Quenya 

am-

prefix. up, up, [ᴱQ.] upwards

A prefix for “up”, very well attested and derived from √AM of the same meaning (Ety/AM²).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. am(u)- “up(wards)” reflecting the earliest form of the root ᴱ√AM(U) (QL/30), but by the 1920s the u was dropped (PE16/75), and it was only am- thereafter. In Tolkien’s later conception, it probably became ama- when seperation from a following consonant or cluster was needed (PE17/92), as in ᴹQ. amatikse “above dot” (Ety/TIK).

am-

up

am- (1) prefix "up" (AM2)

am-

signifying addition, increase

am- (2) prefix used in comparison, "signifying addition, increase" (PE17:90), or with genitive superlative: elenion ancalima "brightest of stars" (PE17:91). Originally identical with #1 above. The form am- as such is in late Quenya only used before p and (presumably) before vowels; the longer form ama- came to be preferred before r and l; before other consonants, the prefix assumes the form an- (pronounced, but not in Romanized Quenya orthography written, añ- before c) (PE17:90-92). Phonologically we would expect am- before y- (since my is an acceptable Quenya combination); however, Tolkien used an- in the word anyára (q.v.) See an- #2 and compare ar- #2.

amba

adverb. up(wards)

An adverb for “up(wards)” derived from the root √AM “up” (PE17/157; Ety/AM²). In one place Tolkien said it “is generally limited to the qualification of words signifying or implying motion: especially ‘rise, ascend, climb, grow etc.’ (PE17/91)”, but that was not the case in (for example) Ambarussa “Top-russet” (PM/354), so this rule was not universal.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. amu “up(wards)” reflecting the earliest form of the root ᴱ√AM(U) (QL/30), but by the 1920s it was amba “up” (PE13/137; PE16/62), a form that was retained thereafter. In one place in The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave it an alternate form ama beside amba (Ety/UNU), but since this was as an element in ᴹQ. amatikse “above dot” (Ety/TIK; EtyAC/UNU) I think it is more likely a variant of prefixal am- “up”.

Quenya [PE17/082; PE17/091; PE17/157; PM/354; RC/385; UT/255] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amba

more

An adjective or (pro)noun for “more” along with an adverbial form ambë derived from √AMA “addition, increase, plus” (PE17/91). These words were part of a (brief?) conceptual framework around 1967 in which the intensive prefix am- was derived from this root. Elsewhere the root √AM generally meant “up”, and Tolkien seems to have reverted to an-intensives by 1969 as evidenced by anírime “most beautiful” (PE23/133).

Neo-Quenya: Despite these conceptual changes, I think it is worth retaining amba and ambe “more”, perhaps based on ✱an-bā and ✱an-bē. The first of these would clash with amba “up”, but I think it could usually be distinguished by context: á anta amba nin “give more to me” vs. mennes amba i oron “he went up the mountain”. See √AMA for more discussion.

Quenya [PE17/090; PE17/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amil(lë)

noun. mother

Tolkien used a number of similar forms for “mother” for most of his life. The earliest of these are ᴱQ. amis (amits-) “mother” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s along with variants ᴱQ. ambi, âmi, amaimi under the root ᴱ√AMA (QL/30). An additional variant ammi appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/30). In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱQ. ambe or mambe “mother” (PE16/135). This became ᴹQ. amil “mother” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√AM “mother” (Ety/AM¹).

This 1930s form amil appears to have survived for some time. It appeared in a longer form Amille in Quenya Prayers of the 1950s (VT43/26; VT44/12, 18), and as an element in the term amilessi “mother-names” in a late essay on Elvish naming (MR/217). In the initial drafts of Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s Tolkien used the form amilye or amye as an affectionate word for “mother”, and amaltil as the finger name for the second finger (VT47/26-27 note #34 and #35).

However, in those documents Tolkien seems to have revised the root for “mother” from √AM to √EM and the affectionate forms from amye to emya or emme (VT47/10; VT48/6, 19). The revised word for “mother” appears to be emil based on the 1st person possessive form emil(inya) (VT47/26).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer to retain the root √AM for “mother”, since that is what Tolkien used for 50 years, and ignore the very late change to √EM. As such, I would recommend amil(le) for “mother” and affectionate forms amme “mommy” and amya. However, if you prefer to use Tolkien’s “final” forms, then emil(le), emme and emya seem to be what Tolkien adopted in the late 1960s.

Quenya [VT44/18; VT47/26] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ambë

adverb. more

-nyë

i am come

-n (2), also -nyë, pronominal ending, 1st person sg. "I" (VT49:51), as in utúlien "I am come" (EO), cainen "I lay" (VT48:12-13), carin or carinyë "I do" (VT49:16), veryanen *"I married" (VT49:45). See also VT49:48. Long form -nye- with object ending -s "it" following in utúvienyes (see tuv-). A possible attestation of -n in object position ("me") is provided by the untranslated verbal form tankassen (PE17:76), where -n may be preceded by -sse- as a longer form of the 3rd person sg. ending -s (see -s #1).

Umbarto

fated

Umbarto masc. name, "Fated", mother-name (never used in narrative) of Telufinwë = Amras. The ominous name was altered to Ambarto by Fëanor. (PM:353-354)

am(a)- Archaic

prefix. intensive prefix

am(be)na

adverb. nearer to

A word appearing as amna or ambena “nearer to” in notes from around 1967, an allative form of ambë “more” and more precisely meaning “to a further point in the motion towards an object” (PE17/91). It might be contrasted with ambela “further still beyond” or (hypothetical) ✱ambelo “further away from”.

am(il)ye

noun. *mummy

ama

up

ama adv.? element not glossed, evidently meaning "up" like the prefix am-, or an alternative form of amba (UNU)

amal

mother

amal noun "mother"; also emel (VT48:22, 49:22); the form amil (emil) seems more usual.

amaurëa

dawn, early day

†amaurëa noun "dawn, early day" (Markirya)

amba

up, upwards

amba 1) adv. "up, upwards" (AM2, PE17:157). Apparently also ama (UNU).

amba

more

amba 2) adj. and noun "more", "used of any kind of measurement spatial, temporal, or quantitative" (PE:17:91). Cf. adverb ambë.

amba

adverb. up

Quenya [PE 22:21] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

ambapenda

uphill

ambapenda adj. "uphill". Also ampenda. (AM2)

ambar

breast

ambar (3) noun ""breast" (chest), with stem in -s- or -r- (QL:30). The form ambar, translated "in bosom", occurs in MC:213 (this is "Qenya"). Note: if this word were to be adapted to LotR-style Quenya, we should probably have to read *ambas with stem ambar-; compare olos, olor- "dream" from a late source. However, the form ambos (q.v.) is less ambiguous and may be preferred.

ambarónë

noun. dawn, dawn; [ᴹQ.] uprising, sunrise, Orient

Quenya [PE17/082; RC/385] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ambos

breast

ambos (ambost-) noun "breast" (chest). PE16:82

ambë

more

ambë adv. "more", "used of any kind of measurement spatial, temporal, or quantitative" (PE17:91). As noun or adjective, amba.

amil

mother

amil noun "mother" (AM1), also emil (q.v.) Longer variant amillë (VT44:18-19), compounded Eruamillë "Mother of God" in Tolkien's translation of the Hail Mary (VT43:32). If amil is a shortened form of amillë, it should probably have the stem-form amill-. Also compare amilyë, amya, emya. Compounded amil- in amilessë noun "mothername" (cf. essë "name"), name given to a child by its mother, sometimes with prophetic implications (amilessi tercenyë "mother-names of insight"). (MR:217).

ammë

mother

ammë noun "mother" (AM1)

amna

adverb. nearer to

ampenda

uphill

ampenda adj. "uphill". Also ambapenda. (AM2)

amu

up, upwards

amu adv. "up, upwards" (LT2:335; in Tolkien's later Quenya amba)

an-

prefix. intensive prefix

Quenya [Let/279; PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/090; PE17/091; PE17/092; PE17/146; PE19/078; PE21/79] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ango

snake

ango noun "snake"; stem angu- as in angulócë (q.v.); pl. angwi (ANGWA/ANGU)

car(am)aite

adjective. able to make,handy,craftsmanlike,skilled

Quenya [PE 22:111] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

emel

mother

emel noun "mother"; also amal (VT48:22, 49:22); the form amil (emil) seems more usual.

emil

mother

emil noun "mother", emilinya "my mother" (also reduced to emya) the terms a child would use in addressing his or her mother (VT47:26). Emil would seem to be a variant of amil. Also compare emel.

emil

noun. mother

et eärello endorenna utúlien

Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come

First phrase @@@

Quenya [LotR/0967; PE17/103; VT44/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hlócë

snake, serpent

hlócë ("k")noun "snake, serpent", later lócë ("k")(SA:lok-)

lertan quetë

I can speak, I am free to speak

Quenya [PE17/160; VT41/06] Group: Eldamo. Published by

leuca

snake

leuca (1) noun "snake" (Appendix E)

leuca

noun. snake

The best known Quenya word for “snake”, appearing in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1115). In 1964 notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD), Tolkien said it was derived from the root √LEWEK “worm” (PE17/160).

Quenya [LotR/1115; PE17/121; PE17/160] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lil

more

lil adverbial particle "more" (PE14:80)

lir-

verb. to sing, to sing, [ᴹQ.] chant

mamil

mother, mummy

mamil noun *"mother, mummy" (UT:191)

mamil

noun. *mummy

An affectionate address from 4-year old Ancalimë to her mother Erendis (UT/191). It appears nowhere else, and I recommend using Q. amya instead for as an affectionate word for “mother”.

nányë

i am

nányë vb. "I am"; see ná #1

ontari

mother

ontari noun "mother" or etymologically "begetter, parent" (fem.); clashing with the plural ontari "parents", this was apparently an emphemeral form (see ontarë, ontaril, ontarië for other feminine forms of "begetter, parent") (VT44:7)

ontaril

mother

ontaril noun "mother", female *"begetter" (cf. onta-). Variant of ontarë. (VT43:32)

paranye parmanen

I am learning by means of a book

polin quetë

I can speak, I am able to speak

Quenya [PE17/181; VT41/06] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pícë

upon

pícë ("k") prep.? "upon" (???) (MC:214; this is "Qenya")

ric-

verb. to try, put forth effort, strive, endeavour

A verb for “to try” based on the root √RIK “put forth effort, strive, endeavour” in notes from around 1967 where Tolkien explored the Quenya equivalent of “try harder” = á rike amríkie (PE17/93-94). In those notes he said:

> ... this apparently simple phrase is in fact very idiomatic, and requires a context. Try retains many divergent meanings owing to its derivation from a word originally meaning “sift” > examine, judge, test, whence later in one branch > make tentative motions, trial efforts > attempt > endeavour, make efforts to a given end. Here the last: “put forth effort”, is usually the meaning (PE17/93).

The verb form rike appeared in what seems to be in a draft to these 1967 notes along with a variant rihta, both derivatives of √RIK “strive” (PE17/167).

Neo-Quenya: Based on the above, I would use ric- “try” mainly in the sense “strive, put for effort”. For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use nev- for the sense “try” = “✱seek opportunity, experiment”, a verb that appeared in the draft notes mentioned above (PE17/167); see that entry for discussion. More precisely, I would use ric- “try” when uncertain of whether I was capable of performing the action and it needed concerted effort, where I would use nev- “try” when I believed I was capable, but was uncertain what the result of the action will be.

This verb also conflicts with ric- “to twist”, but I believe the two can coexist since ric- “try” would usually be followed by a verb (rincen mate “I tried to eat”) as opposed to ric- “twist” either used intransitively or followed by a noun (rincen i sicil “I twisted the dagger”).

Quenya [PE17/093; PE17/094; PE17/167] Group: Eldamo. Published by

uan caruva

I am not going to make

uan cára

I am not making

umbarto

masculine name. Fated

A name given by Nerdanel to one of her youngest children when Fëanor insisted she given them distinct names, though she did not say to which it applied (PM/353). It is a masculinized form of umbar “fate, doom”. Fëanor altered it to the less ominous sounding Ambarto.

Quenya [PM/353; PM/355; PMI/Amrod; VT41/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

vá ménanyë

I am not coming (I say)

á lirë amlírië

sing harder / better / with more vigour or with more vocalic art

ára

dawn

ára noun "dawn" (AR1). According to VT45:6, ára is also the name of the long vowel carrier of the Tengwar system; it would be the first letter of the word ára if spelt in Tengwar.

á ricë amrícië

try harder

Quenya [PE17/093; PE17/094] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sitta-

verb. I am used to, I do habitually

Noldorin 

am-

prefix. snake

A prefix for “snake” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√ANGWA of the same meaning, most notably an element in N. amlug “dragon” (Ety/ANGWA).

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

a-

prefix. intensive prefix

am

preposition. up, upwards, upon

Noldorin [Ety/348] Group: SINDICT. Published by

am

up

Noldorin [Ety/AM²; PE22/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by

naneth

noun. mother

A noun for “mother” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the (Noldorin-only?) root ᴹ√NAN (Ety/NAN). It apparently replaced archaic/poetic N. †emil (Ety/AM¹; EtyAC/AM¹).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon had a similar set of words for “mother”: G. maba, mabir, baba, and mavwin from the early root ᴱ√maƀ “something nice” (GL/57). The last of these appeared as G. mavwen “ancestress” in the Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying that document, with an archaic meaning of “mother” and variant forms mafwyn and mavuin (PE13/115). In these slips, it seems the normal “mother” word was G. nân (originally glossed “father”) with variant nanwin (PE13/115). This last word is likely the direct precursor of N. naneth.

Neo-Sindarin: I would use S. emel from the late 1960s as the normal word for “mother” in Neo-Sindarin, but would retain N. naneth as a dialectical or more formal variant.

Noldorin [Ety/AM¹; Ety/NAN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amben

adjective. uphill, uphill; [ᴱN.] arduous, difficult, tiresome

An adjective (and adverb?) for “uphill” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, a combination of am “up” and N. penn “declivity, ✱slope” (Ety/PEN). It was contrasted with N. dadben “downhill, inclined, prone” (Ety/AM², PEN).

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies it first appeared as N. amdenn, a derivative of ᴹ√DEN “hillside, slope”, but the meaning of this root was change to ᴹ√DEN “hole; gap, passage” (Ety/DEN), after which the form amben < ᴹ√PEN(ED) was introduced (see above). The earliest appearance of this word was in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s where it was ᴱN. amvenn “uphill; arduous, difficult, tiresome”, marked as both an adjective and adverb, along with a noun variant ᴱN. amvinn “slope, incline, hillside” (PE13/139, 159-160). This early Noldorin form was a combination of ᴱN. am “up” and ᴱN. benn “sloping”.

The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had adverb G. amon “uphill, against stream” based on G. am “up, upwards, towards head of” and possibly generalized from the noun G. amon “hill” (GL/19).

Neo-Sindarin: Given its Early Noldorin use for “arduous, difficult, tiresome”, amben might be used colloquially in Neo-Sindarin with a similar sense for a thing that is difficult, analogous to English usages like an “uphill battle”: dagor amben.

Noldorin [Ety/AM²; Ety/DEN; Ety/PEN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amrûn

noun. uprising, sunrise, Orient, east

Noldorin [Ety/AM²; Ety/NDŪ; Ety/RŌ; EtyAC/AM²; PE22/035; PE22/041] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amarthan

adjective. fated

Noldorin [VT/41:10] Group: SINDICT. Published by

amben

adverb. uphill, sloping upwards

Noldorin [Ety/348, Ety/380, X/ND3, X/ND4] am+pend. Group: SINDICT. Published by

ambend

adverb. uphill, sloping upwards

Noldorin [Ety/348, Ety/380, X/ND3, X/ND4] am+pend. Group: SINDICT. Published by

ambend Archaic

adverb. uphill

ambenn

adverb. uphill, sloping upwards

Noldorin [Ety/348, Ety/380, X/ND3, X/ND4] am+pend. Group: SINDICT. Published by

ambenn

adverb. uphill

barth

noun. fate

emil

noun. mother

Noldorin [VT/45:5] Group: SINDICT. Published by

emil Archaic

noun. mother

Noldorin [EtyAC/AM¹] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lhûg

noun. snake, serpent

Noldorin [Ety/370, S/434] Group: SINDICT. Published by

nana

noun. mother, mummy

Noldorin [Ety/348, Ety/374] Group: SINDICT. Published by

naneth

noun. mother

Noldorin [Ety/348, Ety/374] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Primitive elvish

am-

prefix. intensive prefix

Primitive elvish [PE17/090; PE17/092] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am

root. go up, go up, [ᴹ√] up

For all of Tolkien’s life, the Primitive Elvish root for “up” was √AM. Its best known derivatives are probably Q. ambo, S. amon “hill”. Tolkien introduced this root all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where Tolkien gave it as ᴱ√AM(U) “up(ward)” (QL/30). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹ√AM “up” (Ety/AM²), and in 1967 notes Tolkien gave it as “AM, go up, especially of climbing” (PE17/157). In a separate set of notes on comparison from early 1967, Tolkien said:

> But there existed a “base” that was intrinsically “comparative”, √AMA. This signified addition, increase, plus (PE17/91).

Tolkien did not explicitly connect this to √AM “up”, but it seems likely the two were related. See the discussion of √AMA for further details.

Primitive elvish [PE17/146; PE17/157] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am

root. mother

For most of Tolkien’s life, the Primitive Elvish root for “mother” was √AM. This began with the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where Tolkien gave the root as ᴱ√AMA (QL/30). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹ√AM with derivatives ᴹQ. amil and (archaic) N. emil “mother” (Ety/AM¹). In Quenya prayers of the 1950s, the word for mother was Q. Amille. In the last few years of his life, however, Tolkien toyed with the notion of changing this root to √EM. In notes associated with Eldarinwe Leperi are Notessi written in the late 1960s, Tolkien first gave the root as am, but then wrote em next to it with a question mark, along with several new em-derivatives (VT48/19 note #16). The Q. affectionate word emme for “mommy” appeared in the main article, indicating Tolkien did, in fact, adopt this new root, at least for some period of time.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Quenya writing, I personally prefer to ignore this late change to the root for “mother” and stick with the √AM-forms Tolkien used for most of his life. However, the √AM-forms were less stable in the Sindarin branch of the languages, so I’d use √EM-forms like S. emel and emig, and would assume √AM and √EM were variants of the root, as they were on VT48/19 (see above).

Primitive elvish [VT48/17; VT48/19] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amtā-

verb. to enlarge, increase

Primitive elvish [PE17/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am(a)

adverb/conjunction. moreover, furthermore, to proceed

Primitive elvish [PE17/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-ō

suffix. genitive

Primitive elvish [PE17/097; WJ/370; WJ/407] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amal

noun. mother

Primitive elvish [PE21/83; VT48/17; VT48/19] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amas

noun. mother

amba

?. more

Primitive elvish [PE17/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amma

noun. mother

amme

noun. mother

amtā

noun. amtā

Primitive elvish [PE18/085; PE18/087] Group: Eldamo. Published by

em

root. mother

emel

noun. mother

emer

noun. mother

kwayam

cardinal. 10

Primitive elvish [VT42/24] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lā̆-ni

I (am/do) not, not me

Primitive elvish [PE23/114] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tur

root. dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power, dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power; [ᴹ√] victory; [ᴱ√] am strong

This root was connected to strength, victory and power for most of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√TURU “am strong” the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. túre “might, strength, power”, ᴱQ. túrin “kingdom”, and ᴱQ. turu- “can, to be able” (QL/95). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. tûr “king” and G. turm “authority, rule; strength” (GL/72).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it appeared as ᴹ√TUR “power, control, mastery, victory” with derivatives like ᴹQ. taura/N. taur “mighty”, ᴹQ. tur-/N. tortha- “wield, control”, and ᴹQ. túre/N. tûr “mastery, victory” (Ety/TUR). The root √TUR was mentioned regularly in Tolkien’s later writings with glosses like “dominate, master, conquer” (PE17/104), “power” (PE17/113), “strong, mighty (in power)” (PE17/115), and “power of domination or dominion, control of other wills, legitimate or illegitimate mastery” (PE22/151).

Primitive elvish [PE17/104; PE17/113; PE17/115; PE17/188; PE22/151; PE22/159; SA/tur; VT39/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Sindarin 

am

up, up, [G.] upwards, towards head of, above

The basic Sindarin adverb and prefix for “up”, very well attested and derived from the root √AM of the same meaning. Since the m survives in this adverb, it must have been derived from amb- (PE22/35); compare its Quenya equivalent Q. amba.

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where G. am appeared as an adverb with the glosses “up, upwards, towards head of” (GL/19). In Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying that document, G. am was first glossed “above”, but was quickly revised to “above, up” (PE13/109). Starting with Early Noldorin word-lists of the 1920s and into The Etymologies of the 1930s, the gloss was only “up” (PE13/137, 159; Ety/AM²).

am

going up

(adjectival prefix) am-

am

up, upward

(adv.) am (also used as prep. "upon"). GOING UP (or uprising) am- (adjectival prefix), as in:

am

upon

(prep.) am (probably followed by soft mutation)

am

adverb/adjective. more

A neologism coined by Fayanzār posted on 2018-01-06 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), inspired by ambë “more”. The word am is more frequently used for “up” in Sindarin, but the two senses are close enough that the can coexist, distinguished by context: anno am annin “give up [= more] to me” vs. pado am i bend “walk up the slope”.

Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

am

going up

am

up, upward

(also used as prep. "upon").

am

upon

(probably followed by soft mutation)

emel

noun. mother

A word for “mother” in notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, along with a diminutive form emelig (VT48/17 note #13). These forms were struck through and replaced by emig as the proper diminutive form from the root √EM (VT48/6), but that doesn’t necessarily invalidate emel = “mother”, which appeared elsewhere as (probably primitive) emel, emer in rough versions of these notes (VT48/19 note #16). These Sindarin forms are unusual in that the medial *m* did not become *v*, which means the primitive form was likely based on ✱emm- as suggested by Patrick Wynne (VT48/17 note #14).

Conceptual Development: G. amil “mother” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s along with rejected forms {anwin, amril} and an archaic variant †amaith (GL/19). The forms {emaith >>} amaith appeared unglossed in Gnomish Lexicon Slips revising that document (PE13/109). In The Etymologies of the 1930s there was a form N. †emil for “mother” under the root ᴹ√AM of the same meaning, but Tolkien said this word was archaic, apparently replaced by N. naneth (Ety/AM¹; EtyAC/AM¹). With N. emil, the *a* became *e* via *i*-affection, but the medial m failing to become v requires an explanation similar to that of 1960s S. emel.

Neo-Sindarin: I generally prefer derivatives of the earlier root √AM for “mother” words in Quenya, but in the case of Sindarin, I find emel and emig from √EM to be better and more widely accepted.

an

preposition. to, for, to, for; [N. and G.] of

Sindarin [LB/354; Let/448; LotR/0290; LotR/0299; LotR/0307; LotR/0953; LotR/1061; PE17/038; PE17/045; PE17/117; PE17/147; SD/129; UT/039; VT41/11; VT41/16; VT44/22; VT44/27; VT47/37; VT50/23] Group: Eldamo. Published by

an-

prefix. intensive prefix

a pherhael ar am meril suilad uin aran o minas tirith nelchaenen ned echuir

to Samwise and Rose the King’s greeting from Minas Tirith, the thirty-first day of Stirring

emel

noun. mother

Sindarin [Emeldir S/155, VT/48:17] Group: SINDICT. Published by

emig

noun. "litte mother"

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

emig

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

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

emmel

noun. mother

Sindarin [Emeldir S/155, VT/48:17] Group: SINDICT. Published by

leweg

noun. snake

_ n. _snake.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:160] < LEWEK worm. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

lhûg

noun. snake, serpent

Sindarin [Ety/370, S/434] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lýg

noun. snake

_ n. Zoo. _snake. Q. leuka.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:121:160] < LEWEK worm. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

lŷg

noun. snake

Sindarin [LotR/E] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lŷg

noun. snake

The best known Sindarin word for “snake”, appearing in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1115). In 1964 notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD), Tolkien said it was derived from the root √LEWEK “worm” (PE17/160), likely from ✱leukā where the ancient *eu* became *ȳ* as was usual in Sindarin (LotR/1115).

Sindarin [LotR/1115; PE17/121; PE17/160] Group: Eldamo. Published by

minuial

noun. "morrowdim", the time near dawn, when the star fade

Sindarin [LotR/D] min+uial "first twilight". Group: SINDICT. Published by

tolen

I am coming, drawing near to

Sindarin [PE 22:168] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

tolen cared

I am coming, drawing near to eating [doing], I am going to eat/shall eat [do]

Sindarin [PE22/168] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amarth

fate

(doom), pl. emerth; also manadh (i vanadh) (doom, final end, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh);

amarthan

fated

amarthan (pl. emerthain)

amarthan

fated

(pl. emerthain)

ambenn

uphill

(adj.) ambenn (sloping upward), pl. embinn,

ambenn

uphill

(sloping upward), pl. embinn, 

amdir

up-looking

emig

little mother

(no distinct pl. form except with article: in emig). Also used (in children’s play) as a name for the index finger (VT48:6, 17)

lŷg

snake

  1. lŷg (constuct lyg), no distinct pl. form. 2) lhûg (construct lhug, with article ?i thlûg or ?i lûg the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (dragon, serpent), pl. lhuig (?i luig). See SERPENT.

minuial

dawn

minuial (i vinuial) (morrowdim, twilight), pl. minuiail (i minuiail)

minuial

dawn

(i vinuial) (morrowdim, twilight), pl. minuiail (i minuiail)

naneth

mother

naneth (pl. nenith). Hypocoristic form (”mom”) nana, pl. nenai (but this word is probably rarely pluralized). In a higher style also †emil. No distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emillath. Variant form emel (pl. emil), also spelt emmel (pl. emmil). (VT48:17)

naneth

mother

(pl. nenith). Hypocoristic form (”mom”) nana, pl. nenai (but this word is probably rarely pluralized). In a higher style also †emil. No distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emillath. Variant form emel (pl. emil), also spelt emmel (pl. emmil). (VT48:17)

úmarth

evil fate

(pl. úmerth)

Adûnaic

ammê

noun. mother

A noun for “mother” (SD/434). Tolkien gave two forms of this word, ammî and ammê, with no indication as to which would be preferred. However, ammî resembles a plural word, and Tolkien elsewhere stated that such forms tended to change their final vowel to -ê (SD/438), so my guess is that ammî is an archaic form. This word is probably related to the Elvish root √AM “mother”. Some authors have suggested it is directly related to ᴹQ. amme (AAD/10, AL/Adûnaic), but as Andreas Moehn points out (EotAL/MAM) such basic words are rarely borrowed from other languages, so the relationship is more likely from the Primitive Elvish root.

Khuzdûl

aya

preposition. upon

Khuzdûl [LotR/0534; LotR/1132; PE17/085; WR/020] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old sindarin

mat-

verb. I am going to eat, I shall eat

Old sindarin [PE22/131] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Telerin 

emmë

noun. mother


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

Qenya 

am-

prefix. up

am(ba)penda

adjective. uphill, uphill, *sloping up; [ᴱQ.] arduous, difficult, tiresome

An adjective meaning “uphill” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with variants ambapenda and shorter ampenda, a combination of amba “up(wards)” and penda “sloping” (Ety/AM²). More literally it means “✱sloping up”, versus plain penda which has an implication of “sloping down”. It also appeared in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s as ᴱQ. ambapenda, where its cognate ᴱN. amvenn had the glosses “uphill; arduous, difficult, tiresome” (PE13/159). Perhaps ᴹQ. am(ba)penda could colloquially have these meanings as well.

amba

adverb. up(wards)

Qenya [Ety/AM²; Ety/UNU; PE22/021] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amil

noun. mother

aiqe ni káraza (nila) san ette kára(za) yú

if I were doing this now (I am not), he would be doing it too

ama

adverb. up

aman

noun. bond

A noun glossed “bond” in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, of unclear origin (PE21/33-34).

Qenya [PE21/33; PE21/34] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ambar

noun. fate

ambor

noun. breast, breast, *chest

The word ᴹQ. ambor “breast” appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, derived from ᴹ✶amƀus (PE21/33). This word shows the Early Qenya sound change whereby [[eq|final [s] became [r]]]; in Tolkien’s later writings this change applied mainly to intervocalic [s]. This word also had the unusual development of u to o in final syllables, a sound change Tolkien used for Quenya in the Declension of Nouns but nowhere else.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien gave ᴱQ. ambar “breast” with stems ambar- or ambas- (QL/30); the word also appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa, but only with the stem ambas- (PME/30). ᴱQ. ambos was glossed “breast” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/136), and in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, ᴱQ. ambos (ambost-) appeared as a word related to both ᴱN. bost “back, from shoulder to shoulder” and ᴱN. amoth “shoulder” (PE13/137, 139, 159), the latter with primitive forms ᴱ✶a-mbod-t’ (PE13/137) or ᴱ✶a-mbos-t (PE13/159).

ᴱQ. ambar reappeared in the phrase ᴱQ. níve qímari ringa ambar “the pale phantoms in her cold bosom” from the Oilima Markirya poem written around 1930. Early 1930s ᴹQ. ambor seems to be the last published iteration of this word, as discussed above.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would adapt this word as ᴺQ. ambos (ambor-) “breast, chest” to fit better with later Quenya phonology. It might be an ancient combination of √AM “up” and ᴹ√OS “around”, perhaps with the original sense “upper enclosure (of the body)”.

amme

noun. mother

Qenya [Ety/AM¹; PE22/023] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ampenda

adjective. uphill

an-

prefix. intensive prefix

Qenya [EtyAC/A; EtyAC/N; PE18/042; PE19/055] Group: Eldamo. Published by

aquetin

one says to me, tells me, I am informed

ha inya karite

I am to (have to) make it

inya karie·te

I am to (have to) make it

inárea ní

as old as I am

nie karienna

I am to make; I am for/towards making it

ni nahtanelya

I (am) having slain, I have slain

ni taltalya

I am slipping down

ni·akárate tyé

I am making it for you

ni·la nyára pa matie

I am not talking about eating

ni·tyen akára té

I am making thát for you

ni·tyen·akárat

I am máking it for you

ni·tyen·akárate

I am making it for you

nyáre

noun. tale, saga, history

Qenya [Ety/NAR²; PE21/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nístaza

I know it, I am aware of it, quite so

parka ëan Archaic

I am thirsty

parka ëa nyé

I am thirsty

tyén ni·akára i kiryā

I am making the ship for yóu

tyén ni·akárate

I am making it for you

Early Quenya

am-

prefix. up(wards)

ambarta

adjective. fated

Early Quenya [PE13/137; PE13/159] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am(u)-

prefix. up(wards)

Early Quenya [LT2A/Amon Gwareth; PE16/075; QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

(m)ambe

noun. mother

Early Quenya [PE16/135] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ama

noun. mother

Early Quenya [PME/030; QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amaimi

noun. mother

amarto

noun. fate

amba

adverb. up

Early Quenya [PE13/137; PE13/159; PE16/062] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ambe

noun. mother

ambi

noun. mother

Early Quenya [PME/030; QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ambos

noun. breast

Early Quenya [PE13/137; PE13/139; PE13/159; PE16/136; PE16/146] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amis

noun. mother

Early Quenya [PME/030; QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ammi

noun. mother

amu

adverb. up(wards)

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

lin

noun. snake

A word for “snake” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, with a stem form of {linge- &gt;&gt;} ling- (QL/54).

Early Quenya [QL/043; QL/054] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lingo

noun. snake

olda

adjective. more

An adjective for “more” in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, with a variant form ᴱQ. lilda (PE14/48, 80). It had adverbial forms ᴱQ. oldo(s) or lildo(s) with short forms ol or lil. All these forms appeared in contemporaneous English-Qenya Dictionary with the translation “more” (PE15/75).

Early Quenya [PE14/048; PE14/080; PE15/75] Group: Eldamo. Published by

oldo(s)

adverb. more

Early Quenya [PE14/048; PE14/080; PE15/75] Group: Eldamo. Published by

oqi

noun. snake

Early Quenya [PME/070; QL/070] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sitta-

verb. I am used to, I do habitually

Early Quenya [QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

âmi

noun. mother

Gnomish

am

adverb. up, upwards, towards head of, above

Gnomish [GL/19; LT2A/Amon Gwareth; PE13/109] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am

noun. breast, front (chest)

Gnomish [GL/19; PE13/109] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am(b)ros(t)

noun. dawn

Gnomish [GL/19; PE13/110; PE13/114] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amaith

noun. mother

amil

noun. mother

Gnomish [GL/19; PE13/109] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amoth

noun. breast

amrost

noun. dawn

aurost

noun. dawn

en nin·ista mai

I am well aware of that

fenlug

noun. snake

fent

noun. snake

A word for “snake” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, along with a deleted variant fenlug (fenlog-) (GL/34), the latter probably a combination with G. lûg “snake”. It was clearly a cognate of ᴱQ. fent “serpent” from the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/38).

gaid

adverb. more

A word for “more” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s related to the prefix G. ga- “very, more” (GL/36).

gantha

adverb. more

haurost

noun. dawn

Gnomish [GL/20; LT1A/Ûr; PE13/114] Group: Eldamo. Published by

im len

I have come or am come

lingos

noun. snake

luista nin

I am thirsty

lûg

noun. snake

Gnomish [GL/34; LT2A/Foalókë; PE13/105; PE15/28] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mab(a)

noun. mother

Gnomish [GL/29; GL/57] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mabir

noun. mother

mu

preposition. will, am going to, am about to

mutha

preposition. will, am going to, am about to

nanwin

noun. mother

nân

noun. mother

odra-

verb. am able, can

orthi

adverb. up

umbart

noun. fate

Gnomish [GL/56; GL/75; LT2A/Turambar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

umrod

noun. fate

Middle Primitive Elvish

am

root. mother

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/AM¹] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am

root. up

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/AM²; Ety/NDŪ; Ety/PEN; Ety/UNU] Group: Eldamo. Published by

a

root. intensive prefix

An “intensive” root addition described by Tolkien in The Etymologies from the 1930s (EtyAC/A). It was one of two basic intensive mechanisms, along with the (syllabic) prefixed N- (EtyAC/N). The prefixed vowel a- seems to have been used originally in Primitive Elvish when the base vowel was a, and similarly with E and I (EtyAC/E; Ety/I²); whether this was also true of the vowels o, u is unclear, as Tolkien didn’t mention them. These various vocalic intensifications were frequently accompanied by dynamic lengthening (doubling), with the example given by Tolkien being: ᴹ✶parkā “dry” → ᴹ✶apparkā “very dry, arid” (&gt; N. afarch).

In the case of e- and i-, the examples were dero, dise → ᴹ✶Endero, ᴹ✶Indise “groom, bride”; these examples indicate that other kinds of consonant fortifications were possible, in this case nasalization of stops, which often replaced consonant-doubling for voiced stops in Primitive Elvish.

Specifically in the case of a-, however, it seems it could be used as a general intensive that “was distinct in origin, though similar in function, to the prefixed basic vowel”. Why this was true of a- alone is not clear, but there seems to have been some complex interplay between the vocalic intensives and the intensives derived from syllabic initial ṇ-, with the net result that the intensive prefix in Q. became an-, am-, añ-, depending on the initial consonant.

See the entry on the Quenya comparative for a more detailed discussion of the conceptual development of intensives in Eldarin.

Middle Primitive Elvish [EtyAC/A; EtyAC/GOS; EtyAC/N; EtyAC/TALÁT] Group: Eldamo. Published by

angwa

root. snake

The root √ANGWA “snake” with variant √ANGU appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as the basis for the words ᴹQ. ango “snake” (Ety/ANGWA) and angulóke “dragon” (Ety/LOK). The Noldorin equivalent am- seems to have survived only as a prefix (Ety/ANGWA), and is a good example of how [[on|[ŋgw] &gt; [mb]]] in that language. There are a variety of other words for “snake” in Tolkien’s later writings, so whether this root remained valid is unclear.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ANGWA; Ety/LOK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ñgyal(am)

root. talk loud or incoherently

A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “talk loud or incoherently”, with derivatives like ᴹQ. indyalme “clamour” and N. glamm “barbarous; shouting, confused noise”, the latter serving as the basis for the collective name for Orcs: N. Glamhoth “Barbaric Host” (Ety/GLAM, ÑGAL); this root replace ᴹ√ÑGAL(AM) or ᴹ√ÑYAL(AM) of similar meaning (Ety/ÑGAL; EtyAC/GLAM). In earlier writings, G. Glamhoth was based on glâm “hatred” (GL/39), but in later writings it continued to be translated as “din-horde” or “host of tumult” (UT/39; MR/109; PE17/39), though in the Quendi and Eldar essay S. glam “din, uproar” was derived directly from √(G)LAM “(vocal) sounds that were confused or inarticulate” (WJ/416).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is worth retaining this root as a (Quenya only?) elaboration of √(G)LAM to salvage ᴹQ. indyalme “clamour”.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/GLAM; Ety/ÑGAL; EtyAC/GLAM; EtyAC/ÑGAL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amī̆l

noun. mother

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

amƀus

noun. breast

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE21/33] Group: Eldamo. Published by

e

root. intensive prefix

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

i

root. intensive prefix

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/I²; EtyAC/I²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mbarat

root. fate

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/MBARAT; EtyAC/MBARAT; EtyAC/SIL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tul-

verb. come, am coming, have come, am arrived, am here, are approaching

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE22/095; PE22/096; PE23/076] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

am

adverb. up

Early Noldorin [PE13/137; PE13/159] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am(b)

noun. breast

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

am(m)arth

noun. fate

Early Noldorin [PE13/137; PE13/159; PE15/61] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am(b)os

noun. breastplate

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

am(b)red

adjective. fated

Early Noldorin [PE13/137; PE13/159] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amvenn

adverb/adjective. uphill; arduous, difficult, tiresome

Early Noldorin [PE13/139; PE13/159; PE13/160] Group: Eldamo. Published by

galad

noun. dawn

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

Early Primitive Elvish

am(u)

root. up(wards)

Early Primitive Elvish [LT2A/Amon Gwareth; PE13/109; QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

turu

root. am strong

Early Primitive Elvish [GL/71; LT1A/Meril-i-Turinqi; LT1A/Tuor; LT1A/Turuhalmë; QL/095] Group: Eldamo. Published by

liŋi Reconstructed

root. snake

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

aman

noun. mother

Ilkorin for “mother” (Ety/AM¹), also appearing in its plural form emnin (EtyAC/AM¹).

Doriathrin [Ety/AM¹; EtyAC/AM¹] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Solosimpi

morta

noun. fate

Solosimpi [PE13/137; PE13/159] Group: Eldamo. Published by