-ath

suffix. collective or group plural

ath-

prefix. on both sides, across

ath-

prefix. on both sides, across

A prefix for “on both sides, across” in The Etymologies of the 1930s based the root ᴹ√AT(AT) “again, back” having to do with the number “two” (Ety/AT(AT)).

Conceptual Development: The root ᴹ√YAT “join” had deleted preposition N. iath “across” (EtyAC/YAT). In Tolkien’s later writings, prefixal “across” was generally thar or athra- based on the root √THAR (PE17/14), while S. ath- was used for “easy” (PE17/148).

iath

preposition. across

gwath

noun. shade

a

conjunction. and

ar

conjunction. and

athrada-

verb. to cross, traverse

A verb appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ath-rado “to cross, traverse”, clearly a combination of N. ath- “cross” and N. rada- “make a way” (Ety/RAT).

Neo-Quenya: I recommend against using the prefix N. ath- “cross” since its etymology seems to have been abandoned, but I would retain athrada- “cross, traverse” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin as an elaboration of athra- “cross (to and fro)”. I would use it for crossing in a single direction, as in i adan athrada i eryn “the man crosses the mountains [one way]”.

deldúwath

place name. Deadly Nightshade

dú(w)ath

noun. night-shade

gwath

noun. shade, shadow, dim light

gwath

noun. stain

gwathfuin-daidelos

place name. Deadly Nightshade

An earlier name for S. Deldúwath appearing in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, glossed “Deadly Nightshade” (LR/133) or “Night of Dread’s Shadow” (LR/406). It is a combination of gwath “shade”, fuin “night” and Daedhelos “Shadow of Fear”.

lhum

noun. shade

lhum

noun. shade

A word appearing as N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from the root ᴹ√LUM, most notably an element in the name N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM). It was the cognate of ᴹQ. lumbe, and thus derived from primitive ✱lumbē, which explains why the final m survived as a reduction of mb.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was G. lôm {“pool, sl...” >>} “gloom, shade” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, based on primitive ᴱ✶lou̯me (GL/54) and probably derived from the early root ᴱ√LOMO as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Hisilómë). In this early document, G. lum or glum was “a cloud” (GL/55), likely a derivative of ᴱ√LUVU for “✱dark weather” as also suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Luvier). In Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱN. {lom >>} lhom “shadow” (PE13/149). This became N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies, as noted above.

Neo-Sindarin: In later writings, Hithlum was designated North Sindarin and its final element was based on a loan from Q. lómë “dusk”, with the m surviving only because it was from the North dialect (PE17/133; WJ/400). However, the root √LUM “shadow, darkness” also survived in later writings (PE17/168), so I think N. lhum “shade” can be salvaged, though if adapted to Neo-Sindarin it would need to become ᴺS. lum as suggested in HSD (HSD). Given the later use of Q. lumbo for “(dark) cloud”, I think the Gnomish sense G. lum “[dark] cloud” can be salvaged as well.

math-fuin-delos

place name. Deadly Nightshade

Earliest name for S. Deldúwath appearing in Silmarillion drafts from the early 1930s, glossed “Deadly Nightshade” (SM/299). It is a combination of G. math “dusk”, N. fuin “night” and a variant form delos of deloth “abhorrence”.

thar-

prefix. across, athwart, over, beyond