL “strong” ✧ PE17/115

Element in

• Q. Astaldo “Valiant”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√STAL > astalda	[astalda]	✧ PE17/115

sorna

steadfast

sorna (þ) adj. "steadfast" (PE17:113)

sorna

adjective. steadfast

Cognates

• S. thorn “steadfast” ✧ PE17/113

Derivations

• √STOR “steadfast” ✧ PE17/113

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√THOR > thorna > sorna	[tʰorna] > [θorna] > [sorna]	✧ PE17/113

Turcafinwë

strong, powerful (in body) finwë

Turcafinwë masc. name, "strong, powerful (in body) Finwë", masc. name; he was called Celegorm in Sindarin. Short Quenya name Turco. (PM:352), compare #turco "chief" (q.v.)

turca

adjective. strong, powerful (in body)

An adjective for “strong, powerful (in body)” appearing as the initial element in the name Turkafinwë, father name of Celegorm (PM/352). ᴱQ. turka also appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s as a variant of ᴱQ. tulka “strong”.

Derivations

• √TURUK “*strong”

Element in

• Q. Turcafinwë “strong, powerful (in body)” ✧ PM/352

Variations

• Turka ✧ PM/352 (Turka)

turcafinwë

masculine name. strong, powerful (in body)

The father-name of Celegorm, a compound of turca “strong” and the name of his grandfather Finwë (PM/352).

Elements

Word	Gloss
turca	“strong, powerful (in body)”
Finwë

Variations

• Turkafinwë ✧ PM/352; PMI/Celegorm
• Turko ✧ PM/352; PMI/Celegorm

sanda

firm, true, abiding

sanda (þ) (1) adj. "firm, true, abiding" (STAN)

sarta

steadfast, trusty, loyal

sarta adj. "steadfast, trusty, loyal" (PE17:183)

tanca

firm, fixed, sure

tanca ("k")adj. "firm, fixed, sure" (TAK)

taura

mighty, masterful

taura adj. "mighty, masterful" (TUR, PE17:115), "very mighty, vast, of unmeasured might or size" (VT39:10). Cf. túrëa.

túra

big, great

túra adj. "big, great" (PE17:115), related to words for power and apparently referring to a more abstract greatness than words like haura "huge". Cf. taura, túrëa. Apparently initial element of Túrosto.

alwa

healthy, strong, flourishing

[alwa adj. "healthy, strong, flourishing" (+ one gloss not certainly legible: ?"well grown") (VT45:14)]

tulca

firm, strong, immovable, steadfast

tulca (1) ("k") adj. "firm, strong, immovable, steadfast" (TULUK)

polda

adjective. big, big; [ᴹQ.] strong, burly; [ᴱQ.] mighty, powerful

Derivations

• √POL “can, have physical power and ability; large, big (strong); pound up, break up small, reduce to powder, can, have physical power and ability; large, big (strong); [ᴹ√] physically strong, [ᴱ√] have stength; [√] pound up, break up small, reduce to powder” ✧ PE17/115

Derivatives

• ᴺQ. poldavë “strongly”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√pol > polda	[polna] > [polda]	✧ PE17/115

Variations

• polya ✧ PE17/115 (polya)

polda

big

polda adj. "big" (PE17:115), "strong, burly" (POL/POLOD)

Vala

power, god, angelic power

Vala (1) noun "Power, God, angelic power", pl. Valar or Vali (BAL, Appendix E, LT2:348), described as "angelic governors" or "angelic guardians" (Letters:354, 407). The Valar are a group of immensely powerful spirits guarding the world on behalf of its Creator; they are sometimes called Gods (as when Valacirca, q.v., is translated "Sickle of the Gods"), but this is strictly wrong according to Christian terminology: the Valar were created beings. The noun vala is also the name of tengwa #22 (Appendix E). Genitive plural Valion "of the Valar" (FS, MR:18); this form shows the pl. Vali, (irregular) alternative to Valar (the straightforward gen. pl. Valaron is also attested, PE17:175). Pl. allative valannar *"to/on the Valar" (LR:47, 56; SD:246). Feminine form Valië (Silm), in Tolkiens earlier material also Valdë; his early writings also list Valon or Valmo (q.v.) as specifically masc. forms. The gender-specific forms are not obligatory; thus in PE17:22 Varda is called a Vala (not a Valië), likewise Yavanna in PE17:93. Vala is properly or originally a verb "has power" (sc. over the matter of Eä, the universe), also used as a noun "a Power" _(WJ:403). The verb vala- "rule, order", exclusively used with reference to the Valar, is only attested in the sentences á vala Manwë! "may Manwë order it!" and Valar valuvar "the will of the Valar will be done" (WJ:404). However, Tolkien did not originally intend the word Valar to signify "powers"; in his early conception it apparently meant "the happy ones", cf. valto, vald- (LT2:348)_. For various compounds including the word Vala(r), see below.

auta-

go away, leave

auta- (1) vb. "go away, leave" (leave the point of the speaker's thought); old "strong" past tense anwë, usually replaced by vánë, perfect avánië but when the meaning is purely physical "went away (to another place)" rather than "disappear", the past tense oantë, perfect oantië was used. Past participle vanwa "gone, lost, no longer to be had, vanished, departed, dead, past and over" (WJ:366)

auta-

verb. go away

velicë

great

velicë ("k") adj. "great" _(LT1:254; probably not valid in Tolkien's later Quenya; in the context of the Etymologies it would have to be derived from _BEL, but it is stated that this stem was "not found in Q". Perhaps Tolkien rejected velicë because it was too similar to the Russian word that clearly inspired it.)

melehta

mighty

melehta adj. "mighty" (PE17:115), cf. meletya

melehta

adjective. mighty

An adjective for “mighty” derived from the root √MBELEK in a page of notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115), apparently from the primitive form ✱✶mbelektā (with [kt] > [ht]). A variant form meletya appears with the 2nd-plural possessive suffix -lda as Meletyalda “your mighty” in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/369), likely from the primitive form ✱✶mbelekya (with [kj] > [tj]). This variant form has a more typical primitive adjective suffix ✶-ya, but is inconsistent with the attested Sindarin cognate S. belaith, so I’d stick with melehta for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

Cognates

• S. belaith “mighty” ✧ PE17/115

Derivations

• √MBELEK “mighty, powerful, strong; power as force or strength; great, large” ✧ PE17/115
  • √BEL “*strong, [ᴹ√] strong” ✧ PE17/115

Element in

• Q. Aran Meletyalda “king your mighty” ✧ WJ/369

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√mbelek > melehta	[mbelekta] > [melekta] > [melexta]	✧ PE17/115

meletya

mighty

#meletya adj. "mighty", isolated from meletyalda adjective with suffix "your mighty" = "your majesty" (see -lda; meletya = *"mighty"). In full Aran Meletyalda "king your mighty" = "your majesty" (WJ:369). Compare melehta.

meletya

adjective. mighty

lenweta-

go away, migrate, leave ones abode

lenweta- vb. "go away, migrate, leave ones abode", pa.t. lenwentë (PE17:51)

astalda

adjective. *valiant; strong

thorn

adjective. steadfast

adj. steadfast. Q. thorna, sorna. >> Arathorn

thorn

adjective. steadfast

Cognates

• Q. sorna “steadfast” ✧ PE17/113

Derivations

• √STOR “steadfast” ✧ PE17/113; PE17/113

Element in

• S. Arathorn “Steadfast King” ✧ PE17/113; PE17/113
• ᴺS. thornang “steel”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√THOR > thorn	[tʰorna] > [θorna] > [θorn]	✧ PE17/113
√STOR > thorn	[storna] > [sθorna] > [θorna] > [θorn]	✧ PE17/113

Variations

• thorn ✧ PE17/113; PE17/113

thalion

masculine name. Steadfast, Strong

A sobriquet of Húrin, translated “Steadfast” (S/199, 209). This name is simply the adjective thalion “strong, dauntless” used as a name (SA/thalion).

Conceptual Development: The sobriquet ᴱN. Thalion first appeared in the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/6, 37) and the name N. Thalion was translated “hero, dauntless man” in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/STÁLAG). In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the name was also briefly used for a soldier of Minas Tirith, precursor to Beregond (WR/285).

Elements

Word	Gloss
thalion	“strong, dauntless, strong, dauntless; [N.] hero, dauntless man; [ᴱN.] warrior”

thalion

noun/adjective. strong, dauntless, strong, dauntless; [N.] hero, dauntless man; [ᴱN.] warrior

Element in

• S. Cúthalion “Strongbow” ✧ SA/thalion
• S. Thalion “Steadfast, Strong” ✧ SA/thalion

Elements

Word	Gloss
-on	“masculine suffix”

thalion

noun. hero, dauntless man (especially as surname of Húrin Thalion)

taug

adjective. firm

adj. firm, strong, ?withstand. Q. tauka stiff, wooden.

taug

adjective. firm, strong, (?withstand)

Cognates

• Q. tauca “stiff, wooden” ✧ PE17/115

Derivations

• √TAW “wood” ✧ PE17/115

Element in

• ᴺS. taugla- “to resist”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√TAW > taug	[tauka] > [tauk] > [taug]	✧ PE17/115

daer

adjective. great

balan

noun. Vala, divine power, divinity

beleg

adjective. great, mighty

belaith

adjective. mighty

adj. mighty. Q. melehta.

belaith

adjective. mighty

An adjective for “mighty” derived from the root √MBELEK in a page of notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115), apparently from the primitive form ✱✶mbelektā with the ekt vocalizing to eith and then the ei becoming ai in the final syllable.

Cognates

• Q. melehta “mighty” ✧ PE17/115

Derivations

• √MBELEK “mighty, powerful, strong; power as force or strength; great, large” ✧ PE17/115
  • √BEL “*strong, [ᴹ√] strong” ✧ PE17/115

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√mbelek > belaith	[mbelektā] > [mbelekta] > [mbelektʰa] > [mbelexθa] > [belexθa] > [beleiθa] > [beleiθ] > [belaiθ]	✧ PE17/115

bell

strong

1) (in body) *bell, lenited vell, pl. bill. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” belt. 2)

bell

strong

lenited vell, pl. bill. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” belt.

thalion

strong

thalion (steadfast, dauntless), pl. thelyn. Also used as a noun ”hero, dauntless man”.

thalion

strong

(steadfast, dauntless), pl. thelyn. Also used as a noun ”hero, dauntless man”.

tangada

make firm

(confirm, establish) (i dangada, i thangadar)

thalion

hero

(dauntless man), pl. thelyn. Also used as an adj. ”dauntless, steadfast, strong”.   

thalion

steadfast

thalion (dauntless, strong), pl. thelyn. Also used as a noun ”hero, dauntless man”.

thalion

steadfast

(dauntless, strong), pl. thelyn. Also used as a noun ”hero, dauntless man”.

callon

hero

1) callon (i gallon, o challon), pl. cellyn (i chellyn), coll. pl. callonnath; 2) thalion (dauntless man), pl. thelyn. Also used as an adj. ”dauntless, steadfast, strong”.

callon

hero

(i gallon, o challon), pl. cellyn (i chellyn), coll. pl. callonnath

tanc

firm

(adj.) tanc (lenited danc; pl. tainc)

tanc

firm

(lenited danc; pl. tainc)

taur

mighty

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

thand

firm

(true, abiding), pl. thaind (VT46:16; notice that the forms “thenid” and “thenin” in LR:388 s.v. STAN represent misreadings of Tolkien’s manuscript).

tûr

power

tûr (i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. tuir (i thuir), coll. pl. túrath.

tûr

power

(i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. t**uir (i th**uir), coll. pl. túrath.

him

steadfast

1) him (abiding), lenited chim, no distinct pl. form. Note that homophones include both the adjective ”cool” and the adverb ”continually”.

him

steadfast

(abiding), lenited chim, no distinct pl. form. Note that homophones include both the adjective ”cool” and the adverb ”continually”.

daer

great

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

daer

great

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

thala

firm

1) thala (steady, stalwart), pl. ?theili, 2) thand (true, abiding), pl. thaind (VT46:16; notice that the forms “thenid” and “thenin” in LR:388 s.v. STAN represent misreadings of Tolkiens manuscript).

thala

firm

(steady, stalwart), pl. ?theili

#dae

great

#dae (lenited nae, no distinct pl. form). Isolated from daedhelos "great fear". Note: Homophones mean "shadow, shade" and also "very, exceedingly".

beleg

mighty

1) beleg (great), lenited veleg, pl. belig; 2) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

beleg

mighty

(great), lenited veleg, pl. belig

beleg

great

beleg (mighty), lenited veleg, pl. belig

beleg

great

(mighty), lenited veleg, pl. belig

dae

great

(lenited nae, no distinct pl. form). Isolated from daedhelos "great fear". Note: Homophones mean "shadow, shade" and also "very, exceedingly".

bâl

divine power

construct bal, pl. bail (divinity). Note: the word can also be used as an adj. "divine".

gabil Reconstructed

adjective. great

Element in

• Kh. Gabilân “Great River”
• Kh. Gabilgathol “Great Fortress”

bel

root. *strong, [ᴹ√] strong

The root √BEL “strong” has a long history in Tolkien’s writing. Its most notable derivative is S. beleg “great, mighty”. This word dates back all the way to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where G. beleg already had this meaning (GL/22). In this document, its Qenya equivalent was ᴱQ. velike, meaning the early root must have been ✱ᴱ√ɃELE: in Early Quenya, ancient initial ƀ- > v- but initial b- > p-.

The root ᴹ√BEL appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “strong” and a number of Noldorin, Telerin and Ilkorin derivatives starting with bel- and having to do with strength (Ety/BEL). In the 1930s this root had no Quenya derivatives. The root √BEL reappeared in a list of “large & small” roots from around 1968, where it had the variant √MBEL and was also used in its extended form √MBELEK as the basis for the Quenya name Q. Melkor (PE17/115). This extended form was also given as the basis for S. beleg in these notes, which was given the glosses “large, great” implying the root had as much to do with size as strength.

This note indicates that S. beleg began with an ancient nasalized stop, but various mutations elsewhere in the corpus imply this was not the case, such as the soft mutation in S. Cûl Veleg “Bigload” (RC/536) and the nasal mutation in S. Taur-i-Melegyrn “Forest of the Great Trees” (WJ/185). I suspect the ancient strengthening of initial b- to mb- must have been limited to the Quenya branch of the language; see the √MBELEK for further discussion.

Derivatives

• √MBELEK “mighty, powerful, strong; power as force or strength; great, large” ✧ PE17/115
  • ✶(m)belek- “large, great, big, large, great, big, [ᴹ✶] huge; mighty” ✧ PE17/115
  • Q. velca “large, great, big”
  • S. beleg “great, mighty; large, big, great, mighty; large, big, [ᴱN.] huge” ✧ PE17/115
  • Q. melehta “mighty” ✧ PE17/115
  • Q. melehtë “might, power (inherent)” ✧ PE17/115
  • ᴺQ. meletya- “to magnify”
  • Q. Melkor “He who arises in Might; (lit.) Mighty Arising” ✧ MR/350
  • S. belaith “mighty” ✧ PE17/115
  • S. beleg “great, mighty; large, big, great, mighty; large, big, [ᴱN.] huge” ✧ PE17/115
  • ᴺS. beleitha- “to extol, magnify”

Variations

• MBEL ✧ PE17/115; PE17/150

mbel

root. *strong

stal

root. strong

The unglossed root ᴹ√STALAG appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like N. thala “stalwart, steady, firm” and N. thalion “hero, dauntless man” (Ety/STÁLAG), the latter a sobriquet of Húrin typically translated as “Steadfast” in the narratives themselves (S/199). Similar forms appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists from the 1920s derived from the primitive form ᴱ✶stalga (PE13/153).

The root √STAL “strong” was mentioned in passing as the basis for the adjective Q. astalda in a rejected page associated with roots having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115; VT47/26 note #26). The name Q. Astaldo “Valiant” appeared as a sobriquet of Tulkas in later versions of The Silmarillion (S/28), replacing the earlier name Q. Poldórëa of similar meaning (MR/146, 149; LR/206). For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume √STAL (and its derivatives) means “✱valiant” rather than “strong”.

Derivatives

• ᴺQ. astal “valour”
• Q. astalda “strong, *valiant” ✧ PE17/115

Element in

• ᴺS. thalas “valour, courage”

turuk

root. *strong

A root in notes from the late 1960s (PMB) serving as the basis for Q. {turma >>} turko, unglossed but probably meaning “✱stronghold” (PE17/22); it was likely an extension of √TUR “power, mastery”. It was probably also the basis for Q. turka “strong, powerful (in body)” in the name Q. Turkafinwe from 1968 (PM/352). However, in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s, primitive ✶turuk was glossed “stake” (PE22/71).

Derivatives

• ✶turuk “stake”
• ✶turunku “great stake”
  • S. trunc “great stake” ✧ PE21/80
• Q. turca “strong, powerful (in body)”
• Q. turco “*stronghold” ✧ PE17/022

Elements

Word	Gloss
TUR	“dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power, dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power; [ᴹ√] victory; [ᴱ√] am strong”

stor

root. steadfast

A root appearing Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 serving as an explanation for the element S. thorn “steadfast” in the name S. Arathorn, first appearing in a rejected page with variants √STOR and √THOR (PE17/113-114) and then later as only √THOR (PE17/113). This root may be connected to Q. torna “hard” in notes on Quenya intensive forms written between the first and second edition of The Lord of the Rings, where it was an element in Q. tornanga “hard iron”, with intensive forms aristorna, anastorna that imply derivation from √STOR (PE17/56).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume this root is √STOR to avoid conflict with ᴹ√THOR(ON), the basis for “eagle” words.

Derivatives

• Q. sorna “steadfast” ✧ PE17/113
• Q. torna “hard”
• S. thorn “steadfast” ✧ PE17/113; PE17/113

Element in

• Q. Hyarastorni “?South Fastness”

Variations

• THOR ✧ PE17/113; PE17/113; PE17/186; PE17/187

tur

root. dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power, dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power; [ᴹ√] victory; [ᴱ√] am strong

This root was connected to strength, victory and power for most of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√TURU “am strong” the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. túre “might, strength, power”, ᴱQ. túrin “kingdom”, and ᴱQ. turu- “can, to be able” (QL/95). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. tûr “king” and G. turm “authority, rule; strength” (GL/72).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it appeared as ᴹ√TUR “power, control, mastery, victory” with derivatives like ᴹQ. taura/N. taur “mighty”, ᴹQ. tur-/N. tortha- “wield, control”, and ᴹQ. túre/N. tûr “mastery, victory” (Ety/TUR). The root √TUR was mentioned regularly in Tolkien’s later writings with glosses like “dominate, master, conquer” (PE17/104), “power” (PE17/113), “strong, mighty (in power)” (PE17/115), and “power of domination or dominion, control of other wills, legitimate or illegitimate mastery” (PE22/151).

Derivatives

• ✶turū “Great Lord or King”
• Q. taura “(very) mighty, masterful; vast, of unmeasured might or size” ✧ PE17/115; VT39/10
• Q. -tur “master, lord, ruler, master, lord, ruler, [ᴹQ.] victor” ✧ SA/tur
• Q. tur- “to master, conquer, dominate, win, to master, conquer, dominate, win; [ᴹQ.] to control, govern, *rule; to wield; [ᴱQ.] can, to be able” ✧ PE17/115
• Q. túra “big, great, great, big” ✧ PE17/115
• Q. turco “chief”
• Q. túrë “*might, mastery, [ᴹQ.] mastery, victory; [ᴱQ.] might, strength, power” ✧ PE17/115
• Q. túrin “lord”
• ᴺQ. túrion “palace”
• ᴺQ. turmë “governing power, strength”
• Q. turu- “to master, defeat, have victory over, to defeat, have victory over, master” ✧ PE17/113
• ᴺQ. turwa “powerful [in a general sense]”
• Q. turya- “*to strengthen, [ᴹQ.] to strengthen”
• ᴺS. tor- “to win, have victory”
• ᴺS. trog “easy to handle; convenient, tractable, docile”
• S. tûr “master, [N.] mastery, victory, [ᴱN.] power [over others]; [S.] master”

Element in

• ✶artaurē “Realm”
• ✶tura-mbar “master of fate” ✧ PE17/104
• √TURUK “*strong”
• Q. turindo “purposeful mind, strong will”
• Q. turmen “realm”
• Q. Túrosto “Mickleburg, (lit.) Great Fortress”
• S. Turgon “Ruling Lord, Victory Prince, (lit.) Master Shout” ✧ SA/tur
• S. Túrin ✧ SA/tur

Variations

• tur- ✧ PE22/159
• tur ✧ SA/tur

thor

root. steadfast

melek

root. great, mighty, powerful, strong

khaw

root. big

Changes

• KHAW → KHAWA ✧ PE17/115

Derivatives

• Q. haura “huge” ✧ PE17/115
• Q. höa “big, large” ✧ PE17/115

Variations

• KHAWA ✧ PE17/115; PE17/157
• KHAW ✧ PE17/115 (KHAW)

¤kurwē

noun. power, ability

mbelek

root. mighty, powerful, strong; power as force or strength; great, large

The most notable uses of this root were as the basis for the name Q. Melkor and (sometimes) the adjective S. beleg “great”. This root first appeared as ᴱ√mbelek, belek or melek in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, with Gnomish name G. Belcha vs. Qenya name ᴱQ. Melko; its other derivatives indicate the meaning of the root was “✱flame” (GL/20). The Qenya noun ᴱQ. velka “flame” indicates that unstrengthened ᴱ√belek was used along with strengthened ᴱ√mbelek, but there are no obvious derivatives of ᴱ√melek in this period.

There is no evidence of this root in The Etymologies of the 1930s; in this period ᴹQ. Melko was derived from ᴹ√MIL(IK) “✱greed, lust” (Ety/MIL-IK). The root appears a number of times in Tolkien’s later writings, always as the basis for Q. Melkor. The root melk- was mention in notes associated with the essay Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth from around 1959, where Tolkien said it “means ‘power’ as force and strength” (MR/350). The root appears as √MELEK “great, mighty, powerful, strong” (rejected) or mbelek “large, great” in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s, connected to both S. beleg and Q. Melkor (PE17/115). The root √MBELEK is implied by Tolkien’s etymology of Q. Melkor in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, being derived from ✶Mbelekōre “He who arises in Might” (WJ/402).

It seems Tolkien vacillated on whether Q. Melkor and S. beleg were related. The root may have been √MELEK, unrelated to √BEL. Alternately, it may have been √MBELEK, but the various mutations of S. beleg “great” show no signs of primitive initial mb-. Thus, it seems the strengthening to mb- either occurred only in Quenya, or it enhanced the meaning of the root from “large, great” to “powerful, mighty”.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I prefer the last of these theories.

Derivations

• √BEL “*strong, [ᴹ√] strong” ✧ PE17/115

Derivatives

• ✶(m)belek- “large, great, big, large, great, big, [ᴹ✶] huge; mighty” ✧ PE17/115
  • Q. velca “large, great, big”
  • S. beleg “great, mighty; large, big, great, mighty; large, big, [ᴱN.] huge” ✧ PE17/115
• Q. melehta “mighty” ✧ PE17/115
• Q. melehtë “might, power (inherent)” ✧ PE17/115
• ᴺQ. meletya- “to magnify”
• Q. Melkor “He who arises in Might; (lit.) Mighty Arising” ✧ MR/350
• S. belaith “mighty” ✧ PE17/115
• S. beleg “great, mighty; large, big, great, mighty; large, big, [ᴱN.] huge” ✧ PE17/115
• ᴺS. beleitha- “to extol, magnify”

Element in

• ✶Mbelekōre “Might(y) Arising” ✧ PE17/115; PE17/115

Variations

• melk- ✧ MR/350
• MELEK ✧ PE17/115 (MELEK); PE17/165
• mbelek ✧ PE17/115

belt

adjective. strong in body

thalion

noun. hero, dauntless man (especially as surname of Húrin Thalion)

tangada-

verb. to make firm, confirm, establish

callon

noun. hero

callon

noun. hero

Cognates

• ᴹQ. kallo “noble man, hero” ✧ Ety/KAL

Derivations

• ᴹ✶kalrondō “hero” ✧ Ety/KAL

Elements

Word	Gloss
-(r)on	“agental suffix”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶kalrondō > callon	[kalrondō] > [kallondō] > [kallondo] > [kallond] > [kallonn] > [kallon]	✧ Ety/KAL

tanc

adjective. firm

tanc

adjective. firm, firm; [ᴱN.] steady, steadfast; [G.] settled

Cognates

• ᴹQ. tanka “firm, fixed, sure, firm, fixed, sure, [ᴱQ.] fast; steady, (stead)fast” ✧ Ety/TAK

Derivations

• ᴹ√TAK “fix, make fast, make” ✧ Ety/TAK

Element in

• N. Marthanc “Hamfast”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√TAK > tanc	[taŋka] > [taŋkʰa] > [taŋxa] > [taŋx] > [taŋk]	✧ Ety/TAK

taur

adjective. mighty, vast, overwhelming, huge, awful, high, sublime

thand

adjective. firm, true, abiding

Misreading thenid, thenin rectified according to VT/46:16

thann

adjective. firm, true, abiding

Misreading thenid, thenin rectified according to VT/46:16

him

adjective. steadfast, abiding

him

adjective. continually

balan

noun. Vala, divine power, divinity

beleg

adjective. great, mighty