Quenya 

a

cardinal. one

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

a

interjection. O, Oh

Element in

Variations

  • A ✧ Let/448; LotR/0981; S/223; UT/138; VT43/13; VT44/15
  • Ai ✧ VT43/13
  • á ✧ VT44/07
Quenya [Let/448; LotR/0981; S/223; UT/138; VT43/13; VT44/07; VT44/15] Group: Eldamo. Published by

a

article. accusative definite article

Variations

  • a ✧ PE21/76 (a)

ar

and

ar (1) conj. "and" (AR2, SA, FS, Nam, RGEO:67, CO, LR:47, 56, MC:216, VT43:31, VT44:10, 34; see VT47:31 for etymology, cf. also VT49:25, 40). The older form of the conjunction was az (PE17:41). Ar is often assimilated to al, as before l, s (PE17:41, 71), but "in written Quenya ar was usually written in all cases" (PE17:71). In one case, Tolkien altered the phrase ar larmar "and raiments" to al larmar; the former may then be seen as representing the spelling, whereas the latter represents the pronunciation(PE17:175). More complex schemes of assimilation are suggested to have existed in "Old Quenya", the conjunction varying between ar, a and as depending on the following consonant (PE17:41, 71). An alternative longer form of the conjunction, arë, is said to occur "occasionally in Tolkien's later writings" (VT43:31, cf. VT48:14). In the Etymologies, the word for "and" was first written as ar(a) (VT45:6). In one source, Tolkien notes that Quenya used ar "as preposition beside, next, or as adverb = and" (PE17:145); compare ara.

ar

and

o (1) conj. "and", occurring solely in SD:246; all other sources give ar.

ar

conjunction. and, and; [ᴱQ., ᴹQ.] but

Changes

  • araar ✧ NM/239
  • arar “and” ✧ PE17/041
  • arar ✧ PE17/041
  • aral ✧ PE17/175

Cognates

  • S. a “and; †by, near, beside” ✧ PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/102; PE17/145; SA/ar

Derivations

  • as(a) “and” ✧ PE17/041; PE17/041; VT47/31
    • AS “beside” ✧ VT47/31
  • ad(a) “and, alongside” ✧ PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/070; PE17/071; PE17/071; PE17/102
    • AD(A) “by (the side of), beside, alongside; against, opposed to, opposite” ✧ PE17/071
  • AD(A) “by (the side of), beside, alongside; against, opposed to, opposite” ✧ PE17/145
  • AR “beyond, further than; outside; beside, alongside, beyond, further than; outside; beside, alongside; [ᴱ√] spread, extend sideways” ✧ SA/ar

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
as(a) > ar[asa] > [aza] > [ara] > [ar]✧ PE17/041
ad(a) > az > ar[ada] > [ad] > [að] > [ar]✧ PE17/041
ad > ar[ad] > [að] > [ar]✧ PE17/041
ad(a) > ar[ada] > [ad] > [að] > [ar]✧ PE17/041
as(a) > ar[asa] > [aza] > [ara] > [ar]✧ PE17/041
ad > ar[ad] > [að] > [ar]✧ PE17/070
ad(ă)/ad > ar[ad] > [að] > [ar]✧ PE17/071
ad > > > ar[ad] > [að] > [ar]✧ PE17/071
ada > ar[ada] > [ad] > [að] > [ar]✧ PE17/102
ADA > ar[ad] > [að] > [ar]✧ PE17/145
ar- > ar[ar]✧ SA/ar
as > ar[asa] > [aza] > [ara] > [ar]✧ VT47/31

Variations

  • Ar ✧ NM/239
  • ara ✧ NM/240 (ara)
  • a ✧ PE17/071 (a)
  • as ✧ PE17/071 (as); PE17/071
  • al ✧ PE17/071; PE17/175
  • are ✧ VT43/31 (are); VT43/34 (are); VT47/04
Quenya [LotR/0377; LotR/0967; Minor-Doc/1955-CT; NM/239; NM/240; PE16/096; PE17/041; PE17/070; PE17/071; PE17/072; PE17/102; PE17/103; PE17/145; PE17/174; PE17/175; PE22/147; PE22/154; PE22/158; PE22/162; RGEO/58; RGEO/59; S/190; SA/ar; UT/305; VT43/17; VT43/18; VT43/21; VT43/31; VT43/34; VT43/36; VT44/10; VT44/34; VT47/04; VT47/31; VT49/25; VT49/27; VT49/40; WJ/166] Group: Eldamo. Published by

az

and

az, archaic form of the conjunction ar "and"; see ar #1.

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).

sa

it

sa pron. "it", 3rd person sg, corresponding to the ending -s (VT49:30). Used of inanimate things or abstracts (VT49:37; plants are considered animate; see se). For sa as object, cf. the sentence ecë nin carë sa "I can do it" (VT49:34). Stressed (VT49:51). Ósa "with it" (VT43:36). Also compare the reflexive pronoun insa "itself", q.v. In one text, sa is also defined as "that" (VT49:18); apparently Tolkien also at one point considered giving sa a plural significance, so that it meant *"they, them" of inanimate things, the counterpart of "personal" (VT49:51).

sa

pronoun. it

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

va

from

va prep. "from" (VT43:20; prefixed in the form var- in var-úra "from evil", VT43:24). In VT49:24, va, au and o are quoted as variants of the stem awa "away from".

á

particle. imperative particle

Cognates

  • S. -o “imperative” ✧ PE17/040

Derivations

  • ā “imperative”

Element in

Variations

  • A ✧ Let/448; LotR/0953; PE17/102; VT43/17
  • a ✧ Let/448; LotR/0953
  • ā ✧ PE17/040; PE17/093; PE17/093
  • ā̆ ✧ VT43/17
  • á- ✧ VT43/19
  • Ā ✧ WJ/404
Quenya [Let/448; LotR/0953; PE17/040; PE17/093; PE17/102; PE17/162; PE17/167; PE22/140; PE22/166; VT43/14; VT43/15; VT43/17; VT43/18; VT43/19; VT43/23; VT43/32; VT43/33; VT44/09; WJ/404] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-va

from

-va possessive ending, presumably related to the preposition va "from". In Eldaliéva, Ingoldova, miruvóreva, Oroméva, rómeva, Valinóreva (q.v. for references), Follondiéva, Hyallondiéva (see under turmen for references). Following a consonant, the ending instead appears as -wa (andamacilwa "of the long sword", PE17:147, rómenwa *"of the East", PE17:59). Pl. - when governing a plural word (from archaic -vai) (WJ:407), but it seems that -va was used throughout in late Exilic Quenya (cf. miruvóreva governing the plural word yuldar in Namárië). Pl. -iva (-ivë*), dual -twa, partitive pl. -líva**.

-yë

conjunction. and

- (4) conj. "and" as a suffix added to the second of a pair, as Menel Cemenyë "Heaven and Earth" (VT47:30, 31, VT49:25). Other "pairs" are mentioned as examples but not actually translated into Quenya by Tolkien: Sun and Moon (*Anar Isilyë), Land and Sea (*Nór Eäryë), fire and water (*nárë nenyë, or *úr nenyë).

an-

prefix. intensive prefix

Changes

  • an-an ✧ PE17/090

Cognates

  • S. an- “intensive prefix”

Derivations

  • andā “long, far” ✧ PE17/090
    • ANAD “long; far” ✧ PE17/090
  • am- “intensive prefix” ✧ PE17/090; PE17/092
    • AMA “addition, increase, plus”
  • AMA “addition, increase, plus” ✧ PE17/091
  • NA/ANA “to, towards; at side of, alongside, besides; moreover, in addition, plus” ✧ PE17/146; PE21/79

Element in

  • ᴺQ. amyára “elder”
  • Q. Anairë “*Holiest”
  • Q. Ancalimë “*Brightest (f.)”
  • Q. Ancalimon “*Brightest (m.)”
  • ᴺQ. anyára “elder, *senior”
  • Q. unqualë “death agony, death agony, torment, [ᴹQ.] agony, death” ✧ PE19/078

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
and(a) > an-[an-]✧ PE17/090
and(a) > anda-[anda-]✧ PE17/090
am > an[am-]✧ PE17/090
AMA > ama[ama-]✧ PE17/091
am > an[am-]✧ PE17/092
ANA/NĀ > an-[an-]✧ PE17/146
ANA/NA > an-[an-]✧ PE21/79

Variations

  • an ✧ PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/090; PE17/092; PE17/092
  • ana ✧ PE17/056; PE17/057
  • ana- ✧ PE17/056
  • añ- ✧ PE17/090
  • am ✧ PE17/090; PE17/091 (am)
  • anda- ✧ PE17/090
  • ama ✧ PE17/091 (ama)
  • ama- ✧ PE17/092
Quenya [Let/279; PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/090; PE17/091; PE17/092; PE17/146; PE19/078; PE21/79] Group: Eldamo. Published by

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)_

and

and

a (2) conj. "and", a variant of ar occurring in Fíriel's Song (that also has ar; a seems to be used before words in f-, but contrast ar formenna "and northwards" in a late text, VT49:26). According to PE17:41, "Old Quenya" could have the conjunction a (as a variant of ar) before n, ñ, m, h, hy, hw (f is not mentioned), PE17:71 adding ty, ny, hr, hl, ñ, l, r, þ, s. See ar #1. It may be that the a or the sentence nornë a lintieryanen "he ran with his speed" (i.e. as quickly as he could) is to be understood as this conjunction, if the literal meaning is "he ran and [did so] with his speed" (PE17:58).

arë

and

arë conj. "and", longer form of ar, q.v. (VT43:31)

yo

and

yo conj. "and", "often used between _two _items (of any part of speech) that were by nature or custom clearly associated, like the names of spouses (Manwë yo Varda), or "sword and sheath" (*macil yo vainë*), "bow and arrows" (quinga yo pilindi), or groups like "Elves and Men" (Eldar yo Fírimor but contrast eldain a fírimoin [dative forms] in FS, where Tolkien joins the words with a, seemingly simply a variant of the common conjunction ar). In one source, yo is apparently a preposition "with" (yo hildinyar* = "with my heirs", SD:56).

-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.

arra

adjective. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • SRAG “awkward, awry; hard, (very) difficult” ✧ PE17/172

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
SRA-G > asra > arra[asra] > [azra] > [arra]✧ PE17/172

car-

verb. do, make

Quenya [PE 22:99ff,103,109,121; PE 22:152, 167] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

erëa

cardinal. one

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

naue

?. [unglossed]

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ndagwē > ndau̯we > nau̯we > naue[ndagwē] > [ndaɣwē] > [ndauwē] > [nauwē] > [naue]✧ PE19/094

Variations

  • nawe ✧ PE19/094 (nawe)

sal-

verb. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • SAL “[unglossed], *harp(ing), lyre” ✧ PE22/133

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
SAL > azálie[asālie] > [azālie]✧ PE22/133

éna

?. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • eñna ✧ PE19/097
    • “be, exist”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
eñna > enna > éna[eŋna] > [enna]✧ PE19/097

amya-

verb. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • AM “go up, go up, [ᴹ√] up” ✧ PE17/157

Elements

WordGloss
-ya“verbal suffix”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
AM > amya[amja-]✧ PE17/157

Variations

  • amya ✧ PE17/157 (amya)

cairë

?. [unglossed]

Cognates

  • S. caer “*flat isle on a river, [N.] flat isle on a river” ✧ PE17/101

Derivations

  • KAY “lie, lie, [ᴹ√] lie down; [ᴱ√] rest, dwell” ✧ PE17/101

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
KAYA > caire[kaire]✧ PE17/101

Variations

  • caire ✧ PE17/101

cúma

noun. [unglossed]

Cognates

  • S. “bow, bow; [N.] arch, crescent; [G.] waxing or waning moon” ✧ PE17/122

Derivations

  • kūma ✧ PE17/122
    • KU(H) “bow, [ᴱ√] bend”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
kūma > cúma[kūma]✧ PE17/122

felca

adjective. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • PHELEGexcavation, excavation; [ᴹ√] cave” ✧ PE17/118

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
PHELEK > felca[pʰelka] > [ɸelka] > [felka]✧ PE17/118

finca

noun. [unglossed]

Cognates

  • S. fing “lock of hair” ✧ PE17/017

Derivations

  • phinik ✧ PE17/017
    • SPIN(ID) “fine thread, filament; hair” ✧ PE17/017

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
finik/fink > finca[pʰinika] > [pʰinka] > [pʰiŋka] > [ɸiŋka] > [fiŋka]✧ PE17/017

Variations

  • finca ✧ PE17/017

hando

agent

[hando] noun "agent" (male; fem. [yendi]) (VT45:16)

háro

?. [unglossed]

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
khādo > hāzo > hāro[kʰādo] > [xādo] > [xāðo] > [hāðo] > [hāro]✧ PE22/148

Variations

  • hāro ✧ PE22/148

malsa

?. [unglossed]

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
maslā > malsa[maslā] > [malsā] > [malsa]✧ PE19/101

sóla

?. [unglossed]

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
soglā > sóla[soglā] > [soɣlā] > [sōlā] > [sōla]✧ PE19/095

thar-

verb. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • STAR “*stiff, [ᴹ√] stiff” ✧ PE22/133

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
STAR > thar[star-] > [θar-]✧ PE22/133

Variations

  • thar ✧ PE22/133

tomba

noun. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • TOM “of resonant sounds” ✧ PE17/138

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
TOM > tomba[tomba]✧ PE17/138

yendi

agent

[yendi] noun "agent" (fem.; masc. [hendo]). The word yendi Tolkien changed to yendë before deleting all of this (VT45:16)

úpa-

verb. [unglossed]

am(a)-

prefix. intensive prefix

conta-

verb. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • KOM “gather, collect” ✧ PE17/157

Elements

WordGloss
-ta“causative verb suffix”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
KOM > conta[komta-] > [konta-]✧ PE17/157

Variations

  • conta ✧ PE17/157 (conta)

hendas

?. [unglossed]

Element in

  • Q. calma hendas “*light in the eyes” ✧ PMCH/02; TMME/192
Quenya [PMCH/02; TMME/192] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maitya

?. [unglossed]

Variations

  • mahtya ✧ PE19/084 (mahtya)

melya-

verb. [unglossed], *to be in love

Derivations

  • MEL “love, love, [ᴹ√] love (as friend)”

þúna

?. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • stuknā ✧ PE19/086
    • STUK “[unglossed]” ✧ PE19/086

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
stuknā > thúna[stuknā] > [stugnā] > [θugnā] > [θuŋnā] > [θūnā] > [θūna] > [sūna]✧ PE19/086

Variations

  • thúna ✧ PE19/086 (thúna)

um(ba)-

prefix. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • UMU “not, expressing privation, not, expressing privation; [ᴹ√] negative stems” ✧ PE17/172
    • Ū “denial of fact, privation, negative element, denial of fact, privation, negative element, [ᴱ√] not”

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
UMU > um(ba)[umba-]✧ PE17/172

Variations

  • um(ba) ✧ PE17/172 (um(ba))

felehta-

verb. [unglossed], *to excavate, tunnel, mine

An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from ✱phelektā- or ✱phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “✱to excavate, tunnel, mine”.

Derivations

  • PHELEGexcavation, excavation; [ᴹ√] cave” ✧ PE17/118

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
PHELEK > felehta[pʰelektā] > [ɸelektā] > [ɸelextā] > [ɸelextā] > [felextā]✧ PE17/118

Variations

  • felehta ✧ PE17/118

umbacarin

noun. [unglossed]

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".)

tompë

noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat

@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20

Derivations

  • TOM “of resonant sounds” ✧ PE17/138

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
TOM > tompe[tompe]✧ PE17/138

Variations

  • tompe ✧ PE17/138

mo

one, someone, anyone

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

min

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

Cognates

  • S. min “one, one, [G.] single” ✧ PE17/095; VT48/06
  • T. min “one” ✧ VT48/06

Derivations

  • min “one”
    • MIN “one, first of a series, one, first of a series; [ᴹ√] stand alone, stick out”

Element in

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

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).

hindo

noun. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • KHIN “child” ✧ PE17/157

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
KHIN > hindo[kʰindo] > [xindo] > [hindo]✧ PE17/157

hindë

noun. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • KHIN “child” ✧ PE17/157

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
KHIN > hinde[kʰinde] > [xinde] > [hinde]✧ PE17/157

Variations

  • hinde ✧ PE17/157 (hinde)

ho

from

ho prep. "from" (3O); cf. -

holdë

noun. [unglossed]

Derivations

  • SKOL “shut, close” ✧ PE17/098

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
KHOL > holde[kʰolde] > [xolde] > [holde]✧ PE17/098

Variations

  • holde ✧ PE17/098

lingi-

verb. [unglossed]

from

, lo (2) prep. "from", also used = "by" introducing the agent after a passive construction: nahtana ló Turin *"slain by Túrin" (VT49:24). A similar and possibly identical form is mentioned in the Etymologies as being somehow related to the ablative ending -llo, but is not there clearly defined (VT45:28). At one point, Tolkien suggested that lo rather than the ending -llo was used with proper names (lo Manwë rather than Manwello for "from Manwë"), but this seems to have been a short-lived idea (VT49:24).

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)

o

preposition. from

Derivations

  • ăwă “from” ✧ PE17/148
    • WĀ/AWA “away (from); go (away), depart, pass away, move (from speaker); before (of time), ago, away (from); go (away), depart, pass away, move (from speaker); before (of time), ago; [ᴹ√] forth, out” ✧ PE17/148
  • “from, coming from, as described by a genitive” ✧ PE22/168
    • HO “from, coming from” ✧ WJ/361

Variations

  • ō ✧ PE22/168
Quenya [PE17/148; PE22/168] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sélo

?. [unglossed]

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
steglō > thélo > þélo > sélo[steglō] > [θeglō] > [θeɣlō] > [θēlō] > [θēlo] > [sēlo]✧ PE19/095