Quenya 

tengwë

indication, sign, token

tengwë (pl. tengwi attested) noun "indication, sign, token", in linguistics used for phonemes(VT39:7, WJ:394); hloníti tengwi "phonetic signs" (WJ:395). The term tengwë was particularly associated with consonants (VT39:16). In the Etymologies, stem TEK, tengwë is glossed "writing"; this gloss would seem to be obsolete (for this meaning the word sarmë occurs in Tolkien's later material).

tengwë

noun. sign, token, indication; writing, sign, token, indication; writing; [ᴱQ.] knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought

Derivations

  • tekmē “writing, grammar” ✧ PE19/086
    • TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE19/086
  • teñwe “sign, token, indication” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/17; WJ/394
    • TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/15; WJ/394

Element in

  • ᴺQ. calatengwë “photograph, (lit.) light-writing”
  • Q. lambetengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/16
  • Q. náva-tengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/08
  • Q. pávatengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/08
  • ᴺQ. nwátengwë “irony, (lit.) disguise-token”
  • Q. óma-tengwë “vowel-sign” ✧ VT39/08; VT39/16
  • ᴺQ. tengwelanga “transcription”
  • Q. tengwelë “language (general term), language (general term); [ᴱQ.] sense” ✧ VT39/16
  • Q. tengwesta “grammar, morphology, system or code of signs, collection of matter concerning writing, *language structure” ✧ PE21/82; VT39/16; WJ/394

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
tekmē > tengwe[tekmē] > [tegmē] > [teŋmē] > [teŋgwē] > [teŋgwe]✧ PE19/086
teñgwe > tengwe[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]✧ VT39/04
teñ-we > teñgwe[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]✧ VT39/17
tenwe > tengwe[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]✧ WJ/394

Variations

  • tengwe ✧ PE19/086 (tengwe); VT39/04; VT39/05; VT39/07; WJ/394; WJ/396
  • teñgwe ✧ PE21/82; VT39/16; VT39/17
Quenya [PE19/086; PE21/82; VT39/04; VT39/05; VT39/07; VT39/08; VT39/16; VT39/17; WJ/394; WJ/395; WJ/396] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tengwië

language

#tengwië noun "language" in the compound mátengwië "language of the hands" (VT47:9). Compare tengwë, tengwesta.

tengwelë

language

tengwelë noun "Language" (in all its aspects), a general word for the grouping and composing of tengwi (linguistic "signs", phonemes) into a linguistic system (VT39:16)

tengwa

noun. sign

sign, indicator, letter

Quenya [PE 19:97] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

tengwa

letter

tengwa (pl. tengwar is attested) (1) noun "letter" Tengwa (ñ) is defined as "any one visible sign representing (theoretically) any one audible teñgwe" (phoneme) (VT39:17). In non-technical usage tengwa was equivalent to "consonant", since only the consonants were full signs (WJ:396, TEK). In the Etymologies, tengwa was apparently emended from tengwë (VT46:17).

tengwestië

language

tengwestië noun "Language" as abstract or phenomenon (WJ:394)

narwë

sign, token

[narwë (and short nar, unless this is an incomplete form) noun "sign, token"] (VT45:37)

tanwa

sign, token

tanwa noun "sign, token" (Tolkien marked this word with a query, but it is not clearly rejected). Also tanna (#1). (PE17:186)

sarmë

writing

sarmë noun "writing" (VT39:8). Cf. sarat.

sarmë

noun. writing

Derivations

  • SAR “score, incise; write, score, incise; [extended sense] write; [ᴹ√] *stone”

Variations

  • sarme ✧ VT39/08

lambelë

language

lambelë noun "Language" (especially with reference to phonology), *"phonetics" (VT39:15)

ista

knowledge

ista (1) noun "knowledge" (IS). Also istya.

istare

noun. knowledge

Quenya [PE 22:110] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

istya

knowledge

istya noun "knowledge" (IS). Also ista (#1).

Nolmë

knowledge, philosophy (including science)

Nolmë ("ñ")noun "knowledge, Philosophy (including Science)" (PM:360 cf. 344)

handë

knowledge, understanding, intelligence

handë noun "knowledge, understanding, intelligence" (KHAN). Note: *handë is (probably) also the past tense of the verb har- "sit".

taina

sign

#taina (2) noun "sign", isolated from Tainacolli *"Sign-bearer" MR:385

tanna

sign, token

tanna (1) noun "sign, token" (MR:385, PE17:186), also tanwa (PE17:186)

sarat

letter

sarat (pl. sarati given) noun "letter", any individual significant mark, used of the letters of Rúmil after the invention of Fëanor's tengwar (WJ:396). Cf. sarmë.

issë

knowledge, lore

issë noun "knowledge, lore" (LT2:339; rather ista or istya in Tolkien's later Quenya)

Sindarin 

tew

letter

(dew), pl1. tiw _ n. _letter. tew << têw; tiw << tîw. >> téw

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:44] < _*teiw_ < _teñwa_ < TEÑ show, sign, indicate. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

taen

noun. sign

Sindarin [Taengyl, Tengyl MR/385] Group: SINDICT. Published by

têw

noun. letter, written sign

Sindarin [Ety/391, WJ/396, LotR/II:IV, LotR/E, Letters/427] Group: SINDICT. Published by

têw

noun. letter

Changes

  • têwtew ✧ PE17/044
  • tîwtiw ✧ PE17/044
  • tēwtew ✧ PE17/044

Cognates

  • Q. tengwa “(written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar” ✧ LotR/1117; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/122; PE17/122; WJ/396

Derivations

  • tekmā “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044
    • TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044
  • teñwā “letter, sign, token” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE22/149
    • TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
tekmā > tegmā > teŋw > tēw[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/043
tekmāi > tekmī > tiŋw > tīw[tekmāi] > [tekmī] > [tegmī] > [tegmi] > [teŋmi] > [tiŋmi] > [tiŋwi] > [tīwi] > [tīw]✧ PE17/043
tek-mā > tew[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/044
teñwa > teiw > tew[teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/044
tekma > teŋ̃ma > tēw[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/044
teñmi > tiñm(i) > tîw[tekmī] > [tegmī] > [tegmi] > [teŋmi] > [tiŋmi] > [tiŋwi] > [tīwi] > [tīw]✧ PE17/044
teñwa > tēwa > tēw[teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/044
teŋmā > teŋwā > tēwa > tîw[teŋmā] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tīwa] > [tīw]✧ PE22/149

Variations

  • tēw ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044 (tēw); PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/122
  • tew ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044
  • tîw ✧ PE17/044 (tîw); PE22/149
Sindarin [Let/427; LotR/0305; LotR/1117; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/122; PE22/149; WJ/396] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lam

noun. language

Sindarin [WJ/394] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gûl

noun. knowledge

n. knowledge, deep knowledge not 'occult' in modern sense, but applied to the deper knowledge of the 'wise' or skilled persons, not kept secret (as [?among the] Elves) but not attainable by all. Q. ñōle, B.S. gûl phantom, shadow of dark magic, necromancer, slave, servant?. The B.S. word gûl was prob. derived from ngōl-.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:79] < _ngōl_-. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

têw

sign

(i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (letter, tengwa), pl. tîw (i thîw), coll. pl. téwath

têw

letter

têw (i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (sign, tengwa), pl. tîw (i **thîw), coll. pl. téwath**

têw

letter

(i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (sign, tengwa), pl. tîw (i thîw), coll. pl. téwath

teithan

1hF35# noun. writing, scripture, written thing, letter, epistle

A theoretical noun from CE *tektanā (cf. -nā).

ist

knowledge

ist (lore); no distinct pl. form.

ist

knowledge

(lore); no distinct pl. form.

ista

have knowledge

(i ista, in istar), pa.t. sint or istas (VT45:18).

tann

sign

1) (etymologically ”something shown/indicated”) tann (i dann), construct tan, pl. tain (i thain) (MR:185); 2) têw (i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (letter, tengwa), pl. tîw (i **thîw), coll. pl. téwath**;

tann

sign

(i dann), construct tan, pl. tain (i thain)** **(MR:185)

Telerin 

lambë

noun. language

Cognates

  • Q. lambë “language, tongue, dialect” ✧ WJ/394

Derivations

  • lambē “tongue, language, dialect” ✧ WJ/394
    • LAB “lick, move the tongue” ✧ VT39/15
    • labmē “*language” ✧ WJ/416

Element in

Variations

  • lambe ✧ WJ/394

Khuzdûl

aglâb

noun. language

Cognates

  • Q. lambë “language, tongue, dialect” ✧ WJ/394
Khuzdûl [WJ/395; WJI/Dwarves] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive elvish

teñwe

noun. sign, token, indication

Derivations

  • TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/15; WJ/394

Derivatives

  • Q. tengwë “sign, token, indication; writing, sign, token, indication; writing; [ᴱQ.] knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/17; WJ/394

Variations

  • teñgwe ✧ VT39/04
  • teñ-we ✧ VT39/17
  • tenwe ✧ WJ/394
Primitive elvish [VT39/04; VT39/17; WJ/394] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tekmā

noun. letter

Changes

  • tek-māteñwa ✧ PE17/044

Derivations

  • TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044

Derivatives

  • Q. tengwa “(written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE18/104
  • S. têw “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044

Variations

  • tek-mā ✧ PE17/044 (tek-mā)
  • tekma ✧ PE17/044; PE18/104
Primitive elvish [PE17/043; PE17/044; PE18/104] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

tew

noun. letter

@@@ tîw (Ety/TEK) appears to be plural, but is clearly glossed as singular “letter” with primitive form tekmē

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. tengwa “letter; writing, grammar” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE22/031
  • On. tegma “letter” ✧ PE22/031

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tekmē “letter, symbol, writing” ✧ Ety/TEK
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK
  • On. tegma “letter” ✧ PE22/031
    • ᴹ✶tekmā “writing, grammar”
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE19/043

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶tekmē > tîw[tekmē] > [tegmē] > [tegme] > [teŋme] > [teime] > [tīme] > [tīm] > [tīv] > [tīw]✧ Ety/TEK
On. tegma > teiw > tew[tegma] > [teŋma] > [teima] > [teim] > [teiv] > [teiw] > [tew]✧ PE22/031

Variations

  • tîw ✧ Ety/TEK
Noldorin [Ety/TEK; PE22/031; TI/182] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ista-

verb. to have knowledge

Noldorin [Ety/361, VT/45:18] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tîw

noun. letter

gammas

noun. s-sign (special sign used to mark a final -s in Tengwar)

Noldorin [VT/45:14] 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!

Qenya 

tengwe

noun. writing

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tekmē “letter, symbol, writing” ✧ EtyAC/TEK
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK

Element in

  • ᴹQ. Tengwesser “Letter-names” ✧ PE22/022
  • ᴹQ. tengwesta “grammar; collection of writing” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE21/57

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶tekme > tengwe[tekme] > [tegme] > [teŋme] > [teŋgwe]✧ EtyAC/TEK
Qenya [Ety/TEK; EtyAC/TEK; PE21/57; PE22/022] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tengwa

noun. letter; writing, grammar

Changes

  • tengwetengwa ✧ Ety/TEK

Cognates

  • N. tew “letter” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE22/031

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tekmā “writing, grammar” ✧ EtyAC/TEK; PE19/043
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE19/043

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶tekma > tengwa[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa]✧ EtyAC/TEK
ᴹ✶tekmā > tegmā > teñma > teñgwa[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa]✧ PE19/043

Variations

  • tengwe ✧ EtyAC/TEK (tengwe)
  • teñgwa ✧ PE19/043
Qenya [Ety/TEK; EtyAC/TEK; PE19/043; PE22/031; SDI2/tengwar; TII/Tengwar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ista

noun. knowledge

istare

noun. knowledge

Elements

WordGloss
ista-“to know”
-(á)re“general action verbal suffix”

istya

noun. knowledge

Cognates

  • N. ist “lore, knowledge, lore, knowledge; [G.] feeling, sensation; notion” ✧ Ety/IS

Derivations

  • ᴹ√IS “*know” ✧ Ety/IS

Element in

  • ᴹQ. anaristya “[unglossed]”
  • ᴹQ. Istimor “The Wise” ✧ Ety/IS
  • ᴺQ. istyalóra “ignorant”
  • ᴹQ. istyar “scholar, learned man, lore-master, wizard” ✧ Ety/IS

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√IS > ista[ista]✧ Ety/IS
ᴹ√IS > istya[istja]✧ Ety/IS

Variations

  • ista ✧ Ety/IS
Qenya [Ety/IS; PE21/12; PE21/13; PE22/020] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

tegma

noun. letter

Cognates

  • N. tew “letter” ✧ PE22/031

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tekmā “writing, grammar”
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE19/043

Derivatives

  • N. tew “letter” ✧ PE22/031
Old Noldorin [PE22/031] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

ndar

root. sign

A rejected root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with a single derivative: ᴹQ. narwe “sign, token”, along with an unglossed (and probably incomplete) form nar... (EtyAC/NDAR).

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. narwe “sign, token” ✧ EtyAC/NDAR
Middle Primitive Elvish [EtyAC/NDAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

tengwe

noun. knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TEŊE “know, understand” ✧ QL/091

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TEŊE > tengwe[teŋwē] > [teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]✧ QL/091

Variations

  • tingwe ✧ PE16/145
Early Quenya [PE16/145; PME/091; QL/070; QL/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

teket

noun. letter

@@@ used for “letter (epistola)” in NQNT

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TEKE “make marks” ✧ QL/090

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TEKE > teket[tekett] > [teket]✧ QL/090

Variations

  • teketta ✧ QL/090
Early Quenya [QL/090] Group: Eldamo. Published by

teketta

noun. letter

-issa

suffix. language

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ISI “*know” ✧ LT2A/Eldarissa

Element in

  • Eq. Eldarissa “Language of the Eldar” ✧ LT2A/Eldarissa
  • Eq. Noldorissa “Language of the Noldoli” ✧ LT2A/Eldarissa

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ISI > -issa[-issā] > [issa]✧ LT2A/Eldarissa
Early Quenya [LT2A/Eldarissa] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-qet(se)

suffix. language

Derivations

  • ᴱ√QETE “*speak” ✧ QL/077

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√QETE > qet[kʷet]✧ QL/077

Variations

  • qet ✧ QL/077
  • -qetse ✧ QL/077
Early Quenya [QL/077] Group: Eldamo. Published by