yul

root. drink

A root meaning “drink” in Tolkien’s later writings, most notably the basis for Q. yulda “draught” and Q. yulma “cup” from the Q. Namárië poem (LotR/377). It seems likely the root was coined in association with this poem, though there are no signs of any yul- forms in its earliest drafts from the 1940s (TI/284). The root √YUL (or √JULU) was mentioned a number of times in Tolkien’s later writings in the 1950s and 60s (PE17/63, 180; PE22/155; WJ/416), but there is no sign of it before then. In earlier writings Tolkien generally used √SOK or √SUK for “drink”, and the root √SOK appeared as late as the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (VT39/11), an essay that also referenced √YUL (WJ/416). Thus it isn’t clear whether √SOK was supplanted by √YUL, or if the two roots coexisted.

Derivatives

• ✶yulmā “drinking-vessel”
  • Q. yulma “cup, drinking vessel, drinking implement, goblet” ✧ WJ/416
  • S. ylf “drinking-vessel, *cup” ✧ WJ/416
• Q. yul- “to drink”
• Q. yulda “drink, draught, thing drunk; cup” ✧ PE17/063
• Q. yulda “drunk”
• Q. yúlima “drinkable” ✧ PE22/155
• Q. yulma “cup, drinking vessel, drinking implement, goblet” ✧ PE17/063
• Q. yuluitë “drinking (as a habit), *aquatic” ✧ PE22/155
• ᴺS. yll “draught”
• ᴺS. ýl- “to drink”

Element in

• ✶yuldā “what is drunk, a draught”
• ✶yulmā “drinking-vessel” ✧ WJ/416
• ✶yulmē “drinking, carousal” ✧ WJ/416
• Q. yulma “cup, drinking vessel, drinking implement, goblet” ✧ PE17/180
• Q. yulunefítë “amphibious, *(lit.) drinking-breathing” ✧ PE22/155

Variations

• JULU ✧ WJ/416

yol/yul

root. smoulder

Derivatives

• ᴺQ. hyulma “coal”
• ᴺQ. yol- “to smoulder”