Quenya 

-lmë

we

-lmë 1st person pl. pronominal ending: "we" (VT49:38; 51 carilmë *"we do", VT49:16). It was originally intended to be inclusive "we" (VT49:48), including the person(s) spoken to, but by 1965 Tolkien made this the ending for exclusive "we" instead (cf. the changed definition of the corresponding possessive ending -lma, see above). _(VT49:38) Exemplified in laituvalmet "we shall bless them" (lait-uva-lme-t "bless-shall-we-them") (the meaning apparently changed from inclusive to exclusive "we", VT49:55), see also nalmë under # 1. (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308_)

-lwë

we

-lwë, later -lvë, pronominal ending "we" (VT49:51), 1st person pl. inclusive ending, occurring in the verbs carilwë "we do" (VT49:16) and navilwë (see #nav-). The ending became -lvë in later, Exilic Quenya (VT49:51). See -lv-.

-mmë

we

-mmë "we", 1st person dual exclusive pronominal ending: "I and one other" (compare the inclusive dual form -ngwë or -nquë). First written -immë in one source (VT49:57). Carimmë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16, cf. VT43:6). At an earlier conceptual stage, the ending was already exclusive, but plural rather than dual: vammë "we won't" (WJ:371), firuvammë "we will die" (VT43:34), etemmë ?"out of us" (VT43:36); see also VT49:48, 49, 55. Also compare the corresponding emphatic pronoun emmë (q.v.). The ending -lmë replaced -mmë in its former (plural exclusive) sense. In some early material, -mmë was apparently used as an ending for plural inclusive "we" (VT49:55).

-ngwë

we

-ngwë "we", 1st person dual inclusive pronominal ending: "thou and I" (compare the exclusive dual form -mmë). Caringwë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16). One source lists the ending as "-inke > -inque" instead (VT49:51, 53, 57; "inke" was apparently Old Quenya). In an earlier pronoun table reproduced in VT49:48, the ending -ngwë is listed as an alternative to -lmë, which Tolkien at the time used as the plural inclusive ending (a later revision made it plural exclusive).

emmë

we

emmë (2) pron. "we", emphatic pronoun; dative emmen (VT43:12, 20). In the source this pronoun is intended as the 1st person plural exclusive; later Tolkien changed the corresponding pronominal ending from -mmë to -lmë, and the plural emphatic pronoun would likewise change from emmë to *elmë. Since the ending -mmë was redefined as a dualexclusive pronoun, the form emmë may still be valid as such, as a dual emphatic pronoun "we" = "(s)he and I".

ve

we

ve (2) pron. "we", 1st person pl. inclusive (corresponding to exclusive me), derived from an original stem-form we (VT49:50, PE17:130). Variant vi, q.v. Stressed , later (VT49:51). Dative (*wéna >) véna, VT49:14. Dual wet*, later vet "the two of us" (inclusive; cf. exclusive met) (VT49:51). Also compare the dative form ngwin or ngwen (q.v.), but this would apparently be wen > ven** according to Tolkiens later ideas.

vi

we

vi pron. "we", 1st person inclusive (PE17:130), variant of ve #2.

we

we

we, , see ve #2

-wë

person

- a suffix occurring in many personal names, generally but not exclusively masculine (Elenwë is the sole certain example of a fem. name with this ending); it is derived from a stem simply meaning "person" (PM:340, WJ:399). In Etym, - is simply defined as an element that is frequent in masculine names, and it is there derived from a stem (WEG) having to do with "(manly) vigour".

-wë

suffix. ancient name suffix (usually but not always masculine)

A suffix that “appears frequently in ... Quenya names of the First Age, such as Voronwe, generally but not exclusively masculine” (PM/340). It was derived from the root √WĒ/EWE “person, being, individual”, but was sometimes also related to √WEG “live, be active” (PM/340; PE17/189-190), especially in the case of its Sindarin variant -we.

Conceptual Development: The suffix ᴱQ. -we dates all the way back to the earliest versions of the Legendarium, being an element in some very stable names like ᴱQ. Manwe and ᴱQ. Finwe which Tolkien never changed after their introduction. The early basis for this suffix isn’t entirely clear, but its Gnomish equivalent G. -weg seems to be the suffixal form of G. gweg “man” (GL/44). This Gnomish variant was specifically masculine and often paired with its feminine equivalent G. -win. In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, Tolkien said that ᴹQ. -we in names like ᴹQ. Finwe was a masculine suffix based on archaic ᴹQ. † “man, warrior”, but he also said that the suffix in ᴹQ. Manwe was distinct (PE21/1).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien said the name suffix had two different origins and meanings, ᴹQ. -we “masculine” and ᴹQ. -we “abstract”:

> veo (✱wegō) “man”. The latter in compound form ✱-wego is frequent in masculine names, taking Q form -we (< weg). This can be distinguished from -we (-wē abstract suffix) ... The abstract suffix occurs in the names Manwe, Fionwe, Elwe, Ingwe, Finwe (Ety/WEG).

Thus the masculine variant of the suffix was derived from primitive ᴹ✶-wego under the root ᴹ√WEG “(manly) vigour”, while the abstract suffix was derived from unrelated abstract suffix ᴹ✶-wē.

This duality in origin seems to have continued in Tolkien’s later writings, where Tolkien variously tied the suffix to either √ “person, individual, being” (PE17/189-190) or √WEG, the latter glossed “live, be active” (PE17/189) but also “masculinity apart from sex” and thus usable in names of the Valar, though the note with this last gloss appeared was struck through (PE17/190). The last mention of this suffix is in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968, where it was described as an abstract name suffix, most frequent in male names, based on √EWE “person” (PM/340), as noted above.

Changes

  • -we-we ✧ PE17/189

Cognates

  • S. -we “person, being, individual, person, being, individual; [N.] masculine suffix” ✧ PE17/189

Derivations

  • WĒ/EWE “person, being, individual” ✧ PE17/189; PE17/189
  • WEG “live, be active, live, be active; [ᴹ√] (manly) vigour” ✧ PE17/190
  • wegō “a person of male nature (and fëa); ruler” ✧ PE17/190; PE21/81
    • WEG “live, be active, live, be active; [ᴹ√] (manly) vigour” ✧ PE17/190
  • -wē “person; male suffix” ✧ PM/340
    • WĒ/EWE “person, being, individual” ✧ PM/340

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
> -we[-wē] > [-we]✧ PE17/189
> -we[-wē] > [-we]✧ PE17/189
weg- > -we[-weg] > [-weɣ] > [-we]✧ PE17/190
wegū̆/wego > -wē > [-wego] > [-weg] > [-weɣ] > [-we]✧ PE17/190
-wēg(o) > > -we[-wēgo] > [-wēg] > [-wēɣ] > [-wē] > [-we]✧ PE21/81
> -wë[-wē] > [-we]✧ PM/340

Variations

  • -we ✧ PE17/023; PE17/189 (-we); PE17/189; PE17/190; PE21/81; WJ/399
  • -nwe ✧ PE17/189
  • ✧ PE17/190 ()
Quenya [PE17/023; PE17/189; PE17/190; PE21/81; PM/340; WJ/399] Group: Eldamo. Published by

linqui

wet

linqui ("q")adj. "wet" (MC:216; Tolkien's later Quenya has linquë.)

linquë

wet

linquë ("q") (1) adj. "wet" _(LINKWI). In early "Qenya", this word was glossed "water" (LT1:262)_, and "wet" was linqui or liquin, q.v.

liquin

wet

liquin ("q")adj. "wet" (LT1:262; Tolkien's later Quenya has linquë.)

mixa

wet

mixa ("ks")adj. "wet" (MISK); later sources have néna, nenya

nenda

adjective. wet

Cognates

  • S. nîn “wet, *watery” ✧ PE17/052

Derivations

  • nēnā “wet” ✧ PE17/052; PE17/167
    • NEN “water, water, [ᴱ√] flow” ✧ PE17/052; PE17/167
  • NEN “water, water, [ᴱ√] flow” ✧ PE17/167

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
nén“water, water, [ᴱQ.] river”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
nēnā > nenya[nenja]✧ PE17/052
NĒ̆N > nenda[nenda]✧ PE17/167

Variations

  • nenya ✧ PE17/052
  • ninda ✧ PE17/052
  • nēna ✧ PE17/167
Quenya [PE17/052; PE17/167] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nenya

wet

nenya adj. "wet" (PE17:52), also néna, q.v. Nenya as the name of a Ring of Power seems to imply *"(thing) related to water", since this Ring was associated with that element (SA:nen).

nenya

adjective. wet

ninda

adjective. wet

néna

wet

néna adj. "wet" (PE17:167). Cf. nenya, mixa.

néna

adjective. wet

wet

wet

wet, see we #2

-lwë

suffix. we (inclusive)

engwë

thing

engwë noun "thing" (VT39:7, VT49:28). Extrapolation may also point to *engwë as an emphatic dual inclusive pronoun "we" (thou and I), corresponding to the ending -ngwë.

engwë

noun. thing

Derivations

  • “be, exist”

Variations

  • engwe ✧ VT39/07

et

out

et prep. (and adv.?) "out", when followed by ablative "out of" (VT45:13) or literally "out from", as in EO: et Eärello "out of the Great Sea"; cf. also et sillumello "from this hour" in VT44:35. Et i pe/péti, untranslated phrase, perhaps "out of the mouth" (VT47:35). Prefixet- "forth, out" (ET), also in longer form ete- (as in etelehta, eteminya); verb ettuler "are coming forth" (ettul- = et + tul-). (SD:290; read probably *ettulir or continuative *ettúlar in Tolkien's later Quenya). The forms etemmë and etengwë (VT43:36) seem to incorporate pronominal suffixes for "us", hence ?"out of us", inclusive and exclusive respectively. The pronoun -mmë denoted plural inclusive "we" when this was written, though Tolkien would later make it dual exclusive instead (see -mmë). Second person forms are also given: etelyë, etellë ?"out of you", sg. and pl. respectively (Tolkien would later change the ending for pl. "you" from -llë to -ldë).

me

we, us

me (1) 1st person pl. exclusive pronoun "we, us" (VT49:51; VT43:23, VT44:9). This pronoun preserves the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed (VT49:51). Cf. also mel-lumna "us-is-heavy", sc. *"is heavy for us" (LR:47, mel- is evidently an assimilated form of men "for us", dative of me; the form men is attested by itself, VT43:21). For me as object, cf. ála** "do not [do something to] us", negative imperative particle with object pronoun suffixed (VT43:19: álamë tulya, "do not lead us"), ámen** "do [something for] us", imperative particle with dative pronoun suffixed (ámen apsenë "forgive us", VT43:12, 18). Dual exclusive met "we/us (two)" (Nam, VT49:51), "you and me" (VT47:11; the latter translation would make met an inclusive pronoun, though it is elsewhere suggested that it is rather exclusive: "him/her and me", corresponding to wet [q.v.] as the true inclusive dual form). Rá men or rámen "for us/on our behalf", see . Locative messë "on us", VT44:12 (also with prefix o, ó- ?"with" in the same source). See also ménë, ómë.

ve

as, like

ve (1) prep. "as, like" (Nam, RGEO:66, Markirya, MC:213, 214, VT27:20, 27, VT49:22); in Narqelion ve may mean either "in" or "as". Ve fírimor quetir *"as mortals say" (VT49:10), ve senwa (or senya) "as usual" (VT49:10). Followed by genitive, ve apparently expresses "after the manner of": ve quenderinwë coaron ("k") "after the manner of bodies of Elven-kind" (PE17:174). Tolkien variously derived Quenya ve from older , or vai(VT49:10, 32, PE17:189)

ye

as

[ye (3), also , prep. "as" (VT43:16, struck out; in the text in question Tolkien finally settled on sívë, q.v.)]

-vë

as, like

-, (3) apparently an ending used to derive adverbs from adjectives (see andavë under anda and oiavë under oia). May be related to the preposition ve "as, like".

ier

as

ier prep. "as" (VT43:16, probably rejected in favour of sívë, q.v.). In an abandoned version of the Quenya Lord's Prayer, Tolkien used ier...ter for "as...so" (VT43:17).

vëo

man

vëo noun "man" (WEG; etymologically connected to vëa "manly, vigorous"; the more neutral word for "man" is nér. According to VT46:21, Tolkien indicated that vëo is an archaic or poetic word.) Tolkien at a later point defined the word as "living creature" (PE17:189). Cf. variant wëo, q.v.

omentielvo

we/our

-lv- element in pronominal endings for inclusive plural "we/our" (VT43:14). Iincludes the old 1st pl. inclusive stem we (VT48:10). Omentielvo "of our meeting" (q.v.) includes the ending #-lva "our" with the genitive ending -o attached. The corresponding ending for inclusive "we" is perhaps normally -lvë in late exilic Quenya; the variant form -lwë occurs in the verbs carilwë "we do" (VT49:16), navilwë "we judge" (VT42:34); according to VT48:11 this may simply be the older (pre-Exilic) form of *-lvë (VT49:51 lists the ending for "we" as "-lwe, -lve", apparently the older and the younger form).

-lmë

suffix. we (exclusive)

Derivations

  • me “1st-pl-exclusive pronoun” ✧ VT49/50

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
me > -lme[-lme]✧ VT49/50

Variations

  • -lme ✧ PE17/013; PE17/075; PE17/075; PE17/129; VT49/16; VT49/51
  • l+me ✧ PE17/014
  • lme ✧ PE17/130
Quenya [PE17/013; PE17/014; PE17/075; PE17/129; PE17/130; VT49/16; VT49/51] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-lmë

suffix. we (inclusive)

Variations

  • -lme ✧ PE17/057; PE17/190; VT49/38; VT49/48
  • -lbe ✧ PE17/129 (-lbe)
Quenya [PE17/057; PE17/129; PE17/190; VT49/38; VT49/48] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-lvë

suffix. we (inclusive)

The suffix -lvë is the first person plural inclusive inflection: “we (including you)” (PE17/130; VT49/16, 51). The corresponding possessive form -lva “our (inclusive)” appears in its genitive form -lvo in the famous phrase elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo.

Possible Etymology: Tolkien indicated that this inflection was ultimately derived from the primitive pronoun ✶we, with the same plural marker l as other plural inflections such as -l(yë) and -ltë, and that its oldest form was ✶-lwe (PE17/130; VT49/50-51). At one point Tolkien indicated that the change of lw &gt; lv was the normal phonetic development in Quenya (PE17/129). There little evidence that Tolkien carried through with the phonetic rule, however, and there are plenty of examples of unmodified lw in later Quenya. A better explanation might be that -lwe changed to -lve under the influence of the independent pronoun ve. These ideas came out of a discussion with Shihali on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) on Jan 28, 2018.

Conceptual Development: @@@

Derivations

  • -lwe ✧ PE17/130
  • we “we, us (inclusive)” ✧ VT49/50
    • ñwe “1 pl. inclusive base” ✧ VT48/10; VT48/10
    • me “1st-pl-exclusive pronoun” ✧ VT48/10

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
-lwe > -lve[-lwe] > [-lve]✧ PE17/130
we > -lwe > -lve[-lwe] > [-lve]✧ VT49/50

Variations

  • -lve ✧ PE17/130; VT49/51
  • -lwe ✧ VT49/16
Quenya [PE17/130; VT49/16; VT49/51] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-lwa

our

-lwa, possessive pronominal ending, 1st person pl. inclusive "our" (VT49:16), later (in exilic Quenya) used in the form #-lva, genitive -lvo in omentielvo (see -lv-).

-mmë

suffix. we (exclusive)

Variations

  • -mme ✧ PE17/057; PE17/075; PE17/075; PE17/190; VT49/38; VT49/48
Quenya [PE17/057; PE17/075; PE17/190; VT49/38; VT49/48] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lér

man

**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)

nér

man

nér (1) (ner-, as in pl. neri) noun "man" (adult male elf, mortal, or of other speaking race) (MR:213, VT49:17, DER, NDER, NI1, VT45:9; see also WJ:393)

nér

noun. man

Quenya [PE 22:124] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

-ngwa

our

-ngwa "our", 1st person dual inclusive possessive pronominal ending: *"thy and my", corresponding to the ending -ngwë for dual inclusive "we" (VT49:16)

menya

our

menya (pl. menyë is attested) possessive pron. "our", 1st person pl. exclusive independent possessive pronoun (VT43:19, 35). Evidently derived from the dative form men "for us" by adding the adjectival ending -ya. Compare ninya, q.v.

missë

wet, damp, rain

[missë] adj.ornoun "wet, damp, rain" (VT45:35)

nassë

person, an individual

nassë (1) "a person, an individual" (VT49:30). Also translated "true-being" (pl. nasser is attested), the inner "true" being of a person. With a pronominal suffix in the form nassentar "their true-being" (PE17:175, cf. -nta #2), in the source referring to the "true" spiritual nature of the Valar, as hidden within their visible shapes. The word nassentar would seem to be plural, *"their true-beings". Not to be confused with the verb nassë/násë "he/she is"; see #1.

sívë

as

sívë (1) prep. "as", apparently ve of similar meaning with the prefix - "this, here, now"; sívë therefore makes a comparison with something close, whereas tambë (q.v.) refers to something remote. Sívë...tambë "as...so" (VT43:17). Elided sív' in VT43:12, since the next word begins in the vowel e-.

mi

in, within

mi prep. "in, within" (MI, VT27:20, VT44:18, 34, VT43:30; the latter source also mentions the variant imi); "in the" (Nam, RGEO:66; CO gives mi; the correct forms should evidently be mi = "in" and = mi i "in the"; VT49:35 also has with a long vowel, though the gloss is simply "in"). Used in PE17:71 (cf. 70) of people clad "in" various colours, e.g. mi mísë "in grey". Allative minna "to the inside, into" (MI), also mina (VT43:30). The forms mimmë and mingwë seem to incorporate pronominal suffixes for "us", hence ?"in us", inclusive and exclusive respectively. The pronoun -mmë denoted plural inclusive "we" when this was written, though Tolkien would later make it dual instead (see -mmë). Second person forms are also given: mil or milyë *"in you" (sg.), millë "in you" (pl.) (VT43:36). A special use of mi appears in the phrase Wendë mi Wenderon "Virgin of Virgins" (VT44:18); here mi appears superfluous to achieve the desired meaning, but this combination of singular noun + mi + plural genitive noun may be seen as a fixed idiom expressing that the initial noun represents the most prominent member of a class.

imi

preposition. in, in, [ᴱQ.] inside

mi

preposition. in, in, [ᴹQ.] within

Cognates

  • S. mi “*in”

Derivations

  • “in, within” ✧ PE17/092; VT47/30
    • MI/IMI “in, within, [ᴹ√] inside” ✧ PE17/092; VT47/30
  • MI/IMI “in, within, [ᴹ√] inside” ✧ VT43/30

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
> [mi]✧ PE17/092
mi > imi[imi]✧ VT43/30
mi > mi[mi]✧ VT43/30
> [mi]✧ VT47/30

Variations

  • ✧ PE17/092; VT47/30
  • ✧ RGEO/58; VT49/35
  • imi ✧ VT43/30
  • mil ✧ VT43/30 (mil)
Quenya [LotR/0377; PE17/063; PE17/071; PE17/092; RGEO/58; UT/305; UT/317; VT43/13; VT43/30; VT43/36; VT44/18; VT44/34; VT47/30; VT49/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-o

person, somebody

-o (2), also -ó, "a person, somebody", pronominal suffix (PM:340)

Námo

person, somebody

námo (2) noun "a person, somebody" (PM:340 writers may prefer the synonym quén to avoid confusion with # 1)

-lma

our

-lma pronominal ending "our", 1st person pl. exclusive (VT49:16), also attested (with the genitive ending -o that displaces final -a) in the word omentielmo "of our meeting" (nominative omentielma, PE17:58). Tolkien emended omentielmo to omentielvo in the Second Edition of LotR, reflecting a revision of the Quenya pronominal system (cf. VT49:38, 49, Letters:447). The cluster -lm- in the endings for inclusive "we/our" was altered to -lv- (VT43:14). In the revised system, -lma should apparently signify exclusive "our".

-mma

our

-mma "our", 1st person dual exlusive possessive ending: *"my and one others" (VT49:16). At an earlier conceptual phase, Tolkien apparently intended the same ending to be plural inclusive "our" (VT49:55, RS:324), cf. Mélamarimma "Our Home" (q.v.) In the latter word, Tolkien slips in i as a connecting vowel before this ending; elsewhere he used e, as in Átaremma "our Father" (see atar).

imi

in

imi prep. "in"; see mi (VT43:30)

nat

thing

nat noun "thing" (NĀ2); compare únat. VT49:30 lists "năta, nat", but it is unclear whether năta is here a Quenya word or an etymological form underlying Quenya nat.

nat

noun. thing

A Quenya noun for “thing” derived from the root √ “be, exist” (VT49/30, Ety/NĀ²), so perhaps prehistorically simply “a thing that exists”. Its plural form nati is indirectly attested in the plural únati of its (strong) negation únat “a thing impossible to be or to be done” (VT39/26).

Conceptual Development: This word is well established in Tolkien’s writings, appearing all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s (QL/64). In its earliest iteration, its stem form was natt- and its plural was natsi, where [[eq|[ti] became [tsi]]] as was the usual pattern in Early Qenya. The word reappear in texts and notes from the 1920s (PE14/43, 72; PE15/32, 68, 78). In one early dictionary entry glossed more generally as “affair, matter, thing”, but this entry was deleted (PE15/68); in other early writings the word for “affair” was given as ᴱQ. natto (QL/64). The word reappeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s with a simplified stem form nat- given its Noldorin equivalent N. nad (Ety/NĀ²). The word appeared again in the late 1960s in notes associated with Q. ná- “to be”, where it was given the primitive form ✶năta (VT49/30).

Derivations

  • năta “thing” ✧ VT49/30
    • “be (the same as another), exist”

Element in

  • ᴺQ. natto “affair, *matter, thing”
  • Q. únat “thing impossible to be or to be done”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
năta > nat[nata] > [nat]✧ VT49/30

ya

as

ya (2) or yan, prep. "as" (VT43:16, probably abandoned in favour of sívë)

yuitë

adjective. dual

An adjective for “dual”, a combination of yu- “both” and the suffix -itë. Also used as a grammatical term.

Elements

WordGloss
yu-“both, both, [ᴱQ.] twice”
Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Sindarin 

-m

suffix. we

1st du. pron. suff. #we (you and me). Q. -mmo.See paradigm PE17:132.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:132] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-nc

suffix. we

1st du. pron. suff. #we (you and me). Q. -lmo.See paradigm PE17:132. >> -ngid

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:132] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-we

suffix. person, being, individual, person, being, individual; [N.] masculine suffix

A name suffix in Sindarin, largely used in names adapted from Quenya, such as Manwe or Bronwe, the latter an adaptation of Q. Voronwë. However, the true cognate of the Quenya name suffix -wë is -u, as in S. Elu the later form of Elwë. This -u is not an active name suffix in Sindarin, though, and survives only in a few ancient names like Elu.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s this suffix was G. -weg and was used broadly in names such as G. Manweg (GL/56) as well as an agental suffix in words like G. finweg “craftsman” (GL/35). This early version seems to be the suffixal form of G. gweg “man” (GL/44). The suffix was often paired with its feminine equivalent G. -win such as G. gothweg “warrior” vs. G. gothwin “amazon” (GL/42), or G. faronweg vs. G. faronwin for a male and female “foreigner” (GL/34).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s this suffix became N. -we derived from primitive ᴹ✶-wego under the root ᴹ√WEG “(manly) vigour”, which in Noldorin was distinct in origin from ᴹQ. -we which was (mostly) based on an ancient abstract suffix ᴹ✶-wē (Ety/WEG). Pure Quenya names like Finwe retained their form when used in Noldorin, but there were also some native Noldorin names with this suffix such as N. Bronwe < ON. Bronwega.

Tolkien revisited this suffix in various notes from the late 1950s and gave it a similar origin, with the caveat that all of the “native” names from the stories had become adaptations from Quenya. As Tolkien described it in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957:

> In Sindarin adoption of Quenya names (as Voronwe > Bronweg) -we was sometimes used to represent -we, which historically had become w or u (as in Elu = Elwe). But this S -we is of distinct origin, √WEG-, live, be active. Hence ✱wego(n), living creature: Q weo, veo, S gwê. Cf. ✱weg-tē, activity, occupation (PE17/189).

In an earlier but rejected version of this note, Tolkien instead gave the root form as √WEK with Sindarin suffix -weg, perhaps a brief flirtation with restoring the Gnomish form of the suffix (PE17/190).

Changes

  • weg-we ✧ PE17/189
  • weg-we “a person or being” ✧ PE17/189

Cognates

  • Q. -wë “ancient name suffix (usually but not always masculine)” ✧ PE17/189

Derivations

  • WĒ/EWE “person, being, individual” ✧ PE17/189; PE17/190
  • WEG “live, be active, live, be active; [ᴹ√] (manly) vigour” ✧ PE17/189; PE17/190
  • wegō “a person of male nature (and fëa); ruler” ✧ PE17/190
    • WEG “live, be active, live, be active; [ᴹ√] (manly) vigour” ✧ PE17/190

Element in

  • S. Bronwe “*Endurance” ✧ PE17/189; PE17/189; PE17/190
  • S. Manwe ✧ PE17/189; PE17/190

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
> -wi[-wē] > [-wī]✧ PE17/189
WEG > -we[-wego] > [-weɣo] > [-weɣ] > [-we]✧ PE17/189
WEK > weg[-wekā] > [-weka] > [-wek] > [-weg]✧ PE17/190
WE > wekā > weg[-wekā] > [-weka] > [-wek] > [-weg]✧ PE17/190
wegū̆/wego > -wē/wĕ[-wego] > [-weɣo] > [-weɣ] > [-we]✧ PE17/190

Variations

  • -wi ✧ PE17/189 (-wi)
  • weg ✧ PE17/190 (weg); PE17/190
  • -wē/wĕ ✧ PE17/190 (-wē/wĕ)
Sindarin [PE17/189; PE17/190] Group: Eldamo. Published by

limp

adjective. wet

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

nîn

wet

_ adj. _wet. Q. nenya. >> Nindalf

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:52:61] < _nēnā_ < NEN water. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

adanath

noun. men

Sindarin [MR/373] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ned

preposition. (uncertain meaning) in, of (about time, e.g. giving a date)

[Another possible interpretation: "another, one more" (related to Q. net(e)), VT/47:40]

Sindarin [SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

-enc

suffix. our

_1st pl. poss. suff. _our.Maybe the incl. form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:46] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-men

suffix. our

_1st pl. poss. suff. our.Maybe the excl. form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -em_. >> -em, -main

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:46] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

loen

adjective. soaking wet, swamped

Sindarin [VT/42:10] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nîn

adjective. wet, watery

Sindarin [Nindalf TC/195, S/435] Group: SINDICT. Published by

sui

conjunction. as, like

Sindarin [VT/44:21,27] Group: SINDICT. Published by

drúadan

noun. wild man, one of the Woses

Sindarin [UT/385] drû+adan. Group: SINDICT. Published by

drû

noun. wild man, Wose, Púkel-Man

In PE/11:31, an older Gnomish word drû, drui meant "wood, forest", and in PE/13:142, the early Noldorin word drú was assigned the meaning "dark". Drû pl. Drúin later came to be used for the name of the Woses, with other derivatives (Drúadan, etc.). "Wose" is actually the modernization of an Anglo-Saxon word wasa only found in the compound wudu-wasa "wild man of the woods", cf. UT/385 sq. In the drafts of the "Ride of the Rohirrim" in WR/343-346, the Woses first appeared as "the dark men of Eilenach". Though internally said to derive from drughu in their own tongue, Tolkien's choice for the Sindarin name of the Woses was apparently influenced by earlier meanings assigned to this word

Sindarin [UT/385] MS *druγ, Dr druγu. Group: SINDICT. Published by

Dúnadan

noun. Man of the west, Númenórean

Sindarin [LotR/I:XII, WJ/378, S/390] dûn+adan. Group: SINDICT. Published by

-u

suffix. a person or being

Derivations

  • WĒ/EWE “person, being, individual” ✧ PE17/190

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
WE > -u[-we] > [-w] > [-u]✧ PE17/190
Sindarin [PE17/190] Group: Eldamo. Published by

adanadar

noun. man, one of the Fathers of Men

Sindarin [MR/373] adan+adar. Group: SINDICT. Published by

dîr

noun. man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix

A word for “man” as a male person, attested only as an element in compounds or as (archaic?) ndir (PE17/60). This word likely refers to male individuals of all races including Elves, Men, Dwarves and so forth, much like its Quenya cognate Q. nér. This word must have been derived from the primitive subjective form ✶ndēr of the root √N(D)ER “male person”, where the ancient long ē became ī, and the initial cluster nd- became d-, though the ancient cluster would still be reflected in mutated forms, such as in i nîr “the man” rather than ✱✱i dhîr.

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest precursor to this word is (archaic) G. †drio “hero, warrior” with variants driw, driodweg and driothweg, a cognate of ᴱQ. nēr (GL/22). This Gnomish word was derived from primitive ᴱ✶n’reu̯, where the initial nr- became dr-. At this early stage, the root was unstrengthened ᴱ√NERE (QL/65), as reflected in (archaic) ᴱN. nîr “hero, prince, warrior-elf” in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s (PE13/164).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s the root became ᴹ√DER “adult male, man” of any speaking race and the derived form was N. dîr (Ety/DER). However, in this document Tolkien said:

> EN †dîr surviving chiefly in proper names (as Diriel older Dirghel [GYEL], Haldir, Brandir) and as agental ending (as ceredir “doer, maker”) ... In ordinary use EN has benn [for “man”] (properly = “husband”).

Thus in the scenario described in The Etymologies, dîr “man” was archaic and used only as an element in names or as a suffix. In ordinary speech it was replaced by N. benn, which used to mean “husband” but now meant “man”, while the word for “husband” became N. hervenn (Ety/BES). It is unlikely Tolkien imagined this exact scenario in later Sindarin, however, since the 1930s root for benn was ᴹ√BES “wed”, but by the 1960s the root for husband/wife/marry words had become √BER.

Neo-Sindarin: Since the status of N. benn is questionable given ᴹ√BES >> √BER, many Neo-Sindarin writers prefer to use S. ✱dîr as the Sindarin word for man. I am of the opinion that both dîr and benn are acceptable for “man, male person”. This is because I prefer to retain ᴹ√BES as the root for “marry, wed”, since it is the best basis for attested husband/wife words in (Neo) Sindarin.

Derivations

Element in

Variations

  • ndir ✧ PE17/060
Sindarin [PE17/060] Group: Eldamo. Published by

min-

preposition. (in) between (referring to a gap, space, barrier or anything intervening between two other things)

Sindarin [Minhiriath LotR/Map, VT/47:11,14] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mîn

preposition. (in) between (referring to a gap, space, barrier or anything intervening between two other things)

Sindarin [Minhiriath LotR/Map, VT/47:11,14] Group: SINDICT. Published by

adan

noun. man, one of the Second People (elvish name for men)

Sindarin [LotR/A(v), S/427, PM/324, WJ/387, Letters/282] Q. atan. Group: SINDICT. Published by

-ad

suffix. dual

The Sindarin dual was almost certainly derived from the same primitive form ✶ata as the Quenya dual ending -t, indicating this ending was ancient in form. The other Quenya dual, -u, would not have been active in Sindarin since final vowels were lost.

Tolkien stated (Let/427) that this ending was archaic and lost, but did not state when it disappeared. The ending may have still been active in the First Age. The ending appears in the day-name Orgaladhad “Day of the Two Trees”. Since the Sindar had no direct experience with the trees, this word was likely adopted from its Quenya cognate Aldúya when the Noldor and Sindar were reunited.

Cognates

  • Q. -t “dual ending”

Derivations

  • ata “numerative dual ending”

Element in

  • S. Methiriad “?End of Two Rivers”
  • S. nobad “thumb and index finger as a pair, *(lit.) pickers”

Variations

  • -d ✧ Let/427

-main

suffix. our

_1st pl. poss. suff. our.Maybe the excl. form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -em_. >> -em, -men

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:46] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

adan

man

(pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.

bach

thing

(article for exchange, ware) (i mach, o mbach), pl. baich (i mbaich).

bôr

trusty man

(boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (steadfast man, faithful vassal), pl. *b**ŷr* for older beryn, i meryn (archaic böryn, i möryn). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

curunír

man of craft

(i gurunír, o churunír) (wizard), no distinct pl. form except with article (i churunír), coll. pl. ?curuníriath.

in

unstressed di (beneath, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

dîr

man

1) (adult male of any speaking race) dîr (dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”. 2) (mortal human as opposed to Elf) Adan (pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.

dîr

man

(dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”.

firion

mortal man

(pl. firyn).

min

adjective. our

Sindarin [VT/44:21,22,28] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mín

adjective. our

Sindarin [VT/44:21,22,28] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mín

pronoun. our

Changes

  • minvin ✧ VT44/24
  • mínvín ✧ VT44/28

Element in

Variations

  • min ✧ VT44/22 (min)
Sindarin [VT44/22; VT44/24; VT44/28] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nad

thing

1) nad (pl. naid), 2) bach (article for exchange, ware) (i mach, o mbach), pl. baich (i mbaich).

nad

thing

(pl. naid)

sui

as

1) prep. “like, as”) sui (VT44:23), 2) (prep.) be (like, according to). Followed by lenition? With article ben (followed by "mixed mutation" according to David Salos reconstruction)

sui

as

(VT44:23)

vi

preposition. in

Sindarin [VT/44:21,27] Group: SINDICT. Published by

vi

in

(prep.) 1) vi (VT44:23), with article vin; 2) ne, ned (used of time in the source), possibly followed by hard mutation (SD:129); 3) , unstressed di (beneath, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

vi

preposition. in

vi

in

(VT44:23), with article vin

vín

our

vín; see WE

vín

our

; see

men

we

men (accusative mín ”us”, presumably usually lenited vín, which is also the genitive ”our”).

men

we

(accusative mín ”us”, presumably usually lenited vín, which is also the genitive ”our”).

gwe

pronoun. we (inclusive)

Derivations

  • we “we, us (inclusive)”
    • ñwe “1 pl. inclusive base” ✧ VT48/10; VT48/10
    • me “1st-pl-exclusive pronoun” ✧ VT48/10

Element in

  • ᴺS. gwen “us (inclusive)”
  • ᴺS. gwîn “our (inclusive)”
Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

limp

adjective. wet

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

limp

wet

(no distinct pl. form).

mesc

wet

1) mesc (lenited vesc, pl. misc). Also spelt mesg. 2) limp (no distinct pl. form). 3)

mesc

wet

(lenited vesc, pl. misc). Also spelt mesg.

nîd

wet

nîd (damp, tearful); no distinct pl. form. 4) nîn (watery); no distinct pl. form. Note: nîn is also used as a noun ”tear”; there is also the possessive pronoun nín ”my”.

nîd

wet

(damp, tearful); no distinct pl. form. 4) nîn (watery); no distinct pl. form. Note: nîn is also used as a noun ”tear”; there is also the possessive pronoun nín ”my”.

e

out

e, ed (away, forth); also as adjectival prefix "outer" and preposition: (WJ:367)

e

out

ed (away, forth); also as adjectival prefix "outer" and preposition:

be

as

(like, according to). Followed by lenition? With article ben (followed by "mixed mutation" according to David Salo’s reconstruction)

me

pronoun. we (exclusive)

Derivations

  • me “1st-pl-exclusive pronoun”
Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

ne

in

ned (used of time in the source), possibly followed by hard mutation (SD:129)

ne

in, inside

(prefix) (mid-)

pe

pronoun. we (inclusive)

Element in

  • ᴺS. pen “us (inclusive)”
  • ᴺS. pîn “our (inclusive)”

Elements

WordGloss
ki“you (imperious/familiar)”
we“we, us (inclusive)”
Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

loen

soaking wet

(swamped), no distinct pl. form.

dúnadan

man of the west

(i Núnadan), pl. Dúnedain (i Ndúnedain) (WJ:378, 386).

rhavan

wild man

(?i thravan or ?i ravanthe lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhevain (?idh revain) (WJ:219). – The following terms apparently apply to ”men” of any speaking race:

thalion

dauntless man

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

Nandorin 

beorn

noun. man

The shift of e to eo is strange and has no direct parallels, but compare eo from i in meord "fine rain" (< primitive mizdê). Normally final becomes in Nandorin (see golda), but here it is simply lost instead of producing *beorna. C.f. meord the other word where we might have expected to see a final -a (in that case from ); it may be that final vowels are lost in words that would otherwise come to have more than two syllables. - The shift of primitive s to r in besnô > beorn may be ascribed primarily to the blending with ber(n)ô, but r from z is seen in meord < mizdê; perhaps the s of besnô first became z and then r. Such developments are common in Quenya.

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (LR:352)] besnô "blend with" ber(n)ô "valiant man, warrior". Published by

Black Speech

ishi

preposition. in, inside

Usually placed after the noun in Black Speech, c.f. burzum-ishi (darkness-inside).

Black Speech [PE17/11] Published by

Primitive elvish

we

root. dual

A primitive “dual” element mentioned in notes on numbers from the late 1960s, contributing to the forms of primitive ✶enekwe “six” and ✶yun(e)kwe “twelve” in the Quenya branch of Elvish, as well as the ancient 1st person inclusive pronoun ✶ñwe (VT48/10). It was probably related to the ancient dual suffix ✶ (Let/427). It was also likely a later iteration the dual root ᴱ√WI from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s which was likewise connected to dual U (QL/33). This early root was mentioned in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon as ᴱ✶u̯i (GL/45).

Variations

  • we ✧ VT48/10
Primitive elvish [VT48/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

we

pronoun. we, us (inclusive)

Derivations

  • ñwe “1 pl. inclusive base” ✧ VT48/10; VT48/10
    • me “1st-pl-exclusive pronoun” ✧ VT48/10

Derivatives

  • wwe ✧ VT49/50
  • Q. -lvë “we (inclusive)” ✧ VT49/50
  • Q. ve “us (inclusive)” ✧ PE17/130; PE17/130; VT49/50
  • ᴺS. gwe “we (inclusive)”

Element in

  • ᴺS. pe “we (inclusive)”

Variations

  • wē̆ ✧ PE17/130
  • wi ✧ PE17/130
  • -we ✧ VT48/10
Primitive elvish [PE17/130; VT48/10; VT49/50; VT49/52] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-wē

suffix. person; male suffix

Derivations

  • WĒ/EWE “person, being, individual” ✧ PM/340

Derivatives

  • Q. -wë “ancient name suffix (usually but not always masculine)” ✧ PM/340

Variations

  • -we ✧ MR/388
  • ✧ PM/340
Primitive elvish [MR/388; PM/340] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nēnā

adjective. wet

Derivations

  • NEN “water, water, [ᴱ√] flow” ✧ PE17/052; PE17/167

Derivatives

  • Q. nenda “wet” ✧ PE17/052; PE17/167
  • S. nîn “wet, *watery” ✧ PE17/052

Variations

  • nēna ✧ PE17/167
Primitive elvish [PE17/052; PE17/167] Group: Eldamo. Published by

preposition. as, like

Tolkien used the word Q. ve for “as, like” in Quenya for much of his life, but its etymological origins varied. In the the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had two distinct roots for “similarity”: unglossed ᴱ√ with variant ᴱ√SENE⁽²⁾ and derivatives like ᴱQ. se “as, like, in manner of” and ᴱQ. (a)sesta- “to liken, compare” (QL/82), and also ᴱ√ “as” with variant ᴱ√VI‘I and derivatives like ᴱQ. ve “as, like”, ᴱQ. vealta- “to resemble”, and ᴱQ. vīkana- “compare” (QL/101). The semantic distinction between the two roots isn’t clear, and in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon there was a third set of forms beginning with fel- such as G. fel “as, like”, G. feleg “equal”, and G. feltha- “resemble, seem like” (GL/34).

In later notes Tolkien proposed a variety of primitive origins for Q. ve “as, like”: ✶ (we’e) in 1957 Quenya Notes (VT49/10; PE17/189), ✶ from notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s (VT49/32 note #10), and ✶vai as a relative of suffixal -va in notes from 1968 (VT49/32 note #10). As there are not any definite Sindarin cognates for Q. ve in Tolkien’s published writings, it is hard to know which of these is more likely.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would go with primitive ✶ as the most widely excepted option, producing S. ✱be “as, like”.

Derivatives

  • Q. ve “as, like, similar, after the manner [of], as, like, similar, after the manner [of]; [ᴹQ.] with” ✧ VT49/10; VT49/32; VT49/32
  • ᴺQ. véta- “to compare, liken”
  • S. be “in; ?as, like, as, like; in”
  • ᴺS. bída- “to compare, liken”
  • ᴺS. bîl “likeness, similarity”

Variations

  • ✧ VT49/10
  • vai ✧ VT49/32
Primitive elvish [VT49/10; VT49/32] Group: Eldamo. Published by

wē/ewe

root. person, being, individual

A root mentioned in notes from the late 1950s having to do with “persons” serving as the basis for the suffix Q. -wë common in ancient Quenya names (PE17/189-90). In The Etymologies of the 1930s this suffix had two variants: masculine ᴹQ. -we derived from root ᴹ√WEG “(manly) vigour”, but also abstract ᴹQ. -we derived from unrelated ᴹ✶-wē (Ety/WEG). The suffix was masculine in some later notes as well, where Tolkien said “√WEG, WEƷ, √NES, NETH- referred to masculinity and femininity apart from sex and so could refer to the Valar and Maiar” (PE17/190), but this etymology was rejected and in its place Tolkien wrote: “√WE ? WEƷ ‘person’, individual (only used of Elves and Men), thus origin of -we in Quenya names as Manwe, Voronwe” (PE17/189). In Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 Tolkien wrote:

> -we in Quenya names (Manwe, etc.). This is in origin a separate word √WĒ (WE’E ?), from its form an ancient element of Eldarin vocabulary. Probably related to Q ve “as, like”; vëa “seeming, apparent”; vávea, ovéa “(con)similar, alike”. In Sindarin adoption of Quenya names (as Voronwe > Bronweg) -we was sometimes used to represent -we, which historically had become w or u (as in Elu = Elwe). But this S -we is of distinct origin, √WEG- “live, be active”. Hence ✱wego(n) “living creature”: Q weo, vëo, S gwê (PE17/189).

In these Quenya Notes, √ as a name element was distinct from √WEG “active”, and neither were distinctly masculine. The initial version of this note glossed √WE as “a person or being” (PE17/190), but in revision Tolkien connected it to Q. ve “as, like” (PE17/189). The interpretation of the suffix -we as gender-neutral was mentioned again in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 where Tolkien said it was derived from √EWE “person” (PM/340). However, the only feminine name where this element appeared was Q. Elenwë the wife of Turgon (S/90, PM/345), and most of the names with this element were both masculine and ancient.

See the entry on √WEG for more on the evolution of earlier, largely masculine, forms.

Derivatives

  • -wē “person; male suffix” ✧ PM/340
    • Q. -wë “ancient name suffix (usually but not always masculine)” ✧ PM/340
  • Q. véra “personal, private, own” ✧ PM/340
  • Q. -wë “ancient name suffix (usually but not always masculine)” ✧ PE17/189; PE17/189
  • S. gwaith “people; region, people, [ᴱN.] men, folk; [N.] manhood; man-power, troop of able bodied men, host, regiment; [S.] region” ✧ PE17/190
  • S. -u “a person or being” ✧ PE17/190
  • S. -we “person, being, individual, person, being, individual; [N.] masculine suffix” ✧ PE17/189; PE17/190
  • T. evë “a person, somebody (unnamed)” ✧ PM/340

Element in

  • Q. eo “person, somebody (unnamed)” ✧ PM/340
  • S. Elu ✧ PE17/189

Variations

  • ✧ PE17/189 (); PE17/189
  • WEƷ ✧ PE17/189 (WEƷ)
  • WE ✧ PE17/190
  • EWE ✧ PM/340
Primitive elvish [PE17/189; PE17/190; PM/340] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndē̆r

noun. man

Derivations

  • N(D)ER “male (person), man”

Derivatives

  • S. dîr “man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix”
Primitive elvish [PE19/102] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. person

Derivatives

  • Q. mo “one, anyone, someone, somebody”

Element in

Primitive elvish [VT47/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

imi

root. in

năta

noun. thing

Derivations

  • “be (the same as another), exist”

Derivatives

  • Q. nat “thing” ✧ VT49/30
Primitive elvish [VT49/30] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

gwe

noun. man, warrior

Changes

  • gweggwe “man, warrior” ✧ PE21/01

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶wegō “man; warrior” ✧ PE21/01
    • ᴹ√WEG “(manly) vigour” ✧ Ety/ING; Ety/WEG

Variations

  • gweg ✧ PE21/01 (gweg)

lhimp

adjective. wet

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

lhimp

adjective. wet

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. linqe “wet, wet, [ᴱQ.] flowing; water, stream” ✧ Ety/LINKWI

Derivations

  • ᴹ√LINKWI “*wet” ✧ Ety/LINKWI
    • ᴹ√LIN “pool” ✧ Ety/LIN¹

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√LINKWI > lhimp[liŋkwi] > [liŋkwe] > [limpe] > [limpʰe] > [limɸe] > [limfe] > [limf] > [l̥imf] > [l̥imp] > [l̥imp]✧ Ety/LINKWI
Noldorin [Ety/LINKWI] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mesc

adjective. wet

Noldorin [Ety/373] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mesc

adjective. wet

mesg

adjective. wet

Noldorin [Ety/373] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mesg

adjective. wet

@@@ mesc may be alternate form

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. miksa “wet, wet, *damp” ✧ Ety/MISK; EtyAC/MISK

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MISIK “*wet” ✧ Ety/MISK

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√MISK > mesc > mesg[miska] > [meska] > [mesk] > [mesg]✧ Ety/MISK
ᴹ√MISK > miss[misse] > [miss]✧ Ety/MISK

Variations

  • miss ✧ EtyAC/MISK (miss)
Noldorin [Ety/MISK; EtyAC/MISK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nenui

adjective. wet

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
nen“water”
-ui“adjective suffix”

Variations

  • Nenui ✧ TI/268

ne-

prefix. in

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NE “*in”

Element in

  • N. neledh- “*to go in, enter”
  • N. nestag- “to insert, stick in” ✧ Ety/STAK
  • ᴺS. nethan- “to inspire, kindle inside”
Noldorin [Ety/STAK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

benn

noun. man, male

Noldorin [Ety/352, VT/45:9] "husband". Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodweith

noun. Northmen

Noldorin [Ety/382, Ety/398, X/EI] forod+gwaith. Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodweith

noun. the lands of the North

Noldorin [Ety/382, Ety/398, X/EI] forod+gwaith. Group: SINDICT. Published by

nedh-

prefix. in, inside, mid-

See also the preposition ned , and the noun ened for a discussion of this form

Noldorin [Ety/376] Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodrim

noun. Northmen

Noldorin [Ety/392] forod+rim. Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodwaith

noun. Northmen

Noldorin [Ety/382, Ety/398, X/EI] forod+gwaith. Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodwaith

noun. the lands of the North

Noldorin [Ety/382, Ety/398, X/EI] forod+gwaith. Group: SINDICT. Published by

dîr

noun. man, referring to an adult male (elf, mortal, or of any other speaking race)

Noldorin [Ety/354, Ety/352] Group: SINDICT. Published by

di

preposition. in

Derivations

  • ᴹ√(N)DI “in” ✧ EtyAC/NDI

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NDI/DI > di[ndi] > [di]✧ EtyAC/NDI
Noldorin [EtyAC/NDI] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nad

noun. thing

Noldorin [Ety/374] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nad

noun. thing

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. nat “thing” ✧ Ety/NĀ²

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NĀ/ANA “be, exist” ✧ Ety/NĀ²

Element in

  • ᴺS. alnad “nothing”
  • ᴺS. illad “everything”
  • ᴺS. ilnad “everything”
  • ᴺS. nadren “real; possible (in sense possible to exist or think of)”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NĀ² > nad[nata] > [nat] > [nad]✧ Ety/NĀ²
Noldorin [Ety/NĀ²] Group: Eldamo. 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!

Edain

bar

noun. man

Element in

  • Ed. halbar “chieftain” ✧ WJ/238

Qenya 

linqe

adjective. wet, wet, [ᴱQ.] flowing; water, stream

Cognates

  • N. lhimp “wet” ✧ Ety/LINKWI

Derivations

  • ᴹ√LINKWI “*wet” ✧ Ety/LINKWI
    • ᴹ√LIN “pool” ✧ Ety/LIN¹

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√LINKWI > linqe[liŋkwi] > [liŋkwe]✧ Ety/LINKWI

miksa

adjective. wet, wet, *damp

Cognates

  • N. mesg “wet” ✧ Ety/MISK; EtyAC/MISK

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MISIK “*wet” ✧ Ety/MISK

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√MISK > miksa[miska] > [miksa]✧ Ety/MISK

Variations

  • misse ✧ EtyAC/MISK (misse)
Qenya [Ety/MISK; EtyAC/MISK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. man, warrior

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶wegō “man; warrior” ✧ PE21/01; PE21/41
    • ᴹ√WEG “(manly) vigour” ✧ Ety/ING; Ety/WEG

Element in

  • ᴹQ. -we “masculine suffix” ✧ PE21/01

Variations

  • ✧ PE21/01; PE21/41
Qenya [PE21/01; PE21/41] Group: Eldamo. Published by

me

pronoun. we, us

Element in

Variations

  • ✧ PE22/119
Qenya [LR/047; LR/056; PE22/112; PE22/118; PE22/119; PE22/123; PE22/124; PE22/127; SD/310] Group: Eldamo. Published by

veo

noun. man

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶wegō “man; warrior” ✧ Ety/WEG
    • ᴹ√WEG “(manly) vigour” ✧ Ety/ING; Ety/WEG

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶wegō > veo[wegō] > [weɣō] > [weo] > [veo]✧ Ety/WEG
Qenya [Ety/WEG; EtyAC/WEG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

atan

noun. Man

Element in

nat

noun. thing

Cognates

  • N. nad “thing” ✧ Ety/NĀ²

Derivations

  • ᴹ√NĀ/ANA “be, exist” ✧ Ety/NĀ²

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√NĀ² > nat[nat]✧ Ety/NĀ²

to

preposition. in

Element in

Doriathrin

mêd

adjective. wet

Mêd is a Doriathrin adjective for “wet” derived from primitive ᴹ✶mizdā, appearing as an element in the mountain name Dolmed “Wet Head” (Ety/MIZD). First the [[ilk|short [i] became [e] preceding the final [a]]], then the [e] lengthened due to the [[ilk|vocalization of [z] before voiced stops]]. It is unclear, though, whether the vowel lengthened directly (as suggested by Helge Fauskanger, AL-Doriathrin/méd), or whether it first became the diphthong [ei] after which [[ilk|[ei] became [ē]]] (the theory used here).

Conceptual Development: After abandoning the Ilkorin language, Tolkien retained the name Dolmed. It is possible Tolkien reconceived of this word as Sindarin, but if so, its Sindarin form should perhaps be ✱mêdh, not mêd, since voiced stops became spirants after vowels in Sindarin. In Silmarillion map revisions from the 1950s-60s, Tolkien did write Dolmeð (WJ/183 section F14), but he never made the corresponding change in the narratives.

Neo-Sindarin: For the purposes of Neo-Sindarin writing, it would be better to use one of the other attested Sindarin words for “wet”, such as nîn.

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶mizdā “wet” ✧ Ety/MIZD
    • ᴹ√MIZDI “*fine rain, dew” ✧ Ety/MIZD

Element in

  • Ilk. Dolmed “Wet Head” ✧ Ety/MIZD

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶mizdā > mēd[mizdā] > [mizda] > [mezda] > [meida] > [meid] > [mēd]✧ Ety/MIZD

Variations

  • mēd ✧ Ety/MIZD (Dor. mēd)
  • méd ✧ EtyAC/MIZD (Dor. méd)
Doriathrin [Ety/MIZD; EtyAC/MIZD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Ossriandric

beorn

noun. man

A noun for “man” that developed from the blending of primitive ᴹ✶besnō “man” and ᴹ✶berō “valiant man, warrior” > ber(n)ō (Ety/BER, BES). The simplest explanation is that ᴹ✶besnō > beznō > bernō, where first the [[dan|[s] voiced to [z] before the nasal [n]]] and then the resulting [[dan|[z] becoming [r]]]. The similarity of this word to ᴹ✶berō could have led it to develop into ber(n)ō as well. From there, the [[dan|[e] broke into the diphthong [eo] before the liquid [r]]] and then the final vowel vanished.

Cognates

  • Ilk. ber “valiant man, warrior” ✧ Ety/BER
  • ᴹQ. venno “husband” ✧ Ety/BES

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶berō “valiant man, warrior” ✧ Ety/BES
    • ᴹ√BER “valiant” ✧ Ety/BER; Ety/BES
  • ᴹ✶besnō “husband” ✧ Ety/BES
    • ᴹ√BES “wed” ✧ Ety/BER; Ety/BES

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶ber(n)ō > beorn[bernō] > [beornō] > [beorn]✧ Ety/BES
ᴹ✶besnō > beorn[besnō] > [beznō] > [bernō] > [beornō] > [beorn]✧ Ety/BES
Ossriandric [Ety/BER; Ety/BES] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

et-

prefix. out

Element in

  • On. etled- “to go abroad” ✧ Ety/LED
Old Noldorin [Ety/LED] Group: Eldamo. Published by

benno

noun. man

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. venno “husband” ✧ Ety/BES

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶besnō “husband” ✧ Ety/BES
    • ᴹ√BES “wed” ✧ Ety/BER; Ety/BES

Derivatives

  • N. benn “man, male, †husband” ✧ Ety/BES

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶besnō > benno[besnō] > [besno] > [benno]✧ Ety/BES
Old Noldorin [Ety/BES] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

we

pronoun. we (inclusive)

Changes

  • khewe “the inclusive we” ✧ PE17/014

Variations

  • khe ✧ PE17/014
Middle Primitive Elvish [PE17/014] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mizdā

adjective. wet

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MIZDI “*fine rain, dew” ✧ Ety/MIZD

Derivatives

  • Ilk. mêd “wet” ✧ Ety/MIZD
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/MIZD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

me

pronoun. we (exclusive)

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE17/014; PE22/094] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dēr

noun. man

Derivations

  • ᴹ√(N)DER “adult male, man; bridegroom” ✧ Ety/NDER; Ety/NĪ¹; PE18/035

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. nér “man, adult male” ✧ Ety/NĪ¹; PE21/69

Element in

Variations

  • der ✧ Ety/NDER
  • dér ✧ EtyAC/NDER
  • nēr ✧ PE18/035
  • der- ✧ PE21/55
  • dēr/dĕr- ✧ PE21/55
  • ndēr ✧ PE21/64
  • nĕrĕ ✧ PE21/69
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NDER; Ety/NĪ¹; EtyAC/NDER; PE18/035; PE21/55; PE21/58; PE21/60; PE21/64; PE21/65; PE21/69] Group: Eldamo. Published by

khe

pronoun. we (inclusive)

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

(n)di

root. in

Derivatives

  • N. di “in” ✧ EtyAC/NDI

Variations

  • NDI/DI ✧ EtyAC/NDI
Middle Primitive Elvish [EtyAC/NDI] Group: Eldamo. Published by

imi

root. in

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

um

pronoun. we

Variations

  • umin ✧ GL/74

umin

pronoun. we

-wi

suffix. dual

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶u̯i ✧ GL/45
    • ᴱ√WI “dual”

Element in

  • G. gadwi “twins” ✧ GL/37

Variations

  • -wi ✧ GG/11; GL/37 (-wi); GL/45
  • -ui ✧ GL/45
Gnomish [GG/11; GL/37; GL/45] Group: Eldamo. Published by

me-

pronoun. we, 1st-plural pronoun

Variations

  • me· ✧ PE13/097
Gnomish [GL/57; PE13/097] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-tt

suffix. dual

Cognates

  • Eq. -t “dual” ✧ GG/10

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶-ttǝ “dual” ✧ GG/10

Derivatives

  • G. -th “plural suffix” ✧ GG/10

-ui

suffix. dual

ba

preposition. in

Cognates

  • Eq. ve “as, like” ✧ GL/21

Variations

  • b- ✧ GL/21
  • bi- ✧ GL/21
  • b’ ✧ GL/21

bi

preposition. in

Element in

  • G. bin “into” ✧ GL/22 (bin)
  • G. bir “in, within, inside” ✧ GL/22 (bir)
Gnomish [GL/20; GL/22] Group: Eldamo. Published by

man

masculine name. Man

Changes

  • ManwMan ✧ PE13/104

Cognates

  • Eq. Manwe ✧ GL/18; LT1A/Manwë; PE13/104

Derivations

  • ᴱ√MANA “*good (moral)”

Element in

Variations

  • Manw ✧ PE13/104 (Manw)
Gnomish [GL/18; GL/20; GL/43; GL/56; GL/68; LT1A/Manwë; PE13/104; PE15/26] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

lhim(p)

adjective. wet

Derivations

  • ᴱ√LIQI “flow, water; clear, transparent”

Variations

  • lhim ✧ PE13/149
  • lhimp ✧ PE13/149
Early Noldorin [PE13/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nûd

adjective. wet

Changes

  • nûdnûd “back” ✧ PE13/122

Cognates

  • Eq. nóte “dew” ✧ PE13/122

Derivations

  • ᴱ√NOSO “*damp, wet”

Variations

  • núd ✧ PE13/151
Early Noldorin [PE13/122; PE13/151] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nad

noun. thing

Early Noldorin [PE13/150] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

uqu

root. wet

A root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “wet”, with derivatives like ᴱQ. úqa “wet” and ᴱQ. úqil “rain” (QL/98). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. ub⁽⁾ “wet” and G. uch “rain” (GL/74). In later writings Tolkien used different roots for “wet”.

Derivatives

  • ᴱ✶ukko “rain”
    • G. uch “rain” ✧ GL/74
  • Eq. ukku “rainbow” ✧ QL/098
  • Eq. uqu- “to rain” ✧ QL/098
  • Eq. úqil “rain” ✧ QL/098
  • Eq. úqa “wet” ✧ QL/098
  • G. ub “wet, moist, damp”
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/098] Group: Eldamo. Published by

wi

root. dual

Derivatives

  • ᴱ✶u̯i
    • Eq. ui “*two”
    • G. gwi- “twi-, bi-, di-” ✧ GL/45
    • G. uith “both”
    • G. -wi “dual” ✧ GL/45

Variations

  • WI- ✧ QL/033
  • U ✧ QL/033
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/033] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ese

root. out

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

eðe

root. out

Derivatives

  • ᴱ✶eðus
    • Eq. erus(ta) “outside”
    • G. edhos “just without, close by” ✧ GL/31
  • Eq. Eruman “beyond the abode of the Mánir” ✧ LT1A/Neni Erúmëar
  • Eq. ere- “to go”
  • Eq. ere(n) “iron, steel”
  • Eq. eru “outward” ✧ QL/036
  • Eq. est “outwards” ✧ QL/036
  • Eq. esta- “to send”
  • Eq. ere- “out” ✧ QL/036
  • Eq. es- “*out” ✧ QL/036
  • G. edh “outside, near borders of, near, hard by, beside”

Element in

  • ᴱ✶Eðusmānī “beyond the abode of the Mánir” ✧ QL/036
  • Eq. Eruman “beyond the abode of the Mánir” ✧ LT1A/Eruman
  • Eq. erúmea “outer, outermost” ✧ LT1A/Neni Erúmëar
  • Eq. Neni Erúmear “Outermost Waters” ✧ LT1A/Eruman

Variations

  • ERE ✧ LT1A/Eruman; LT1A/Neni Erúmëar; QL/036
  • ESE ✧ QL/036
Early Primitive Elvish [LT1A/Eruman; LT1A/Neni Erúmëar; QL/036] Group: Eldamo. Published by

eře

root. out

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

nere

root. *man

Derivatives

  • ᴱ✶n’reu̯
    • G. drio “hero, warrior” ✧ GL/30
  • Eq. ner “man, husband; warrior” ✧ QL/065
  • Eq. nertu “strength” ✧ QL/065
  • En. nîr “hero, prince, warrior-elf”
  • En. ne(i)rion “hero”
  • G. nert “prowess, a feat, strength” ✧ GL/60

Variations

  • nere² ✧ GL/60
  • NERE¹ ✧ QL/065
Early Primitive Elvish [GL/60; QL/065] Group: Eldamo. Published by

waik

root. *man, male

Changes

  • wewaik ✧ PE13/117

Derivations

Derivatives

  • ᴱ✶gu̯eg- ✧ PE13/117
    • Eq. wenga “*male” ✧ GL/44
    • Eq. wie “*man, male of the Elda” ✧ GL/44
    • G. gweg “man, male of the Elda” ✧ GL/44; PE13/117

Variations

  • waik ✧ PE13/117
  • we ✧ PE13/117 (we)
Early Primitive Elvish [PE13/117] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ttǝ

suffix. dual

Derivatives

  • Eq. -t “dual” ✧ GG/10
  • G. -tt “dual” ✧ GG/10
    • G. -th “plural suffix” ✧ GG/10

Variations

  • ntǝ ✧ GG/10
Early Primitive Elvish [GG/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ata

root. dual

Derivatives

  • Eq. aqi “a brace, a couple of, both” ✧ QL/033
  • Eq. at- “bi-, twi-” ✧ QL/033
  • G. atha “two”

Element in

  • Eq. atwen “twenty” ✧ QL/033

Variations

  • ATA ✧ QL/033
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/033] Group: Eldamo. Published by

root. in

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

u

root. dual

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

root. as

Derivatives

  • Eq. ve “as, like” ✧ QL/101
  • Eq. víke “like” ✧ QL/101
  • G. fel “like; (as av.) as, like”

Variations

  • VI‘I ✧ QL/101
Early Primitive Elvish [QL/101] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

liqin(a)

adjective. wet

Cognates

  • G. glaib “dripping wet”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√LIQI “flow, water; clear, transparent” ✧ LT1A/Nielíqui; QL/054

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√LIQI > liqin(a)[liqin]✧ QL/054

Variations

  • liqin ✧ LT1A/Nielíqui; PME/054
Early Quenya [LT1A/Nielíqui; PME/054; QL/054] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nenda

adjective. wet

Derivations

  • ᴱ√NENE “flow”
Early Quenya [PE16/138] Group: Eldamo. Published by

úqa

adjective. wet

Cognates

  • G. ub “wet, moist, damp”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√UQU “wet” ✧ QL/098

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√UQU > ūqa[ūkʷā] > [ūkʷa]✧ QL/098

Variations

  • ūqa ✧ QL/098
Early Quenya [QL/098] Group: Eldamo. Published by

me

pronoun. we; 1st pl. exclusive pronoun

Element in

Variations

  • me- ✧ PE14/052; PE14/085
  • me ✧ PE14/054; PE14/056; PE14/059
Early Quenya [PE14/052; PE14/053; PE14/054; PE14/056; PE14/059; PE14/085] Group: Eldamo. Published by

qe

pronoun. we (inclusive)

Element in

  • Eq. qelmo “we (emphatic); 1st pl. inclusive pronoun” ✧ PE14/052
  • Eq. qea- “*our; 1st pl. inclusive possessive” ✧ PE14/052
  • Eq. qenya “*our; 1st pl. exclusive possessive emphatic” ✧ PE14/052

Variations

  • qe- ✧ PE14/052; PE14/085
Early Quenya [PE14/052; PE14/053; PE14/085] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ve

preposition. as, like

Cognates

  • G. ba “in” ✧ GL/21

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ “as” ✧ QL/101

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ > ve[βi] > [βe] > [ve]✧ QL/101

Variations

  • Ve ✧ VT40/08
Early Quenya [GL/21; MC/213; MC/214; PE15/69; QL/101; VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ere-

prefix. out

Derivations

  • ᴱ√EÐE “out” ✧ QL/036

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ERE > ere-[eðe-] > [ere-]✧ QL/036

Variations

  • ere- ✧ QL/036
Early Quenya [QL/036] Group: Eldamo. Published by

neta

noun. thing

-víke

suffix. as

Element in

  • Eq. noldovike “like a gnome, after the gnomes’ way” ✧ PE15/69 (noldovike)

Variations

  • vīke ✧ QL/101
Early Quenya [PE15/69; QL/101] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-t

suffix. dual

Cognates

  • G. -tt “dual” ✧ GG/10

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶-ttǝ “dual” ✧ GG/10
Early Quenya [GG/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nat

noun. thing

Cognates

  • G. nad “*thing”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ “be, exist” ✧ QL/064

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ > nat[natt] > [nat]✧ QL/064

Variations

  • neta ✧ PE15/78
Early Quenya [PE14/043; PE14/072; PE15/32; PE15/68; PE15/78; QL/064] Group: Eldamo. Published by