Quenya 

-n

suffix. I

-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)

-nil

-wine

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

-n(yë)

suffix. I

Quenya [PE17/057; PE17/075; PE17/190; PE22/161; VT49/16; VT49/48; VT49/51] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-nta

suffix. their

Quenya [PE17/057; PE17/132; PE17/190; VT49/17] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ntë

suffix. they

Quenya [PE17/057; PE17/190; UT/317; VT49/17] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-nya

suffix. my

Quenya [PE17/057; PE17/067; PE17/132; PE17/190; VT49/16; VT49/38; VT49/48] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-na

suffix. slain

A shorter ending -na also occurs, e.g. nahtana "slain" (VT49:24); the example hastaina "marred" would suggest that *nahtaina is equally possible. In the example aistana "blessed" (VT43:30), -na may be preferred to -ina for euphonic reasons, to avoid creating a second diphthong ai where one already occurs in the previous syllable (*aistaina). In PE17:68, the ending -ina is said to be "aorist" (unmarked as regards time and aspect); the same source states that the shorter ending -na is "no longer part of verbal conjugation", though it obviously survives in many words that are maybe now to be considered independent adjectives. See -na #4.

-ndor

land

-ndor, final element in compounds: "land" (Letters:308, UT:253)

-ndë

you

[#-ndë (2) pronominal suffix for dual "you", as in carindë *"you (two) do". Tolkien changed the ending to -stë (VT49:33)]

-ndë

petition

-ndë (1) noun ending; forming nouns from verbal stems in arcandë "petition" and ulundë "stream" (q.v. and cf. VT44:8), feminine in Serindë "broideress" or "needle-woman" (q.v.) PE17:69 mentions -ndë as a common suffix denoting feminine agent.

-ngo

we (two)

-ngo "we (two)", abandoned pronominal ending for the 1st person dual inclusive (later revised by Tolkien to -ngwë/-nquë). An alternative form -lmo was also listed (VT49:48). The ending -ngo was probably meant to represent older *-ngwo (VT49:49).

-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)

-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).

-nna

to

-n (1) dative ending, originating as a reduced form of - "to", related to the allative ending -nna (VT49:14). Attested in nin, men, ten, enyalien, Erun, airefëan, tárin, yondon (q.v.) and also added to the English name Elaine (Elainen) in a book dedication to Elaine Griffiths (VT49:40). The longer dative ending -na is also attested in connection with some pronouns, such as sena, téna, véna (q.v.), also in the noun mariéna from márië "goodness" (PE17:59). Pl. -in (as in hínin, see hína), partitive pl. -lin, dual -nt (Plotz). The preposition ana (#1) is said to be used "when purely dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that it can replace the dative ending, e.g. *ana Eru instead of Erun for "to God". In some of Tolkiens earlier material, the ending -n (or -en) expressed genitive rather than dative, but he later decided that the genitive ending was to be -o (cf. such a revision as Yénië Valinóren becoming Yénië Valinórëo, MR:200).

-nna

to, at, upon

-nna "to, at, upon", allative ending, originating from -na "to" with fortified n, VT49:14. Attested in cilyanna, coraryanna, Endorenna, Elendilenna, númenórenna, parma-restalyanna, rénna, senna, tielyanna, q.v. If a noun ends in -n already, the ending -nna merges with it, as in Amanna, formenna, Elenna, númenna, rómenna as the allative forms of Aman, formen, elen, númen, rómen (q.v.). Plural -nnar in mannar, valannar, q.v.

-nta

their

-nta (2) possessive 3rd person pl. pronominal ending: "their" (VT49:17). Lintienta "their speed" (PE17:58), nassentar "their true-being[s]" (PE17:175). This ending corresponds to -ntë "they" (other versions of Quenya uses -ltë for "they" and hence -lta for "their"). Also -ntya, q.v. According to VT49:17, the ending -nta appears as -inta following a consonant (other sources point to -e- rather than -i- as the connecting vowel in such cases).

-ntya

their

-ntya, possessive 3rd person pl. pronominal ending: "their" (VT49:17), corresponding to -ntë as the ending for "they". Besides -ntya the form -nta is also attested, but the latter clashes with the ending for dual allative. (Other variants of Quenya uses -lta for "their", corresponding to -ltë as the ending for "they".) According to VT49:17, the ending -ntya appears as -intya following a consonant (other sources point to -e- rather than -i- as the connecting vowel in such cases).

-ntyë

you

[-ntyë "you", abandonded pronominal ending for 2nd person pl. familiar (VT49:49)]

-ntë

they

-ntë "they", pronomimal ending, inflexion of 3rd person plural when no subject is previously mentioned (CO; see also VT49:49). This ending competes with -ltë (q.v.) in Tolkiens conception (VT49:57; for "they do", both carintë and cariltë are attested, VT49:16 vs. 17). The corresponding pronominal possessive suffix appears as -ntya or -nta in various sources.

-nya

my

-nya pronominal suffix, 1st person sg. possessive, "my" (VT49:16, 38, 48), e.g. tatanya "my daddy" (UT:191, VT48:17), meldonya "my [male] friend" (VT49:38), meldenya "my [female] friend" (Elaine inscription), omentienya "my meeting" (PE17:68), tyenya "my tye" (tye being an intimate form of "you"), used = "dear kinsman" (VT49:51, 56). This ending seems to prefer i as its connecting vowel where one is needed, cf. Anarinya "my sun" in LR:72, so also in hildinyar "my heirs". It was previously theorized by some that a final -ë would also be changed to -i- before -nya, but the example órenya "my heart [órë]" indicates that this is not the case (VT41:11).

nárë

flame

nárë, also short nár, noun "flame" (NAR1, Narqelion). Translated "fire" in some names, see Aicanáro, Fëanáro (where nár apparently has the masculine ending -o, though in the latter name it may also be the genitive ending since Fëa-náro** is translated "Spirit of Fire"). At one point, Tolkien mentioned "nār-" as the word for "fire (as an element)" (PE17:183). Cf. ruinë** as the word for "a fire" (a concrete instance of fire) in the same source.

atar

noun. father

The Quenya word for “father”, derived from the root √AT(AR) (PM/324; WJ/402; VT48/19).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. atar “father” dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, though in that document it was “a more solemn word ... usually to 1st Person of the Blessed Trinity”, as opposed to more ordinary ᴱQ. attu “father” (QL/33). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s, ᴱQ. atar was the ordinary word for “father”, but with variant archaic form †attar (PE15/72). ᴹQ. atar “father” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√ATA of the same meaning (Ety/ATA). It appeared again in the Quenya Verbal System of the 1940s in various inflected forms (PE22/118-119). It continued to appear regularly in Tolkien’s later writings. Thus this word was established early and retained its form throughout Tolkien’s life with only minor variations.

Quenya [PM/324; SA/atar; UT/186; UT/193; UT/273; VT43/13; VT43/37; VT44/16; VT47/26; WJ/402] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nat

noun. thing

A Quenya noun for “thing” derived from the root √ “be, exist” (VT49/30, Ety/N²), 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/N²). 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).

nén

noun. water, water, [ᴱQ.] river

The word for “water”, a derivative of the root √NEN of the same meaning (PE17/52; Ety/NEN). Its stem form was nen- (Ety/NEN) and its primitive form was given as ✶nē̆n, the vowel length variation due to distinct subjective nēn versus objective/inflected nĕn- in ancient monosyllables (PE21/64).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with two senses: “river” and (archaic) “†water”. Tolkien indicated the two senses were based on distinct roots: ᴱ√NEŘE [NEÐE] and ᴱ√NENE respectively, with two distinct stem forms nend- and nēn (QL/64-65). The Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa also mentions the forms nen (nēn-) “water” versus nen(d-) “river” (PME/64-65). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the mid-1920s Tolkien had both nēn “river” (PE15/76) and nēn “water” (PE15/78), but in the Early Qenya Grammar he had only nēn “water” (PE14/43, 72), also appearing as nen “water” in documents on The Valmaric Script from this period (PE14/110).

In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. nēn “water”, but in this document it had nēn- with long ē in its inflected forms as well (PE21/23). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, uninflected nén “water” had a stem form of nen- with short e (Ety/NEN), and the reasons for this variation was discussed in Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants from 1936, the nominative/objective distinction noted above (PE21/64). This seems to be the paradigm Tolkien stuck with thereafter, as evidenced by S. nen “water” rather than ✱✱nîn.

Quenya [PE17/052; SA/nen] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nór

noun. land

A term for “land” as in “(dry) land as opposed to the sea”, mentioned in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/413) and again in notes from around 1968 (PE17/106-107).

Possible Etymology: In the Quendi and Eldar essay this term was derived from primitive ✶ndōro, but in the aforementioned 1968 notes Tolkien clarified that its stem form was nŏr-. This means it was probably derived from ancient ✱ndŏr-, where the long vowel in the uninflected form was inherited from the Common Eldarin subjective form ✱ndōr, a phenomenon also seen in words like nér (ner-) “man”. I prefer this second derivation, as it makes the independent word more distinct from the suffixal form -ndor or -nóre used in the names of countries.

Quenya [PE17/106; PE17/107; WJ/413] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sír(ë)

noun. river, river, [ᴱQ.] stream

The most common Quenya word for “river”, derived from the root √SIR “flow”.

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as ᴱQ. sīre “stream” as a derivative of ᴱ√SIŘI [SIÐI] (QL/84), and this form and gloss also appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/84). The form ᴹQ. siri- “river” appeared in the Declension of Nouns (DN) from the early 1930s, along with uninflected sire with short i and various inflected forms with siry- (PE21/10). The form sīre “river” with long ī appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√SIR “flow” (Ety/SIR; EtyAC/SIR). In several notes from the mid-1960s, it appeared in monosyllabic form sír (PE17/65) or sīr (VT49/17), but it had dual form siryat from the late 1960s implying a stem form of sirĭ- and a development similar to that of DN from the early 1930s (VT47/11).

Neo-Eldarin: Its form síre is probably better known and more commonly used in Neo-Quenya. For example this is the typical form in Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT).

Quenya [PE17/065; VT47/11; VT49/17] Group: Eldamo. Published by

atya

daddy

atya (2) noun "daddy", supposedly a word in "actual 'family' use" (VT47:26, PE17:170), also used in children's play for "thumb" and "big toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6); reduction of at(an)ya "my father" (or, as explained in VT48:19, reduction of at-nya of similar meaning). Compare atto.

falma

(crested/foaming) wave

falma noun "(crested/foaming) wave" (PHAL/PHÁLAS), "a wave-crest, wave" (VT42:15), "foam wave" (PE17:127), "a breaker" (PE17:62), partitive pl. falmali "many waves" (PE17:73), allative falmalinnar "on the foaming waves" in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67); the phrase an i falmalī _(PE17:74) seems to be a paraphrase of this with an independent preposition instead of the allative ending -nna (see an #1). Compounded in Falmari, a name of the Teleri, and Mar-nu-Falmar, "Home/Land under Waves", a name of Númenor after the Downfall. (SA:falas) Falmari "wave-folk", a name of the Teleri (PM:386). In earlier "Qenya", falma was glossed "foam" (LT1:253, cf. MC:213). Compare also the early "Qenya" words falmar "wave as it breaks" (LT1:253), pl. falmari "waves" (MC:216)_

ninya

my

ninya _possessive pron _occurring in Fíriel's Song, evidently meaning "my"; see indo-ninya. It may be derived from the dative form nin "for me" by adding the adjectival ending -ya. Compare menya, q.v.

-dil

-wine

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

-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".

ana

to

ana (1) prep. "to" (VT49:35), "as preposition _ana _is used when purely _dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that the preposition ana can be used instead of the dative ending -n (#1, q.v.) Also as prefix: ana- "to, towards" (NĀ1); an (q.v.) is used with this meaning in one source (PE17:127)_

atar

father

atar noun "father" (SA; WJ:402, UT:193, LT1:255, VT43:37, VT44:12). According to the Etymologies (ATA) the pl. is atari, but contrast #atári in Atanatári "Fathers of Men" (q.v.); possibly the word behaves differently when compounded. Atarinya "my father" (LR:70), atar(inya) the form a child would use addressing his or her father, also reduced to atya (VT47:26). Diminutive masc. name Atarincë ("k") "Little father", amilessë (never used in narrative) of Curufinwë = Curufin (PM:353). Átaremma, Ataremma "our Father" as the first word of the Quenya translation of the Lord's Prayer, written before Tolkien changed -mm- as the marker of 1st person pl. exclusive to -lm-; notice -e- as a connecting vowel before the ending -mma "our". In some versions of the Lord's Prayer, including the final version, the initial a of atar "father" is lengthened, producing #átar. This may be a contraction of *a atar "o Father", or the vowel may be lengthened to give special emphasis to #Átar "Father" as a religious title (VT43:13). However, in VT44:12 Atar is also a vocative form referring to God, and yet the initial vowel remains short.

culo

gold

[culo, culu ("k")noun "gold" (substance)] (KUL, VT49:47; the word culu_ also occurred in early "Qenya" [LT1:258], but in the Etymologies it was struck out; the regular Quenya word for "gold" is apparently _malta. In another version, culo meant "flame" [VT45:24], but this is apparently also a word Tolkien abandoned.)

lér

man

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

na

to, towards

na (2) prep. "to, towards", possibly obsoleted by #1 above; for clarity writers may use the synonym ana instead (NĀ1). Originally, Tolkien glossed na as "at, by, near"; the new meaning entered together with the synonyms an, ana (VT45:36).

namba

hammer

namba noun "a hammer" (NDAM), namba- vb. "to hammer" (NDAM). According to VT45:37, Tolkien may have considered the alternative form lamba, but the source is obscure and lamba is assigned a quite different meaning ("tongue") elsewhere.

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.

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)

nulla

dark, dusky, obscure

nulla adj. "dark, dusky, obscure" (NDUL), "secret" (DUL). See also VT45:11.

nár

flame

nár noun "flame", also nárë (NAR1).Translated "fire" in some names, see Aicanár(o), Fëanáro (where nár apparently has the masculine ending -o added to it). According to PE17:183, nár- is "fire as an element" (a concrete fire or blaze is rather called a ruinë).

nén

water

nén (nen-) noun "water" (NEN).

nóla

wise, learned

nóla ("ñ") (1) adj. "wise, learned" (ÑGOL) (note that this and the next nóla would be spelt differently in Tengwar writing, and originally they were also pronounced differently, since nóla "wise, learned" was ñóla in First Age Quenya).

catta

noun. back

A neologism for “back” coined by Paul Strack in 2022 specifically for Eldamo, based on Q. ca(ta) “behind, at back of place”. This word can refer to the back of body as well as the back of other things.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

-ltë

suffix. they

Quenya [PE17/075; PE17/190; VT49/16; VT49/17; VT49/51] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ttë

suffix. themselves

engwë

noun. thing

intë

pronoun. themselves

mi

preposition. in, in, [ᴹQ.] within

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

min

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

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

nuinë

suffix. river

saila

adjective. wise

tára

adjective. wise

(a)taryo

noun. daddy

-dur

-dur

-dur see -ndur

-inquë

-inquë

-inquë pronominal ending (VT49:51, 57), see -ngwë

-ldë

you

-ldë (1) pronominal suffix "you", 2nd person pl. (VT49:51; carildë *"you do", VT49:16). This ending Tolkien revised from -llë in earlier sources (VT49:48, cf. PE17:69).

-llo

you

[-llo (2) "you", dual; abandoned pronominal ending. Also written -illo. (VT49:49)]

-llë

you

-llë (2) abandoned pronominal ending "you", 2nd person pl. (VT49:48); Tolkien later revised this ending to -ldë.

-lmo

we (two)

-lmo "we (two)", abandoned pronominal ending for the 1st person dual inclusive (later revised by Tolkien to -ngwë). This -lmo was listed as an alternative to -ngo (VT49:48).

-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_)

-lta

their

-lta (and -ltya), 3rd person pl. pronominal possessive suffix "their", alternating with -nta/-ntya in Tolkiens writings (VT49:16, 17), just as the ending -ltë "they" also has the variant -ntë. According to VT49:17, the ending -lta or -ltya will appear as -ilta, -iltya following a consonant; other sources rather point to -e- as the connecting vowel in such cases (VT49:17).

-lto

they

-lto, "Qenya" pronominal ending "they"; see -ltë

-ltë

they

-ltë, 3rd person pl. pronominal suffix, "they" (VT49:51; cariltë "they do", VT49:16, 17). It alternates with -ntë in Tolkiens manuscripts (VT49:17, 57). In his early material, the ending also appears as -lto, occurring in Fíriel's Song (meldielto "they are beloved" and cárielto "they made"), also in LT1:114: tulielto "they have come" (cf. VT49:57). Compare -lta, -ltya as the ending for "their".

-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-).

-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-.

-lyë

you, thou

-l or -lyë (VT49:48, 51), pronominal endings for 2nd person sg. polite/formal "you, thou": caril or carilyë *"you do" (VT49:16), hamil "you judge" (VT42:33), anel "you were" (see #1); see -lyë for further examples. These endings may also be added to pronouns (etel/etelyë or mil, milyë; see et, mi). In one source, -l is rather used as a reduced affix denoting plural "you"; see heca! (WJ:364)

-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).

-mmo

we (two)

[-mmo "we (two)", abandoned pronominal suffix for the 1st person dual exclusive, which ending Tolkien later revised to -mmë (VT49:48).]

-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).

-o

person, somebody

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

-ser

friend

-ser noun "friend" (SER)

-stë

you

-stë "you", 2nd person dual pronominal ending (VT49:51, 53), e.g. caristë "the two of you do" (VT49:16). Tolkien first wrote carindë, but changed the ending (VT49:33). The ending -stë is derived from earlier -dde (VT49:46, 51). An archaic ending of similar form could also be the third person dual, "the two of them" (but see -ttë #1).

-ttë

they

-ttë (1) "they", dual 3rd person pronominal ending ("the two of them") (VT49:51), replacing (also within the legendarium) the older ending -stë (which was later used for the second person only). This older ending -stë corresponds to a possessive ending -sta "their" (VT49:16), but this was presumably likewise altered to *-tta as the new ending for dual "their" = "of the two of them".

-twa

their

-twa 2) an pronominal possessive ending mentioned in one chart of pronouns, apparently "their" referring to two persons (VT49:16); this may be an ending used in colloquial Quenya rather than formal language (it is listed together with the endings -ya "his, her" and -rya "their", that are explicitly said to belong to colloquial Quenya) (VT49:16-17)

-tyë

you

-t (3) reduced pronominal affix of the 2. person, "you" (sg.), the long form being -tyë (both endings are listed in VT49:48). See heca regarding the example hecat (WJ:364). However, in a later source, Tolkien denies that -tyë has any short form (VT49:51, 57). The status of the ending -t is therefore doubtful.

-tyë

you, thou

-tyë pronominal ending "you, thou" (VT49:48, 51), 2nd person familiar/intimate: carityë *"you do" (VT49:16; the corresponding formal/polite ending is -l, -lyë, cf. PE17:135 where Tolkien states that hiruvalyë "thou shalt find" from Namárië would be hiruvatyë if the polite pronoun were replaced by the familiar one). Compare the independent pronoun tye. In VT49:51, Tolkien denies that the ending -tyë has any short form (see, however, -t # 3). Cf. natyë "you are"; see #1. Compare tye, -tya.

-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".

Námo

person, somebody

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

Návatar

father

Návatar noun a title of Aulë referring to his position as the immediate author of the Dwarvish race, apparently including atar "father", but the first element cannot be related to any known term for "Dwarf" (PM:391 cf. 381)

Nénar

water

Nénar noun name of a star (or planet), evidently derived from nén "water" (Silm), tentatively identified with Uranus (MR:435)

Quendi

zF2% noun. elves

Quendi "Elves" as a race (analogical sg. quendë, not much used) (WJ:361;SA:quen-/quet-, WJ:372, KWEN(ED), spelt "qende, Qendi" in Etym). Gen. pl. Quendion (PM:395)

Quendingoldo

elves

Quendingoldo masc. name, apparently compound of Quendi "Elves" and -ngoldo "Noldo", Sindarin Pengolodh, a loremaster of Gondolin. (PM:401, 404-405, VT48:5) Shorter form Quengoldo (PM:404, VT48:14)

Tar-culu

gold

Tar-culu ("k"), name listed in the Etymologies but not elsewhere attested. The second element is apparently culu "gold" (a word Tolkien seems to have abandoned); Hostetter and Wynne suggest that this may be an alternative name of Tar-Calion (= Ar-Pharazôn "the Golden"); see VT45:24.

Uinen

water

Uinen (Uinend-, as in dative Uinenden) fem. name, used of a Maia, spouse of Ossë (UY, NEN). Adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:404), though it is also said that it contains -nen "water" (SA:nen); the latter explanation may be folk etymology. In the Etymologies, the name is derived from the same stem (UY) as uilë "long trailing plant, especially seaweed".

a

cardinal. one

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

alalvinorë

land of many elms

alalvinorë noun "land of many Elms" (PE17:153), read apparently -nórë as in the alternate form alalbinórë (late pronunciation with lb for lv)

alyë

you

alyë imperative particle with ending -lyë "you"; see a #3.

anarcandë

petition

#anarcandë noun "petition" (isolated from anarcandemman, "our petitions", possibly an error for *anarcandemmar) (VT44:8); Tolkien seems to have abandoned this word in favour of #arcandë, q.v.

apa

on

apa (2) prep. denoting "on" with reference to contact of surfaces, especially vertical surface (in the sense in which a picture hangs on a wall). Apa is said to have this meaning in various Tolkien manuscripts (VT44:26), but apa is also used for "after" (see apa #1 above), and the two were probably never meant to coexist in a single variant of Quenya. The clash may be avoided by consistently using the variants , pa (q.v.) mentioned by Tolkien in the sense of apa #2. Another variant gives apa, "on (above but touching)" (VT49:18).

arcandë

petition

#arcandë noun "petition" (isolated from arcandemmar "our petitions") (VT44:8)

atar

noun. father

Quenya [PE 22:118] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

ataryo

daddy

ataryo, also taryo (cited as (a)taryo), noun "daddy", also used as a name for the thumb in children's play, but Tolkien emended it to atto/atya (VT48:4). Compare atar "father".

atto

father, daddy

atto noun "father, daddy" (hypocoristic)(ATA, LR:49), supposedly a word in "actual 'family' use" (VT47:26), also used in children's play for "thumb" and "big toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6). The dual form attat listed in VT48:19 seems to be formed from the alternative form atta, though attat was changed by Tolkien from attot. - Compare atya.

canya

adjective. wise

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

celusindi

river

celusindi _("k")_noun "river" (LT1:257; hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, where the terms sírë and sirya appear instead)

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".

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.

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)

fuine

noun. deep shadow

PQ. deep shadow, night shade

Quenya [PE 19:31] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

fuinë

deep shadow

fuinë noun "deep shadow" (PHUY; cf. "Qenya" fuin "night" in MC:221). According to VT41:8, fuinë is not a Quenya form at all, but Telerin for Quenya huinë (but unquestionably, fuinë is quoted as a Quenya form in certain earlier sources; cf. also Fuinur below - perhaps we may assume that fuinë was borrowed into Quenya from Telerin and thus came to co-exist with huinë?

heldo

friend

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

hilya-

to follow

hilya- vb. "to follow" (KHIL)

hlóna

river, especially given to those at all seasons full of water from mountains

[hlóna (2) noun "a river, especially given to those at all seasons full of water from mountains" (VT48:27; the word is marked with a query and the note containing it rejected; it was apparently replaced by lón, q.v.)]

hróva

dark, dark brown

hróva adj. "dark, dark brown", used to refer to hair (PE17:154)

huinë

deep shadow

huinë noun "deep shadow" (PHUY), "gloom" (VT41:8), "gloom, darkness" (SA:fuin), also used for "shadow" = Sauron (LR:56). Possessive (adjectival) form huinéva in the name Taurë Huinéva, q.v. In earlier sources, huinë is quoted as a variant of fuinë, but according to VT41:8, huinë is the proper Quenya form and fuinë is Telerin.With prefix nu- "under" and allative ending -nna in nuhuinenna (SD:246); also unuhuinë "under-shadow" (LR:47).

ilcë

you

ilcë ("k") (2) *"you", emphatic pronoun of the 2nd person pl. familiar, apparently a form abandoned by Tolkien. An alternative form incë was also listed; a query appears between the forms (VT49:48).

imi

in

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

imi

preposition. in, in, [ᴱQ.] inside

incë

you

incë ("k") *"you", emphatic pronoun for 2nd person pl. familiar, apparently a form abandoned by Tolkien. It is listed as an alternative to ilcë in the source, a query appearing between the forms (VT49:48, 49). The word could also be read as intë (VT49:49)

intë

themselves

intë *"themselves", 3rd person pl. reflexive pronoun, e.g. *i neri tirir intë, "the men watch themselves". Intë is derived from earlier imte(VT47:37). Conceivably intë* is only used for "themselves" with reference to persons; impersonal "themselves" ought to be inta or intai, compare ta #3, tai #2. A form intai might however have evolved into intë by the Third Age (like pl. adjectives in -ai later came to end in -ë), thus converging with the "personal" form.% In an earlier source, Tolkien listed intë as an emphatic pronoun "they", 3rd person plural (VT49:48, 49); compare the pronominal ending -ntë. The word intë** (derived from inde via inze, an unusual development in Quenya) also appears as a candidate 2nd person singular polite form (VT49:49).

inyë

i, too

inyë emphatic independent 1st person sg. pronoun, "I" with emphasis, translated "I, too" in LR:61 (and, according to one reading of Tolkiens manuscript, in VT49:49).

isqua

wise

isqua ("q") adj. "wise" (LT2:339).

istima

adjective. wise, knowledgeable, v.well informed

Quenya [PE 22:156] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

iswa

wise

iswa adj. "wise" (LT2:339); rather saila in Tolkiens later Quenya.

lamba

hammer

lamba (2) noun ?"hammer" (possibly an alternative form of namba, q.v., but the source is obscure and namba is to be preferred) (VT45:37)

laurë

gold

laurë noun "gold", but of golden light and colour, not of the metal: "golden light" (according to PE17:61 a poetic word). Nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto "may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading" (VT49:47). In Etym defined as "light of the golden Tree Laurelin, gold", not properly used of the metal gold (LÁWAR/GLÁWAR, GLAW(-R), VT27:20, 27, PE17:159). In early "Qenya", however, laurë was defined as "(the mystic name of) gold" (LT1:255, 258) or simply "gold" (LT1:248, 268). In Laurelin and Laurefindil, q.v., Laurenandë "Gold-valley" = Lórien (the land, not the Vala) (UT:253) and laurinquë name of a tree, possibly *"Gold-full one" (UT:168). Laurendon "like gold" or "in gold fashion" (but after citing this form, Tolkien decided to abandon the similative ending -ndon, PE17:58).

le

you

le, pronominal element "you", (originally) the "reverential 2nd person sing" (RGEO:73, VT49:56). However, singular le was apparently altered to lye (q.v.), and le took on a plural significance (le for pl. "you" is apparently derived from de, the ancient 2nd person pl. stem, VT49:50-51). Stressed (VT49:51), dual let "the two of you" (ibid.). At certain points in Tolkiens conception, le was still sg. "thou" rather than pl. "you". It is attested as an ending in the imperative form antalë "give thou" (VT43:17); see anta-. The form ólë in VT43:29 apparently means *"with thee"; according to Tolkiens later system, it would rather mean "with you" (pl.) Compare aselyë "with thee" (sg.) in a later source (see as).

lelta-

send

#lelta- vb. "send", attested in the past tense with pronominal suffixes: leltanelyes "you sent him" (VT47:21)

lenta-

send

[#lenta- vb. "send", attested in the past tense with pronominal suffixes: lentanelyes "you sent him". Changed by Tolkien to #lelta-, q.v. (VT47:22, 21)]

lintië

swiftness, speed

lintië noun "swiftness, speed" derived from linta; also used as adverb "quickly", nornë lintië "he ran with swiftness", also more explicitly with pronominal suffixes and the instrumental ending -nen: lintieryanen "with his speed" (PE17:58)

lom-

hide

lom- vb. "hide" (LT1:255; given in the form lomir "I hide"; read *lomin if the word is to be adapted to LotR-style Quenya.)

lóna

dark

?lóna (4) adj. "dark" (DO3/DŌ). If this is to be the cognate of "Noldorin"/Sindarin dûr, as the context seems to indicate, lóna is likely a misreading for *lóra in Tolkien's manuscript.

lúna

dark

lúna adj. *"dark" in Lúnaturco and Taras Lúna, Quenya names of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). (PE17:22). In the Etymologies, lúnë "blue" was changed by Tolkien from lúna (VT45:29).

lúrëa

dark, overcast

lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)

malta

gold

malta noun "gold", also name of tengwa #18 (Appendix E). The Etymologies (entry SMAL) instead has malda, q.v. for discussion, but according to VT46:14, the form malta originally appeared in the Etymologies as well. Also compare the root MALAT listed in PM:366.

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.

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.

menta-

send, cause to go

menta- (1) vb. "send, cause to go" (in a desired direction) (VT41:6, VT43:15). A similar-sounding primitive verb mentioned in PE17:93 is said to have past and perfect forms that would produce Quenya *mennë*, eménië, but here Tolkien seems to be discussing a distinct intransitive verb "go" and its Sindarin descendants, and Quenya menta- rather belongs to the causative (transitive) verbs which according to the same source has "weak" past-tense forms (in -, hence mentanë "sent", and likely ementië** as perfect "has sent").

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.

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.

min

cardinal. one

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

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)

mori-

dark, black

mori- "dark, black" in a number of compounds (independent form morë, q.v.):Morimando "Dark Mando" = Mandos (MBAD, VT45:33), morimaitë "black-handed" (LotR3:VI ch. 6, VT49:42). Moriquendi "Dark Elves" (SA:mor, WJ:361, 373), Moringotto "Black Foe", Sindarin Morgoth, later name of Melkor. The oldest form is said to have been Moriñgotho (MR:194). In late material, Tolkien is seen to consider both Moringotto and Moricotto _("k") _as the Quenya form of the name Morgoth (VT49:24-25; Moricotto also appears in the ablative, Moricottollo). Morion "the dark one", a title of Morgoth (FS). Morifinwë "dark Finwë", masc. name; he was called Caranthir in Sindarin (short Quenya name Moryo). (PM:353) In the name Morinehtar, translated "Darkness-slayer", the initial element is defined would thus seem to signify "darkness" rather than "dark" as an adjective (see mórë). (PM:384, 385)

morna

dark, black

morna adj. "dark, black" (Letters:282, LT1:261; also used of black hair, PE17:154), or "gloomy, sombre" (MOR). Used as noun in the phrase mi…morna of someone clad "in…black" (PE17:71). In tumbalemorna (Letters:282), q.v. Pl. mornë in Markirya**(the first version of this poem had "green rocks", MC:215, changed to ondolisse mornë** "upon dark rocks" in the final version; see MC:220, note 8).

morĭ

adjective. dark

PQ. dark

Quenya [PE 19:81] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

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)

móri

dark

móri adj. "dark" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"; in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

nahta-

slay

nahta- (1) verb "slay" (nahtan "I slay"). Possible variant #nehta- see #nehtar. Passive participle nahtana in the phrase nahtana ló Túrin *"slain by Turin". (VT49:24)

nahta-

verb. slay

Quenya [PE 22:102, 114; PE 22:159] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

nanca

slain

nanca adj. *"slain" (PE17:68); see -na

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.

nen

river

nen noun "river" (LT1:248), "river, water" (LT1:262) (In Tolkien's later Quenya, nén with a long vowel means "water", but hardly "river" - that is sírë.)

nurta-

hide

#nurta- vb. "hide", verbal stem isolated from nurtalë "hiding", q.v.

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

nór

land

nór noun "land" (stem nor-, PE17:106) this is land as opposed to water and sea (nor in Letters:308). Cf. nórë.

nóre

noun. land

Quenya [PE 22:116, 124] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

nórë

land

nórë noun "land" (associated with a particular people) (WJ:413), "country, land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live, race, clan" (NŌ, NDOR, BAL), also used = "race, tribe, people" (SA:dôr, PE17:169; however, the normal word for "people" is lië). Early "Qenya" hasnórë "native land, nation, family, country" (in compounds -nor) (LT1:272)

núla

dark, occult, mysterious

núla ("ñ")adj. "dark, occult, mysterious" (PE17:125)

opto

noun. back

Quenya [PE 22:50n] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

pontë

back, rear

pontë (ponti-) noun "back, rear" (QL:75)

on

, pa (1) prep. "on" with reference to contact of surfaces, especially vertical surface (in the sense in which a picture hangs on a wall); also used = "touching, as regards, concerning" (VT44:26). Another variant gives (and apa) with the meaning "on (above but touching)". (2) Variants of apa "after" (VT44:36), which preposition is in one source also ascribed the first meaning here discussed. For Neo-Quenya purposes, and pa may be used for "on" or "concerning", whereas apa is used for "after" (see entries for apa #1 and #2), or pa may also be seen as a shorter form of apa "after", as in the phrase yéni pa yéni *"years upon years" (VT44:36)

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).

saila

wise

#saila adj. "wise" (isolated from alasaila [q.v.] "unwise" in a late source)

saira

wise

saira adj. "wise" (SAY, VT46:12; a later source has the alternative formation #saila as above)

sairina

magic

sairina adj.? "magic" (evidently adj. rather than noun) (GL:72)

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)

sindi

river

sindi noun "river" (LT1:265; rather sírë in LotR-style Quenya)

sirya

river

#sirya noun "river", attested in the dual form siryat (VT47:11). Compare sírë.

sondo

friend

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

sír

river

sír noun "river", shorter form of sirë (PE17:65, VT49:17)

sírë

river

sírë noun "river" (SIR, VT46:13), "stream" (LT1:265). Also short form sír, q.v.Compare #sirya.

ta

they, them

ta (3) pron. "they, them", an "impersonal" 3rd person pl. stem, referring "only to 'abstracts' or to things (such as inanimates) not by the Eldar regarded as persons" (VT43:20, cf. ta as an inanimate Common Eldarin plural pronoun, VT49:52). Compare te, q.v. The word ta occurring in some versions of Tolkien's Quenya Lord's Prayer may exemplify this use of ta as an "impersonal" plural pronoun: emmë avatyarir ta** "we forgive them" (VT43:8, 9; this refers to trespasses, not the trespassers). However, since Tolkien also wanted ta to mean "that" (see #1 above), he may seem to be somewhat dissatisfied with ta "they, them", introducing variant forms like tai (VT49:32) to free up ta as a sg. pronoun. In one document, tai was in turn altered to te (VT49:33), which could suggest that the distinction between animate and inanimate "they, them" was abandoned and the form te (q.v.) could be used for both. In some documents, Tolkien seems to use tar as the plural form (VT49:56 mentions this as an uncertain reading in a source where the word was struck out; compare ótar under ó**-).

tai

they, them

tai (2) pron. "they, them", 3rd person pl., used with reference to inanimates rather than persons or living things (VT49:32, see ta #3 above). Perhaps to avoid the clash with tai "that which", the pronoun tai "they, them" was altered to te in at least one manuscript (VT49:33), so that it would merge with the pronoun used of living beings and the distinction between animate and inanimate would be abandoned (see te).

te

they, them

te pron. "they, them", 3rd person pl. (VT49:51, LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308). The pronoun te represents an original stem-form (VT49:50). Dative ten, téna or tien "for them, to them" (q.v.) Stressed (VT49:51). Ótë "with them", q.v. VT43:20 connects te "them" with a discussion of Common Eldarin pronominal stems (ca. 1940s), where te is the "personal" 3rd person pl. stem, referring to persons rather than abstracts or inanimates (which are denoted by ta instead; see, however, the entry ta #3 regarding the problems with this form, and the hints that te may possibly be used with reference to inanimates as well)). Also consider the reflexive pronoun intë "themselves", the final element of which is apparently this pronoun te; see also for the dual form.

toi

they

toi pron. "they" (FS; replaced by te in LotR-style Quenya?)

tye

you, thou, thee

tye pron. "you, thou, thee", 2nd person intimate/familar (LR:61, 70, Arct, VT49:36, 55), corresponding to formal/polite lye. According to VT49:51, tye was used as an endearment especially between lovers, and (grand)parents and children also used it to address one another ("to use the adult lye was more stern"). Tyenya "my tye", used = "dear kinsman" (VT49:51). The pronoun tye is derived from kie, sc. an original stem ki with an added -e(VT49:50). Stressed tyé; dual tyet "the two of you" (VT49:51 another note reproduced on the same page however states that tye has no dual form, and VT49:52 likewise states that the 2nd person familiar "never deleloped" dual or plural forms). Compare the reflexive pronoun intyë "yourself". Possibly related to the pronominal stem KE (2nd person sg.), if tye represents earlier *kye.

tára

wise

tára (2) ?"wise". (From tentative notes trying to explain Daur [unlenited *Taur] as Sindarin name of Frodo; the more normal word for "wise" seems to be saila/saira.)

they, them

pron. "they, them", 3rd person dual ("the two of them"), both "personal and neuter" (the pronoun can be used of persons and things alike). (VT49:51) Tolkien also considered tet for the same meaning, listing it alongside in one source (VT49:56), but this form was apparently abandoned.

ulca

adjective. dark

dark, gloomy, sinister

Quenya [PE 18:88] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

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.

velca

flame

velca ("k") noun "flame" (LT1:260; nár, nárë would be the normal word in Tolkien's later Quenya)

vi

we

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

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.

we

we

we, , see ve #2

Sindarin 

-en

suffix. my

_1st sg. poss. suff. my.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Later -nin_. >> lammen, -nin

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:46] -. 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

atheg

noun. thumb (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

Sindarin [VT/48:6,17] Group: SINDICT. Published by

adar

noun. father

The Sindarin word for “father”, derived from the root √AT(AR) (PM/324; VT44/21-22; VT48/19).

Conceptual Development: N. adar “father” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√ATA of the same meaning (Ety/ATA). In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, however, G. †ador “father” was marked as archaic, and it seems {athon >>} G. nathon was the ordinary word for ”father” (GL/17, 59).

Sindarin [PM/324; VT44/22; VT48/17] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dangen

adjective. slain

An adjective for “slain” derived from primitive ✶dankĭna (PE17/133), best known from its (mutated plural) appearance in the name Haudh-en-Ndengin “Hill of Slain” (S/197). N. dangen “slain” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√NDAK “slay” (Ety/NDAK). This adjective is likely the passive participle of the verb dag- “to slay”.

Conceptual Development: A similar adjective ᴱN. danc “killed in battle” appeared in the Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s, also related to ᴱN. dag- “slay” (PE14/66).

Sindarin [PE17/097; PE17/133] Group: Eldamo. 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.

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

dag

slain

(passive participle of dag- "slay", but treated almost like a derived noun) dangen (i nangen, o ndangen), pl. dengin (i ndengin; the spelling "in-ndengin" occurs in the Silmarillion). Compare SLAY.

dag

slain

"slay", but treated almost like a derived noun) dangen (i nangen, o ndangen), pl. dengin* (i ndengin*; the spelling "in-ndengin" occurs in the Silmarillion). Compare

duin

large river

(i dhuin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nuin), coll. pl. duinath (Names:179, PM:54); compare the river-name Anduin, ”long river”.

aphadon

follower

(pl. Ephedyn, coll. pl. Aphadrim) (WJ:387). Also echil (no distinct pl. form); coll. pl. ?echillath

dam

hammer

(noun) 1) dam (i nam, o ndam), pl. daim (i ndaim), coll. pl. dammath, 2) dring (i dhring), no distinct pl. form except with article (in dring).

dúath

dark shadow

(i dhúath) (nightshade), pl. dúaith (i núaith);

lach

flame

(noun) 1) lach (leaping flame), pl. laich; 2) naur (in compounds nar-, -nor) (fire, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath, 3) rill (construct ril) (brilliance, glittering reflected light), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rill).

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

ruin

red flame

(no distinct pl. form except with article: idh ruin) (blazing fire). Also used as an adj. ”fiery red, burning”. (Silm app, entry ruin; PM:366)

dring

noun. hammer, hammer, *beater

Sindarin [PE17/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dôr

noun. land, land, [N.] region where certain people live, [ᴱN.] country; [G.] people of the land

Sindarin [Let/417; Let/427; MR/200; PE17/133; PE17/164; RC/384; S/121; S/188; SA/dôr; SI/Doriath; UT/245; UTI/Doriath; WJ/192; WJ/370; WJ/413] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malt

noun. gold, gold (as metal)

Sindarin [PE17/050; VT42/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mellon

noun. friend

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

min

cardinal. one, one, [G.] single

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

mín

pronoun. our

Sindarin [VT44/22; VT44/24; VT44/28] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nín

pronoun. my

Sindarin [UT/040; UT/054; VT44/22] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sael

adjective. wise

Sindarin [MR/305; PE17/102; SD/126] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ni

pronoun. I

-d

suffix. you

2nd du. pron. suff. #you (two). Q. -star.See paradigm PE17:132.

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

-dh

suffix. you

{ð} 2nd du. pron. suff. #you (two). Q. -star.See paradigm PE17:132.

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

-dh

suffix. you

{ð} 2nd sg. pron. suff. #you. Q. -tar.See paradigm PE17:132.

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

-dhir

suffix. you

{ð} 2nd pl. pron. suff. #you. Q. -ltar.See paradigm PE17:132.

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

-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

-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

-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

-wen

suffix. their

_3rd pl. poss. suff. their.See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -ent_. >> -ent

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

Dúnadan

noun. Man of the west, Númenórean

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

adanadar

noun. man, one of the Fathers of Men

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

adanath

noun. men

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

adar

noun. father

Sindarin [Ety/349, PM/324, MR/373, LotR/II:II, VT/44:21-22] Group: SINDICT. Published by

an

preposition. to, towards, for

With suffixed article and elision in aglar'ni Pheriannath

Sindarin [LotR/II:IV, UT/39, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

an

to

_ prep. _to, for. naur an edraith ammen! 'fire [be] for rescue/saving for us'. aglar an|i Pheriannath  'glory to all the Halflings'.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:38:102:147] < _ana _< ANA/NĀ to, towards – added to, plu-. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

atheg

noun. "litte father"

Sindarin [VT/48:6,17] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bo

preposition. on

Sindarin [VT/44:21,26] Group: SINDICT. Published by

de

pronoun. you

Sindarin [PE17/026] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dor

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

Sindarin [Ety/376, S/430, WJ/413, Letters/417, VT/45:38, R] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dring

noun. hammer

Sindarin [Glamdring H, Ety/355] 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

duin

noun. (long and large) river (having strong current)

Sindarin [S/430, LotR/F, TC/179, VT/48:24] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dôr

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

Sindarin [Ety/376, S/430, WJ/413, Letters/417, VT/45:38, R] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dúath

adjective. dark

_ adj. _dark, black shadow.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:87] < _du-wath_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

Sindarin [Ety/354, S/430, UT/434] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dûr

dark

_ adj. _dark, gloomy, 'hellish'.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:152] < _(n)dūrā_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

erin

preposition. on the

Sindarin [SD/129-31] or+i, MS *œrin. Group: SINDICT. Published by

gûl

noun. magic lore, long study (being used mostly of secret knowledge, especially such as possessed by artificers who made wonderful things)

Sindarin [Ety/377, S/432, MR/350, WJ/383] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gûl

noun. perverted or evil knowledge, sorcery, necromancy

Sindarin [Ety/377, S/432, MR/350, WJ/383] Group: SINDICT. Published by

im

pronoun. I

In late writings (see esp. VT/47:37-38), Tolkien reinterpreted this form as a reflexive pronoun (= "self").

Sindarin [LotR/II:IV, LB/354, VT/47:14,37-38] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lach

noun. (leaping) flame

Sindarin [S/433, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lacha-

verb. to flame

Sindarin Group: SINDICT. Published by

lacho

verb. flame!

Sindarin [UT/65] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lorn

noun. quiet water

Sindarin [VT/45:29, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lorn

noun. anchorage, harbour

Sindarin [VT/45:29, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

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

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

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

min

adjective. our

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

mín

adjective. our

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

mîn

fraction. one (first of a series)

Sindarin [Ety/373, VT/42:24-25, VT/48:6] 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

na

to

e _ prep. _to, towards (of spacetime). n' before vowels. >> nan 2

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:147] < _nā _< ANA/NĀ to, towards – added to, plu-. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

na

preposition. to

prep. to Na-chaered palan-díriel lit. "To-distance (remote) after-gazing" >> na-chaered, nan 2

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:20-1:25] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

naur

noun. flame

Sindarin [Ety/374, S/435, LotR/II:IV] Group: SINDICT. Published by

naur

noun. fire

Sindarin [Ety/374, S/435, LotR/II:IV] 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

nen

noun. water (used of a lake, pool or lesser river)

Sindarin [Ety/376, S/435, UT/457, RC/327-328] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nen

noun. waterland

Sindarin [Ety/376, S/435, UT/457, RC/327-328] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nen

water

{ĕ}_ n. _water, lake. Q. nén. >> nîn

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:52:77] < NEN water. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

nín

adjective. my

The acute accent in nín has sometimes been regarded as an error for a slanted macron in the manuscript, since all the other attested personal adjectives from Sauron defeated all have a circumflex accent. It was however noted that if the acute accent is confirmed, then this word is probably an enclitic, see HL/73. The acute accent is now confirmed by VT/44

Sindarin [UT/40, VT/44:22] Group: SINDICT. Published by

pen

pronoun. one, somebody, anybody

Usually enclitic and mutated as ben.2

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

sael

adjective. wise

Sindarin [Saelon WJ/233, MR/305, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

sîr

noun. river

Sindarin [Ety/385, S/437, RC/384] Group: SINDICT. Published by

vi

preposition. in

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

vi

preposition. in

ad

back

(as prefix) ad-, also meaning "second, again, re-", e.g. aderthad "reunion".

ad

back

also meaning "second, again, re-", e.g. aderthad "reunion".

ada

father

(pl. edai)

ada

daddy

ada (pl. edai)

ada

daddy

(pl. edai)

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.

adanadar

father of men

normally pl. Edenedair "Fathers of Men", the early Edain.

adar

father

adar (pl. edair);

adar

father

(pl. edair);

an

to

(prep.) an (+ nasal mutation), with article ni "to the" (+ nasal mutation in plural).

an

to

(adverbial prefix) an-. 3)

angol

magic

(deep lore), pl. engyl. Note: a homophone means "stench".

aphada

follow

(i aphada, in aphadar) (WJ:387)  

bach

thing

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

byr

follower

). No distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷr). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” bior, beor.

bâr

land

(dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

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.

celon

river

(i gelon, o chelon), pl. celyn (pl. i chelyn)

curunír

man of craft

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

dag

slay

dag- (i nâg, i ndegir), pa.t. danc or dagant, passive participle dangen "slain" (pl. dengin, lenited nengin) (VT45:37)

dam

hammer

(i nam, o ndam), pl. daim (i ndaim), coll. pl. dammath

damma

hammer

(verb) damma- (i namma, i ndammar), pa.t. dammant (VT45:37)

damma

hammer

(i namma, i ndammar), pa.t. dammant (VT45:37)

dan

back

(prep.) dan (lenited nan) (again, against);

dan

back

(lenited nan) (again, against);

doll

dark

doll (dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.

doll

dark

(dusky, misty, obscure), lenited noll, pl. dyll. Note: In ”Noldorin”, this word appeared as dolt as well as doll, but the latter seems the best form in S.

dring

hammer

(i dhring), no distinct pl. form except with article (in dring).

duin

river

(long, large river with strong current) duin (i dhuin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nuin) (VT48:24)

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”.

dôr

land

1) dôr (i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr), coll. pl. dorath (WJ:413), 2) bâr (dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

dôr

land

(i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr), coll. pl. dorath (WJ:413)

dúnadan

man of the west

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

dûr

dark

dûr (sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

dûr

dark

(sombre), lenited dhûr, pl. duir

eru

the one

isolated from

escal

cover that hides

(screen, veil), pl. escail. Also spelt esgal (pl. esgail).

ethir

of a river

(estuary), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. ethiriath. Note: a homophone means "spy".

firion

mortal man

(pl. firyn).

graurim

dark people

(VT45:16);

graw

dark

graw (swart), lenited raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

graw

dark

(swart), lenited ’raw, pl. groe. (VT45:16)

guldur

dark sorcery

(i nguldur = i ñuldur), pl. gyldyr (in gyldyr = i ñgyldyr)

gûl

magic

1) gûl (i ngûl = i ñûl, o n**gûl = o ñgûl, construct gul) (sorcery, necromancy, evil knowledge), pl. guil (in guil = i ñguil) (Silm:App, MR:250, WJ:383), 2) angol (deep lore), pl. engyl**. Note: a homophone means "stench". DARK MAGIC, see .

gûl

magic

(i ngûl = i ñûl, o n’gûl = o ñgûl, construct gul) (sorcery, necromancy, evil knowledge), pl. guil (in guil = i ñguil) (Silm:App, MR:250, WJ:383)

hîn

they

(of women) hîn. It is unclear whether Tolkien maintained this ”Noldorin” pronoun in Sindarin.

hîn

they

. It is unclear whether Tolkien maintained this ”Noldorin” pronoun in Sindarin.

idhren

wise

idhren (pondering, thoughtful), pl. idhrin. 4) goll (lenited ngoll, pl. gyll). 5) golwen (learned in deep arts), lenited ngolwen, pl. gelwin (archaic *gölwin)

idhren

wise

(pondering, thoughtful), pl. idhrin. 4) goll (lenited ngoll, pl. gyll). 5) golwen (learned in deep arts), lenited ngolwen, pl. gelwin (archaic ✱gölwin)

im

i

but as subject usually simply the ending -n, as in ónen

lach

flame

(leaping flame), pl. laich;  2) naur (in compounds nar-, -nor) (fire, sun), pl. noer, coll. pl. norath, 3) rill (construct ril) (brilliance, glittering reflected light), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rill).

lacha

flame

(verb) *lacha- (i lacha, i lachar). Only the imperative form lacho is attested.

lacha

flame

(i lacha, i lachar). Only the imperative form lacho is attested.

lachenn

flame-eyed

pl. lachinn *(WJ:384, there cited in archaic form lachend)*.

lind

river

”singer” may also be used of rivers (see

lorn

quiet water

(anchorage, haven, harbour), pl. lyrn (VT45:29).

malad

gold

(as metal) 1) malad (i valad), pl. melaid (i melaid) if there is a pl. 2) malt (i valt), pl. melt (i melt) if there is a pl. (VT42:27). ”Gold” in extended senses: glawar (i **lawar) (sunlight, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair**) (VT41:10) GOLD (COLOUR?) *mall (i vall), pl. mail (i mail) if there is a pl. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” malt.

malad

gold

(i valad), pl. melaid (i melaid) if there is a pl.

mall

gold

(i vall), pl. mail (i mail) if there is a pl. – Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” malt.

malt

gold

(i valt), pl. melt (i melt) if there is a pl. (VT42:27). ”Gold” in extended senses: glawar (i ’lawar) (sunlight, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair) (VT41:10)

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.

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”).

min

one

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

morn

dark

morn (black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

morn

dark

(black), pl. myrn, lenited vorn. Note: the latter word is also used as a noun ”darkness, night”. (Letters:386)

môr

dark

môr (black), lenited vôr, pl. mŷr (Letters:382), also

môr

dark

(black), lenited vôr, pl. m**ŷr* (Letters:382)*, also

nad

thing

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

nad

thing

(pl. naid)

nand

wide grassland

(construct nan) (valley), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36);

ne

in

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

ne

in, inside

(prefix) (mid-)

nin

i

”me”, genitive nín ”my”, dative anim or enni ”to me, for me”.

noen

wise

(sensible). Pl. form (if any) uncertain. The archaic form of the word is given as nohen (VT46:7), which would have the pl. form nöhin. If the regular change of ö to e occured before the loss of h, the pl. form of noen could be nain for older nein.

nên

water

nên (lake, pool, stream, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn. FLOOD-WATER (or ”wash”) iôl (pl. ŷl) (RC:334, VT48:33).

nên

water

(lake, pool, stream, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn.

nín

my

nín (following a noun with article: i adar nín, ”my father”). Not to be confused with nîn ”watery, wet” or as noun ”tear”, or the pl. form of nên ”water”. In a very few attested cases, the pronoun ”my” appears as an ending -en added to a noun (lammen ”my tongue”, guren ”my heart”).

nín

my

(following a noun with article: i adar nín, ”my father”). Not to be confused with nîn ”watery, wet” or as noun ”tear”, or the pl. form of nên ”water”. – In a very few attested cases, the pronoun ”my” appears as an ending -en added to a noun (lammen ”my tongue”, guren ”my heart”).

or

on

(prep.) 1) or (above), with article erin ”on the” (followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salos reconstructions). Erin represents archaic örin. 2)

or

on

(above), with article erin ”on the” (followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salo’s reconstructions). Erin represents archaic örin.

parth

enclosed grassland

(i barth, o pharth) (field, sward), pl. perth (i pherth);

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”.

po

on

po (lenited bo) (VT44:23)

po

on

(lenited bo) (VT44:23)

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:

sael

wise

1) sael (lenited hael; no distinct pl. form), 2) noen (sensible). Pl. form (if any) uncertain. The archaic form of the word is given as nohen (VT46:7), which would have the pl. form nöhin. If the regular change of ö to e occured before the loss of h, the pl. form of noen could be nain for older nein. 3)

sael

wise

(lenited hael; no distinct pl. form)

sîr

river

1) (also = rill) sîr (i hîr, o sîr), in compounds sir- or -hir or -hír; no distinct pl. form except with article (i sîr), coll. pl. siriath. Note: sîr is also the adverb ”today”. 2) celon (i gelon, o chelon), pl. celyn (pl. i chelyn), 3) The word lind ”singer” may also be used of rivers (see . (WJ.309).

sîr

river

(i hîr, o sîr), in compounds sir- or -hir or -hír; no distinct pl. form except with article (i sîr), coll. pl. siriath. Note: sîr is also the adverb ”today”.

thalion

dauntless man

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

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

in

(VT44:23), with article vin

vín

our

vín; see WE

vín

our

; see

êr

one

whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone)

Adûnaic

-nud Reconstructed

preposition. on

A preposition attested only in the phrase “on us” in the Lament of Akallabêth, changing through the drafts as nēnum >> nēnu >> nēnud (SD/247, 312). Most authors identify -nud as the prepositional element (AAD/20, LGtAG, NBA/14), perhaps related to Q. nu “under”. If so, it may be a derivative of the Elvish roots √NŪ/UNU “under” or √NDU “down”, with a semantic shift to the meaning “on”.

Adûnaic [SD/247; SD/312] Group: Eldamo. Published by

attô

noun. father

A noun for “father” (SD/434). Tolkien gave two forms of this word, attû and attô, with no indication as to which would be preferred. For reasons similar to those given in the entry for ammê “mother”, my guess is that attû is an archaic form, and attô was preferred by the time of Classical Adûnaic. This word is probably related to the Elvish root √AT(AR) “father”, perhaps from Primitive Elvish ᴹ✶atū.

thâni

noun. land

A noun translated “land” (SD/435) appearing in the Adûnaic names for the Blessed Realm: Amatthâni and thâni’nAmân. Its Primitive Adûnaic form was also ✶thāni, though its primitive was glossed “realm" (SD/420).

zâyan

noun. land

An Adûnaic word for “land” (SD/423). It has an irregular plural form zâin which is the result of the phonetic change (SD/423): [[pad|medial [w] and [j] vanished before [u] and [i]]]. Thus, the archaic plural changed from †zâyîn > zâîn > zâin.

Conceptual Development: In earlier names this word appeared as zen (SD/378, 385).

Adûnaic [SD/423; SD/429; SD/435] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pharaz

noun. gold

A noun meaning “gold”, the only Adûnaic word defined in The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1114).

Conceptual Development: This noun also appears in “Lowdham’s Report on the Adunaic Language” from the 1940s (SD/426).

Adûnaic [LotR/1114; PE17/120; SD/426] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

cûl

noun. flame

A word for “flame” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KUL “golden-red”, but this word was deleted (EtyAC/KUL).

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

adar

noun. father

dam

noun. hammer

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

dangen

adjective. slain

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

di

preposition. in

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

dring

noun. hammer

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

dûr

adjective. dark

Noldorin [Ety/DOƷ; WR/113] Group: Eldamo. Published by

elf

noun. friend

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

glaur

noun. gold

Noldorin [Ety/GLAW(-R); Ety/LÁWAR; Ety/MAK; EtyAC/LÁWAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

goll

adjective. wise

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

gûl

noun. magic

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

im

pronoun. I

mellon

noun. friend

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

min

cardinal. one

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

nad

noun. thing

Noldorin [Ety/N²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

naur

noun. flame

Noldorin [Ety/EK; Ety/NAR¹; PE22/034; TI/187] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ne-

prefix. in

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

nen

noun. water

Noldorin [Ety/NEN; PE21/58] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sail

adjective. wise

sîr

noun. river

Noldorin [Ety/SIR; RS/433] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thond

noun. friend

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

ad-

prefix. back, again, re-

Noldorin [Ety/349, VT/45:6] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ada

noun. father, daddy

Noldorin [Ety/349] Group: SINDICT. Published by

adar

noun. father

Noldorin [Ety/349, PM/324, MR/373, LotR/II:II, VT/44:21-22] Group: SINDICT. Published by

benn

noun. man, male

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

celon

noun. river

Noldorin [Celon (name) Ety/363] Group: SINDICT. Published by

côl

noun. gold (metal)

Noldorin [Ety/365] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dag-

verb. to slay

Noldorin [Ety/375, VT/45:37] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dam

noun. hammer

Noldorin [Ety/375] Group: SINDICT. Published by

damma-

verb. to hammer

It was long considered that damna-, dammint in the Etymologies might have been misreadings. VT/45:37 confirms this, though the exact reading actually remains rather uncertain

Noldorin [Ety/375, VT/45:37] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dangen

noun. slain

Noldorin [Ety/375] Group: SINDICT. Published by

doll

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

Noldorin [Ety/355, Ety/376, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dolt

adjective. dark, dusky, obscure

Noldorin [Ety/355, Ety/376, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dor

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

Noldorin [Ety/376, S/430, WJ/413, Letters/417, VT/45:38, R] Group: SINDICT. Published by

duirro

noun. river-bank

Noldorin [VT/46:10] 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

dûr

adjective. dark, sombre

Noldorin [Ety/354, S/430, UT/434] 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

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

goll

adjective. wise

Noldorin [Ety/377] Group: SINDICT. Published by

golwen

adjective. wise, learned in deep arts

Noldorin [Ety/377] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gûl

noun. magic lore, long study (being used mostly of secret knowledge, especially such as possessed by artificers who made wonderful things)

Noldorin [Ety/377, S/432, MR/350, WJ/383] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gûl

noun. perverted or evil knowledge, sorcery, necromancy

Noldorin [Ety/377, S/432, MR/350, WJ/383] Group: SINDICT. Published by

heltha-

verb. to strip

The form helta- in the Etymologies is a misreading according to VT/46:14

Noldorin [Ety/386, VT/46:14] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhach

noun. (leaping) flame

Noldorin [S/433, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhorn

noun. quiet water

Noldorin [VT/45:29, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhorn

noun. anchorage, harbour

Noldorin [VT/45:29, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mallen

adjective. of gold, golden

Noldorin [Ety/386, RC/625, VT/46:14, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

malt

noun. gold (as metal)

Noldorin [Ety/386, VT/46:14, VT/42:27, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. Published by

malthen

adjective. of gold, golden

Noldorin [Ety/386, RC/625, VT/46:14, Tengwestie/20031207] Group: SINDICT. 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

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

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

nad

noun. thing

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

naur

noun. flame

Noldorin [Ety/374, S/435, LotR/II:IV] Group: SINDICT. Published by

naur

noun. fire

Noldorin [Ety/374, S/435, LotR/II:IV] 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

nen

noun. water (used of a lake, pool or lesser river)

Noldorin [Ety/376, S/435, UT/457, RC/327-328] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nen

noun. waterland

Noldorin [Ety/376, S/435, UT/457, RC/327-328] Group: SINDICT. Published by

noen

adjective. wise, sensible

Noldorin [VT/46:9] Group: SINDICT. Published by

sirion

noun. great river

Noldorin [Sirion Ety/385] Group: SINDICT. Published by

sîr

noun. river

Noldorin [Ety/385, S/437, RC/384] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Primitive elvish

at(ar)

root. father

As the basis for “father” words, √AT and its extended form √ATAR date all the way back to Tolkien’s earliest ideas. The root itself did not explicitly appear in the Qenya or Gnomish Lexicons of the 1910s, but forms like ᴱQ. atar, G. †ador “father” indicate its presence (QL/33; GL/17). The root ᴹ√ATA “father” did appear in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. atar, N. adar (Ety/ATA) and the base √AT(AR) “father” was mentioned again in late 1960s notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals (VT48/19). In this late period, the Elvish words for “father” remained Q. atar and S. adar (PM/324).

Primitive elvish [VT48/19] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dom

root. dark, dark, [ᴹ√] faint, dim

This root was the basis for the main Elvish words for “dusk, night”, which was established as Q. lómë in Quenya for most of Tolkien’s life. The earliest form of this root was ᴱ√LOMO in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but with various derivatives having to do with “dusk” and “shadow” (QL/55). One notable derivative was ᴱQ. lóme “dusk, gloom, darkness”, which survived in Tolkien’s later writings as “night” and in the 1910s was the basis for ᴱQ. Hisilóme/G. Hithlum “Shadowy Twilights”. Another notable derivative was G. lómin “shady, shadowy, gloomy; gloom(iness)” (GL/45) used in the name G. Dor Lómin, which in the 1910s was translated as “Land of Shadow” (LT1/112).

The “shadow” meaning of this early root seems to have transferred to ᴹ√LUM from The Etymologies of the 1930s, which served as the new basis for N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM), as opposed contemporaneous N. Dor-lómen which was redefined as “Land of Echoes (< ᴹ√LAM via Ilkorin or in later writings, via North Sindarin). The “dusk” sense was transferred to a new root ᴹ√DOM “faint, dim”, which (along with ᴹ√DOƷ) was the basis for the pair words ᴹQ. lóme/N. “night” (Ety/DOMO).

These two words for “night” survived in Tolkien’s later writing in both Quenya and Sindarin (Let/308; SA/dú). In notes from the 1940s Tolkien clarified that it “has no evil connotations; it is a word of peace and beauty and has none of the associations of fear or groping that, say, ‘dark’ has for us” (SD/306). The Elves were quite comfortable being under the night sky, dating back to the time when the Elves lived under the stars before the rising of the Sun and the Moon. The root √DOM reappeared in etymologies for star-words from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/152). It appeared again in some very late notes from 1969 where it was glossed “dark” and served as the basis for words meaning “blind” as well as “night”, though this paragraph was rejected (PE22/153, note #50).

Primitive elvish [PE17/151; PE17/152; PE22/153] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mal

root. gold, yellow, gold

This was the root for Elvish words meaning “yellow” for much of Tolkien’s life, though with some minor variations. It appeared as ᴱ√MALA “yellow” (usually mali-) in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. malina “yellow” and ᴱQ. malikon “amber” (QL/58). It also appeared in a list of M-roots at the end of that section (QL/63). It had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. malon “yellow” and G. malthos “butter cup” (GL/56).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it seems Tolkien first gave this root as ᴹ√MAL (EtyAC/MAL) but rejected this and replaced it with ᴹ√SMAL “yellow” (Ety/SMAL). It had derivatives like ᴹQ. malina/N. malen “yellow”, ᴹQ. malta/N. malt “gold (as metal)” and ᴹQ. malo/N. hmâl “pollen, yellow powder” (< ᴹ✶smalu), with some revisions in Noldorin forms as Tolkien vacillated on whether or not primitive sm- resulted in voiceless nasal hm- or a voiced nasal m-.

This √SMAL vs. √MAL variation seems to have continued into Tolkien’s later writings, as seen in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s where ✶malu >> ✶smalu “dust, grit” (PE21/80), probably a later iteration of ᴹ✶smalu “pollen, yellow powder” from The Etymologies. But it seems Tolkien settled on √MAL as evidenced by the extended root √MALAT “gold” from The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 (PM/366).

Primitive elvish [SA/mal] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nen

root. water, water, [ᴱ√] flow

A root connected to water and (to a lesser extent) rivers for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appearance was as ᴱ√NENE “flow” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, though Tolkien marked both the root and the gloss with a “?”; it had derivatives like ᴱQ. nen “river, †water” and ᴱQ. nēnu “yellow water lily” (QL/65). Under this entry Tolkien noted that “nen water is perhaps different from nen river, which is from neře” (QL/65); elsewhere in QL Tolkien gave ᴱ√NERE² or ᴱ√NEŘE [NEÐE] as the basis for nen (nend-) “river”, a root he said was often confused with ᴱ√NESE “give to feed; feed, pasture; graze” (QL/66). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon he had G. nenn “(1) water, (2) river” and G. nendil “water fay” which were probably a blending of NENE and NEÐE, as well as G. nern “brook” from ✱nere¹ (GL/60), probably corresponding to ᴱ√NERE² from QL.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had unglossed ᴹ√NEN with derivatives like ᴹQ. nén/N. nen “water” and ᴹQ. nelle “brook” (Ety/NEN), whereas ᴱ√NERE² and ᴱ√NEÐE from the 1910s seems to have been abandoned. The primitive form √NEN or nē̆n “water” continued to appear regularly in Tolkien’s writings from the 1940s, 50s and 60s (PE17/52, 167; PE19/102; PE21/64, 79).

Primitive elvish [PE17/052; PE17/145; PE17/167; SA/nen] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tō/oto

root. back

A root in a discussion of prefixes for “back” from around 1959, which Tolkien specified as meaning: “back as an answer, or return by another agent to an action affecting him, as in answering, replying, avenging, requiting, repaying, rewarding”; Tolkien also considered the forms √UTU/TŪ (PE17/166). But Tolkien crossed this all through and seems to have replaced it with √KHAN. Tolkien mentioned the root √OT in a discussion of numbers from the late 1960s, but only to specify that “there was no primitive base OT-” (VT47/16).

Primitive elvish [PE17/166; PE17/167; PE17/171; PE17/187; PE17/188; PE17/189; VT47/16] Group: Eldamo. Published by

atar

noun. father

Primitive elvish [PE21/71; PE21/74; PE21/75; PE21/76; PE21/77; PE21/83] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dankĭna

adjective. slain

Primitive elvish [PE17/133] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dāra

adjective. wise

Primitive elvish [PE17/102] Group: Eldamo. Published by

imin

masculine name. One

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

imte

pronoun. themselves

Primitive elvish [VT47/37] Group: Eldamo. Published by

khan

root. back

Primitive elvish [PE17/157; PE17/166] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malat

root. gold

Primitive elvish [PM/366] Group: Eldamo. Published by

min

cardinal. one

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

mornā

adjective. dark

Primitive elvish [Let/382; WJ/362] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. person

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

ndorē

noun. land

Primitive elvish [Let/384; PE17/106; PE17/107; PE17/164; PE19/076; SA/dôr; VT42/04; WJ/413] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndē̆r

noun. man

Primitive elvish [PE19/102] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndōro

noun. land

Primitive elvish [WJ/413] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nenda

noun. water

Primitive elvish [PE17/087] Group: Eldamo. Published by

năta

noun. thing

Primitive elvish [VT49/30] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nē̆n

noun. water

Primitive elvish [PE19/102; PE21/79] Group: Eldamo. Published by

te

pronoun. they

Primitive elvish [VT48/24; VT48/25; VT49/17; VT49/21; VT49/37; VT49/50; VT49/52] Group: Eldamo. Published by

du Reconstructed

root. dark

imi

root. in

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

lóri

noun. gold

Nandorin [NM/347; PE17/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dóri-

noun. land

Isolated from Lindórinan. The independent form of the word may differ; it is unclear where the i of the compound Lindórinan comes from. In the Etymologies, the Eldarin words for "land" are derived from a stem NDOR "dwell, stay, rest, abide" (LR:376).

No Nandorin word is there listed, but Sindarin dor is derived from primitive ndorê. Notice, however, that Tolkien many years later derived the Eldarin words for "land" from a stem DORO "dried up, hard, unyielding" (WJ:413). However, this later source does confirm that the Primitive Quendian form was ndorê, now thought to be formed by initial enrichment d > nd. This is defined as "the hard, dry land as opposed to water or bog", later developing the meaning "land in general as opposed to sea", and finally also "a land" as a particular region, "with more or less defined bounds".

Whether dóri- actually comes from ndorê is highly doubtful (this would rather yield *dora in Nandorin), but it must be derived from the same set of stems.

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (LR:376, WJ:413)] < Lindórinan. Published by

Black Speech

ash

cardinal. one

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

búrz

adjective. dark

Black Speech [PE17/011; PE17/012; PE17/079] Group: Eldamo. Published by

u

preposition. to

Black Speech [LotR/0445; PE17/078; PM/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ash

cardinal. one

Black Speech [PE17/11] Published by

búrz

adjective. dark

Black Speech [PE17/11] Published by

ishi

preposition. in, inside

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

Black Speech [PE17/11] Published by

Telerin 

atta

noun. father

de

pronoun. you

er

cardinal. one

min

cardinal. one

nia

pronoun. my

Quendya 

huine

noun. deep shadow

deep shadow, night shade

Quendya [PE 19:31 PE 19:71] Group: Mellonath Daeron. 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 

-nye

suffix. I

-nil

suffix. -friend

-nildo

suffix. -friend

intin

pronoun. they

@@@ Regarding -n see “the final -m/n that sometimes appears at the end of object pronouns in pl. and belongs to them, not to the subject.” (PE22/94) as suggested by Aleksandr Zapragajev: j-teuber.github.io

kulo

noun. flame

A word for “flame” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KUL “golden-red”, but this word was deleted (EtyAC/KUL).

-(n)dil

suffix. -friend

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

-el

suffix. friend

-iel

suffix. -friend

-ser

suffix. friend

atan

noun. Man

atar

noun. father

Qenya [Ety/ATA; LR/061; PE22/018; PE22/046; PE22/047; PE22/118; PE22/119] Group: Eldamo. Published by

he

pronoun. they

Qenya [PE22/106; PE22/115; PE22/118; PE22/123; PE22/127] Group: Eldamo. Published by

helde

noun. friend

heldo

noun. friend

helmo

noun. friend

laure

noun. gold

Qenya [Ety/GLAW(-R); Ety/LÁWAR; PE19/037; PE22/019; PE22/046] Group: Eldamo. Published by

le

pronoun. you

Qenya [PE22/106; PE22/118; PE22/119; PE22/120; PE22/123; PE22/124; PE22/127] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lóna

adjective. dark

min

cardinal. one

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

málo

noun. friend

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

namba

noun. hammer

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

nat

noun. thing

ni

pronoun. I

Qenya [LR/072; PE21/61; PE22/092; PE22/097; PE22/104; PE22/115; PE22/118; PE22/119; PE22/120; PE22/121; PE22/122; PE22/123; PE22/125; PE22/127; SD/056] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nilmo

noun. friend

ninya

pronoun. my, my; [ᴺQ.] mine

Qenya [LR/072; PE22/123] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nár(e)

noun. flame

nén

noun. water

Qenya [Ety/NEN; PE21/19; PE21/23; PE21/58; PE22/125] Group: Eldamo. Published by

opto

noun. back

saira

adjective. wise

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

sermo

noun. friend

seron

noun. friend

sondo

noun. friend

síre

noun. river

Qenya [Ety/SIR; EtyAC/SIR; PE21/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

to

preposition. in

toi

pronoun. they

veo

noun. man

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

-dil

suffix. -friend

-dildo

suffix. -friend

fuine

noun. deep shadow

lamba

noun. hammer

mine

cardinal. one

Gnomish

asc

noun. water

A noun glossed “water” appearing in the Official Name List for the Lost Tales of the 1910s, probably based on the early root ᴱ√ASAKA which was used for words meaning “waterfall” (PE13/101).

cantha

noun. flame

A noun in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “flame” (GL/25), probably based on the early root ᴱ√KṆŘṆ [KṆÐṆ] “shine” (QL/47).

bâb

noun. father

A word for “father” in the Gnomish Lexicon Slips (PE13/111). In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s itself, G. babi or baba was “mummy, mamma” (GL/21, 57). As pointed out by Gilson, Welden, Hostetter and Wynne, there is a complementary change of {nân “father” >>} G. nân “mother” elsewhere in the Gnomish Lexicon Slips (PE13/115).

ador

noun. father

ba

preposition. in

bi

preposition. in

Gnomish [GL/20; GL/22] Group: Eldamo. Published by

culu

noun. gold

Gnomish [GG/14; GL/26; GL/27; GL/38; LT1A/Ilsaluntë; LT1A/Kulullin; LT2A/Glingol; PE15/22] Group: Eldamo. Published by

curu

noun. magic

Gnomish [GL/28; LT1A/Tolli Kuruvar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

er

adjective. one

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

glôr

noun. gold

Gnomish [GG/12; GL/40; LT1A/Glorvent; LT1A/Laurelin; LT2A/Glingol; LT2A/Glorfalc; PE15/22; PE15/25; QL/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

man

masculine name. Man

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

nathon

noun. father

Gnomish [GL/17; GL/59] Group: Eldamo. Published by

odrum

noun. hammer

Gnomish [GL/62; PE13/104; QL/032] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sîr

noun. river

Gnomish [GL/67; LT1A/Sirion] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thairin

adjective. magic

to

proper name. To

ada

noun. daddy

adi

noun. daddy

adrum

noun. hammer

redhos

noun. land

um

pronoun. we

umin

pronoun. we

Early Noldorin

hinar

adjective. dark

An adjective for “dark” from the Nebrachar poem written around 1930 (MC/217). Its etymology is unclear.

Early Noldorin [MC/217] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lim

noun. water

A noun for “water” in the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s (PE13/123), probably an early manifestation of the root ᴹ√LIB “drip” from The Etymologies.

Early Noldorin [PE13/123] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bod

adverb. back

Early Noldorin [PE13/139] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bod-

prefix. back, back, [G.] again; un- (= backwards)

Early Noldorin [PE13/137; PE13/139] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bôn

noun. back

Early Noldorin [PE13/139] Group: Eldamo. Published by

curw

noun. magic

Early Noldorin [PE13/141] Group: Eldamo. Published by

glôr

noun. gold

Early Noldorin [PE13/144] Group: Eldamo. Published by

drú

adjective. dark

Early Noldorin [PE13/142] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lhacha

noun. flame

Early Noldorin [PE13/148] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nad

noun. thing

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

Early Quenya

sindi

noun. river

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “river” derived from the root ᴱ√SIŘI [SIÐI] (QL/84). The same word appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/84).

Early Quenya [LT1A/Kelusindi; LT1A/Sirion; PME/084; QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

velka

noun. flame

A noun in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “a flame” derived from the early root ᴱ√(M)BELEKE (GL/22).

Early Quenya [GL/22; LT1A/Melko] Group: Eldamo. Published by

artan

noun. hammer

Early Quenya [QL/032; QL/089] Group: Eldamo. Published by

atar

noun. father

Early Quenya [LT1A/Ilúvatar; PE14/077; PE15/72; PE15/76; PME/033; QL/033] Group: Eldamo. Published by

attu

noun. father

Early Quenya [PE16/135; PME/033; QL/033] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dachen

adjective. slain

Early Quenya [PE17/133] Group: Eldamo. Published by

isqa

adjective. wise

Early Quenya [LT2A/Eldarissa; QL/043] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kulu

noun. gold

Early Quenya [LT1/100; LT1A/Laurelin; LT2A/Glingol; LT2A/Parma Kuluinen; MC/220; PE14/046; PE14/050; PE14/071; PE14/083; PE14/084; PE14/110; PE15/22; PE15/72; PE15/73; PE16/057; PE16/060; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/077; PME/049; QL/049; QL/051] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mir

cardinal. one

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

nat

noun. thing

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

petl

noun. hammer

Early Quenya [QL/073] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sairina

adjective. magic

Early Quenya [GL/72] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tye

pronoun. you

Early Quenya [LFC/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

atto

noun. father

el

adverb/adjective. one

iswa

adjective. wise

neta

noun. thing

tartan

noun. hammer

tatto

noun. father

Doriathrin

adar

noun. father

The Ilkorin word for “father” derived from primitive ᴹ✶atar[ă], also attested in its plural form edrin (Ety/ATA). It is identical to its Noldorin cognate N. adar having undergone similar phonetic changes from its primitive form, possibly ✱✶atară.

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

celon

noun. river

A noun meaning “river” developed from the primitive form ᴹ✶kelun (Ety/KEL), where the [[ilk|final [un] became [on]]].

Conceptual Development: This word was initially marked as Noldorin.

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

duil

noun. river

A noun meaning “river”, simply an elaboration of its root ᴹ√DUY (Ety/DUI).

Doriathrin [Ety/DUI; EtyAC/RAMBĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dôr

noun. land

A Doriathrin noun for “land” (EtyAC/NDOR) apparently from primitive ᴹ✶ndorē (Ety/NDOR). If its primitive form indeed had a short [o], then this word may be an example of how short vowels sometimes lengthened in monosyllables in Ilkorin.

Doriathrin [Ety/THŌN; EtyAC/NDOR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laur

noun. gold

A Doriathrin noun for “gold” developed from primitive ᴹ✶laurē, properly golden light rather than the metal (Ety/LÁWAR).

Doriathrin [Ety/LÁWAR] 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).

dôn

noun. back

A Doriathrin word for “back” explicitly marked as a noun (Ety/NDAN). Its primitive form might have been ✱✶ndān, so that the primitive long [[ilk|[ā] became [ō]]] and the [[ilk|initial nasal [n] was lost before the stop]] (as suggested by Helge Fauskanger, AL-Doriathrin/dôn).

Doriathrin [Ety/NDAN] 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.

Ossriandric [Ety/BER; Ety/BES] Group: Eldamo. Published by

laur

noun. gold

A noun for “gold” developed from primitive ᴹ✶laurē, and one of the few words explicitly marked as Ossiriandic (Ety/LÁWAR). In this word the long final vowel was lost. Unlike the rules described in the Comparative Tables, this [[dan|[au] did not become [ō]]], so perhaps Tolkien changed his mind on the development of [au] in Ossiriandic.

Ossriandric [Ety/LÁWAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

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

(n)di

root. in

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

ata

root. father

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

atar

noun. father

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ATA; PE21/66] Group: Eldamo. Published by

atū

noun. father

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

dēr

noun. man

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NDER; Ety/Nι; EtyAC/NDER; PE18/035; PE21/55; PE21/58; PE21/60; PE21/64; PE21/65; PE21/69] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kelun

noun. river

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

khil

root. follow

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KHIL; Ety/TUR; EtyAC/TĀ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. land

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE21/38] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mālō

noun. friend

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

ni

pronoun. I

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/NI²; EtyAC/NI²; PE21/61; PE21/65; PE22/092; PE22/094; PE22/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nē̆n

noun. water

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE21/55; PE21/58; PE21/62; PE21/64] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ñgolda

adjective. wise

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

dak

root. slay

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

imi

root. in

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

khe

pronoun. they

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

Westron

nîn

noun. water

Westron [LotR/1138] Group: Eldamo. Published by

zîr(a)

adjective. wise

Westron [PM/051; PM/060] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Solosimpi

suada

noun. hide

Solosimpi [PE13/146] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

kulu

root. gold

Early Primitive Elvish [LT1A/Kulullin; QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kulū

noun. gold

Early Primitive Elvish [PE14/071] Group: Eldamo. Published by

root. in

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

benno

noun. man

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

ni

pronoun. I

Old Noldorin [PE22/098; PE22/121] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sīre

noun. river

Old Noldorin [Ety/SIR; EtyAC/SIR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Edain

bar

noun. man

Valarin 

ul(l)u

noun. water

Valarin [WJ/400; WJ/401] Group: Eldamo. Published by