ṇqṇ

root. *ear

This was listed as two distinct unglossed roots in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱ√(U)ṆQ(U)Ṇ¹ and ᴱ√(U)ṆQ(U)Ṇ², the former having derivatives related to hooks, loops or handles, and the latter having derivatives having to do with ears, but Tolkien speculated that the two may have been originally the same, and I think that’s probably his intent (QL/98). Tolkien compared the second root to ᴱ√TṆQṆ “hear” (QL/93, 98). The only obvious derivative of any of these roots from the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon was G. unc “ear, handle (of a jar)”, which likewises points to a common root (GL/75). There are no signs of this root in Tolkien’s later writing.

Derivatives

• Eq. ank “loop, handle, ring” ✧ QL/031; QL/098
• Eq. unqilla(r) “handle of jar; pothook” ✧ QL/098
• Eq. unqu- “to hook into, catch (fish), catch in, etc.” ✧ QL/098

Element in

• Eq. ankar “ear (of men)” ✧ QL/031

Variations

• ᵁNQᵁN ✧ QL/031
• Ŋ̣NQ ✧ QL/031
• (U)ṆQ(U)Ṇ¹ ✧ QL/098