ai! interjection "Ah!", "Alas!" (Nam, RGEO:66; also twice in Narqelion, untranslated.) In one (abandoned) version of the Quenya Lord's Prayer, Tolkien may seem to use ai as a vocative particle: ai Ataremma ?"o our Father" (VT43:10, 13)
Quenya
ai
adverb. supposing, suppose, maybe, supposing, suppose, maybe; *any
ai
interjection. ah, alas
ai
conjunction. suppose, supposing (”the ’nearer’ particle”)
ai!
ah!
ailinel
feminine name. Ailinel
aia maría
Aia María
Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer into Quenya, composed sometime in the 1950s (VT43/7), first published in the “Words of Joy (Part One)” article in Vinyar Tengwar #43. There are four versions of the prayer, labeled by Tolkien I-IV (VT43/26-8). These revisions were apparently in two phases: I-II and III-IV (VT43/5-6).
The version presented here is based on version IV (VT43/28) with a one minor change: the word for fruit is written yávë (as it is in version III) instead of yave (version IV), since this is the more common form of this word elsewhere in Tolkien’s writing. Tolkien did not provide an English translation of the prayer; following the editors of the “Words of Joy” article, I used the modern English translation of the prayer used by Catholics (VT43/35).
Further discussion of the textual history can be found in the analysis of the individual phrases. My analysis largely follows that of the “Aia María” section (VT43/26-36) of the “Words of Joy” article, though I also consulted Helge Fauskanger’s analysis of the prayer in his “Lord’s Prayer and Ave Maria” article.
Aini
aini
Aini noun feminine form of Ainu(AYAN, LT1:248); see Ainu.
aimenal
aimenal
aimenal, aimenel - see lirulin
aiya
interjection. hail; behold, lo
The best known Quenya greeting, appearing in the phrase aiya Eärendil elenion ancalima “hail Eärendil, brightest of stars” from The Lord of the Rings (LotR/720, 915).
Conceptual Development: The earliest appearance of this interjection is ᴱQ. áye “hail!, o!” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where it was derived from the early root ᴱ√AYA “honour, revere” (QL/34). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, Tolkien derived its later form aiya “hail” from √AYA “blessed” or “revere” (PE17/146, 149). In these same notes, Tolkien said it was “only addressed to great or holy persons as the Valar, or to Earendil” (PE17/149).
At times, however, Tolkien used aiya as a more general interjection. In Words, Phrases and Passages in the Lord of the Rings from the later 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien said it was “a cry, to call for help or attention” (PE17/89). It was used as a call for attention “behold!, lo!” in The Silmarillion and its drafts in the phrase aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie’n aurë “Behold [or Lo!], people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!” (S/190; WJ/166).
At times Tolkien gave this interjection in a reduced form aia, most notably in the phrase Aia María quanta Eruanno “Hail Mary, full of grace” from Quenya prayers from the 1950s (VT43/27-28). This variant is comparable to the Maiya vs. Maia variation in spelling for the servants of the Valar, with māja becoming maija, sometimes spelled maia (PE19/62). The interjection aiya is more common in Tolkien’s writings, however.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I treat aiya as a more formal greeting, in keeping with the notion that it was “only addressed to great or holy persons” (PE17/149). For a more casual greeting, see alla “hail, welcome”.
ainulindalë
proper name. Music of the Ainur
aia maría quanta eruanno
Hail Mary, full of grace
The first line of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer. The first word Aia is a variant of aiya “hail”, followed by a Quenyarized form of “Mary”: María. The third word quanta is attested elsewhere with the meaning “full, filled” (PE17/68). The last word Eruanno is a compound of Eru “God” and anna “gift”, in the genitive, so that quanta Eruanno literally means “✱full of God’s gift”.
Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:
> Aia María quanta Eru-ann(a)-o = “✱Hail Mary full God-gift-of”
Conceptual Development: This phrase was quite similar in earlier versions of this prayer, but the earlier versions used erulissenen instead of Eruanno. This word is a compound of Eru “God” and lissë “grace”, in the instrumental, so that quanta erulissenen literally means “✱filled by God’s grace”.
| I |II|III|IV| |Aiya|Aia| |María| |quanta|erulissenen|quanta| |erulissenen|quanta|Eruanno|
aia
hail
aia interjection "hail", variant of aiya (VT43:28)
aicassë
mountain peak
aicassë ("k") (1) noun "mountain peak" (AYAK)
ailin
g.sg. ailinen
ailin ("g.sg. ailinen", in Tolkien's later Quenya dat.sg.) "pool, lake" (AY, LIN1, LT2:339). Fem. name Ailinel (likely Ailinell-), perhaps ailin + the feminine ending -el (as in aranel "princess"), hence "Lake-woman" or similar (UT:210).
aiya
hail
aiya interjection "hail", as greeting (LotR2:IV ch. 9, see Letters:385 for translation), or a call "for help and attention" (PE17:89), "only addressed to great or holy persons as the Valar, or to Earendil" (PE17:149). Variant aia (VT43:28)
aiya eärendil elenion ancalima
hail Eärendil, brightest of stars
aia
interjection. hail
ai! lassi lantar laurië súrinen
ah! leaves fall golden in [by means of] the wind
The 1st phrase of the prose Namárië. Tolkien altered the text from the poetic version as follows:
> ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen >> ai! lassi lantar laurië súrinen
Tolkien moved the subject lassi “leaves” to be before the verb lantar “fall (pl.)”, consistent with the usual subject-verb word order of Quenya. However, for reasons unclear, he also moved the adjective laurië “golden (pl.)” after the verb, keeping it separate from the noun it modifies. Ordinally, adjectives in Quenya preceed the noun they modify (PE17/93, PM/346). It seems to me to be more natural to keep the adjective back in its original position.
> ai! lassi lantar laurië súrinen »»» ✱ai! laurië lassi lantar súrinen
One possible explanation for this unusual placement is that Tolkien may have considered laurië to be an adverb (“like gold”) instead of an adjective (“golden”). This is consistent with English translation of this phrase in the poetic Namárië: “like gold fall the leaves in the wind”.
There are several places in the corpus where Tolkien designated the word laurië as an adverb (PE17/58, 61, 62). However, in the commentary on the Namárië poem (RGEO/62), Tolkien explicitly states that the word laurië is the plural form of the adjective laurëa. Since laurië is the form of both the plural adjective and the adverb derived from the noun laurë “gold (light or colour)”, perhaps Tolkien was playing with this ambiguity in his choice of word order.
aiquen
pronoun. if anybody, whoever, if anybody, whoever, [ᴺQ.] anybody
A word appearing in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60, translated “if anybody, whoever” (WJ/372). Its second element is quén “person”, and its initial element is probably ai indicating uncertainty (PE22/97, 120, 138).
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would also use aiquen for “anybody, anyone”; see ᴺQ. ai(a)- “any-” for discussion.
aicanáro
masculine name. Fell Fire; Sharp Flame
The mother-name of Aegnor, from which his Sindarin name was derived (PM/346-7). Tolkien gave two distinct interpretations of this name: “Sharp Flame” (MR/323) and “Fell Fire” (PM/347). In both cases, the second element of the name was nár “fire, flame”, but the interpretation of the initial element aica shifted between “sharp” and “fell”. It is hard to say which of these two interpretations was preferred by J.R.R. Tolkien himself and Christopher Tolkien included both translations in the published version of The Silmarillion. See the entry for S. Aegnor for one possible interpretation.
Conceptual Development: In some late notes (VT41/14), J.R.R. Tolkien wrote this name as Ekyanāro “sharp flame” (S. Eignor). As suggested by Carl Hostetter (VT41/19, note #19), Tolkien seems to have (temporarily) shifted aica “sharp” (from the root ᴹ√AYAK) to ekya “sharp” (from the root ᴹ√EK), from which ᴹQ. ehte “spear” was also derived. This was perhaps a reversion to the earlier name N. Egnor (also derived from ᴹ√EK). However, Tolkien apparently abandoned these changes.
aiwendil
masculine name. Lover of Birds
ailin
noun. a large lake, (large) lake, [ᴹQ.] pool
A noun for a large lake or pool, a combination of the ancient roots √AY “sea” and √LIN “pool” (PE17/160; Ety/AY, LIN¹). It is an element in several names such as Q. Angalailin “Mirrormere” (NM/353) and Q. Luvailin “Shadowmere” (RC/217).
Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where it appeared as ᴱQ. ailin “lake”; its root was marked “?”, but Tolkien indicated its stem form was also ailin- (QL/29). This word was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/29) as well as the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, along with a variant ᴱQ. ailo (ailu-) of the same basic meaning (GL/17). ᴱQ. ailin “lake” was mentioned again in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/138), though in one place its stem form was given as ailind- (PE13/158).
ᴹQ. ailin “pool, lake” reappeared in The Etymologies, already with the etymology given above, along with its genitive singular form ailinen (Ety/AY, LIN¹). It was mentioned again in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957, again as a combination of √LĬNĬ “pool, mere, lake” and √AYA(R) “sea”, and as such specifically referred to “a large lake” (PE17/160). In this note Tolkien gave variant forms ilin and ailinn for the root √LĬNĬ, the latter possibly an alternate explanation for ailin “lake”.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer √GAY(AR) as the basis for “sea” words. As such, I think augmented ilin/ailin(n) mentioned in QN is the best basis for Q. ailin and S. ael “lake”.
aina eruontarië
Holy Mother of God
The eleventh line of Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto prayer (VT44/12). The first word is aina “holy” followed by Eruontarië, a name of Mary as the genetrix (female begetter) of God. As pointed out by Wynne, Smith and Hostetter, this word is used to translate Latin “genetrix”, where as Latin “mater” is translated by amil(lë) (VT44/8).
Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:
> Aina Eruontarië = “✱Holy God-genetrix”
aina wendë mi wenderon
Holy Virgin of virgins
The twelfth line of Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Litany of Loreto prayer (VT44/12). The first word is aina “holy” followed by Wende mi Wenderon “Virgin of Virgins”. The word wendë means “virgin”, appearing in both the singular and genitive plural wenderon “of virgins”. This genitive plural form is unusual. The normal genitive plural of a noun ending in -ë is -ion, which would produce ✱wendion. See the entry on the plural nouns for further discussion.
The function of the third word mi is unclear. Normally this word means “in”, but Wynne, Smith and Hostetter suggested that it is used here with the sense “among” (elsewhere usually Q. imbë) as a way of emphasizing the superlative nature of Mary’s virginity: “✱virgin among all virgins” (VT44/18).
Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:
> Aina Wende mi Wende-r-on = “✱holy virgin among virgin-(plural)-of”
airefëa
proper name. Holy Spirit
A Quenya name for the Holy Spirit in Alcar i Ataren, Tolkien’s unfinished Quenya version of the Gloria Patri prayer (VT43/36). It is a compound of airë “holy, holiness” and fëa “spirit”.
airon
noun. ocean
An (archaic) word for “ocean”, an augmentative form of airë mentioned in a couple of later notes (PE17/27, 149). A more modern form is ëaron.
Conceptual Development: The form ᴹQ. airen appeared in parenthesis beside ᴹQ. aire “sea” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/AY). Helge Fauskanger suggested that it might be a genitive form (QQ/airë), but in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s, aire “sea” >> airen (PE22/23 note #70), suggesting it is an alternate (augmentative?) form. If so, it is probably a precursor to airon.
airë
noun. sea
An archaic word for “sea” which fell out of use to due conflict with “holy” words like aira or airë; it was a noun form of primitive ✶gaı̯ră (PE17/27). The more common modern word for “sea” is ëar.
Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. aire “sea” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of ᴹ√AYAR (Ety/AY); it appeared beside a form ᴹQ. airen that might be a genitive form, or might be a longer form; see the entry on ᴹQ. airon for discussion.
airë maría eruo ontaril
Holy Mary, Mother of God
The fifth line of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer. The first word airë “holy” is either an adjective or a form of address applied to the second word, María: the Quenyarized form of “Mary”. The third word Eruo “of God” is the genitive form of Eru “God”. The last word ontaril “mother” seems to be a feminine form of ᴹQ. ontaro “begetter, parent” (as suggested by the Wynne, Smith and Hostetter, VT43/32). If so, Eruo ontaril more literally means “✱genetrix (female begetter) of God”.
Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:
> Airë María Eru-o ontaril = “✱holy Mary God-of genetrix”
Conceptual Development: In the second version of the prayer, Tolkien used {Aini >>} aina (II) for “holy” instead of aire (I, III-IV). In the first two versions of the prayer Tolkien used Eruamillë (I-II) for “Mother of God”, a compound of Eru “God” and amil(lë) “mother”.
| I | II |III|IV| |Aire|{Aini >>} Aina|Aire| |María| |Eruamille|Eruo| | |ontaril|
aistana elyë imíca nísi
blessed art thou amongst women
The third line of Aia María, Tolkien’s translation of the Ave Maria prayer. This is a declarative statement. The first word aistana “blessed” is the predicate. The second word elyë “thou” is the subject, the emphatic form of the pronoun lye “you (polite)”. The last two words are the prepositional phrase imíca nísi “among women”, the latter being the plural of nís “woman”. As in the second line, there is no Quenya equivalent of the English word “are (art)” in the final version of the prayer.
Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:
> aistana elyë imíca nís-i = “✱blessed [art] thou among woman-(plural)”
Conceptual Development: The first two versions of the prayer used manna for “blessed” instead of aistana. Tolkien considered several different prepositional elements for English “among”: mil (I deleted), mi (I-II), mitta (III deleted), mika (III) before settling on imíca (IV).
In version I-II, he used another word for “women”: nínaron, apparently genitive plural of an otherwise unattested word nína. In version I, he considered and deleted many variants before settling on nínaron. I’ve omitted them from this discussion because they appear nowhere else, and including them would obscure the development of the phrase. For further details, see VT43/27, 31.
| | I | II |III|IV| | |elye|manna|aistana| |{manna na >>}|na manna|nalye|elye| |{mil >>}|mi|{mitta >>} mika|imíca| |[various >>]|nínaron|nísi|
aiwë
noun. (small) bird
A noun meaning “(small) bird” (SA/lin¹, Ety/AIWĒ), appearing in Radagast’s Quenya name Aiwendil “Lover of Birds” (UT/401). It was derived from primitive ᴹ✶aiwē like its Sindarin cognate aew (Ety/AIWĒ).
Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s, ᴱQ. aiwe appeared as the cognate of G. aigli “bird” (GL/17), but in Early Noldorin notes from the 1920s, the cognate of ᴱN. aiw “bird” was given as ᴱQ. oive (PE13/136, 158) or oi(we) (PE13/132). A similar form oio (stem oiw-) appeared in notes on the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/12). In The Etymologies from the mid-1930s, the form ᴹQ. aiwe was restored (Ety/AIWĒ), and this is the source of the derivation given above.
Aicanáro
sharp flame, fell fire
Aicanáro ("k") masc. name "Sharp Flame, Fell Fire"; Sindarized as Aegnor. (So in SA:nár and PM:345; MR:323 has Aicanár. VT41:14, 19 instead gives Ecyanáro_ as the Q form of Aegnor.)_
Aino
god
Aino noun "god", within Tolkien's mythos a synonym of Ainu (but since Aino is basically only a personalized form of aina "holy", hence "holy one", it could be used as a general word for "god") (PE15:72)
Ainu
holy one, angelic spirit
Ainu noun "holy one, angelic spirit"; fem. Aini (AYAN, LT1:248); "one of the 'order' of the Valar and Maiar, made before Eä"; pl. Ainur is attested. Adopted and adapted from Valarin ayanūz(WJ:399). In the early "Qenya Lexicon", ainu was glossed "a pagan god", and aini was similarly "a pagan goddess", but as Christopher Tolkien notes, "Of course no one within the context of the mythology can call the Ainur 'pagan' " (LT1:248). Ainulindalë noun "Music of the Ainur" (SA:lin #2), the First History (WJ:406), the Song of Creation (AYAN)
Aiwenor
birdland
Aiwenor, Aiwenorë (read *Aiwenórë?) place-name "Birdland" = lower air (AIWĒ)
aian
holy thing or object or place
aian noun "a holy thing or object or place", later form of áyan (PE17:149)
aica
sharp
aica (1) ("k") adj. "sharp" _(AYAK) or "fell, terrible, dire" (PM:347; according to PM:363 seldom applied to evil things)_. In Aicanáro, q.v.
aica
broad, vast
aica (2) ("k") adj. "broad, vast" (LT2:338 - this early "Qenya" form is probably obsoleted by # 1 above)
aicalë
peak
aicalë ("k")noun "a peak" (AYAK)
aicassë
pinetree
aicassë ("k") (2) noun "pinetree" (GL:17; this "Qenya" word is evidently obsoleted by #1 above.)
ailinë
shore, beach
#ailinë (nominative uncertain) noun "shore, beach" (in Tolkien's later Quenya rather hresta). Only attested in inflected forms: sg. ablative ailinello "shore-from" (MC:213), sg. locative ailinisse "on shore" (MC:221), pl. locative ailissen "on beaches" (for *ailinissen?) (MC:221)
ailo
lake, pool
ailo noun "lake, pool" (LT2:339; Tolkien's later Quenya has ailin)
aina
holy
aina (2) adj "holy" (AYAN), derived from Ainu. Adopted and adapted from Valarin. According to VT43:32, the word is "obsolete, except in Ainur", apparently suggesting that airë or airëa (q.v.) was the normal term for "holy" in later Quenya. However, Tolkien repeatedly used aina in his translation of the Litany of Loreto: Aina Fairë "Holy Spirit", Aina Neldië "Holy Trinity", Aina Maria "Holy Mary", Aina Wendë "Holy Virgin". He also used Aina Eruontari for "holy Mother" in his rendering of the Sub Tuum Praesidium(WJ:399, FS, SA, VT43:32, VT44:5, 12, 17-18)
aina-
to hallow, bless, treat as holy
aina- (1) vb. "to hallow, bless, treat as holy" (PE17:149)
ainas
hallow, a fane
ainas noun "a hallow, a fane", perhaps with stem ainass- (PE17:149). Compare yána #2.
ainima
blessed, holy (of things)
ainima adj. "blessed, holy (of things)" (PE17:149)
aipio
plum tree, cherry tree
aipio noun "plum tree, cherry tree" (GL:18)
aiqua
steep
aiqua("q")adj. "steep" (AYAK). Not to be confused with the pronoun *aiqua "if anything, whatever" that post-Tolkien writers have extrapolated from aiquen (q.v.) on the basis of such pairs as ilquen vs. ilqua (q.v.)
aiqualin
tall
aiqualin ("q")adj. "tall", plural form (???) (MC:216; this is "Qenya" - but cf. aiqua above.)
aiquen
if anybody, whoever
aiquen pron. "if anybody, whoever" (WJ:372)
aira
old
aira (3) adj. "old" (MC:214; this is "Qenya")
aira
eternal
[aira (4) adj. "eternal" (EY, VT45:13). Changed by Tolkien to oira.]
aira
holy
aira (2) adj. "holy"; see airë #1
aira
red, copper-coloured, ruddy
aira (1) adj. "red, copper-coloured, ruddy" (GAY)
airita-
hallow
#airita- vb. "hallow" (only pa.t. airitánë is attested) (VT32:7)
airon
ocean
airon noun "ocean" (PE17:27). Also ëaron, q.v.
airë
eternity
[airë (3) noun "eternity" (EY, VT45:13)]
airë
holy
airë (1) adj. "holy", #Airefëa "the Holy Spirit" (VT43:37, dative airefëan on the previous page), airetári or Airë Tári "holy queen" (a title of Varda, PM:363), genitive aire-tário "holy-queen's" (Nam, RGEO:67). However, according to PM:363, airë is the noun "sanctity", while aira is the adjective "holy". VT43:14 refers to an etymological note of "Sept.-Oct. 1957" where airë is said to be a noun "sanctity, holiness", and the adjective "holy" is given as airëa. However, the verb #airita- "hallow" seems to be formed from an adjective airë, airi- "holy". Evidently airë can function as both adjective ("holy") and noun ("holiness"); if so airë as adj. could represent a primitive adjective gaisi, whereas airë as noun may descend from gaisē. The former but not the latter would have the stem airi- (as observed in the derived verb #airita-), and compounds like airetári (rather than *airitári) would seem to contain properly the noun "holiness".
airë
sea
airë (2) noun "sea" (the form airen is given, intended as a genitive singular when Tolkien wrote this; in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be a dative sg.) (AYAR/AIR; cf. airon)
airëa
holy
airëa adj. "holy"; see airë.
aista
holy
aista (1) adj. "holy" (VT43:37)
aista-
to dread
aista- (3) vb. "to dread" (GÁYAS, VT45:14; possibly obsoleted by #2 above)
aiwë
(small) bird
aiwë noun "(small) bird" (AIWĒ, SA:lin #1); Aiwendil "Lover of Birds" (UT:401)
ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen
ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind
First line @@@
ai! löar yassen palantírienyë andavanwë yárier
ah years in which looking far away I saw ages long-passed
ai tó sí ilyama menta hwirya hondoringe fúmenen istarion
alas for now all begins to wither in the breath of cold-hearted wizards
aina
adjective. holy, revered, numinous, holy, revered, numinous, *divine, [ᴱQ.] worshipful
ainu
noun. holy one, spirit, holy one, angelic spirit (m.); [ᴱQ.] (pagan) god
aian
noun. holy thing or object or place
aica
adjective. fell, terrible, dire, fell, terrible, dire; [ᴹQ.] sharp
aimenal
noun. lark
aina-
verb. to hallow, bless, treat as holy
ainas
noun. hallow, fane, hallow, fane, *shrine, holy place, sanctuary
aira
adjective. holy, sanctified, holy, sanctified, [ᴱQ.] worshipful
airita-
verb. to hallow
airë
noun/adjective. holy; sanctity, holiness
airëa
adjective. holy (applied to persons)
aista
adjective. *holy
aistana
adjective. *blessed
aite[?] kestallen
now, suppose, you ask me
aite[?] kestuvallen, tuluvanye
now supposing you asked me, a thing unlikely {or ridiculous} to suppose...
aiya eldalië ar atanatári, utúlie’n aurë
Behold, people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!
aiano
noun. stranger
ainima
adjective. blessed, holy (of things)
airen
noun. sea
airë tári
proper name. Holy Queen
ai tulinye sinar (entar)
I may come today (tomorrow)
ai tuluvanye
I may come
nai
ill, grievously, abominably
nai (2) prefix "ill, grievously, abominably" (PE17:151), cf. naiquet-. Earlier material also lists an interjection nai "alas" _(NAY; this may be obsoleted by # 1 above; _Namárië uses ai! in a similar sense)
maiwë
noun. gull
A noun for “gull” appearing in its plural form maiwi in the Q. Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/222). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. maiwe “gull” was derived from the root ᴹ√MIW “whine” (Ety/MIW).
Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s the word was ᴱQ. māwe (māwi-) “gull” under the early root ᴱ√MAWA “cry, bleat” (QL/60), also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/60). In Early Qenya Word-lists from the 1920s Tolkien instead had vaiya or {maiwe >>} waiwe “seamew” (PE16/138), but in the version of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from circa 1930, Tolkien used maiwe in its nominative plural form maiwin “gulls” (MC/213).
#aista-
to bless
#aista- (2) vb. "to bless", verbal stem isolated from the passive participle aistana "blessed" (VT43:30)
fairë
phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape
fairë(1) noun "phantom, disembodied spirit, when seen as a pale shape" (pl. fairi in Markirya); compare ausa. The noun fairë was also used = "spirit (in general)", as a kind of being (MR:349, PE17:124). In VT43:37 and VT44:17, fairë refers to the Holy Spirit (fairë aista or Aina Fairë)
laica
keen, sharp, acute, piercing
laica (2) ("k")adj."keen, sharp, acute, piercing" _(LAIK, LT2:337 in the Etymologies as printed in LR, the final vowel is misread as -_e instead of -a, VT45:25). Possibly obsoleted by #1 above. Compare aica #1.
maica
sharp, piercing
maica (1) ("k")adj. "sharp, piercing" (SA:maeg), cf. hendumaica and the noun maica below.
maiwë
gull
maiwë noun "gull" (MIW), pl. maiwi in _Markirya. Cf. also the "Qenya" pl. maiwin "gulls" (MC:213)_
manaitë
blessed
manaitë adj. "blessed" (VT49:41, 42)
cairë
?. [unglossed]
maica
adjective. sharp, piercing
maitya
?. [unglossed]
ailin
ailin
In the Etymologies, ailin is conceived as deriving from Primitive Quendian ai-lin-, derived from root AY. In a later conception, the word is said to have "originally contained √AYA(R) + lin" (cf. LINI).
aipen
aipen
This word is one of the few old compounds It includes the element pen "person". The prefix ai- would seem to mean something like "any-", hence literally *"any person"
Aikanáro
Aikanáro
aika = "fell, dire", nár = "fire", and -o = pronominal suffix.
Ainulindalë (song)
Ainulindalë (song)
Ainulindalë means "The Music of the Ainur" in Quenya (from Ainur = "Holy Ones" and the element lin = "song, music").
aika
aika
aika descended from the Common Eldarin adjectival form gayakā, derived from the root GAYA ("awe, dread").
ailinel
Ailinel
Ailinel's name appears to incorporate one of the Quenya words for "lake", ailin, and the feminine suffix -el.
ainur
Ainur
aiwenorë
Aiwenórë
In Quenya, Aiwe means "(small) bird", and nórë means "land" or "country".
aiwë
aiwe
aimo
noun. saint
aimahto
noun. martyr, (lit.) blessed slain
ai(a)-
prefix. any-
For a long time, there was no clear way of expressing “any” in (Neo) Quenya. The closest equivalent was ai- in aiquen “if anybody, whoever” from the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/372). Based on the “anybody” gloss of this word, similar forms like ailumë “any time” and ainomë “any place” became reasonably well-excepted Neo-Quenya terms. However, these words are somewhat problematic, since ai means “supposing, suppose, maybe” in Quenya (PE22/97, 120, 138), and is thus an expression uncertainly rather than simple indeterminacy.
The document Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC), written by Tolkien in 1948, was first published in Parma Eldalamberon #23 in 2024 (PE23/96-112). This document include a form for “any” by Tolkien himself, first given as ᴹQ. imma, revised to amma then finally umma (PE23/99 note #24-25). Despite these revisions on one page, the rest of the document used imma- throughout in forms like ᴹQ. immane “anybody” and ᴹQ. immanome “any place”.
These 1948 forms are still problematic, however. Imma resembles later im- “same”, amma- resembles am- “up”, and umma resembles uma- “some”, also appearing in DRC. I feel that adopting any of these 1948 forms is likely to cause confusion, especially the final form umma-, which in speech would often be hard to distinguish from uma-.
As such, my current Neo-Quenya recommendation is to stick with the established Neo-Quenya prefix ai(a)- for Neo-Quenya forms expressing indeterminacy (“any”). If you are uncomfortable with this, revising DRC forms from imma- to umma- is a reasonable alternative that fits Tolkien’s last known preference for “any” words.
aivë
adverb. anyway, anyhow, in any way
ailindo
noun. loon [bird], (lit.) lake-singer
airasëa
noun. hyssop
aiwestë
noun. bird’s nest
A neologism for “nest” coined by Tamas Ferencz, an elaboration of Q. aiwë “bird”.
aita-
verb. to astound, surprise, shock, (orig.) make aghast
@@@ Discord 2022-08-22, is a homonym of aita- “worship”, but is a causative (-tā) rather than a formative (-tă); given these associations, this verb in modern Quenya is probably used more for positive surprise than negative shock
aialca
adjective. of any amount
aialli
of any number
aiallo
adverb. from anywhere
A neologism coined as part of my research into Quenya correlatives.
aiallë
adverb. anyhow
aiana
any
aiandë
adverb. ever, at all, to any degree
aianna
adverb. to anywhere
aiassë
adverb. anywhere
aiatwë
pronoun. either (when there is no choice)
ailumë
adverb. sometimes, at times
ailumë
adverb. any time
aima
pronoun. anything, whatever
aimanen
adverb. however
ainaurë
adverb. any day
ainen
adverb. by any means
ainima
adjective. any kind of
ainomë
adverb. any place, anywhere
aiqua
pronoun. anything, whatever
airo
adverb. for any reason
aitë
adjective. of any kind, of any sort
aico
noun. cliff
aino
noun. god
ainocimië
noun. reverence, piety, godliness
ainocimya
adjective. reverent, pious
ainolóra
adjective. godless
ainolórië
noun. godlessness
aiqualë
noun. steepness, a steep [thing]
aiquassë
noun. precipice
airalindë
noun. hymn, (lit.) holy song
airelinna
noun. hymn, (lit.) holy song
airemma
noun. icon, (lit.) holy image
@@@ from Discord 2022-02-25
airilírë
noun. hymn
airimo
noun. priest
airimossë
noun. priesthood
aita-
verb. to revere, worship
aitalë
noun. reverence, worship, religion
aitalëa
adjective. reverent, worshipful, religious
@@@ gloss “religious” suggested by Sami Paldanius
aitamo
noun. worshiper
aia
adjective. strange, unusual
aimë
noun. surprise, thing/action that surprises
A neologism for “surprise” as in a “thing that surprises” coined by Luinyelle posted on 2024-08-14 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from ✱GAY-mē based on the root √GAY “astound, make aghast”.
aipio
noun. cherry
nefítë
adjective. air-breathing
A word for “air-breathing” in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969, appearing in its plural for nefíti and as an element in yulunefítë “amphibious”, illustrating the use of the verbal suffix -itë for creating adjectives indicating one is capable of doing something (PE22/155). As such, it implies the existence of a verb ✱nef- “to breathe (air)”.
vilya
noun. air, sky
A word for “air” or “sky” appearing Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings from older †wilya, serving as the name of tengwa #24 [n] (LotR/1123). It is clearly a derivative of the root ᴹ√WIL (Ety/WIL). It has an abnormal plural form wilyar with initial w- in the 1950s version of the Nieninquë poem in the phrase yan i wilyar antar miquelis “✱to whom the air gives kisses” (PE16/96).
Conceptual Development: The notion of the “lower air” as a region dates all the way back to the earliest Lost Tales, where the innermost layer of air was called ᴱQ. Vilna (LT1/65). However, in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, the term was ᴱQ. Vilya “air (lower)” as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√VILI (QL/101). The word vilya “lower air” appeared English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s but was deleted (PE15/68), and this term appeared as both the singular “air” and plural “airs” in version of Nieninqe and its drafts circa 1930: yan/yar i vilya(r) anta miqilis “to whom the air(s) give kisses” (MC/215; PE16/90, 92).
In the Ambarkanta of the early 1930s, the lower air was {Wilwa >>} Vista (SM/236, 240 note #1), but it was Wilwa again in the earliest tales of Númenor from the 1930s (LR/12) and was ᴹQ. {vilwa >>} wilma in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√WIL “fly, float in air” (Ety/WIL). Q. vilya “air, sky” in Appendix E seems to be the last iteration in this chain.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I think vilya refers mainly to air as the region above the ground, as opposed to ᴹQ. vista “air (as a substance)”. You breath vista, but birds fly through vilya, and breezes flow through vilya like ripples in a lake.
lindë
air, tune, singing, song
lindë noun "air, tune, singing, song" (SA:gond, (LIN2, [GLIN]); lindelorendor "music-dream-land"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... _(LotR2:III ch. 4, cf. Letters:308). _Also compare lindi- in lindimaitar, q.v. (but the other compounds here cited do not give a lindë a stem-form lindi-).
vilin
airy, breezy
vilin adj. "airy, breezy" (LT1:273). Not to be confused with vilin "I fly", see vil-.
vilwa
air, lower air
[vilwa < wilwa] noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL; in one place vilwa was not struck out, VT46:21) According to VT46:21, Tolkien considered vilda < wilda as a replacement form, but rejected it.
vilya
air, sky
vilya noun "air, sky", also name of tengwa #24. Older wilya. (Appendix E). Early "Qenya" has Vilya (changed from Vilna) "lower air" (LT1:273); also vilya "air" (MC:215)
vista
air as substance
vista (1) noun "air as substance" (WIS (WIL) )
wilma
air, lower air
wilma noun "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL)
nefíte
adjective. air-breathing
nefíti kuimar
air-breathing animals
wilya
noun. air, sky
hyaitë
adjective. of other sort, of other kind
-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.
-a
it is said
-r nominative plural ending regularly used on nouns ending in -a, -i, -ië, -o, -u, e.g. Ainur, Valar, tier. Occasionally it is added also to nouns ending in -ë (that normally take the ending -I in the pl.). This seems to regularly happen in the case of nouns in -lë (see #fintalë, mallë, tyellë), sometimes also otherwise (see Ingwë, wendë, essë #1). This plural ending was ("it is said") first used by the Noldor (PM:402).
ala
hail, blessed be (thou)
[ala (6) (also alar! or alla!) interjection "hail, blessed be (thou)". (VT45:5,14)]
alar!
hail, blessed be (thou)
[alar! (also ala and alla!) interjection "hail, blessed be (thou)". (VT45:5,14, 26)]
alassë
hail
[alassë (2) interjection "hail" or "bless", evidently a synonym of the greeting alar!, q.v. (VT45:26)]
alla!
hail, blessed be (thou)
[alla! (also alar! or ala) interjection "hail, blessed be (thou)". (VT45:5, 14)] PE17:146 cites alla "hail, welcome" as a variant (occurring within the imaginary world) of aiya.
hwesta
breeze, breath, puff of air
hwesta (1) noun "breeze, breath, puff of air" (SWES), also name of tengwa #12 (Appendix E, VT46:17); hwesta sindarinwa "Grey-elven hw", name of tengwa #34 (Appendix E).
hwesta
noun. breeze, breeze; [ᴹQ.] breath, puff of air
nanca
slain
nanca adj. *"slain" (PE17:68); see -na
nimpa
drooping, ailing
nimpa adj. "drooping, ailing" (PE17:168)
nimpa
adjective. drooping, ailing
An adjective glossed “drooping, ailing” in notes probably from around 1959 based on the strengthened form of the root √(N)DIP “drooping” (PE17/168). For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume this word applies to those who currently feel weak or ill but may or may not be actually sick.
nwalma
pain
nwalma noun "pain" _(VT46:4. In Tengwar writing, the initial NW would be represented by the letter nwalmë.)_
vilcirya
noun. airplane
villunte
noun. airship, zeppelin, blimp
vilmen
noun. airport, airfield, airdrome
vilina
adjective. airy, breezy; light [weight?]
vilma
noun. aircraft [general term]
ásë
noun. aid, benefit
helexë
noun. hail
mehta-
verb. to aim at
mehtë
noun. mark, aim, object
quol-
verb. to ail, *be sick
quolina
adjective. ill, sickly, ailing
-itë
suffix. adjectival ending; [with verbs] capable of doing, generally (and naturally) doing
A suffix for adjective formation, dating all the way back to Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. When used with verbs, it has the more specific meaning “capable of doing, generally (and naturally) doing”, as in active cenítë “able to see” vs. passive cénima “visible, able to be seen”, both from cen- “to see”. The verbal use of this suffix was first described in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948 (PE22/111), and was described again in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 (PE22/155).
When used with a verb, the suffix was preceded by the base vowel of the verb: i, e, a, o, u. This produced various diphthongs, and in the case of ei usually had [[q|[ei] becoming [ī]]]. The basic examples Tolkien gave were tirítë “watchful, vigilant, ✱apt to watch”, cenítë “able to see”, caraitë “active, busy, ✱apt to do”, coloitë “capable of bearing, tolerant (of), enduring”, and yuluitë “drinking (as a habit), ✱aquatic”.
Conceptual Development: As a general adjective suffix, there was a variant ᴱQ. -voite that was quite common in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, also appearing in ᴹQ. hanuvoite “✱masculine” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/INI), but not thereafter. In Tolkien’s earlier writings, -itë had no specific verbal function, and ᴱQ. -alka, -elka, -olka was the suffix meaning “able to” in notes on The Qenya Verb Forms from the 1920s (VT14/33). This earlier verbal suffix also varied in form depending on the base vowel of the verb.
hína
noun. child
A word for “child” derived from the root √KHIN (PE17/157; WJ/403), most notably an element in Eruhíni “Children of God”, a term for Elves and Men as the children of Eru. This word illustrates that hína has an abnormal plural form: híni rather than the expected ✱✱hínar. A variant hina with a short i was “only used in the vocative addressing a (young) child, especially in hinya (< hinanya) ‘my child’ (WJ/403)”.
Conceptual Development: The term Êruhîn “Children of God” first appeared as an Adûnaic word in the 1940s (SD/247-8, 358), later adapted as Quenya Eruhíni and Sindarin Eruchîn, which seems to be the source of Q. hína and S. hên “child”. At one point Tolkien coined masculine and feminine variants Q. hindo and Q. hindë, but they were deleted (PE17/157). Tolkien often used an alternate Quenya form sén (MR/423; UT/274; RGEO/66), perhaps out of a desire to have a Sindarin form Eruhîn that was closer to the original Adûnaic form. This variant continued to appear as late as 1969, where sén was written below Eruhíni as a variant form in Late Notes on Verbs (LVS: PE22/158).
lirulin
noun. lark
A word for “lark” appearing in the manuscript draft of Laws and Customs among the Eldar from the late 1950s (MR/238), also mentioned in the tale Of Finwë and Míriel (MR/262), apparently a combination of the roots √LIR and √LIN having to do with singing.
Conceptual Development: In Laws and Customs among the Eldar this word was first written as Q. {aimenel >>} aimenal before being replaced by lirulin (MR/252 note #6). In documents from the 1910s and 20s, Tolkien gave ᴱQ. ambarin as the word for “lark” (PE13/110, 159).
mahalma
noun. throne
A noun for “throne” in the phrase nai tiruvantes i hárar mahalmassen mi Númen “in the keeping of those who sit upon thrones of the West” (UT/305, 317). In the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, Tolkien said that mahalma was derived from Valarin maχallām of the same meaning and was “properly one of the seats of the Valar” (WJ/399). As such, this word is unlikely to be used for an ordinary “throne”, which instead would be tarhanwa.
-ië
suffix. is
-ië (3) "is", -ier "are", stative verb suffix occurring in Fíriel's Song: númessier "they are in the west", meldielto "they are...beloved", talantië "he is fallen", márië "it is good" (< *númessë "in the west", melda "beloved", *talanta "fallen"); future tense -iéva in hostainiéva "will be gathered" (< *hostaina "gathered"). Compare ye "is", yéva "will be", verbs that also occur in Fíriel's Song. This suffix is probably not valid in LotR-style Quenya: -ië is an infinitival or gerundial ending in CO, for ye "is" Namárië has ná, and the phrase "lost is" is vanwa ná, not *vanwië.
-nna
to
-n (1) dative ending, originating as a reduced form of -nă "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).
almárëa
blessed
almárëa adj. "blessed". In a deleted entry in Etym, the gloss provided was "bless", but this would seem to be a mistake, since the word does not look like a verb. Another deleted entry agrees with the retained entry GALA that almárëa means "blessed" (GALA, VT45:5, 14)
ecya
sharp
#ecya adj. "sharp" in Ecyanáro ("k") "Sharp Flame", masc. name, Sindarin Aegnor(VT41:14, 19). The Quenya form of Aegnor is elsewhere given as Aicanáro instead.
fëa
spirit
fëa noun "spirit" (pl. fëar attested, MR:363). The Incarnates are said to live by necessary union of hroa (body) and fëa (WJ:405). In Airëfëa noun "the Holy Spirit", Fëanáro masc. name "Spirit of Fire" (Quenya-Sindarin hybrid form: Fëanor), Fëanturi noun "Masters of Spirits", name of the two Valar Mandos and Lórien (SA:tur), fëafelmë noun "spirit-impulse" (impulses originating with the spirit, e.g. love, pity, anger, hate) (VT41:19 cf. 13, VT43:37). In one source it is said to mean specifically a "spirit indwelling a body", i.e. "soul" (PE17:124), which contradicts such uses as Airefëa or Fëanturi. Cf. fairë.
hat-
fling
hat- (1) vb. "fling" (cited as hatin "I fling", first person sg. aorist), pa.t. hantë (QL:39). The apparently related noun hatal "spear" occurring in late material (VT49:14) suggests that Tolkien eventually decided to maintain hat- "fling", though in the meantime, a distinct verb hat- "break asunder" had occurred in his writings.
lindalë
music
lindalë noun "music". Cf. Ainulindalë "Music of the Ainur". (The word is cited as lindelë in the printed Etymologies, entry LIN2, but according to VT45:27, this is a misreading for lindalë in Tolkien's manuscript.) The word lindalë may argue the existence of a verbal stem #linda- "sing, make music".
lindelë
music
lindelë noun "music" (LIN2, LT1:258 lindalë in Ainulindalë). According to VT45:27, lindelë in the printed Etymologies (entry LIN2) is a misreading for lindalë in Tolkien's manuscript.
lirulin
lark
lirulin noun "lark" (MR:238, 262), changed from aimenel, aimenal
man
pronoun. who, who; [ᴹQ.] what
The most common Quenya word for “who”, most notably appearing in the Namárië poem in the phrase sí man i yulma nin enquantuva? “who now shall refill the cup for me?” (LotR/377). It is based on the interrogative element ma (PE17/68). Man might be a general interrogative element “who, what, which”; at one point Tolkien said man was a reduction of mana before vowels (PE23/135). However, in the Markirya, man was used for “who” before consonants, such as man tiruva fána cirya “Who shall heed a white ship?” (MC/222).
In writings from the 1930s and 40s, man was used for “what” (LR/59, 72) or as a general interrogative marker (PE23/99). However, it was used for “who” in the versions of the Oilima Markirya from around 1930 (MC/213-214).
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mostly use man in the sense “who”, before both consonants and vowels. For “what” I would use mana, and as a general interrogative marker I’d use ma. In cases where you want an unambiguous word for “who = what person”, I would use mamo.
mána
blessed
mána 1) adj. "blessed" (FS); also manna, q.v. 2) noun "any good thing or fortunate thing; a boon or blessing, a grace, being esp. used of some thing/person/event that helps or amends an evil or difficulty. (Cf. frequent ejaculation on receiving aid in trouble: yé mána (ma) = what a blessing, what a good thing!)" (VT49:41)
nerca
sharp, angular
nerca adj. "sharp, angular" (PE17:55), variant nexa (reading uncertain).
nexa
sharp, angular
nexa adj. "sharp, angular" (PE17:55; the editor indicates that the reading is uncertain, so the variant nerca may be preferred.)
nincë
small
*nincë (ninci*-) ("k")adj. "small". The form is given as "ninki" with the last vowel marked as short; this is probably the etymological form that would underlie Quenya nincë. The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa**, *nimpë. (VT48:18)
ná
is
ná (1) vb. "is" (am). (Nam, RGEO:67). This is the copula used to join adjectives, nouns or pronouns "in statements (or wishes) asserting (or desiring) a thing to have certain quality, or to be the same as another" (VT49:28). Also in impersonal constructions: ringa ná "it is cold" (VT49:23). The copula may however be omitted "where the meaning is clear" without it (VT49:9). Ná is also used as an interjection "yes" or "it is so" (VT49:28). Short na in airë [] na, "[] is holy" (VT43:14; some subject can evidently be inserted in the place of [].) Short na also functions as imperative: alcar mi tarmenel na Erun "glory in high heaven be to God" (VT44:32/34), also na airë "be holy" (VT43:14); also cf. nai "be it that" (see nai #1). The imperative participle á may be prefixed (á na, PE17:58). However, VT49:28 cites ná as the imperative form. Pl. nar or nár "are" (PE15:36, VT49:27, 9, 30); dual nát (VT49:30). With pronominal endings: nányë/nanyë "I am", nalyë or natyë "you (sg.) are" (polite and familiar, respectively), nás "it is", násë "(s)he is", nalmë "we are" (VT49:27, 30). Some forms listed in VT49:27 are perhaps to be taken as representing the aorist: nain, naityë, nailyë (1st person sg, and 2nd person familiar/polite, respectively); does a following na represent the aorist with no pronominal ending? However, the forms nanyë, nalyë, ná, nassë, nalme, nar (changed from nár) are elsewhere said to be "aorist", without the extra vowel i (e.g. nalyë rather than nailyë); also notice that *"(s)he is" is here nassë rather than násë (VT49:30).Pa.t. nánë or né "was", pl. náner/nér and dual nét "were" (VT49:6, 9, 10, 27, 28, 30, 36). According to VT49:31, né "was" cannot receive pronominal endings (though nésë "he was" is attested elsewhere, VT49:28-29), and such endings are rather added to the form ane-, e.g. anen "I was", anel "you were", anes "(s)he/it was" (VT49:28-29). Future tense nauva "will be" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 27; another version however gives the future tense as uva, VT49:30). Nauva with a pronominal ending occurs in tanomë nauvan "I will be there" (VT49:19), this example indicating that forms of the verb ná may also be used to indicate position. Perfect anaië "has been" (VT49:27, first written as anáyë). Infinitive (or gerund) návë "being", PE17:68. See also nai #1.
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).
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.
níca
small
níca ("k")adj. "small". The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa, *nimpë. (VT47:26, VT48:18)
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).
savin elessar ar <u>i</u> nánë aran ondórëo
that
i (3) conj. "that". Savin Elessar ar i nánë aran Ondórëo "I believe that Elessar really existed and that [he] was a king of Gondor" (VT49:27), savin…i E[lesarno] quetië naitë *"I believe that Elessars speaking [is] true" (VT49:28) Also cf. nai, nái "be it that" (see nai #1), which may seem to incorporate this conjunction.
seldë
child
seldë noun "child" (meaning changed by Tolkien from "daughter"; in his later texts the Quenya word for "child" is rather hína, and the final status of seldë is uncertain. See also tindómerel.) (SEL-D, VT46:13, 22-23) In one late source, Tolkien reverts to the meaning "daughter", but this may have been replaced by anel, q.v.
sí
now
sí adv. "now" (Nam, RGEO:67, LR:47, SD:310, VT43:34, VT49:18, PE17:94), sin (SI, LR:47) or sín _(SD:247, 310) _before vowels. Compare the distribution of a/an in English, though in his Quenya version of Hail Mary, Tolkien used sí also before a vowel (sí ar "now and", VT43:28). Si, a short (or incompletely annotated) form of sí (VT43:26, 34). In Fíriel's Song, sí is translated "here".
tana
that
tana (1) demonstrative "that" (said to be "anaphoric") (TA). According to VT49:11, tana is the adjective corresponding to ta, "that" as a pronoun.
tana
that
A word for “that” appearing in a list of demonstratives from 1968, an adjectival form of ta “that” (VT49/11). This adjective also appeared in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/135). Similarly formed ᴹQ. tana appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/85, 104-105) where it could also be used both adjectivally (“that”) and substantively (“that fact”). ᴹQ. tana “that” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s but in that document Tolkien said it was “anaphoric” (Ety/TA), as opposed to later when Q. sana was used for anaphoric that (PE16/97; PE23/104).
Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. táma was “this” rather than “that” (QL/87). The Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s had ᴱQ. {santa >>} sanda “that” (PE14/55), but drafts of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from around 1930 seem to have tanda for “that” (PE16/56-57, 60).
tuilë
spring, spring-time
tuilë noun "spring, spring-time", also used = "dayspring, early morn" (VT39:7, TUY), in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 54 days, but also used without any exact definition. Cf. tuilérë, q.v. (Appendix D) - In early "Qenya", the word tuilë is glossed "Spring", but it is said that it literally refers to a "budding", also used collectively for "buds, new shoots, fresh green" (LT1:269). Cf. tuima in Tolkien's later Quenya.
wilwa
vague, fluttering to and fro
wilwa adj. "vague, fluttering to and fro" (_Markirya). _A similar word in the Etymologies was struck out: [wilwa > vilwa] "air, lower air" (distinct from the 'upper' air of the stars, or the 'outer') (WIL) According to VT46:21, Tolkien considered wilda > vilda as a replacement form, but rejected it.
yelca
sword
[yelca noun ?"sword" - Tolkien's gloss is not certainly legible, and the word was struck out anyway. (VT45:11)]
yána
holy place, fane, sanctuary
yána (2) noun "holy place, fane, sanctuary" (YAN). Compare ainas in a post-LotR source.
áyan
holy thing or object or place
áyan (later form aian) noun "a holy thing or object or place" (PE17:149)
ëar
sea
ëar noun "sea" (AYAR/AIR [gives also dat. sg. ëaren],WJ:413; see Letters:386 for etymology). Not to be confused with the pl. form of the verb ëa "be, exist". Pl. ëari "seas" (FS, LR:47); Eär "the Great Sea" (cf. ëaron "ocean"), ablative Eärello "from the Great Sea", et Eärello "out of the Great Sea" (EO). Eärë noun "the open sea" (SD:305). Compound ëaruilë noun "seaweed" (UY). Found in proper names like Eärendil "Sea-friend", Eärendur masc. name, *"Sea-servant"; in effect a variant of Eärendil(Appendix A). Eärendur was also used ="(professional) mariner" (Letters:386).Fem. name Eärwen "Sea-maiden" (Silm); Eärrámë "Sea-wing", "Wings of the Sea", name of Tuor's ship (RAM, AYAR/AIR, SA)
ëaron
ocean
ëaron noun "ocean" (PE17:27), also airon. Cf. ëar.
a
interjection. O, Oh
sinar
noun/adverb. today, today, [ᴹQ.] nowadays, this morning
sí
adverb. now
The Quenya word for “now” which is very well attested. In notes on demonstratives from 1968, it is a vowel-lengthened form of demonstrative si “this” (VT49/18) which seems to be a standard way of forming adverbs of time in Tolkien’s later writings; compare tá “then” (VT49/11) and yá “when” (VT49/23). This vowel-lengthening construction was explicitly described in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948: “The bare stems lengthened are used [for adverbs of time]” (PE23/109).
In Tolkien’s writings from the 1930s and 40s, he occasionally had sin or sín “now” with an n (Ety/SIN; LR/47; SD/247; SD/310). One working theory is that this is the form of sí when it appears before a vowel. However, in the aforementioned DRC from 1948, Tolkien had a variant form ᴹQ. sin(an) “now” using the suffix ᴹQ. -n(an), also used for adverbs of time.
Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. tyá “now” based on the early root ᴱ√KI “this by me” (QL/46, 49). In the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) from the 1920s he had ᴱQ. qí or qin for adverbs of time based ᴱQ. qi “this”, hence = “✱now”. However, the untranslated text Sí Qente Feanor from the 1910s seems to use sí = “now” (PE15/32, 34).
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mostly use sí “now”, but I would also use sín or sin in cases where the results are more euphonic, particularly preceding a word starting with a vowel.
varassë
noun. cliff
-ina
suffix. adjective suffix; passive participle
-ya
suffix. adjective suffix
amanya
adjective. *blessed
finca
noun. [unglossed]
halla
adjective. tall
hatal
noun. spear, spear, *javelin
ista-
verb. to know, to know, [ᴹQ.] learn
lindalë
noun. music
lírë
noun. song
manna
adjective. *blessed
onna
noun. child, child, *offspring; [ᴹQ.] creature
A word for “child” appearing in various late notes and phrases (NM/31; PM/391; VT49/42), derived from the root √NŌ/ONO “beget, be born” and once appearing in a variant form onwe (PE17/170). Giving its derivation, its actual meaning may be closer to “✱offspring”, as first suggested to me by Tamas Ferencz.
Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. onna was instead glossed “creature”, though it was still derived from the root ᴹ√ONO “beget” (Ety/ONO).
-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.
Nolmë
knowledge, philosophy (including science)
Nolmë ("ñ")noun "knowledge, Philosophy (including Science)" (PM:360 cf. 344)
a
cardinal. one
alqua
noun. swan
swan
alqua
swan
alqua noun "swan" _(ÁLAK [there spelt _alqa, as in LT1:249/LT2:335], SA:alqua, UT:265, VT42:7). The alternative form alquë ("q") mentioned in early material (LT1:249) may or may not be valid in LotR-style Quenya.
alqua
noun. swan
The Quenya noun for “swan” derived from primitive ✶alkwā (NM/378; PE18/100; UT/265; Ety/ÁLAK).
Conceptual Development: The word ᴱQ. alqa dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was a derivative of the early root ᴱ√ḶKḶ (QL/30), though it had a variant form alqe in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/18). Other than this one exception, Tolkien stuck with alqua throughout his life. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. alqa “swan” appeared under the root ᴹ√ALAK “rushing” (Ety/ÁLAK).
aman
blessed, free from evil
aman adj. "blessed, free from evil". Adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:399), though in other versions Tolkien cited an Elvish etymology (cf. VT49:26-27). Place-name Aman the Blessed Realm, from the stem mān- "good, blessed, unmarred" (SA:mān), translated "Unmarred State" (VT49:26). Allative Amanna (VT49:26). Adj. amanya "of Aman, Amanian" (WJ:411), nominal pl. Amanyar "those of Aman", Elves dwelling there (with negations Úamanyar, Alamanyar "those not of Aman"). Also fuller Amaneldi noun "Aman-elves" (WJ:373).Masc. name Amandil *"Aman-friend" (Appendix A, SA:mān), the father of Elendil; also name of the Númenorean king Tar-Amandil (UT:210).
amanya
blessed
amanya adj. "blessed" (VT49:39, 41)
amya-
verb. [unglossed]
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)_
anna
gift
anna noun "gift" (ANA1, SA), "a thing handed, brought or sent to a person" (PE17:125), also name of tengwa #23 (Appendix E); pl. annar "gifts" in Fíriel's Song. Masc. name Annatar "Lord of Gifts, *Gift-lord", name assumed by Sauron when he tried to seduce the Eldar in the Second Age (SA:tar). Eruanna noun "God-gift", gift of God, i.e. "grace" (VT43:38)
anna, anwa
noun. gift
anwa
noun. gift
arata
high, lofty, noble
arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)
arra
adjective. [unglossed]
carne (carni-)
adjective. red
carnë
red
carnë adj. "red", "scarlet, red" (SA:caran, PE17:154, MC:214, KARÁN - spelt with a k in the two latter sources), not to be confused with the past tense of car- "do, make". Stem carni- as in Carnimírië, Carnistir.
cinta
small
cinta adj. "small" (PE17:157)
cinta
adjective. small
conta-
verb. [unglossed]
cíta-
suppose
#cíta- ("k")vb. "suppose", cited in the 1st pers. aorist: cítan "I suppose" (VT49:19)
cúma
noun. [unglossed]
ehtar
spearman
[ehtar] noun "spearman" (EK/EKTE, VT45:12)]
ehtyar
spearman
ehtyar noun "spearman" (EK/EKTE). According to VT45:12, Tolkien at one point also meant ehtyar to be the name of Tengwa #15 with overposed dots to indicate a palatal sound; the letter would thus have the value hty. However, according to the classical Tengwar spelling of Quenya as outlined in LotR Appendix E, such a letter would rather have the value **ncy (since #15 is there assigned the value nc in Quenya), but since **ncy is not a possible Quenya combination, a palatal variant of #15 would not occur in the classical Quenya mode.
ehtë
spear
ehtë (stem *ehti-, given the primitive form ekti) noun "spear" (EK/EKTE). Another word for "spear" is hatal.
engwa
sickly
engwa adj. "sickly"; nominal pl. Engwar "the Sickly", Elvish name of Mortal Men (Silm, GENG-WĀ)
engwa
adjective. sickly
enwina
old
enwina adj. "old" (Markirya)
enwina
adjective. old
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".)
eressëa
lonely
eressëa adj. "lonely" (ERE, LT1:269), "solitary" (cf. Letters:386). Eressëa place-name "Lonely (One)", often used by itself for Tol Eressëa, the Lonely Isle (Silm) or Solitary Isle (Letters:386, footnote)
eressëa
adjective. lonely
erëa
cardinal. one
erëa adj.? "one" or *"single", apparently an adjectival form (see er) (VT44:17)
exa
other
exa adj.? "other" (apparently as adjective) (VT47:10, VT49:33). Also eces ("k"), unless this is intended as the stem underlying exa (the root KES with prefixed stem-vowel) rather than a Quenya word (VT49:33).
exa
adjective. other
falas
shore, beach
falas (falass-), falassë noun "shore, beach" (LT1:253, LT2:339); falassë "shore, line of surf" (SA:falas), "shore especially one exposed to great waves and breakers" (VT42:15), "beach" (PHAL/PHÁLAS); Falassë Númëa place-name "Western Surf" (LT1:253), Andafalassë "Langstrand" (PE17:135)
felca
adjective. [unglossed]
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”.
fára
beach, shore
fára noun "beach, shore" (VT46:15)
halda
adjective. tall, tall; [ᴱQ.] wide, broad
halda
adjective. high, tall
halla
tall
halla (1) adj. "tall" (Appendix E, footnote)
handë
knowledge, understanding, intelligence
handë noun "knowledge, understanding, intelligence" (KHAN). Note: *handë is (probably) also the past tense of the verb har- "sit".
hatal
spear
hatal noun "spear" (VT49:14, 33). Another word for "spear" is ehtë.
hendas
?. [unglossed]
hindo
noun. [unglossed]
hindë
noun. [unglossed]
holdë
noun. [unglossed]
hresta
shore, beach
hresta noun "shore, beach", ablative hrestallo *"from (the) shore" in Markirya
hríva
place name. [unglossed]
hyana
other
hyana adj. "other", cf. hya (VT49:14)
hyana
adjective. other
háro
?. [unglossed]
hína
child
hína noun "child", also hina used in the vocative to a (young) child (also hinya "my child", for hinanya) (WJ:403). Pl. híni (surprisingly not **hínar) in Híni Ilúvataro "Children of Ilúvatar" (Silmarillion Index); dative hínin in VT44:35. In compounds -hin pl. -híni (as in Eruhíni, "Children of Eru", SA:híni). According to one source, the word is hín(i) and solely plural (PE17:157), but this is obviously contradicted by some of the sources quoted above.
hó
spirit, shadow
hó noun "spirit, shadow" (PE17:86)
i
pronoun. that
i, antevokaliskt in
conjunction. that
imya
same, identical, selfsame
imya adj. "same, identical, selfsame" (VT47:37)
inya
small
inya (2) adj. "small" (LT1:256; this "Qenya" word may be obsoleted by # 1 above)
issë
knowledge, lore
issë noun "knowledge, lore" (LT2:339; rather ista or istya in Tolkien's later Quenya)
ista
knowledge
ista (1) noun "knowledge" (IS). Also istya.
istare
noun. knowledge
istya
knowledge
istya noun "knowledge" (IS). Also ista (#1).
lelya-
go, proceed (in any direction), travel
lelya- (1) vb. "go, proceed (in any direction), travel", pa.t. lendë / elendë (WJ:363, VT14:5, PE17:139) At one point Tolkien assigned a more specific meaning to the underlying root LED: "go away from the speaker or the point in mind, depart" (PE17:52), which would make lelya- a near synonym of auta-. The same source denies that the derivatives of _LED _were used simply for "go, move, travel", but elsewhere Tolkien assigns precisely that meaning to lelya-.
lenna-
go
lenna- vb. "go", pa.t. lendë "went" (LED; cf. lelya-). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the word lenna- wrongly appears as **linna-; see VT45:27.
lingi-
verb. [unglossed]
linya
pool
linya noun "pool" (LIN1)
linyenwa
old, having many years
linyenwa adj. "old, having many years" (YEN)
lára
blessed
[lára (3) adj. "blessed", also lárëa (VT45:26)]
lírë
song
lírë noun "song", stem #líri- in the instrumental form lírinen "in [the] song" or *"by [the] song" (Nam, RGEO:67)
lívë
sickness
lívë noun "sickness" (SLIW). Since Tolkien eventually decided that roots in sl- yield Quenya words in hl- (though this was pronounced l- in late Exilic Quenya), it may be that the spelling *hlívë is to be preferred.
lóna
pool, mere
lóna (1) noun "pool, mere" (VT42:10). Variant of lón, lónë above?
macil
sword
macil ("k")noun "sword" (MAK, LT1:259, VT39:11, VT45:32, VT49:17); macilya "his (or their) sword" (PE17:130), see -ya #4.
mahalma
throne
mahalma noun "throne", nominative pl. mahalmar "thrones" and locative pl. mahalmassen in CO. Adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:399)
mahtar
warrior
mahtar noun "warrior" (MAK; original gloss "swordsman", VT45:32)
malsa
?. [unglossed]
man
who
man pron. "who" (Nam, RGEO:67, FS, LR:59, Markirya, MC:213, 214); cf. PM:357 note 18, where a reference is made to the Eldarin interrogative element ma, man). However, man is translated "what" in LR:59: man-ië? "what is it?" (LR:59; the stative-verb suffix -ië_ is hardly valid in LotR-style Quenya) _Either Tolkien later adjusted the meaning of the word, or man covers both "who" and "what". Cf. also mana, manen.
manaquenta
blessed
manaquenta adj. "blessed" (VT44:10; see manquë, manquenta)
manaquenta
adjective. *blessed
manna
blessed
manna adj. "blessed" (also mána, q.v.) (VT43:30, VT45:32, VT49:41)
manquë
blessed
manquë, manquenta adj. "blessed" (VT44:10-11; it cannot be ruled out that manquë spelt manque in the source is simply an uncompleted form of manquenta. Whatever the case, Tolkien decided to use the form manaquenta instead, q.v.)
mehtar
noun. warrior
melya-
verb. [unglossed], *to be in love
men
who
men (3) pron. "who", evidently a misreading or miswriting for man (MC:221, in Markirya)
men-
go
#men- (4) vb. "go" (VT47:11, cf. VT42:30, VT49:23), attested in the aorist (menë) in the sentence imbi Menel Cemenyë menë Ráno tië "between Heaven and Earth goes the path of the Moon". In the verb nanwen- "return" (or go/come back), -men- is changed to -wen- following nan- "back" (etymological form cited as nan-men-, PE17:166). In examples from VT49:23, 24, Tolkien used men- in the sense of "go as far as": 1st person sg. aorist menin (menin coaryanna "I arrive at [or come/get to] his house"), endingless aorist menë, present tense ména- "is on point of arrival, is just coming to an end", past tense mennë "arrived, reached", in this tense usually with locative rather than allative (mennen sís "I arrive[d] here"), perfect eménië "has just arrived", future menuva "will arrive". All of these examples were first written with the verb as ten- rather than men-, Tolkien then emending the initial consonant.
min
cardinal. one
min numeral "one", also minë (VT45:34, VT48:6)
min
cardinal. one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first
mintë
small
mintë adj. "small" (VT45:35)
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)
mitsa
small
mitsa adj. "small" (VT45:35) Another synonym from the same source, mitra, looks unusual for a Quenya word (because of the medial cluster tr)
mo
one, someone, anyone
mo, indefinite pronoun "one, someone, anyone" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 20, 26)
mordo
warrior, hero
mordo (2) noun "warrior, hero" (LT1:268 - probably obsoleted by # 1 above)
máriel
feminine name. [unglossed]
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).
nasar
red
nasar adj. "red" (in Vanyarin Quenya only). Adopted and adapted from Valarin. (WJ:399)
nassë
thorn, spike
nassë (2) noun "thorn, spike" (NAS). Not to be confused with nassë "(s)he is", VT49:30 or nassë # above. Note that in late material, the unambiguous word necel appears for "thorn" (PE17:55).
naue
?. [unglossed]
ne
that
ne (2) conj. "that" (as in "I know that you are here") (PE14:54), evidently replaced by i in Tolkiens later Quenya (see i #3).
necel
thorn
necel ("k") noun "thorn" (PE17:55)
necel
noun. thorn
A word for “thorn” in notes on the Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, derived from the root √NEK having to do with angles (PE17/55).
nendë
pool
nendë (1) noun "pool" (NEN), "lake" (PE17:52)
nendë
noun. lake, lake, [ᴹQ.] pool
A word for “lake” (PE17/52) or “pool” (Ety/NEN), derived from the root √NEN “water”.
Conceptual Development: This word appeared in both The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/NEN) and notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/37) with the same basic meaning and derivation.
nitya
small
#nitya adj. "small" (VT48:15, PM:365)
níva
?. [unglossed]
ohtacáro
warrior
[ohtacáro] ("k")noun "warrior" (KAR). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the accent of the word ohtacáro was omitted (VT45:19).
ohtar
warrior, soldier
ohtar noun "warrior, soldier" (UT:282)
ohtar
masculine name. Warrior
ohtar
noun. warrior
oialëa
eternal
oialëa adj. "eternal" (PE17:59)
oialëa
adjective. eternal
oira
eternal
oira adj. "eternal" (OY)
ollo
cliff, seaward precipice
ollo (1) noun "cliff, seaward precipice" (also oldō - is this to be understood as the older form?) (LT1:252)
onwë
child
onwë noun "child" (PE17:170)
onwë
noun. child
orna
tall, high, lofty
orna adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orwa
oronta
steep
oronta adj. "steep" (LT1:256)
orro
interjection. alas!
orwa
tall, high, lofty
orwa adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orna
pinilya
small
pinilya adj. "small" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")
pícë
upon
pícë ("k") prep.? "upon" (???) (MC:214; this is "Qenya")
quista-
verb. suppose, inquire
quámë
sickness
quámë ("q")noun "sickness" (KWAM), "sickness, nausea" (QL:76). Earlier material also gives quámë as the past tense of the related verb quama- "vomit, be sick".
sa
conjunction. that
sal-
verb. [unglossed]
sana
that
selda
child
selda adj.?noun? (meaning not clear, related to seldë "child" (meaning changed by Tolkien from "daughter") and seldo "boy". Thus selda may be an adjective "childlike", since -a is a frequent adjectival ending. Alternatively, as suggested in VT46:13, selda may be a neuter noun "child", corresponding to masc. seldo "boy" and fem. seldë "girl" (before Tolkien changed the meaning of the latter to "child"). (SEL-D, cf. VT46:22-23)
seldo
child
seldo noun (meaning not quite clear, likely the masculine form of seldë "child", hence *"boy") (SEL-D, VT46:13, 22-23)
sin
now
sin (2) adv., a form of sí "now" (q.v.) often occurring before vowels; also sín (SI). However, sí itself (q.v.) may also appear before a vowel.
sélo
?. [unglossed]
sén
noun. child
sí
adverb. now
sír
adverb. now
sóla
?. [unglossed]
súlë
spirit, breath
súlë (þ) noun "spirit, breath", also name of tengwa #9; originally thúlë (þúlë), before the shift th > s that occurred shortly before the rebellion of the Noldor (Appendix E, THŪ). Its gloss, "blowing forth", was metaphorically used as "the emission of power (of will or desire) from a spirit" (PE17:124). If the element súlë appears in Súlimë and Súlimo (q.v.), the stem-form may seem to be súli-.
ta
that, it
ta (1) pron. "that, it" (TA); compare antaróta** "he gave it" (FS); see anta-. The forms tar/tara/tanna "thither", talo/tó "thence" and tás/tassë* "there" are originally inflected forms of this pronoun: "to that", "from that" and "in that" (place), respectively. Compare "there" as one gloss of ta (see #4).
tanya
that
tanya demonstrative "that" (MC:215; this is "Qenya", perhaps corresponding to later tana)
tar-
affix. high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)
tehta
mark, sign
tehta noun "mark, sign" (TEK, VT39:17, Appendix E), especially diacritics denoting vowels in Fëanorian writing (pl. tehtar is attested); these diacritics are explicitly called ómatehtar "vowel-marks", q.v.
thar-
verb. [unglossed]
tomba
noun. [unglossed]
tompë
noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat
@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20
tuilë
noun. spring, spring, [ᴹQ.] spring-time, [ᴱQ.] (lit.) a budding; buds, new shoots, fresh green
tulco
support, prop
tulco ("k") noun "support, prop". Given the primitive form ¤tulku, the word would have the stem-form *tulcu*- and the plural form tulqui**. (TULUK)
tunda
tall
tunda adj. "tall" (TUN)
tyulussë
poplar-tree
tyulussë noun "poplar-tree" (TYUL)
tá
high
tá 2) adj. "high" (LT1:264; there spelt tâ. This is hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, but cf. tára "lofty".)
tána
high, lofty, noble
tána (meaning unclear, probably adj. "high, lofty, noble") (TĀ/TA3). Compare tára.
um(ba)-
prefix. [unglossed]
umbacarin
noun. [unglossed]
valcanë
vague
valcanë ("k") adj. "vague" (MC:213; this is "Qenya")
vanya-
go, depart, disappear
vanya- (2) vb. "go, depart, disappear", pa.t. vannë (WAN). The verb auta- may have replaced this word in Tolkien's later conception.
velca
flame
velca ("k") noun "flame" (LT1:260; nár, nárë would be the normal word in Tolkien's later Quenya)
vilissë
spirit
vilissë noun "spirit" (GL:23)
váya
sea
váya noun "sea" (considered as "waters, motion"). The wording of the source indicates that Tolkien only tentatively considered such a word (PE17:33)
vëa
sea
vëa (3) noun "sea" (MC:213, 214, 216; possibly obsoleted by #1 and #2 above, though some argue that the initial element of the late names Vëantur and Vëandur [q.v.] could be vëa #3 rather than #2 (it can hardly be #1) . In any case, the normal word for "sea" in LotR-style Quenya seems to be ëar.) Inflected vëan "sea" (MC:220), vëar "in sea" (a "Qenya" locative in -r, MC:213), vëassë "on sea" (MC:220). Cf. also vëaciryo.
waya
noun. ocean
wilin
bird
wilin noun "bird" (LT1:273; if this "Qenya" word is to be used in LotR-style Quenya, it must not be confused with the 1st pers. aorist of the verb wil-.)
yana
that
yana demonstrative "that" (the former) (YA)
yando
also
yando adv. "also" (QL:104)
ye
is
ye (2) copula "is" (FS, VT46:22); both earlier and later sources rather point to ná (q.v.) as the copula "is", so ye may have been an experiment Tolkien later abandoned. Future tense yéva, q.v.
ye
who
ye (1) singular personal relative pronoun "who", maybe also object "whom" (plural form i). Compare the impersonal form ya. Also attested in the genitive and the ablative cases: yëo and yello, both translated "from whom" (though the former would also mean *"whose, of whom"). (VT47:21)
ye
pronoun. who
yerna
old, worn
yerna adj. "old, worn" (GYER)
éna
?. [unglossed]
íra
eternal
[íra adj. "eternal" (GEY, VT45:13; changed by Tolkien to oira, see OY)]
írë
eternal
[írë] (3) noun "eternal" (read "eternity", as suggested by Christopher Tolkien, but the word was in any case changed to oirë)(GEY, VT45:13)
íta
flash
íta noun "a flash" (PM:363)
íta
noun. flash, flash, *lightning
A noun for “a flash” appearing in The Shibboleth of Fëanor as part of a discussion the name Q. Itarillë, S. Idril from the late 1960s, derived from the root √IT (PM/363). It seems to be a bright and direct flash of light, as opposed to ᴹQ. tinde “glint” for a less brilliant and reflected flash of light.
Neo-Quenya: As a flash of light, this word might also be used for “✱lightning” and on this basis used for Neo-Quenya words having to do with electricity.
úpa-
verb. [unglossed]
úyë
is
úyë vb., a form occurring in Fíriel's Song (cf. VT46:22), apparently ye "is" with the negative prefix ú-, hence "is not" (úyë sérë indo-ninya símen, translated "my hearth resteth not here", literally evidently *"[there] is not rest [for] my heart here")
þúlë
noun. spirit
þúna
?. [unglossed]
arata
high, lofty, noble
arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)
eccoia
adjective. thorny
hausta
noun. nest
A neologism for “nest” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), based on ᴹ✶khau̯-stā “rest-ing”.
hyalli(ni)
a different number
hyano
noun. stranger, alien
lúmelissen
adverb. sometimes, at times
malumë
adverb. sometimes, at times
tyerindo
noun. worshiper
térala
adjective. piercing
@@@ The gloss “any” was suggested by Tamas Ferencz and Robert Reynolds based on aiquen “if anybody, whoever”. NQNT also uses aiquen in the sense “anybody”.