A root Tolkien introduced in the late 1960s as the basis for his latest Elvish word for “ten”: Q. quëan/quain, S. pae, T. pai(n) (VT42/24; VT48/6). It was an extension of √KWA “complete” as in “a complete set of (10) fingers”. Prior this late change, the usual word for “ten” was ᴹQ. kainen (along with other variants beginning with kai- or kea-) from the root ᴹ√KAYAN or ᴹ√KAYAR as it appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KAYAN). This basis for “ten” dates back to the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/49, PE14/82). Tolkien was still considering √KAYAN for “10” in the late 1960s before replacing it with √KWAY(AM) (VT48/12).
Primitive elvish
an
preposition. to
annā
noun. gift
phar(an)
root. *rowan
kayan
root. ten
ʒandā
adjective. long
-dā
suffix. product of an action
-ro
suffix. an old agental formation
kyel
root. (come to an) end, cease, run out
okma
noun. an evil deed
sam-wē
noun. an act of thinking, a thought
lamā̆n(a)
noun. animal
tollă
noun. island
kway
root. ten
at(ar)
root. father
As the basis for “father” words, √AT and its extended form √ATAR date all the way back to Tolkien’s earliest ideas. The root itself did not explicitly appear in the Qenya or Gnomish Lexicons of the 1910s, but forms like ᴱQ. atar, G. †ador “father” indicate its presence (QL/33; GL/17). The root ᴹ√ATA “father” did appear in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. atar, N. adar (Ety/ATA) and the base √AT(AR) “father” was mentioned again in late 1960s notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals (VT48/19). In this late period, the Elvish words for “father” remained Q. atar and S. adar (PM/324).
-ni
suffix. adjectival suffix
Seen in lugni < LUG, luini < LUY and ninkwi < NIKW (with subsequent metathesis). Possibly a (rare) variant of -nā and/or -i.
alab
root. elm
A root for “elm” in etymological notes probably written around 1959-1960 (PE17/146, 153). It seems to be a replacement for the root ᴹ√(L)ALAM from The Etymologies of the 1930s. This earlier root was connected to √AL(A) “blessed”, and the later variant may have had the same relationship. Tolkien made a point that the later version of this root was not related to √GAL “grow” or the words for “tree” after rejecting alternate roots √GALAB (?“flower”) and √GALAM for “elm” (PE17/146). The derivation ✶galmā > Q. alma “flower” was allowed to stand, so perhaps √GALAM remained valid with the alternate sense “flower”.
am-
prefix. intensive prefix
-ya
suffix. adjectival suffix
atar
noun. father
elen
noun. star
galam
root. elm
mō
noun. person
srawā
noun. body
ēl
noun. star
dē
preposition. with
kalat
noun. light
kwayam
cardinal. 10
oio
adverb. ever
slas
root. ear
slas
noun. ear
wath
noun. shadow
ān(a)
affix. subjective genitive
A root appearing in connection to notes on the name Q. Orofarnë “Mountain Ash” in both short form √PHAR and extended form √PHARAN, serving as the basis for Q. farnë/S. faran “rowan” or “ash” (PE17/83). It is most likely a later iteration of the root ᴹ√PHER or ᴹ√PHÉREN “beech” from The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. feren/N. †fêr “beech” (Ety/PHER). As for ᴹ√PHARAN, that root also appeared in The Etymologies, but was replaced by ᴹ√PHAS.
Neo-Eldarin: 1950s √PHAR(AN) and 1930s ᴹ√PHER(EN) probably did not coexist in Tolkien’s conception of Elvish, but for purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it better to treat them as etymological variants, to retain both Q. farnë/S. faran “rowan, ash” and ᴹQ. feren “beech”, with archaic N. †fêr being replaced in modern Sindarin by S. neldor “beech” and S. brethil/S. whinn “birch”.