var

or

var (1) conj. "or" (QL:100). In Tolkiens later Quenya, the word hya appears for "or". A phrase involving a double var…var may mean "either…or" in one early (untranslated) text, according to Christopher Gilsons interpretation (PE15:32, 39)

var-

verb. var-

var- (2), see va

Vardilmë

varda-friend; one devoted to varda

Vardilmë, fem. name (UT:210), perhaps *"Varda-friend; one devoted to Varda" (if so this would be a contraction of *Vardandilmë, with -(n)dilmë as the feminine form of -ndil "friend")

va

from

va prep. "from" (VT43:20; prefixed in the form var- in var-úra "from evil", VT43:24). In VT49:24, va, au and o are quoted as variants of the stem awa "away from".

Varda

the sublime

Varda fem. name "the Sublime", name of a Valië, spouse of Manwë, the Queen of the Valar, called Elbereth in Sindarin (BARATH, BARÁD, WJ:402; in Letters:282 Varda is translated the "Lofty"). As a general adjective "sublime", †varda could still occur as a poetic word in verse (PE17:23), but normal prose would apparently rather use the related word varanda (q.v.) Genitive Vardo (for Vardao). (Nam, RGEO:66). Vardamir masc. name, "Varda-jewel" (Appendix A, UT:210); vardarianna ?"Varda-gift", name of a tree (but the ri element is obscure) (UT:167)

Vardo Meoita

prince of cats

Vardo Meoita noun "Prince of Cats" (LT2:348; vardo "prince" is hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya; cf. vard-, vardar. Later Quenya has cundu for "prince".)

varanda

sublime

varanda adj. "sublime" (PE17:23), related to the name Varda.

vard-

rule, govern

vard- vb. "rule, govern" (LT1:273; hardly valid in Tolkien's later Quenya)

vardar

king

vardar noun "king" (LT1:273; rather aran in LotR-style Quenya)

varilë

protection

[varilë] noun "protection" (VT45:7)

varna

safe, protected, secure

varna adj. "safe, protected, secure" (BAR)

varnassë

security

varnassë noun "security" (BAR)

varni

queen

varni noun "queen" (LT1:273; rather tári in Tolkien's later Quenya)

varnë

brown, swart, dark brown

varnë (1) adj. "brown, swart, dark brown", stem-form varni- (BARÁN)

varnë

protection

[varnë] (2) noun "protection" (BAR)

varya-

to protect

varya- vb. "to protect" (BAR)

varanda

adjective. sublime

Varda

Varda

Varda is a Quenya name, meaning "sublime" or "lofty", from Primitive Quendian baradâ, merged with barathî.[source?] In Telerin she was called Baradis, and in Sindarin Elbereth. All these come from the Root BARÁD/BARATH. In Adûnaic, her name was adapted rather than translated; it became Avradî. Some older forms were Baráda, Bridhil, Timbridhil and Tinwetári. Elbereth derives from elen-bereth meaning "star-queen". It represents evolution of Primitive Quendian *elen-barathî (the final -i umlauted the word to berethi) > elemberethi > elbereth.

Vardilmë

Vardilmë

Vardilmë's name is difficult to translate, but might mean "Devoted to Varda" in Quenya (an assimilation of Varda and -dil = "friend, lover, devoted to").

vardamir

Vardamir

Vardamir means "Jewel of Varda" in Quenya (from mírë "jewel"). His surname, Nólimon, means "Man of Knowledge" (from nólë "lore, knowledge" and -mon, a masculine suffix). Like all the rulers of Númenor who took royal titles in Quenya, Vardamir added the prefix tar- ("high") to his name when he received the Sceptre.

vartando

noun. betrayer

varassë

noun. cliff

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo, the Quenya equivalent of S. brass. You may use this form if you prefer words based only on roots from Tolkien’s later writing, but I think ᴱQ. aiko “cliff” remains viable for Neo-Quenya writing if modernized to the form ᴺQ. aico.

varto

noun. betrayer

Arfanyaras

variant or close equivalent

Arfanyaras, Arfanyarassë place-name, a "variant or close equivalent" of Taniquetil (WJ:403)

-dil

-wine

-dil, -ndil, ending that Tolkien likened to Old English "-wine", sc. "-friend" as part of names, e.g. Elendil, Eärendil (NIL/NDIL); see the entry -ndil. Also long -dildo (VT46:4), and possibly -(n)dilmë as the corresponding feminine form (see Vardilmë).

-ndil

friend

-ndil (also -dil) ending occurring in many names, like Amandil, Eärendil; it implies devotion or disinterested love and may be translated "friend" (SA:(noun)dil); this ending is "describing the attitude of one to a person, thing, course or occupation to which one is devoted for its own sake" (Letters:386). Compare -ndur. It is unclear whether the names derived with the ending -ndil are necessarily masculine, though we have no certain example of a woman's name in -ndil; the name Vardilmë (q.v.) may suggest that the corresponding feminine ending is -(n)dilmë.

-nil

-wine

-nil, final element in compounds, similar in meaning to Old English "-wine", sc. "-friend" as an element in names (NIL/NDIL). Also long -nildo (VT46:4). Variant of -ndil. In Eärnil, contraction of Earendil.

-o

of goodness

-o (1) genitive ending, as in Altariello, Oromëo, Elenna-nórëo, Rithil-Anamo, Rúmilo, Lestanórëo, neldëo, omentielvo, sindiëo, Valinórëo, veryanwesto, q.v. In words ending in -a, the genitive ending replaces this final vowel, hence atto, Ráno, Vardo, vorondo as the genitive forms of atta, Rána, Varda, voronda (q.v.) Following a noun in -ië, the ending can have the longer form -no, e.g. *máriéno "of goodness" (PE17:59, but contrast sindiëo "of greyness" in PE17:72). Where the word ends in -o already, the genitive is not distinct in form, e.g. ciryamo (q.v.) = "mariner" or "mariners". Pl. -ion and -ron, q.v.; dual -to (but possibly -uo in the case of nouns that have nominative dual forms in -u rather than -t). The Quenya genitive describes source, origin or former ownership rather than current ownership (which is rather covered by the possessive-adjectival case in -va). The ending -o may also take on an ablativic sense, "from", as in Oiolossëo "from (Mount) Oiolossë" (Nam), sio "hence" (VT49:18). In some of Tolkiens earlier material, the genitive ending was -n rather than -o, cf. such a revision as Yénië Valinóren "Annals of Valinor" becoming Yénië Valinórëo (MR:200).

Nólion

son of knowledge

Nólion (ñ?), second name of Vardamir Nólion (UT:210). Perhaps "son of knowledge", nólë (q.v.) + -ion "son", which ending displaces a final -ë (compare Aranwion "son of Aranwë", UT:50 cf. 32)

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

hloa

hloä

hloa ("hloä"), noun that "would have been" the product of primitive ¤sloga (Sindarin lhô), a word used of rivers that were "variable and liable to overflow their banks at seasons". However, the wording "would have been" may seem to suggest that this word did not actually occur in Quenya. (VT42:9)

mëoi

cat

mëoi noun "cat", a somewhat strange word by the standards of Tolkien's later Quenya (there are no other instances of final -oi in the singular). Some would read *mëo, if the word is to be used in LotR-style Quenya. Vardo Mëoita "Prince of Cats"; mëoita here seems to be a kind of adjective rather than a genitive (LT2:348). Tolkiens later, less problematic word yaulë may be preferred by writers (PE16:132)

taran

king

taran (1) noun "king", possibly ephemeral variant of aran, q.v. (PE17:186)

tári

queen

tári noun "queen", used especially of Varda (TĀ/TA3, LT1:264), etymologically "she that is high" (SA:tar). Dative tárin in the Elaine inscription (VT49:40), genitive tário in Namárië. Elentári "Starqueen", a title of Varda. (Nam, RGEO:67). Tarinya "my queen" (UT:179; sic, not *tárinya). Táris or tárissë "queenship" (PE17:155)

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

exa

adjective. other

hya

conjunction. or

hyana

adjective. other

-ndur

friend

-ndur (also -dur), ending in some names, like Eärendur; as noted by Christopher Tolkien in the Silmarillion Appendix it has much the same meaning as -ndil "friend"; yet -ndur properly means "servant of" (SA:(noun)dil), "as one serves a legitimate master: cf. Q. arandil king's friend, royalist, beside arandur 'king's servant, minister'. But these often coincide: e.g. Sam's relation to Frodo can be viewed either as in status -ndur, in spirit -ndil." (Letters:286)

-ser

friend

-ser noun "friend" (SER)

-tar

king

-tar or tar-, element meaning "king" or "queen" in compounds and names (TĀ/TA3), e.g. Valatar; compare the independent nouns tár, tári. Prefix Tar- especially in the names of the Kings and Queens of Númenor (e.g. Tar-Amandil); see their individual names (like Amandil in this case), cf. also Tar-Mairon "King Excellent", title used by Sauron (PE17:183). Also in Tareldar "High-elves"; see also Tarmenel.

-va

from

-va possessive ending, presumably related to the preposition va "from". In Eldaliéva, Ingoldova, miruvóreva, Oroméva, rómeva, Valinóreva (q.v. for references), Follondiéva, Hyallondiéva (see under turmen for references). Following a consonant, the ending instead appears as -wa (andamacilwa "of the long sword", PE17:147, rómenwa *"of the East", PE17:59). Pl. -vë when governing a plural word (from archaic -vai) (WJ:407), but it seems that -va was used throughout in late Exilic Quenya (cf. miruvóreva governing the plural word yuldar in Namárië). Pl. -iva (-ivë*), dual -twa, partitive pl. -líva**.

Naira

dreadful, horrible, unendurable

naira (3) adj. "dreadful, horrible, unendurable" (PE17:151)

ahya-

change

#ahya- vb. "change" (intransitive), only attested in the past tense: ahyanë (PM:395)

ahya-

verb. to change

aiqua

steep

aiqua("q")adj. "steep" (AYAK). Not to be confused with the pronoun *aiqua "if anything, whatever" that post-Tolkien writers have extrapolated from aiquen (q.v.) on the basis of such pairs as ilquen vs. ilqua (q.v.)

amya-

verb. [unglossed]

aran

king

aran noun "king"; pl. arani (WJ:369, VT45:16, PE17:186); gen.pl. aranion "of kings" in asëa aranion, q.v.; aranya "my king" (aran + nya) (UT:193). Aran Meletyalda "king your mighty" = "your majesty" (WJ:369); aran Ondórëo, "a king of Gondor" (VT49:27). Also in arandil "king's friend, royalist", arandur "king's servant, minister" (Letters:386); Arantar masc. name, "King-Lord" (Appendix A); Arandor "Kingsland" region in Númenor (UT:165); the long form Arandórë appears as a name of Arnor in PE17:28 (elsewhere Arnanórë, q.v.) Othercompounds ingaran, Noldóran, Núaran, q.v.

aran

noun. king

arra

adjective. [unglossed]

arta

exalted, lofty

arta (1) adj. "exalted, lofty" (PM:354), "high, noble" (PE17:118, 147); cf. names like Artaher, Artanis.

arta

fort, fortress

arta (2) noun "fort, fortress" (GARAT under 3AR)

cairë

?. [unglossed]

caurë

fear

caurë _("k")_noun "fear" (LT1:257)

condo

prince, leader; lord

condo ("k")noun "prince, leader; lord" (PE17:113,117); possibly replaces cundu, q.v.

conta-

verb. [unglossed]

cundu

prince

†cundu ("k")noun "prince" (KUNDŪ; the "†_" indicating that this word is poetic or archaic was omitted in the Etymologies as printed in LR; see VT45:24)._ Cf. condo.

cunta

rule

cunta, also cunya, vb. (or less likely noun) "rule" (PE17:117)

cúma

noun. [unglossed]

ettelëa

foreign

ettelëa adj. "foreign", perhaps also noun ?"stranger"; the reading of the second gloss is uncertain. In the Etymologies as printed in LR, even the former gloss is presented as an uncertain reading and the Quenya word is given as ettelen. According to VT45:13, the gloss "foreign" is certain and the Quenya word may also be read as ettelëa, which normal Quenya morphology would also suggest to be the correct reading of Tolkien's manuscript.

exa

other

exa adj.? "other" (apparently as adjective) (VT47:10, VT49:33). Also eces ("k"), unless this is intended as the stem underlying exa (the root KES with prefixed stem-vowel) rather than a Quenya word (VT49:33).

felca

adjective. [unglossed]

felehta-

verb. [unglossed], *to excavate, tunnel, mine

An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from ✱phelektā- or ✱phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “✱to excavate, tunnel, mine”.

finca

noun. [unglossed]

halda

adjective. high, tall

haran

king, chieftain

haran (#harn-, as in pl. harni) noun "king, chieftain" (3AR, TĀ/TA3, VT45:17; for "king", the word aran is to be preferred in LotR-style Quenya). In a deleted entry in the Etymologies, haran was glossed "chief" (VT45:17)

hela

or

hela conj. "or", apparently an ephemeral form, replaced by hya (VT49:14-15). The editor theorizes that hela literally meant "other than" (VT49:15)

heldo

friend

[heldo, also helmo, fem. heldë, noun "friend" (VT46:3)]

hendas

?. [unglossed]

hindo

noun. [unglossed]

hindë

noun. [unglossed]

ho

from

ho prep. "from" (3O); cf. hó-

holdë

noun. [unglossed]

hya

or

hya conj. "or" or noun "other thing" (VT49:14)

hyana

other

hyana adj. "other", cf. hya (VT49:14)

háro

?. [unglossed]

lingi-

verb. [unglossed]

ló

from

ló, lo (2) prep. "from", also used = "by" introducing the agent after a passive construction: nahtana ló Turin *"slain by Túrin" (VT49:24). A similar and possibly identical form is mentioned in the Etymologies as being somehow related to the ablative ending -llo, but is not there clearly defined (VT45:28). At one point, Tolkien suggested that lo rather than the ending -llo was used with proper names (lo Manwë rather than Manwello for "from Manwë"), but this seems to have been a short-lived idea (VT49:24).

maitya

?. [unglossed]

malsa

?. [unglossed]

meldo

friend, lover

meldo noun "friend, lover". _(VT45:34, quoting a deleted entry in the Etymologies, but cf. the pl. #_meldor in Eldameldor "Elf-lovers", WJ:412) **Meldonya *"my friend" (VT49:38, 40). It may be that meldo is the distinctly masculine form, corresponding to feminine #meldë** (q.v.)

meldë

friend

#meldë noun "friend", feminine (meldenya "my friend" in the Elaine inscription [VT49:40], Tolkien referring to Elaine Griffiths). Compare meldo.

melya-

verb. [unglossed], *to be in love

minassë

fort, city, with a citadel and central watch-tower

minassë noun "fort, city, with a citadel and central watch-tower" (VT42:24)

moina

safe, secure

moina (2) adj. "safe, secure" (GL:58; this "Qenya" word is evidently obsoleted by # 1 above. This second moina seems to reappear as muina "hidden, secret" in Tolkien's later Quenya.)

málo

noun. friend

friend, comrade

málo

friend

málo noun "friend" (MEL, VT49:22)

naue

?. [unglossed]

nildo

friend

nildo noun "friend" (apparently masc.; contrast nildë) (NIL/NDIL)

nildë

friend

nildë noun "friend" (fem.) (NIL/NDIL)

nilmo

friend

nilmo noun "friend" (apparently masc.) (NIL/NDIL)

nor-

prefix. fear

núro

servant

núro noun "servant" (NDŪ; in Etym as published in LR, the gloss is misread as "sunset"; see VT45:38)

o

preposition. from

ollo

cliff, seaward precipice

ollo (1) noun "cliff, seaward precipice" (also oldō - is this to be understood as the older form?) (LT1:252)

oronta

steep

oronta adj. "steep" (LT1:256)

ostirion

fort

ostirion noun "fort" (TI:423)

sal-

verb. [unglossed]

sanyë

rule, law

sanyë (þ) noun "rule, law" (STAN)

sermo

friend

sermo noun "friend" (evidently masc., since sermë is stated to be fem.) (SER)

sermë

friend

sermë noun "friend" (fem.) (SER)

seron

friend

seron noun "friend" (SER)

sondo

friend

[sondo noun "friend" (VT46:15)]

sélo

?. [unglossed]

sóla

?. [unglossed]

tar-

affix. high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)

thar-

verb. [unglossed]

thosso

fear

†thosso (þossë) noun "fear" in Old Quenya (PE17:87, there spelt with the letter þ, not the digraph th)

tomba

noun. [unglossed]

tompë

noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat

@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20

turinqui

queen

turinqui ("q") noun "queen" (LT1:260; apparently the fem. of tur. In Tolkien's later Quenya, "queen" is tári.)

tá

high

tá 2) adj. "high" (LT1:264; there spelt tâ. This is hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, but cf. tára "lofty".)

tána

high, lofty, noble

tána (meaning unclear, probably adj. "high, lofty, noble") (TĀ/TA3). Compare tára.

tár

king

tár noun "king" (only used of the legitimate kings of whole tribes); the pl. tári "kings" must not be confused with the sg. tári "queen" (TĀ/TA3). Prefix tar-, compare -tar above. The normal Quenya word for "king" is aran, but compare Tarumbar.

tára

lofty

tára (1) adj. "lofty". (SA:tar, LT1:264, TĀ/TA3 (AYAK, TÁWAR), VT45:6), "tall, high" (WJ:417). Compare antara. Adverb táro in an early "Qenya" text (VT27:20, 26). The adj. tára is not to be confused with the continuative form of the verb #tar- "stand".

tári

noun. queen, queen, [ᴱQ.] mistress, lady

túr

king

túr, tur noun "king" (PE16:138, LT1:260); rather aran in LotR-style Quenya, but cf. the verb tur-. Also compare the final element -tur, -ntur "lord" in names like Axantur, Falastur, Fëanturi, Vëantur (q.v.)

um(ba)-

prefix. [unglossed]

umbacarin

noun. [unglossed]

virya-

change, alter(nate)

virya- (2) vb. "change, alter(nate)" (intransitive), pa.t. virnë/virinyë, cf. transitive vista-, q.v. (PE17:189, 191)

vista-

change

vista- (2) vb. "change" (transitive), pa.t. vistanë, cf. intransitive virya-, q.v. (PE17:189, 191)

wirnë

change

wirnë noun? "change" (PE17:191)

wirnë

noun. change

@@@ Despite its gloss, wirnë might be the archaic strong past tense of virya-: it is almost identical to the strong past tense form on PE17/189. For a noun form, vistë may be preferable.

wistë

noun. change

yaulë

cat

yaulë noun "cat" (PE16:132). Compare mëoi.

éna

?. [unglossed]

ñor

fear

[ñor noun? prefix? "fear" (PE17:172)]

úpa-

verb. [unglossed]

þossë

noun. fear

þúna

?. [unglossed]

aico

noun. cliff

ecar

conjunction. or

eldatár

`Vm#1~C6 noun. elf-king, elfking, elven-king

herca

conjunction. or

miura

noun. cat

miuro

noun. cat

miurë

noun. cat

rianna

noun. queen

sossë

noun. fear

vistë Reconstructed

noun. change

This word is unattested, but there is indirect evidence for it as an element of walwistë “change of mind” (PE17/189). This word likely contains the archaic form †wistë from before the change of w- to v-. Its modern form would be ✱vistë. If you accept inwist- as the stem form of inwis “change of mind”, it likely contains †wistë as well.

There is another attested word wirne with the gloss “change” (PE17/191), but I think it is likelier to be the archaic form of the strong-past tense of the verb virya- instead of a noun.

khy-

root. other

Tolkien used a variety of different roots for “otherness” and “or” throughout his life. The earliest of these was ᴱ√VARA from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but with derivatives like ᴱQ. vára “other”, ᴱQ. var “or”, ᴱQ. varya “different” and ᴱQ. varimo “foreigner” (QL/100). Similar words in the Gnomish lexicon such as G. far(o)n “separate, different, strange” and G. faronwed “foreign” seem to be based on a distinct but possibly related root, apparently being derived from G. far- “separate, sever, divide” (GL/34). The Gnomish words for “otherness” seem to be based on the (hypothetical) root ✱ᴱ√ELE, such as G. el “or” and G. eleg “other, else” (GL/32); see the entry on ✱ᴱ√ELE for further discussion.

In the Early Qenya Grammar, the “other” words were based on ᴱQ. etya (comparative) and ᴱQ. nyanya (general), but these words were on a page of demonstratives and their primitive basis isn’t clear (PE14/55). The first version of Quenya Personal Pronouns (QPP1) from the late 1940s had ᴹ√ETHE “other” as the basis for the “other person” pronoun ᴹQ. the, along with a rarer “[yet another] person” pronoun he (PE23/91), but there are no signs of the past 1948. The next published “or” word was S. egor from the King’s Letter in the omitted epilogue to The Lord of the Rings, written in 1948-1951 (SD/129).

The next set of “or/other” words do not appear until the 1960s. The primitive form ✶khē̆ appears in notes on reflexives from 1965 as the basis for Q. hé “him, the other” (VT49/15), probably a holdover from the 1948 pronoun he mentioned above (PE23/91). In rough notes on numbers written in the late 1960s, Tolkien gave the possibly-related root √KES “other”, with derivatives Q. exa “other” and Q. exe “the other”, apparently adjective and noun (VT47/40). Finally in some notes written in 1968 or later, Tolkien gave the primitive element √KHY- “other”, with derivatives Q. hye “other person”, Q. hya “other thing”, and Q. hyana “other [adjective]” (VT49/14).

These primitive forms also seem to be connected to various words Tolkien considered for “or” in the Ambidexters Sentence composed in 1969: khe >> hela >> hya (VT49/14). Patrick Wynne suggested the first two of these might be connected to 1965 ✶khē̆, and the last one to 1968+ √KHY-. This last root may also be connected to Q. ahya- “change” (circa 1960); if so Tolkien may have been vacillating among various possible forms throughout the 1960s.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is better to use √KHY- and its derivatives, since they are a more comprehensive paradigm including the best available Quenya word for “or”.

phut

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root appearing in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2) as an etymological variation of √PUT (PE18/90).

tā/taʒ

root. high, high, [ᴹ√] lofty; noble

This root and ones like it were used for “high” things for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as unglossed ᴱ√TAHA in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. tā “high; high above, high up”, ᴱQ. tahōra or tayóra “lofty”, and ᴱQ. tāri “queen”; it had a variant form ᴱ√TAʕA where the ʕ might be a malformed Y (QL/87). The corresponding forms in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon were G. dâ “high” and G. dara “lofty” (GL/29), indicating the true form of the root was ᴱ√DAHA, since initial voiced stops were unvoiced (d- > t-) in Early Qenya (PE12/17). Primitive forms like ᴱ✶dagá > ᴱN. dâ/ᴱQ. tá “high” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s indicates the root continued to begin with D for the following decade (PE13/141, 161).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√TĀ/TAƷ “high, lofty; noble” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tára “lofty, high”, ᴹQ. tári “queen” and N. taen “height, summit of high mountain” (Ety/TĀ). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien gave the root as √TAG or Tā- “high”, and in notes from around 1967 Tolkien gave √TAƷ as the explanation of the initial element of Q. Taniquetil and contrasted it with √TĂR “stand” (PE17/186). In 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2), Tolkien wrote a marginal note giving √TAƷ > TĀ “high”, but this note was rejected with a statement “transfer to Gen. Structure. No [ʒ] existed in Eldarin” (PE19/72-73 note #22).

This last rejection seems to be part of Tolkien’s general vacillation on the nature and phonetic evolution of velar spirants in Primitive Elvish in 1968-70. For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume the root form was √TAH or √TAƷ > √TĀ as the basis for “high” words, much like √MAH or √MAƷ > ✶mā was the basis for “hand” words.

barathī

noun. queen

gō

preposition. from

kes

root. other

khyana

adjective. other

graw Reconstructed

root. [unglossed], [ᴹ√] dark, swart

This root appeared as a primitive form grawa serving as the basis of the word Q. roa “bear” >> “dog” in notes on monosyllabic roots from 1968 (VT47/35); a Sindarin derivative S. graw “bear” appeared in other notes written around the same time (VT47/12). Patrick Wynne suggested that in the sense “bear” grawa might be connected to the root ᴹ√GRAWA “dark, swart” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (EtyAC/GRAWA).

lemek

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s illustrating certain phonetic combinations (PE19/98), and therefore possibly not a “real” root.

sal

root. [unglossed], *harp(ing), lyre

The unglossed root ᴱ√SALA appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. salma “lyre, small harp” and ᴱQ. salumbe “harping, music” (QL/81). The root √SAL appeared again Common Eldarin: Verb Structure from the early 1950s to illustrate the reformed perfect form of its verb Q. asálie (PE22/132), but since these later forms are unglossed it is unclear whether they have the same meaning (“✱harp(ing)”) as the earlier version of the root.

stuk

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in a rejected section of the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, serving to illustration certain phonetic developments: ✶stuknā > Q. thúna (PE19/86).

tig

root. [unglossed]

A root appearing in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 as the basis for the verb Q. tinga- “go (for a long while)” (PE22/157). The etymology was marked with an “X” and so was probably a transient idea (PE22/157 note #70).

tāra

adjective. high

ăwă

preposition. from

ʒō

preposition. from

barn

adjective. safe, protected, secure

A neologism for “safe, protected, secure” coined by Fiona Jallings based on ᴹQ. varna of the same meaning.

baradh

steep

baradh (pl. beraidh, lenited varadh).

baradh

steep

(pl. beraidh, lenited varadh).

achas

fear

(noun) 1) achas (dread), pl. echais. It is possible that the word is lenited in the source, and that it should have an initial g-; if so read gachas (i **achas), pl. gechais (i ngechais = i ñechais), 2) dêl (i dhêl, construct del) (disgust, loathing, horror), pl. dîl (i nîl), 3) delos (i dhelos) (horror, abhorrence, dread, detestation, loathing), pl. delys (i nelys), coll. pl. delossath. Note: a side-form ends in -oth (pl. -yth) instead of -os (-ys). 4) gôr (i ngôr = i ñor, o n**gôr = o ñgôr, construct gor) (dread, horror), pl. gŷr (i ngŷr = i ñŷr). Note: a homophone means ”vigour” but has different mutations. 5) niphred (pallor); pl. niphrid.

aran

king

1) (king of a region) aran (pl. erain). Coll. pl. aranath. Also †âr with stem-form aran- (also with pl. erain; the longer form aran may be a back-formation from this plural). 2) (king of a people) †taur (i daur, o thaur) (said in LR:389 s.v. _T_Ā to refer to ”legitimate kings of the whole tribes”), pl. toer (i thoer), coll. pl. torath.

arth

lofty

1) arth (noble, exalted), pl. erth, 2) brand (high, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind, 3) orchall (superior, eminent), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail), 4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

arth

exalted

1) arth (lofty, noble), pl. erth;

baran

brown

1) baran (swart, dark brown, yellow brown, golden-brown), pl. berain; 2) rhosc (red, russet), lenited ?throsc or ?rosc (the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhysc

egor

or

egor

ernil

prince

1) ernil (no distinct pl. form), 2) †cund (i gund, o chund, construct cun), pl. cynd (i chynd) (VT45:24). 3) The plural form conin (i chonin), occurring in the Cormallen Praise, is translated "princes" (Conin en Annûn = "princes of the west", Letters:308), but it is unclear what the singular would be. (David Salo suggests caun, though this word has two different meanings already; see SHOUT, VALOUR)

gaer

dreadful

1) gaer (awful, fearful; holy); lenited aear; no distinct pl. form. Note: homophones mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "sea". 2) naer (lamentable, woeful, sad); no distinct pl. form.

gwarth

betrayer

gwarth (i **warth), pl. gwerth (in gwerth**)

hall

exalted

hall (high); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

mellon

friend

1) (masc.) mellon (i vellon) (lover), pl. mellyn (i mellyn), coll. pl. mellonnath. Also meldir (i veldir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldir). Also seron (i heron, o seron), pl. seryn (i seryn), coll. pl. seronnath. 2) (fem.) meldis (i veldis), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldis), coll. pl. meldissath.

or

high

(adjectival pref.) or- (above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

rhosc

russet

rhosc (red, brown), lenited ?throsc or ?rosc (the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhysc

rîs

queen

1) rîs, no distinct pl. except with article preceding (idh rîs); coll. pl. ?rissath; 2) rían (”crown-gift”), pl. ríain (idh ríain); 3) bereth (i vereth) (spouse), pl. berith (i mberith), 4) ríen (crowned lady), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn). The adjective rîn ”crowned” may also be used as a noun ”crowned woman” = ”queen”, but with no distinct pl. form except when article precedes (idh rîn again); coll. pl. ríniath. Note: a homophone means ”remembrance”.

taur

sublime

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

Ara-

prefix. king

pref. king. >> ar-, Arathorn

Ara-

prefix. high, noble, royal

ar-

prefix. king

pref. king. >> ara-, Arathorn

ar-

prefix. high, noble, royal

ara

noun. king

_ n. _king. 

aran

noun. king (used of a lord or king of a specified region)

baran

adjective. brown, swart, dark brown, golden brown, yellow brown

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

caun

noun. prince, ruler

caun

prince

pl1. cónin {ō} n. prince, chief, head.

cidinn

?. [unglossed]

cinnog

?. [unglossed]

cund

noun. prince

daer

adjective. dreadful

_ adj. _dreadful, horrible, ghastly.

egor

conjunction. or

egor

conjunction. or

ernil

noun. prince

ernil

noun. prince

A noun for “prince” appearing in phrases like Ernil i Pheriannath “Prince of the Halflings” (LotR/768) and Dor-en-Ernil “Land of the Prince” (UT/245). Its initial element is likely a reduced form of aran “king, noble person”; compare to ar(a)- “noble” of similar origin. If so, the a became e due to i-affection. The final -il is harder to explain, because normally -il is a feminine suffix. Perhaps it is a reduction of hîl “heir”, so that the literal meaning is “✱king’s heir, royal heir”.

Conceptual Development: N. ernil also appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (WR/287).

goeol

adjective. dreadful, terrifying

hand

noun. [unglossed]

madu

?. [unglossed]

maud

?. [unglossed]

mellon

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

_ n. _friend. Pedo mellon a minno! 'Say friend and enter'. 

mellon

noun. friend

naer

adjective. dreadful

_ adj. _dreadful, horrible, unendurable. Q. naira.

o

preposition. from, of (preposition (as a proclitic) used in either direction, from or to the point of view of the speaker)

According to WJ/366, the preposition "is normally o in all positions, though od appears occasionally before vowels, especially before o-". With a suffixed article, see also uin

o

preposition. from

_ prep. _from, of. In older S. o had the form od before vowels. o menel aglar elenath ! lit. 'from Firmament glory of the stars !'.

o

preposition. from

_ prep. _from. . This gloss was rejected.

od

preposition. from, of (preposition (as a proclitic) used in either direction, from or to the point of view of the speaker)

According to WJ/366, the preposition "is normally o in all positions, though od appears occasionally before vowels, especially before o-". With a suffixed article, see also uin

raud

lofty

adj. lofty. Q. rāta. >> arod, taer

rhosc

adjective. russet, russet, [N.] brown

rhosg

adjective. brown

rían

noun. queen, queen, *(lit.) crowned-lady

rîs

noun. queen

taer

lofty

adj. lofty. Q. tāra.

taer

adjective. lofty, lofty, *high

thos

noun. fear

_ n. _fear. O.Q. þosse. >> di'nguruthos

thoss

noun. fear

achas

fear

(dread), pl. echais. It is possible that the word is lenited in the source, and that it should have an initial g-; if so read gachas (i ’achas), pl. gechais (i ngechais = i ñechais)

andrath

high pass

(literally "long climb"), pl. endraith.

aran

king

(pl. erain). Coll. pl. aranath. Also †âr with stem-form aran- (also with pl. erain; the longer form aran may be a back-formation from this plural).

arth

lofty

(noble, exalted), pl. erth

arth

exalted

(lofty, noble), pl. erth

baran

brown

(swart, dark brown, yellow brown, golden-brown), pl. berain

bereth

queen

(i vereth) (spouse), pl. berith (i mberith)

beria

protect

(i veria, i meriar)

brand

lofty

(high, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind

brand

tall

(lofty, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind.

conin

prince

(i chonin), occurring in the Cormallen Praise, is translated "princes" (Conin en Annûn = "princes of the west", Letters:308), but it is unclear what the singular would be. (David Salo suggests caun, though this word has two different meanings already; see

cund

prince

(i gund, o chund, construct cun), pl. cynd (i chynd) (VT45:24).

daedhelos

great fear

(i naedhelos, o ndaedhelos), pl. daedhelys (i ndaedhelys). Coll. pl. daedhelossath. A side-form ends in -oth instead of -os. The word appears in the mutated form "ndaedelos" in LotR Appendix F, but since the second element must be delos "abhorrence" and it would surely be lenited following a vowel, this would seem to be one of the cases where Tolkien wrote d even though dh would be technically correct. Another term for

delos

fear

(i dhelos) (horror, abhorrence, dread, detestation, loathing), pl. delys (i nelys), coll. pl. delossath. Note: a side-form ends in -oth (pl. -yth) instead of -os (-ys).

duinen

high tide

(i dhuinen), pl. duinin (i nuinin). (VT48:26).

dêl

fear

(i dhêl, construct del) (disgust, loathing, horror), pl. dîl (i nîl)

edlonui

adjective. foreign

egel

adjective. other

egor

or

**

ernil

prince

(no distinct pl. form)

gaer

dreadful

(awful, fearful; holy); lenited ’aear; no distinct pl. form. Note: homophones mean "reddish, copper-coloured, ruddy" and also "sea".

goe

great fear

(i ’oe) (terror), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngoe = i ñoe).

gondrath

highway

(i ’ondrath) (street of stone, causeway), pl. gendraith (i ngendraith = i ñendraith). Archaic pl. göndreith. (WJ:340). Possibly the pl. can also be gondraith, without umlaut of the first element.

gorgoroth

deadly fear

(i ngorgoroth = i ñorgoroth, o n’gorgoroth = o ngorgoroth) (terror), pl. gergeryth (in gergeryth = i ñgergeryth). Archaic pl. görgöryth. Also in shorter form gorgor (i ngorgor = i ñorgor, o n’gorgor = o ñgorgor) (extreme horror), pl. gergyr (in gergyr = i ñgergyr), coll. pl. *gorgorath*** (WJ:415). Archaic pl. ✱görgyr**.

gosta

fear exceedingly

(i ’osta, i ngostar = i ñostar)

gwarth

betrayer

(i ’warth), pl. gwerth (in gwerth)

gwist

noun. change

gôr

fear

(i ngôr = i ñor, o n’gôr = o ñgôr, construct gor) (dread, horror), pl. gŷr (i ngŷr = i ñŷr). Note: a homophone means ”vigour” but has different mutations.

hall

tall

(exalted); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

hall

exalted

(high); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

meldis

friend

(i veldis), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldis), coll. pl. meldissath.

mellon

friend

(i vellon) (lover), pl. mellyn (i mellyn), coll. pl. mellonnath. Also meldir (i veldir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i meldir). Also seron (i heron, o seron), pl. seryn (i seryn), coll. pl. seronnath.

muig

noun. cat

naer

dreadful

(lamentable, woeful, sad); no distinct pl. form.

niphred

fear

(pallor); pl. niphrid.

o

of

(od), followed by hard mutation. With article uin ”from the, of the” (followed by ”mixed” mutation according to David Salo’s reconstuctuons). (WJ:366). Not to be confused with o ”about, concerning”.

or

high

(above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

orchall

lofty

(superior, eminent), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail)

raud

tall

(eminent, noble), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed. Also used as noun ”champion, eminent man, [a] noble”.

rhosc

brown

(red, russet), lenited ?throsc or ?rosc *(the lenition product of rh is uncertain)*, pl. rhysc

rhosc

russet

(red, brown), lenited ?throsc or ?rosc *(the lenition product of rh is uncertain)*, pl. rhysc

rían

queen

(”crown-gift”), pl. ríain (idh ríain)

ríen

queen

(crowned lady), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn). The adjective rîn ”crowned” may also be used as a noun ”crowned woman” =  ”queen”, but with no distinct pl. form except when article precedes (idh rîn again); coll. pl. ríniath. Note: a homophone means ”remembrance”.

rîs

noun. queen

rîs

queen

no distinct pl. except with article preceding (idh rîs); coll. pl. ?rissath

taur

king

(i daur, o thaur) (said in LR:389 s.v. TĀ to refer to ”legitimate kings of the whole tribes”), pl. toer (i thoer), coll. pl. torath.

taur

lofty

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

taur

tall

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

taur

sublime

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

telu

high roof

(i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely).

gwarth

noun. betrayer

baran

adjective. brown, swart, dark brown

aran

noun. king (used of a lord or king of a specified region)

baradh

adjective. steep

baradh

adjective. steep

baran

adjective. brown, swart, dark brown, golden brown, yellow brown

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

bereth

noun. queen

borth

?. [unglossed]

brand

adjective. lofty, noble, fine

brand

adjective. high (in size)

brann

adjective. lofty, noble, fine

brann

adjective. high (in size)

clei

?. [unglossed]

coen

?. [unglossed]

cunn

noun. prince

cunn

noun. prince

del

noun. fear, disgust, loathing, horror

diragas

?. [unglossed]

elf

noun. friend

ernil

noun. prince

gaer

adjective. dreadful

gaer

adjective. dreadful

garth

noun. fort, fortress

gorgor

adjective. dreadful

gosta-

verb. to fear exceedingly

gwarth

noun. betrayer

hall

adjective. exalted, high

mauth

?. [unglossed]

meldir

noun. friend

meldis

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

mellon

noun. friend

menwed

?. [unglossed]

nith

?. [unglossed]

nithrad

?. [unglossed]

níth

?. [unglossed]

o

preposition. from, of (preposition (as a proclitic) used in either direction, from or to the point of view of the speaker)

According to WJ/366, the preposition "is normally o in all positions, though od appears occasionally before vowels, especially before o-". With a suffixed article, see also uin

porennin

?. [unglossed]

rhosc

adjective. brown

rhîs

noun. queen

rhîs

noun. queen

taur

noun. king (only used of the legitimate kings of whole tribes)

In LotR/IV:IV, Frodo is called Daur, which might be the mutated form of this word

telwen

?. [unglossed]

thond

noun. friend

âr

noun. king (used of a lord or king of a specified region)

âr

noun. king

-ô

preposition. from

A prepositional suffix translated “from” (SD/429). In a few places, the suffix appears with the glide-consonant v (pronounced [w]) between it and a preceding u-vowel (SD/247, 249). It is likely related to the Quenya genitive inflection Q. -o.

Conceptual Development: At an earlier conceptual stage, this suffix was a grammatical inflection, the draft-genitive -ō (SD/438).

asdi

?. [unglossed]

A word Tolkien used to illustrate Adûnaic pronunciation (pronounced [azdi]) without giving its meaning (SD/421).

sapda

?. [unglossed]

A word Tolkien used to illustrate Adûnaic pronunciation without giving its meaning (SD/421).

ârû

noun. king

A noun translated as “king” (SD/429). The Adûnaic word for “queen” is not attested, but could be a feminized form of this word, such as ✱ârî.

durin

masculine name. king

ho

preposition. from