Sindarin 

-el

suffix. your

_2nd sg./pl. poss. suff. _your. Maybe the polite form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Later -lein. >> -eg, -lein

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

-el

suffix. 2nd person singular polite possessive suffix

Sindarin [PE17/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-iel

suffix. daughter; feminine suffix

A widely used feminine suffix in Sindarin (PE17/23, 190). It sometimes more specifically meant “-daughter” in names such as Elrenniel “Arwen; ✱(lit.) Elrond-daughter” (PE17/56) or Tinúviel “Daughter of Twilight” (S/165), but in other cases it simply meant female as in names like Gilthoniel “Star-kindler [female]” (PE17/23). It was also sometimes reduced to -il or -el. See the entry on the root √YE(L) for a discussion of various conceptual vacillations in its connection to “daughter”.

Conceptual Development: The use of N. -iel dates back to Noldorin, where its connection to “daughter” was more explicit, though Tolkien vacillated on whether the suffix was based on ᴹ√YEL or ᴹ√SEL (Ety/SEL, YEL). The suffix does not appear to be specifically feminine in Gnomish of the 1910s, however, appearing in both female names like G. Níniel (LT2/100) and male names like G. Inwithiel (LT1/22).

Sindarin [PE17/023; PE17/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-elir

suffix. 2nd person plural polite possessive suffix

Sindarin [PE17/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

el

star

n. star.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:55] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

ell Archaic

noun. Elf

Sindarin [Let/281; PE17/141; PE17/142; PE17/152; VT50/15; VT50/19; VT50/23; WJ/363; WJ/364; WJ/377; WJ/412] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-eg

suffix. your

_2nd sg./pl. poss. suff. your.Maybe the familiar form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Later -gen_. >> -el, -gen

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

-lein

suffix. your

_2nd sg. poss. suff. your.Maybe the polite form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -el_. >> -el

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

-gen

suffix. your

_2nd sg. poss. suff. your.Maybe the familiar form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -eg_. >> -eg

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

El(d)rim

noun. elves

el(d) (from CE *eldā- connected or concerned with the stars) + rim (collective plural suffix) Ll-r in secondary contact > ldr, later again simplified.

Sindarin [Tolkiendil] Group: Tolkiendil Compound Sindarin Names. Published by

Menel

noun. sky, high heaven, firmament, the region of the stars

Sindarin [LotR/II:I, LotR/IV:X, LB/354, RGEO/72, VT/44:21,] Q menel. Group: SINDICT. Published by

egor

conjunction. or

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

egor

conjunction. or

Sindarin [AotM/062; SD/129] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elbereth

feminine name. Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen

The Sindarin name of Varda, a compound of êl “star” and bereth “queen”, that is: “Star-queen” (LotR/378, RGEO/66). The Quenya equivalent of this name is Elentári. This name was of ancient derivation, from ✶elen-barathī > elmbereth > Elbereth, as shown by the fact that the initial [b] in the second element did not lenite to [v] (MR/387, PE17/22).

Possible Etymology: In the 1930s, N. Elbereth was likewise derived ✶el(en)-barathī (Ety/EL, BARATH). This 1930s derivation worked through a combination of i-affection and i-intrusion, with the resulting *ei* > *e* as often happened in unstressed final syllables in Noldorin of the 1930s:

  • ✱elen-barathī > elem-berethi > el(e)mbereith > N. elbereth.

This derivation no longer works in Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, however, since [[s|later [ei] became [ai] in final syllables]] in Sindarin and did not reduce to e. Thus we should have ✶barathī > ✱✱beraith. One possibility is that Tolkien transferred this derivation to the root √BER “marry”: in The Road Goes Ever On published in 1967, Tolkien said “bereth actually meant ‘spouse’, and is used of one who is ‘queen’ as spouse of a king” (RGEO/66). This theory was first proposed to me by Elaran in a private Discord chat in November 2018, and I find it very compelling; it neatly resolves the phonological problem if bereth is derived from ✱berettē or something similar.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name was G. Timbridhil “Queen of Stars” (GL/71, LT1A/Tinwetári), which reappeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as N. Timbreðil (Ety/TIN). Tolkien revised the name to N. Elbereth “Star Queen” (Ety/EL, Ety/BARATH), which appeared in the narratives starting with the Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (RS/68).

Before giving this name to Varda, Tolkien used the name Ilk. Elbereth for the youngest child of Dior (Ety/BER), but he changed that name to Elrûn (later S. Elurín). Tolkien also used the name N. Elbereth for one of the sons of Elrond before renaming him S. Elrohir (WR/297).

Sindarin [LBI/Elbereth; Let/278; Let/282; LotR/0238; LotR/0729; LotRI/Elbereth; MR/387; MR/388; MRI/Elbereth; PE17/022; PE17/023; PE23/143; PM/358; PMI/Elbereth; RGEO/61; RGEO/63; RGEO/64; RGEO/65; RGEO/66; SI/Elbereth] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elen

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath _n._star. Its collective plural (pl2.) designates 'the (host of all the) stars, (all) the (visible) stars of the firmament'. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni. o menel aglar elenath ! lit. 'from Firmament glory of the stars !'. >> êl

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:20-1:24-5:67:139:151] < EL star. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

elen Archaic

noun. star

gil

noun. star, bright spark

In The Etymologies (Ety/358, corrected by VT/45:15), this word was given as geil , plural gîl. However, later in LotR/E and RGEO/73, Tolkien seems to consider gil as a singular (with no hints in the sources of what the plural would be, besides the collective plural giliath )

Sindarin [LotR/E, S/431, RGEO/73] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gil-

noun. star

Sindarin [PE 22:159] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

Sindarin [Ety/358, RC/232] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gill

noun. star

mellon

noun. friend

Sindarin [Ety/372, LotR/II:IV, SD/129-31, Letters/424] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

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

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:41] < _melnā_ < MEL love. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

Sindarin [AotM/062; Let/424; LotR/0305; LotR/0308; LotRI/Mellon; PE17/041; PE17/097; PE23/136; PE23/143; SA/mel; SD/129; VT44/26; WJ/412] Group: Eldamo. Published by

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

Sindarin [Ety/373, VT/42:24-25, VT/48:6] Group: SINDICT. Published by

min

cardinal. one, one, [G.] single

The Sindarin word for “one” used when counting multiple things (PE17/95; VT42/25; VT48/6), such as minui “first”. Contrast this with er “one” for single isolated things.

Conceptual Development: This word was very well established, with G. min “one single” appearing all the way back in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/32). Similar forms ᴱN. mind, minn appeared in Early Noldorin word-lists of the 1920s, but without translation (PE13/150). N. min “one” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√MINI “stand alone, stick out” (Ety/MINI). In one late note it appeared with a long î: mîn “1” (VT42/25).

Sindarin [PE17/095; VT42/25; VT48/06] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mîn

fraction. one (first of a series)

Sindarin [Ety/373, VT/42:24-25, VT/48:6] Group: SINDICT. Published by

pen

pronoun. one, somebody, anybody

Usually enclitic and mutated as ben.2

Sindarin [WJ/376] Group: SINDICT. Published by

êl

noun. star (little used except in verses)

Sindarin [WJ/363, MR/373, RGEO/73, Letters/281] Group: SINDICT. Published by

êl

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath** ** n. star. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni, pl2. elelli. >> elen

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:24:67:127:139-40:151] < EL star. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

êl Archaic

noun. star

A Sindarin word for “star” that is largely archaic and poetic, and is mainly used as element in names like Elrond (Let/281; WJ/363; Ety/EL); the more usual word for “star” in ordinary speech was gil (RGEO/65). However, the collective form elenath is still used in common speech to refer to the entire host of stars (WJ/363). The plural of êl is elin, as this word was derived from ancient ✶elen, and the final n that was lost in the singular was preserved in the plural. In some cases Tolkien posited a restored analogical singular elen from the plural form (PE17/24, 67, 139), but this isn’t in keeping with the notion that the word was archaic, so I would ignore this for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: This word and its root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. el “star” was derived from the root ᴹ√EL of similar meaning, but was “only [used] in names” (Ety/EL). It seems Tolkien introduced the root to give a new etymology for names like N. Elrond and N. Elwing, which initially appeared under the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” (Ety/ƷEL).

Sindarin [Let/281; LotR/0238; MR/373; PE17/022; PE17/024; PE17/025; PE17/055; PE17/067; PE17/127; PE17/139; PE17/151; PE22/150; PE23/141; PM/369; RGEO/63; RGEO/64; RGEO/65; RGEO/67; SA/êl; WJ/363] Group: Eldamo. Published by

egor

or

egor

egor

or

**

eru

the one

isolated from

gilion

of stars

(lenited ngilion; pl. gilioen). Archaic ✱giliaun.

gîl

star

gîl (i ngîl = i ñîl, o n**gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath** (RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

gîl

star

(i ngîl = i ñîl, o n’gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath **(RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. **elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

meldis

friend

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

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.

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.

min

cardinal. one

  1. (number ”one” as the first in a series) min, mîn (VT48:6), Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”. 2) (number) êr, whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone); 3)
Sindarin [Parviphith] Published by

min

one

mîn (VT48:6), Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”.

pen

cardinal. one

(indefinite pronoun) (= somebody, anybody) pen (WJ:376); lenited ben. According to one interpretation of the phrase caro den i innas lín from the Sindarin Lords Prayer (VT44:23), this could mean *”let one do your will”, with den (perhaps a lenited form of *ten) as the indefinite pronoun ”one”. However, others interpret den as the accusative form of the pronoun ”it”: ”Do it [, that is:] your will”.

pen

one

(WJ:376); lenited ben. According to one interpretation of the phrase caro den i innas lín from the Sindarin Lord’s Prayer (VT44:23), this could mean ✱”let one do your will”, with den (perhaps a lenited form of ✱ten) as the indefinite pronoun ”one”. However, others interpret den as the accusative form of the pronoun ”it”: ”Do it [, that is:] your will”.

êr

one

whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone)

Primitive elvish

-iel

suffix. feminine suffix

Primitive elvish [MR/388; NM/349; NM/353; PE17/190] Group: Eldamo. Published by

el

root. lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky

Tolkien introduced ᴹ√EL as the basis for Elvish star-words in The Etymologies of the 1930s at the same time as he devised a new etymology for the words for “Elf” as the “Star-Folk” using an extended form of this root ᴹ√ELED (Ety/EL, ELED). The extended root √ELED seems to have survived at least up until around 1950, where it appear among list of examples of roots for Elvish tribal names, with deleted variant √EDEL (PE18/84). But later on the extended form seems to have fallen away, at least as the basis for Elf-words, being replaced in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 by the root √DEL “walk, go, proceed, travel” and its Quenya-only variant √LED.

In the Quendi and Eldar essay, the words for “Elf” were recontextualized as a blend of the senses “star” and “departure”, referring to Elves both as the people of the stars and the specific group of the Eldar as those Elves who left for Aman (WJ/362-3). In these same notes Tolkien said that ele originated first as an interjection meaning “lo!, behold!”, as uttered when the Elves first beheld the stars (WJ/360). In this sense, it might have been a partial restoration of a (hypothetical) early root ✱ᴱ√ELE used for various words of wonderment and “otherness” in the 1910s and 20s; see that entry for details.

Primitive elvish [Let/281; PE17/067; PE17/151; PE17/152; PM/340; RGEO/64; RGEO/65; SA/êl; VT42/11; WJ/360; WJ/362] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ēl

noun. star

Primitive elvish [PE17/066; WJ/360] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ñ(g)alatā-rigelle

feminine name. maiden crowned with a garland of radiance

Primitive elvish [MR/182; MR/470; NM/353; PE17/050; PE17/060] Group: Eldamo. Published by

el-ā

interjection. lo!, look!, see!

Primitive elvish [WJ/360] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elen

noun. star

Primitive elvish [Let/281; MR/387; MR/388; NM/060; PE17/022; PE17/023; PE17/067; PE17/139; PE17/151; PE17/152; PE22/150; VT42/11; WJ/360] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elen-barathī

noun. star-queen

Primitive elvish [MR/387; PE17/022; PE17/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

imin

masculine name. One

Primitive elvish [NM/055; NM/060; WJ/380; WJ/421; WJI/Imin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

min

cardinal. one

Primitive elvish [NM/060; WJ/421] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ew(el)

root. *lamb

Quenya 

-iel

suffix. -daughter; feminine suffix

The most common Quenya suffix for “daughter of” such as in Elerondiel “✱Daughter of Elrond” (PE17/56) or Uinéniel “Daughter of Uinen” (UT/182).

Conceptual Development: The earliest hint of this suffix was ᴱQ. -il mentioned by Tolkien in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as the equivalent of feminine patronymic ᴱQ. -wen (QL/103), but its only use in this period was in the masculine name ᴱQ. Indorildo, a variant of ᴱQ. Indorion and hence probably meaning “son of” (LT2/217). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien mentioned ᴹQ. -iel as a feminine patronymic under the root ᴹ√YEL “daughter” (Ety/YEL¹), but this root was rejected and in that document Tolkien seems to have replaced it with ᴹQ. -ien (EtyAC/YŌ).

In later writings Tolkien considered a bewildering variety of suffixes for the feminine patronymic, including -iel(d), -well, -wend and -ien (PE17/170, 190). In practice, though, only -iel appeared in actual names for “daughter of” (see above), perhaps because it is was the cleanest equivalent of the well-established masculine patronymic -ion “son of”.

Quenya [PE17/023; PE17/170; PE17/190] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elda

noun. Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk

The most common Quenya word for “Elf”. Its literal meaning is “one of the Star-folk” (WJ/374), a name given to them by Oromë (S/49) and derived from the same primitive root √EL as Q. elen “star”. Strictly speaking, this term excludes the Avari who chose not to journey to Valinor, so that the proper term for all of Elvenkind is Q. Quendë “one of the Elven race”. The Elves of the West rarely encountered the Avari, however, so that term Elda was ordinarily broad enough to describe all Elves.

Conceptual Development: This word dates back to the earliest stages of Tolkien’s languages. At its first appearance, ᴱQ. Elda was glossed “a beach-fay” (QL/35), but was soon extended to describe all Elves (LT1/113). In Tolkien’s earliest writings the word was not given a clear etymology. In the Lhammas “Account of Tongues” from the 1930s (LR/168-180), Tolkien gave ᴹQ. Elda the sense of “one who departed” (LR/169), as opposed to the ᴹQ. Lembi “Lingerers” who remained behind (precursors of the Avari). With this sense, Elda was derived from ᴹ√LED “go, fare, travel” (Ety/LED).

Tolkien soon revised the etymology of Elda so that it was derived instead from ᴹ√ELED “star-folk” (Ety/ELED). In some later writings, he considered both etymologies of this word to be valid, so that Elda was blending of both “star-folk” (from √EL) and Q. Eldo “marcher” (from √LED or √DEL), as discussed in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 and elsewhere (WJ/362-3, PE17/139). However, the sense “star-folk” is probably better known.

In some notes from 1957, Tolkien considered deriving this word from a variant root √DEL “fair” so that its meaning would be “the fair” (PE17/151), but this seems to have been a transient idea.

Quenya [Let/198; Let/281; LotR/1127; LotR/1137; LotRI/Eldar; LRI/Edhil; MRI/Eldar; NM/239; PE17/045; PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/114; PE17/135; PE17/139; PE17/141; PE17/151; PE17/152; PE17/189; PE21/73; PE21/77; PE22/155; PE23/133; PE23/134; PE23/141; PM/029; PM/346; PM/395; PM/403; PMI/Eldar; RC/217; RC/780; S/049; SA/êl; SI/Eldar; SI/High Elves; TII/Eldar; UTI/Eldanna; UTI/Eldar; VT49/08; WJ/362; WJ/364; WJ/368; WJ/369; WJ/373; WJ/374; WJ/375; WJ/407; WJI/Eldar; WRI/Eldar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-cca

your

[-cca ("k") ?"your", apparently an abandoned 2nd person plural or dual possessive (VT49:49). Compare -lca.]

-lca

your

[-lca ("k") ?"your", apparently an abandoned 2nd person plural possessive (VT49:49). Cf. -cca.]

-lda

your

-lda (1) "your", 2nd person pl. possessive suffix (VT49:16). Onnalda *"your child" (VT49:42). In an earlier manuscript, this ending was used for singular "you" instead, attested in the phrase Arwen vanimalda "Arwen your beauty", sc. "O beautiful Arwen", and in meletyalda "your majesty" (WJ:369) Arwen vanimalda was however changed to Arwen vanimelda in the second edition of LotR, Tolkien reinterpreting the last word (see vanimalda). The ending for singular "your" appears as -lya elsewhere. (LotR1:II ch. 6)

-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.

-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)

-sta

your

-sta (1) "your", dual 2nd person possessive pronominal ending: "of you two" (VT49:45, 16), cf. -stë (q.v.) Genitive -sto in veryanwesto "of your wedding" (VT49:45) and tengwiesto "of your reading" (VT49:47), allative -stanna in parmastanna "on your book" (VT49:47). An archaic ending of similar form could also be the third person dual "of the two of them" (but according to VT49:51, the corresponding subject ending was changed to -ttë, and then the ending for "their" would presumably become -tta)

-tya,

your, thy

-tya, pronominal ending, 2nd person sg. intimate/familiar "your, thy" (VT49:16, 38, 48); compare -tyë

a

cardinal. one

Quenya [PE 22:94; PE 22:124f] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

elen

star

elen noun "star" (SA:êl, elen, EL, VT49:39); pl. eleni (occasionally in verse: eldi) (WJ:362, PE17:127); partitive pl. elelli for elenli (PE17:127), gen. pl. elenion in the phrase Elenion Ancalima "brightest of stars" (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385 for translation); elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44), genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45), eleni neldë "three stars", archaic elenion neldë = "of stars three". Genitive "of 3 stars" = elenion neldë (for archaic elenion neldëo) (VT49:45). Allative elenna "starwards" used as name of Númenor _(Silm; see Elenna)_; ablative pl. elenillor "from stars" in Markirya. **Nai elen siluva ***"may a star shine", VT49:38.

elen

noun. star

The most common Quenya word for “star”, mentioned very frequently, derived from an extended form ✶elen of the root √EL “behold” (PE17/67; WJ/360, 362). Its usual plural form is eleni, but it has an archaic plural †eldi sometimes used in verse, the result of the Ancient Quenya sound whereby [[aq|[ln] became [ld]]] after the ancient plural underwent the Quenya syncope, ✶elenī &gt; AQ. elni; its normal modern plural form eleni was actually a reformation from the singular (PE17/57, 151; WJ/362).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, though in the original entry for the root ᴹ√EL Tolkien said it was poetical and gave variants ellen and elena (Ety/EL).

Quenya [Let/265; Let/385; LotR/0081; LotR/0377; LotR/0720; LotR/0915; MC/222; PE17/012; PE17/024; PE17/025; PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/067; PE17/090; PE17/091; PE17/101; PE17/127; PE17/151; PE19/096; PE23/128; PE23/133; PE23/134; PE23/142; PM/340; RGEO/58; RGEO/59; RGEO/65; SA/êl; UT/213; VT49/39; VT49/44; VT49/45; WJ/362; WJ/367] Group: Eldamo. Published by

er

one, alone

er cardinal "one, alone" (ERE, VT48:6, VT49:54), in an early source also adv. "only, but, still" (LT1:269); Eru er "one God" (VT44:17; er was here emended by Tolkien from erëa, which seems to be an adjectival form *"one, single".)

erëa

cardinal. one

erëa adj.? "one" or *"single", apparently an adjectival form (see er) (VT44:17)

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)]

hellë

sky

hellë noun "sky" (3EL; a distinct word hellë "frost" was struck out, see KHEL.)

hya

or

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

hya

conjunction. or

ilwë

sky, heavens

ilwë noun "sky, heavens" (LT1:255), "the middle air among the stars" (LT1:273). VT49:51, 53 also mentions an obscure prononominal element ilwë.

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.

min

cardinal. one

min numeral "one", also minë (VT45:34, VT48:6)

min

cardinal. one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first; [adverb] first

The Quenya word for “one” used when counting: min, atta, neldë, etc. This is contrasted with er “one, alone” for an isolated thing (VT48/6).

Conceptual Development: This use of min “one” appeared regularly in Tolkien’s writings, dating back to the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s (PE14/49, 82, 84), but there were occasional variations. The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s instead had ᴱQ. mir “one” (QL/61), and The Etymologies of the 1930s had a variant form mine derived from the root ᴹ√MINI “stand alone, stick out” (Ety/MINI).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would also use min adverbially to mean “first”, as in carnes sa min “he/she did it first”, either before anyone else did so, or before he/she did anything else. Tolkien use min this way in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s. See [ᴱQ.] minyallumë “firstly” for further discussion. For adjectival or pronominal “first” I would use minya.

Quenya [PE17/095; VT48/06] Group: Eldamo. Published by

minë

cardinal. one

minë numeral "one", also min (MINI, VT45:34)

mir

cardinal. one

mir (2) cardinal "one" (LT1:260; in LotR-style Quenya rather minë)

mo

one, someone, anyone

mo, indefinite pronoun "one, someone, anyone" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 20, 26)

málo

noun. friend

friend, comrade

Quenya [PE 18:46 PE 18:96] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

málo

friend

málo noun "friend" (MEL, VT49:22)

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)

quén

one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman

quén (quen-, as in pl. queni; as final element in compounds -quen) noun "one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman", pl. queni = "persons", "(some) people", "they" with the most general meaning (as in "they [= people in general] say that..."). The element is combined with noun and adjective stems in old compounds to denote habitual occupations or functions, or to describe those having some notable (permanent) quality; examples include roquen, ciryaquen, arquen, q.v. Also in aiquen "whoever", ilquen "everybody" (WJ:361 cf. 360, 372).

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)]

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)

él

star

†él noun "star", pl. éli given (WJ:362, EL)

él Archaic

noun. star

An archaic or poetic word for star (WJ/362), somewhat common in compounds but in ordinary speech typically appearing as elen. It was derived directly from the primitive root √EL “behold”, the basis for other star words (PM/340; WJ/360).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as poetical ᴹQ. él “star” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above, though in this document the root ᴹ√EL meant “star” (Ety/EL), a common gloss for the root in later writings as well.

Quenya [PM/340; WJ/362] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ílë

star

ílë noun "star" (LT1:269; rather elen, él in LotR-style Quenya.)

ecar

conjunction. or

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

herca

conjunction. or

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Noldorin 

el

noun. star

elbereth

feminine name. Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star Queen

Noldorin [Ety/BARATH; Ety/EL; RS/068; RS/394; RSI/Elbereth; SDI1/Elbereth; TII/Elbereth; WRI/Elbereth] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elf

noun. friend

Noldorin [EtyAC/ÑEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ell

noun. sky

An element meaning “sky” in several names from The Etymologies of the 1930s: N. Elfaron “Sky-hunter” (Ety/SPAR) and N. Elthoron “Eagle of the Sky” (Ety/THOR). It was derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” which had an Old Noldorin form: ON. elle (Ety/ƷEL). However, Tolkien said “In Noldorin and Telerin this is confused with EL star”, implying that the word was not used in modern language; an earlier but rejected version of this entry had archaic N. †ell, el “sky” (EtyAC/ƷEL).

Neo-Sindarin: Despite the above statements, ell is probably the best attested option for “sky” in Neo-Sindarin, and I would use it as such, since it is in fact distinct from S. êl “star”, a word that is itself archaic/poetic versus more common S. gil.

Noldorin [Ety/SPAR; Ety/THOR; EtyAC/ƷEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elrûn

masculine name. *East-star

Earlier of Elurín (LR/147 note #42). This name also appeared in The Etymologies, where it seems to be a combination of el “star” and the lenited form of rhûn “east” (Ety/RŌ).

Noldorin [Ety/RŌ; LR/147; LRI/Elrûn; PMI/Elurín; SM/325; SMI/Elbereth; SMI/Eldûn; SMI/Eluréd; WJI/Elboron; WJI/Eldún; WJI/Elrún; WRI/Elrûn] Group: Eldamo. Published by

geil

noun. star, bright spark

Noldorin [Ety/358, VT/45:15] Group: SINDICT. Published by

geil

noun. star

Noldorin [Ety/GIL; Ety/OT; EtyAC/GIL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

Noldorin [Ety/358, RC/232] Group: SINDICT. Published by

linglor(el)

feminine name. Linglor(el)

Earliest names for S. Nimrodel in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, also appearing as Inglorel and (rejected) Taiglin. The meaning of these names is unclear, but like her later name, they were also applied to the river named after her.

Noldorin [TI/222; TI/223; TII/Inglorel; TII/Linglor; TII/Taiglin] Group: Eldamo. Published by

meldir

noun. friend

Noldorin [Ety/372] mell+dîr. Group: SINDICT. Published by

meldis

noun. friend

Noldorin [Ety/372] mell+dîs. Group: SINDICT. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

Noldorin [Ety/372, LotR/II:IV, SD/129-31, Letters/424] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

Noldorin [Ety/MEL; EtyAC/MEL; PE23/021; RS/452; RSI/Mellyn; TI/181; TI/182] Group: Eldamo. Published by

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

Noldorin [Ety/373, VT/42:24-25, VT/48:6] Group: SINDICT. Published by

min

cardinal. one

Noldorin [Ety/MINI] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thond

noun. friend

Noldorin [EtyAC/SON] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Telerin 

ello

noun. Elf

Telerin [WJ/362; WJ/364; WJ/373; WJ/375; WJ/376; WJI/Eldar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elen Archaic

noun. star

er

cardinal. one

min

cardinal. one

él

noun. star

Telerin [WJ/362; WJ/407] Group: Eldamo. Published by

él síla lúmena vomentienguo

A star shines upon the hour of the meeting of our ways

Black Speech

ash

cardinal. one

Black Speech [LotR/0254; PE17/011] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ash

cardinal. one

Black Speech [PE17/11] Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Qenya 

-el

suffix. friend

nilmo

noun. friend

él Archaic

noun. star

-ser

suffix. friend

amaldume

noun. [unglossed]

elen

noun. star

Qenya [Ety/EL; PE17/014; RS/324; VT28/11; WR/223] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elena

noun. star

ellen

noun. star

helde

noun. friend

heldo

noun. friend

helle

noun. sky

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “sky” derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL of the same meaning (Ety/ƷEL).

helmo

noun. friend

min

cardinal. one

Qenya [Ety/MINI; EtyAC/MINI] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mine

cardinal. one

málo

noun. friend

Qenya [Ety/MEL; PE18/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sermo

noun. friend

seron

noun. friend

sondo

noun. friend

Doriathrin

el

noun. star

A Doriathrin noun meaning “star”, a simple derivative of the root ᴹ√EL (Ety/EL).

Doriathrin [Ety/EL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elbereth

masculine name. *Valor Star

An earlier name for S. Elurín (LR/147). It appeared in The Etymologies containing Ilk. bereth “valor”, but both this word and the name were rejected, probably when Tolkien introduced N. Elbereth as a name of Varda (Ety/BER). Its initial element might be el “star”.

Doriathrin [Ety/BER; LR/147; LRI/Elbereth; PMI/Elurín; RSI/Elbereth; SM/325; SMI/Elbereth; SMI/Eldûn; WJI/Elboron; WRI/Elbereth] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elboron

masculine name. *Steadfast Star

An earlier name for S. Eluréd (LR/147). It appeared in The Etymologies containing Ilk. boron “steadfast”, but the name were rejected, probably at the same time as the name of his brother Ilk. Elbereth (Ety/BOR). Its initial element might be el “star”.

Doriathrin [Ety/BOR; LR/147; LRI/Elboron; PMI/Eluréd; SM/325; SMI/Elbereth; SMI/Eldûn; WJI/Elboron; WRI/Elboron] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gell

noun. sky

A Doriathrin noun for “sky” derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL (Ety/ƷEL), probably from a primitive form ✱✶ʒellē [ɣellē] based on its cognates. It is a clear example of how [[ilk|initial [ɣ] became [g]]] in Ilkorin.

Doriathrin [Ety/ƷEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

er Reconstructed

cardinal. one

The Ilkorin word for “one” attested only in the name Ermabuin or Ermab(r)in “One-handed” (Ety/MAP).

Gnomish

el

conjunction. or

dai

noun. sky

Gnomish [GL/29; LT1A/Telimektar; PE13/112] Group: Eldamo. Published by

el(u)m

interjection. think of that!

er

adjective. one

Gnomish [GL/32; LT1A/Tol Eressëa] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gail

noun. star

Gnomish [GL/37; LT1A/Tinwetári] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ilon

noun. sky

A word for “sky” in an early name list from the 1910s and appearing in a couple early names: G. Thlim Quing Ilon “✱Folk of the Heavenly Arc” and G. Cris o Teld Quing Ilon “Gully of the Rainbow Roof” (PE13/101, 104), the latter revised to G. Cris Ilbranteloth (LT2/202). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, however, G. Ilon was the name of Ilúvatar (GL/50).

Gnomish [LT2A/Teld Quing Ilon; PE13/104; PE15/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

luithon

noun. sky

A word for “sky” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, an elaboration of G. lui “blueness” (GL/55).

Early Quenya

el

adverb/adjective. one

er

adverb/adjective. one, only, alone, a single

Early Quenya [GL/32; PE14/047; PE14/049; PE14/079; PE14/082; QL/036] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mir

cardinal. one

Early Quenya [LT1A/Minethlos; PME/061; QL/061] Group: Eldamo. Published by

taime

noun. sky

A word for “the sky” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, with variants Taime and Taimie from the early root ᴱ√TAHA [DAHA] (QL/87). ᴱQ. tea “sky” from Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s is probably related, as suggested by Patrick Wynne and Christopher Gilson (PE16/142).

Early Quenya [LT1A/Telimektar; PE16/142; QL/088] Group: Eldamo. Published by

taimie

noun. sky

tea

noun. sky

tinwe

noun. star

Early Quenya [LT1A/Tinwë Linto; MC/213; MC/214; MC/220; PE16/056; PE16/057; PE16/060; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/077; PE16/142; PME/092; QL/052; QL/092] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tulu-

verb. to bring, carry, fetch; to move (intr.), come; to produce, bear fruit

Early Quenya [LT1/114; LT1A/tulielto; PE14/023; PE14/028; PE14/029; PE14/030; PE14/032; PE14/034; PE14/052; PE14/053; PE14/056; PE14/057; PE14/059; PE14/085; PE16/124; PE16/125; PE16/126; PE16/128; PE16/133; QL/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

var

conjunction. or

Early Quenya [PE15/32; QL/100] Group: Eldamo. Published by

íle

noun. star

Early Quenya [GL/37; LT1A/Tinwetári] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

el

noun. sky

Old Noldorin [Ety/ƷEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elle

noun. sky

Old Noldorin [Ety/ƷEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

el

root. star, starry sky

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/EL; Ety/RIG; Ety/ROD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ʒel

root. sky

A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “sky”, with derivatives like ᴹQ. helle/N. ell “sky” and ᴹQ. helwa/N. elw “(pale) blue” (Ety/ƷEL). It was the basis for the initial elements of the names N. Elrond, N. Elwing and ᴹQ. Elwe, but elsewhere Tolkien connected these names to √EL “star”. It was also an element in the word N. eilian(w) “rainbow, (lit.) sky-bridge”, later given as S. ninniach. On the basis of these changes, I think it is likely Tolkien abandoned ᴹ√ƷEL, but some of its derived words are still popular in Neo-Eldarin.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ƷEL; Ety/YAT] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gilya

noun. star

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/GIL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mālō

noun. friend

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/MEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

yel

root. friend

A new gloss for the root ᴹ√YEL “daughter”, with a new set of derivatives like ᴹQ. -iel “-friend” and ᴹQ. yelda “friendly” (Ety/YEL), but it was rejected in turn and probably replaced by ᴹ√MEL.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/YEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

earendẹl

proper name. Earendẹl

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE21/34] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

ewe

root. *lamb

A root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s serving at the basis for the word ᴱQ. eule “lamb” (QL/36). It is likely also the basis for G. iol “lamb” (GL/51) given how [[g|[eu], [iu] became [io] or [iu]]] in Gnomish (PE15/13). These words might be salvaged for purposes of Neo-Eldarin using a (hypothetical) root ✱√EW(EL), though the Neo-Sindarin word for “lamb” would need to become ᴺS. ŷl to reflect Sindarin phonology.

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/036] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

telum

noun. sky, sky; [G.] roof

Early Noldorin [PE13/153] Group: Eldamo. Published by