band

noun. duress, prison, custody, safe-keeping

badh-

verb. to judge

baudh

noun. judgement

baudh

noun. judgement

tharbad

place name. (?Crossway)

bad- Reconstructed

verb. *to tread, travel, *to tread, [G.] travel

The earliest appearance of this verb was G. bad- “travel” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/21), probably based on the early root ᴱ√VAHA (QL/99). N. bad- appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as an element in the verb N. trevad- “traverse” under the root ᴹ√BAT “tread” (Ety/BAT), so probably of similar meaning.

The verb bad- was probably the original basis for the passive participle N. govannen “met” in the phrase mai govannen “well met” in Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s (RS/194). In Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s, Tolkien gave the primitive form of this passive participle as ✶gwā-ƀandina (PE17/17). In this same set of notes he considered basing govannen on a Sindarin verb form ba(n)- “go” (PE17/16). By 1959 Tolkien had abandoned √BA(N) “go” and replaced it with √MEN (PE17/143); see those entries for discussion.

Neo-Sindarin: I don’t think the verb S. ba(n)- “go” can be used, but I think N. bad- can be salvaged with the sense “to tread”. For “travel” I prefer glenna-.

foeg

adjective. mean, poor, bad

foeg

adjective. mean, poor, bad

hoth

noun. host, crowd, horde (nearly always in a bad sense)

um

adjective. bad, evil

ú-

prefix. un, bad-

ûl

noun. odour, odour, *smell, scent

pâd

noun. ?way

adab

noun. building, house

aglareb

adjective. glorious

aglareb

adjective. glorious

al-

prefix. no, not

ammarth

noun. doom

doom

balch

adjective. cruel

balch

adjective. cruel

bann

noun. duress, prison, custody, safe-keeping

bartha-

verb. to doom

blab-

verb. to beat, batter, flap (wings, etc.)

dringa-

verb. to beat (with a hammer, etc.)

lhonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lhonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lond

noun. narrow path or strait

lond

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. path

manadh

noun. doom, final end, fate, fortune

manadh

noun. final bliss

mû

interjection. no

othlon

noun. paved way

othlond

noun. paved way

rada-

verb. to make a way, find a way

râd

noun. path, track

taur

adjective. mighty, vast, overwhelming, huge, awful, high, sublime

ûl

noun. odour

band

noun. duress, prison, custody, safe-keeping

tharbad

noun. cross-way

bad

go

#bad- (i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.

bad

go

(i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.

ogol

bad

_ adj. _bad, evil, wrong. Q. olca bad, wicked. oklā << ōklā. >> oew, ogron

thu

bad

_adj. _bad. >> thugar. This gloss was rejected.

band

doom

(i mand, o mband; construct ban) (custody, prison, safekeeping, duress, hell), pl. baind (i mbaind), coll. pl. bannath.

band

duress

band (i mand, o mband; construct ban) (custody, prison, safekeeping, doom, hell), pl. baind (i mbaind), coll. pl. bannath.

band

duress

(i mand, o mband; construct ban) (custody, prison, safekeeping, doom, hell), pl. baind (i mbaind), coll. pl. bannath.

saur

adjective. bad (of food), putrid

An adjective meaning “bad (of food), putrid” in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 based on the root √SAWA “disgusting, foul, vile” that was the basis of the (Quenya) name Sauron (PE17/183). In a marginal note Tolkien said “No. THAW-, cruel. Saura, cruel”, apparently rejecting this etymology, but then he wrote an “X” next to the marginal note (PE17/184).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. thaw “corrupt, rotten” under the root ᴹ√THUS, also connected to the name Sauron (Ety/THUS).

Neo-Sindarin: For purpose of Neo-Sindarin, I think saur “putrid” and thaw “corrupt” can coexist.

oth-

unsuitable; bad

_adj. _unsuitable; bad, improper, useless, wrong. Q. ur(u). . This gloss was rejected.

saur

adjective. used in sense 'bad' of food etc

_adj. _used in sense 'bad' of food etc., putrid. Tolkien seems to have rejected the root SAWA, noting: "No. THAW-, cruel. saura, cruel. Gorthaur-."

bâd

pathway

(i vâd, construct bad) (beaten track), pl. baid (i maid).

bâd

beaten track

(pathway) (i vâd, construct bad), pl. baid (i maid)

ogol

adjective. bad, evil, wrong; gloom(y)

@@@ TBD - discuss abnormal plurals

oth-

prefix. [wrong] with a bad sense; unsuitable, bad, improper, useless, wrong

ú-

prefix. no, not, negative; impossible, no, not, negative; impossible; [N.] bad-

faeg

adjective. mean, poor, bad

hoth

noun. host, crowd, horde (nearly always in a bad sense)

úgarth

noun. bad deed, sin, trespass

faeg

bad

*faeg (poor, mean). No distinct pl. form. (Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” foeg.)

faeg

bad

(poor, mean). No distinct pl. form. (Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” foeg.)

um

bad

um (evil), pl. ym. David Salo would read *ûm with a long vowel. (According to VT46:20, it may be that um is intended as a base rather than as a ”Noldorin” word.)

um

bad

(evil), pl. ym. David Salo would read ✱ûm with a long vowel. *(According to VT46:20, it may be that um is intended as a base rather than as a ”Noldorin” word.)*

othovor

adjective. too much, (lit.) abundant in a bad way

faeg

adjective. mean, poor, bad

bain

fair

_ adj. _fair, good, blessed, wholesome, favourable, without evil/bad element, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bân

faeg

mean

(adj.) faeg (poor, bad); no distinct pl. form. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” foeg.

faeg

mean

(poor, bad); no distinct pl. form. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” foeg.

ogol

evil

1) ogol (wicked), pl. egyl (archaic ögyl) (VT48:32), 2) possibly also um (bad), pl. ym (or uim?) (David Salo would read *ûm with a long vowel. According to VT46:20, it may be that Tolkien intended um as a primitive base rather than as a ”Noldorin” word; the word ogol may therefore be preferred.)

um

evil

(bad), pl. ym (or uim?) (David Salo would read ✱ûm with a long vowel. According to VT46:20, it may be that Tolkien intended um as a primitive base rather than as a ”Noldorin” word; the word ogol may therefore be preferred.)

mên

way

1) mên (i vên, construct men, in compounds -ven) (road), pl. mîn (i mîn), 2) lend (journey), pl. lind, coll. pl. lennath. Note: a homophone means ”tuneful, sweet”, 3) #pâd (construct pad), i bâd, pl. paid (i phaid). Isolated from Tharbad ”Crossroad”. 4) tê (i dê, o thê) (line), pl. tî (i thî), coll. pl. ?teath.

pada

walk

(i bada, i phadar)

pâd

way

(construct pad), i bâd, pl. paid (i phaid). Isolated from Tharbad ”Crossroad”.

pâd

noun. way

aglareb

adjective. glorious

aglareb

adjective. glorious

adj. glorious, brilliant. Q. alcarin, alcarinqua. >> aglar

baw

interjection. no, don't!

belaith

adjective. mighty

adj. mighty. Q. melehta.

belaith

adjective. mighty

An adjective for “mighty” derived from the root √MBELEK in a page of notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115), apparently from the primitive form ✱✶mbelektā with the ekt vocalizing to eith and then the ei becoming ai in the final syllable.

bân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, good, wholesome, favourable, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bain

fael

adjective. fair minded, just, generous

gwain

adjective. fair

adj. fair. . This gloss was rejected.

gwana

noun/adjective. fair

gwân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, pale.

lind

adjective. fair

lond

noun. narrow path or strait

lond

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

men

noun. way, road

oer

adjective. nasty

oer

adjective. nasty

othlonn

noun. paved way

rhû

evil

adj. evil, wicked. Q. hruo. >> Rhudaur

rhû

evil

_ adj. _evil, wicked. Q. hrúa, hrúya. >> rhu-, Rhudaur

thaur

adjective. abominable, abhorrent

ú

prefix. no, not (negative prefix or particle)

û

interjection. no

adv. or interj. no, not (of fact).

adab

building

1) adab (house), pl. edaib. In ”Noldorin”, the plural was edeb_. _2)

adab

building

(house), pl. edaib. In ”Noldorin”, the plural was edeb. 2)

aglareb

glorious

aglareb (pl. eglerib)

aglareb

glorious

(pl. eglerib)

amarth

doom

(noun) 1) amarth (fate), pl. emerth; 2) band (i mand, o mband; construct ban) (custody, prison, safekeeping, duress, hell), pl. baind (i mbaind), coll. pl. bannath. 3) manadh (i vanadh) (final end, fate, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh)

amarth

doom

(fate), pl. emerth

bain

fair

bain (beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

fair

(beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

balch

cruel

1) balch (lenited malch; pl. belch), 2) baug (tyrannous, oppressive) (lenited maug), pl. boeg

balch

cruel

(lenited malch; pl. belch)

bartha

doom

(verb) bartha- (i martha, i mbarthar)

bartha

doom

(i martha, i mbarthar)

baug

cruel

(tyrannous, oppressive) (lenited maug), pl. boeg

baw!

no

! (interjection expressing refusal or prohibition, not denying facts) baw! (dont!) Prefix

baw!

no

(don’t!) Prefix

beleg

mighty

1) beleg (great), lenited veleg, pl. belig; 2) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

beleg

mighty

(great), lenited veleg, pl. belig

blab

beat

1) blab- (i vlâb, i mlebir) (flap), pa.t. blamp, 2) dringa- (i dhringa, in dringar).

blab

beat

(i vlâb, i mlebir) (flap), pa.t. blamp

car

building

car or cardh (i gar[dh], o char[dh]) (house), pl. cerdh (i cherdh) or cair (i chair). Note: cardh also means "deed, feat". Therefore, the form car (or adab) may be preferred for clarity.

car

building

or cardh (i gar[dh], o char[dh]) (house), pl. cerdh (i cherdh) or cair (i chair). Note: cardh also means "deed, feat". Therefore, the form car (or adab) may be preferred for clarity.

dav-

verb. to judge

deleb

abominable

deleb (horrible, loathsome), lenited dheleb; pl. delib

deleb

abominable

(horrible, loathsome), lenited dheleb; pl. delib

dringa

beat

(i dhringa, in dringar).

fû Speculative

noun. path

A noun appearing only it is plural form fui “paths” in the name Fui ’Ngorthrim “Paths of the Dead” (RC/526). The most plausible singular form is ✱fû “path”.

gaurhoth

werewolf

).

gwaith

host

(i ’waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith). –

gú

no, not

also ú

hoth

host

(noun) 1) hoth (i choth, o choth) (crowd, horde), pl. hyth (i chyth). 2) rim (great number, crowd), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim), coll. pl. rimmath. Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”. 3) gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith). WOLF-HOST, see under WEREWOLF (concerning gaurhoth**).

hoth

host

(i choth, o choth) (crowd, horde), pl. hyth (i chyth).

imrad

path

(between mountains, hills or through trackless forest) imrad (pass), pl. imraid.

imrad

path

(pass), pl. imraid.

lend

way

(journey), pl. lind, coll. pl. lennath. Note: a homophone means ”tuneful, sweet”

manadh

doom

(i vanadh) (final end, fate, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh)

mên

way

(i vên, construct men, in compounds -ven) (road), pl. mîn (i mîn)

ogol

evil

(wicked), pl. egyl (archaic ögyl) (VT48:32)

rim

host

(great number, crowd), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim), coll. pl. rimmath. Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”.

râd

path

râd (track), construct rad, pl. raid (idh raidh).

râd

path

(track), construct rad, pl. raid (idh raidh).

taur

mighty

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

thang

duress

thang (compulsion, need, oppression, tyranny), pl. theng if there is a pl.

thang

duress

(compulsion, need, oppression, tyranny), pl. theng if there is a pl.

thaur

foul

thaur (detestable, abhorrent, abominable), pl. thoer. Note: a homophone means ”fenced”.

thaur

foul

(detestable, abhorrent, abominable), pl. thoer. Note: a homophone means ”fenced”.

thaur

abominable

thaur (destestable, abhorrent, foul), pl. thoer. Note: a homophone means ”fenced”.

thaur

abominable

(destestable, abhorrent, foul), pl. thoer. Note: a homophone means ”fenced”.

thel

mean

(verb) ?thel- (intend, purpose, resolve, will)

thel

mean

(intend, purpose, resolve, will)

tê

way

(i dê, o thê) (line), pl. tî (i thî), coll. pl. ?teath.

ummas

noun. evil

úgarth

sin

*úgarth (ill deed), pl. úgerth (VT44:23)

úgarth

sin

(ill deed), pl. úgerth (VT44:23)

úmarth

evil fate

(pl. úmerth).

urra

adjective. bad

ulca

adjective. evil; dark, gloomy, sinister, evil; dark, gloomy, sinister; [ᴱQ.] bad, wicked, wrong

This is one of two later words Tolkien consider for “evil”; the other is Q. olca < √OKO. Of the two, ulca has the longer conceptual history, dating back to early Quenya (QL/97). Both words have the same Sindarin cognate, S. ogol.

Ulca has two attested late derivations. One is from the root √UK (PE17/149), listed as a possible replacement of √OKO, but Tolkien marked this derivation as uncertain. Another derivation is ✶ū “not” + KAL “light” = ✶uk’la “gloom, gloomy” (PE18/88), an example of abnormal vocalization. If this second derivation is accepted, ulca could have later developed the senses “sinister, evil” either due to the “bad” connotations of Q. ú- or perhaps by influence of Q. olca. If so, it may have even supplanted olca as the general word for “evil” as it appears to have done in Tolkien’s later writings.

felu

bad magic

felu noun "bad magic" (QL:38)

olca

evil, bad, wicked

olca adj. "evil, bad, wicked" (VT43:23-24, VT48:32, VT49:14, PE17:149). The root meaning implies "wickedness as well as badness or lack of worth" (PE17:170). Variant of ulca.

ulca

evil, bad, wicked, wrong

ulca adj. "evil, bad, wicked, wrong" (QL:97, VT43:23-24, VT48:32, VT49:14; compounded in henulca "evileyed", SD:68); variant olca, q.v. Compare noun ulco. The adj. ulca may also itself be used as a noun "evil", as in the ablative form ulcallo "from evil" (VT43:8, 10) and the sentence cé mo quetë ulca *"if one speaks evil" (VT49:19).

olca

adjective. bad, wicked

saura

adjective. cruel, evil, vile; stinking, foul; bad, unhealthy, ill, wretched, stinking, foul, [ᴹQ.] evil-smelling, putrid; [Q.] cruel, evil, vile; [Q.] bad, unhealthy, ill, wretched

us-

prefix. [wrong] with a bad sense; unsuitable, bad, improper, useless, wrong

ú-

prefix. no, not, un-, in-; hard, difficult, bad, uneasy; hardly, with difficulty, ‘badly’

umbë nin i hríve nauva urra (si loa)

I have a feeling that winter will be bad (this year)

urra

adjective. nasty, bad

ú-

prefix. bad, uneasy, hard

úmara

adjective. bad, ill-used, evil, sinister

útulma

noun. accident, (lit.) bad-event

A neologism coined by Luinyelle posted on 2024-01-31 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of [ᴹQ.] tulma “victory” with the negative prefix ú- “bad, uneasy, hard”.

lúrë

noun. dark weather, bad weather

-inqua

glorious

-inqua adjectival ending, seen in alcarinqua "glorious" (WJ:412) from alcar "glory". Etymologically, -inqua means "-full", like "glory-full" in this case. A variant *-unqua is implied in WJ:415 (only referred to in archaic form -unkwā). "The forms using u were mainly applied to things heavy, clumsy, ugly or bad", whereas -inqua (in the same source derived from -inkwā) is neutral.

saura

foul, evil-smelling, putrid

saura (þ) adj. "foul, evil-smelling, putrid" (THUS), "foul, vile" (PE17:183). This adjective underlies the name Sauro, Sauron (q.v.) Alternatively explained to mean "cruel" (PE17:184); a deleted gloss defined the word as "bad, unhealthy, ill, wretched" (PE17:172). Tolkien did not consistently hold that the initial s represents older þ; sometimes he derived saura (and so implicitly Sauron) from stems with original s-.

ú-

verb. not-, un-, in-

ú- (2) prefix "not-, un-, in-", denying presence or possession of thing or quality (VT39:14, UGU/UMU/VT46:20, GŪ, LT1:272), or simply suggesting something bad or immoral (see #úcar-, Úmaiar). Tolkien at one point considered redefining ú- as an element signifying "bad, uneasy, hard"; the already-published form únótima would then mean "difficult/impossible to count" rather than simply "uncountable" (VT42:33). However, Tolkien's very last word on the matter seems to be that ú- was to remain a mere negative (VT44:4). Compare úa, q.v. According to the Etymologies, the prefix ú- usually has a "bad sense", whereas according to early material u- (uv-, um-, un-) is a "mere negation" (UGU/UMU vs. VT42:32) According to a later source, ú- could be used as an uninflected verbal prefix, mainly in verse, but in a normal style the prefix was "verbalized" as ua-, q.v. (PE17:144). The stem Ū, as a negation, was accompanied by "pursed lips and shaking of the head" (PE17:145).

úva-

verb. impend, be imminent

úva- (2) vb. "impend, be imminent" "nearly always in a bad sense: threaten (to come) ", as in hrívë úva véna "winter is drawing near to us" (VT49:14)

Uswevandë

way of escape

Uswevandë noun "way of escape" (LT2:336)

alcarin

glorious, brilliant

alcarin adj. "glorious, brilliant" (shorter form of alcarinqua, q.v.) (PE17:24), hence Alcarin masc. name (or title) "the Glorious", title taken by Atanatar II of Gondor, also name of one of the Kings of Númenor (Appendix A).

alcarin

proper name. Glorious

Tar-Alcarin was the 17th ruler of Númenor (LotR/1035, UT/222). His name is simply the shortened form of alcarin(qua) “glorious”. Alcarin “Glorious” was also a sobriquet for Atanatar II, the 16th king of Gondor (LotR/1038, 1045).

alcarinquë

proper name. Glorious

A star (S/45) or possibly the planet Jupiter (MR/435). Its name is simply the noun form of the adjective alcarin(qua) “glorious”, or possibly a feminine form as suggested by Vyacheslav Stepanov (many star names on MR/435 seem to be gendered).

alima

fair, good

alima adj. "fair, good" (also alya) (PE17:146)

alya

fair, good

alya (1) adj. "fair, good" (PE17:146), "prosperous, rich, abundant, blessed" (GALA). In a deleted entry in Etym, the glosses provided were "rich, blessed"; another deleted entry defined alya as "rich, prosperous, blessed". (GALA, [ÁLAM], VT42:32, 45:5, 14)

ampano

building

ampano noun "building" (especially of wood), "wooden hall" (PAN; alternative form umpano, VT45:36, which Tolkien in one case altered to ampano, VT46:8). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, ampano was also the name of tengwa #6 (VT46:8), which letter Tolkien would later call umbar instead (changing its value from mp to mb).

ampano

noun. building, construction, edifice

ham-

verb. to judge

holmë

odour

[holmë] noun "odour" (ÑOL; according to VT46:6, Tolkien struck out the initial h-, thus changing the word to olmë)

il-

verb. no, *un-

il- (prefix) "no, *un-" (LA); cf. ilfirin "immortal" (vs. firin "dead"). This prefix "denotes the opposite, the reversal, i.e. more than the mere negation" (VT42:32). But il- can also mean "all, every"; see ilaurëa, ilqua, ilquen.

la

no, not

la negation "no, not" (see lá); also prefix la- as in lacarë, q.v. (VT45:25)

lelya-

verb. 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-

verb. 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.

linda

fair, beautiful

linda adj. "fair, beautiful" (of sound) (SLIN, LIND; VT45:27), "soft, gentle, light" (PE16:96), "beautiful, sweet, melodious of sound" (PE17:150); for Linda as a noun, see Lindar.

liyúmë

host

liyúmë noun "host" (VT48:32)

liyúmë

noun. host

londa

path

[londa noun "path"], changed by Tolkien to londë noun "road (in sea)" (VT45:28)

lá

no, not

lá (1) adv. "no, not" (LA, VT45:25) According to VT42:33, lá is the stressed form, alternating with la when the negation is unstressed. In another conceptual phase of Tolkien's, lá had the opposite meaning "yes" (VT42:32-33), but this idea is contradicted by both earlier and later material: usually lá is conceived as a negation. The negation can receive tense markers and be used as a negative verb "when [another] verb is not expressed" (VT49:13), apparently where the phrase "is not" is followed by a noun or an adjective as a predicate, or where some verb is understood, as in English "I do not" (i.e. "I do not do whatever the context indicates"). With pronominal endings la- in the aorist, e.g. lanyë "I do not, am not" (etc.) (Tolkien abandoned the form lamin.) Exemplified in the sentence melin sé apa lanyë hé *"I love him but I do not [love] him" (another person) (VT49:15). Present tense laia, past lánë, perfect alaië, future lauva.

lé

way

lé (1) noun "way" = "method, manner" ("as in that is not As way"). Not to be confused with lé as a stressed form of le = plural "you"; Tolkien was himself dissatisfied with this clash (PE17:74).

lúrë

dark weather

lúrë noun "dark weather" (LT1:259)

manar

doom, final end, fate, fortune

manar noun "doom, final end, fate, fortune" (usually = final bliss) (MANAD (under MAN), VT45:32)

mandë

doom, final end, fate, fortune

mandë (1) noun "doom, final end, fate, fortune" (usually = final bliss) (MANAD, under MAN)

melehta

mighty

melehta adj. "mighty" (PE17:115), cf. meletya

melehta

adjective. mighty

An adjective for “mighty” derived from the root √MBELEK in a page of notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115), apparently from the primitive form ✱✶mbelektā (with [kt] > [ht]). A variant form meletya appears with the 2nd-plural possessive suffix -lda as Meletyalda “your mighty” in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/369), likely from the primitive form ✱✶mbelekya (with [kj] > [tj]). This variant form has a more typical primitive adjective suffix ✶-ya, but is inconsistent with the attested Sindarin cognate S. belaith, so I’d stick with melehta for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

meletya

mighty

#meletya adj. "mighty", isolated from meletyalda adjective with suffix "your mighty" = "your majesty" (see -lda; meletya = *"mighty"). In full Aran Meletyalda "king your mighty" = "your majesty" (WJ:369). Compare melehta.

meletya

adjective. mighty

men

way

men (2) noun "way" (SA) or "place, spot" (MEN)

men

noun. way, way, *direction; [ᴹQ.] place, spot [only in compounds]

A noun or word element, most notably appearing in the four cardinal directions formen, hyarmen, númen, and rómen, which Christopher Tolkien translated as “way” in The Silmarillion appendix (SA/men). This is consistent with the later meaning of its root: √MEN “go, move, proceed”, and in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien had a primitive form ✶mēn- “a way, a going, a mov[ement]” (PE17/165) which might be the source of Christopher Tolkien’s translation of Q. men.

Conceptual Development: The situation in Tolkien’s earlier writings was different. In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. men was translated “place, spot” under the root ᴹ√MEN (Ety/MEN). In this document, it seems the literally meaning of direction words were “✱north-place”, “✱south-place”, etc., as opposed to later “✱north-direction, ✱south-direction”. This can be seen in other words Tolkien used in this period, such as ᴹQ. Ilmen “Place of Light” (SM/241).

This ambiguity continued into Tolkien’s later writings, as can be seen in a 1965 letter to Dick Plotz, where Tolkien translated númen “the direction or region of the sunset” (Let/361). Another example is menel “firmament, high heaven, the region of the stars”, which Tolkien said was “a Q. invention from men (direction, region) + el (the basis of many stars)” in The Road Goes Ever On as published in 1967 (RGEO/65). There are other Quenya words where men refers to a location rather than a direction: ruimen “fireplace, hearth” (PE17/183) and turmen “realm” = “✱mastered-region” (PE17/28), both from the mid-1960s.

However, some words are hard to explain as locations, such as alamen “a good omen on departure”, also from DLN of 1959 (PE17/162). Tolkien used men as an element in the terms coimen “life-year” and olmen “growth-year” in notes from around 1959, which are probably best explained as a “way” or “process” of life or growth (NM/84-85). However the stems of these words ended in mend-, so their element men may be different from what is seen in formen, etc. As another wrinkle, Tolkien regularly used nómë to mean “place” in his later writings, as in sinomë “in this place [= here]” (LotR/967) and tanomë “in that place [= there]” (VT49/11).

It is hard to determine how much of this variation is due to conceptual vacillation on Tolkien’s part. My best guess of the timelime is that:

• In the 1930s men meant “place, spot”, and the root ᴹ√MEN was not verbal (Ety/MEN).

• In the 1940s Tolkien decided that √MEN was verbal, meaning {“intend” >>} “go” (PE22/103).

• By the 1950s Tolkien reformulated men to mean “way, a going” in keeping with the new meaning of the root (PE17/165). In this period Tolkien also introduced nómë “place”.

• By the 1960s Tolkien partially reversed himself, deciding men could mean either “way, direction” and “place, region”, but without abandoning nómë.

Neo-Quenya: The word men is somewhat contentious in Neo-Quenya. The word men is a very popular element for “place” in many neologisms (especially older ones), such as ᴺQ. natsemen “website = ✱web-spot”, ᴺQ. tirmen “theater = ✱watch-place” and ᴺQ. mótamen “office = ✱work-place”. However, others feel that this sense has been entirely replaced by nómë, so that men in such compounds should be replaced by a suffix ᴺQ. -non (-nom-).

Given this ambiguity, I would use men only for “way, ✱direction” as a standalone word, and would instead use nómë = “place”. However, given Tolkien’s vacillations as described above, I would allow the use of men as “place, spot, region” in compounds [perhaps originally conceived of as a destination], though I think ᴺQ. -non “-place” is also fine.

men-

verb. 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.

naicea

adjective. cruel

nam-

verb. to judge, to judge, *think (have as an opinion)

The verb nam- “judge” appeared in 1968 notes associated with The Shibboleth of Fëanor, attested in the phrase namin alasaila “I judge [it] unwise” (VT41/13). This version of the verb is consistent with the name Námo, given in The Silmarillion as the true name of Mandos (S/28).

In a marginal note within Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 Tolkien revised the root to √NDAB “to judge” with a new form Návo to replace Námo (PE22/154 note #53). These notes initially had nem- for “judge”, revised to ham- and finally to nav- (PE22/154 note #53, 55, 56); it was after all these revisions that he coined the new root √NDAB.

The verb nav- “judge” appeared in several phrases:

• la năvin karitalya(s) mára “I do not advise you to do so, (lit.) I don't judge your doing (it) good”

• lá karitas, navin, alasaila ná “not doing this would be (I think) unwise”

• alasaila ná lá kare tai mo nave mára “it is unwise not to do what one judges good”

Based on the above phrases, it seems the basic sense of the verb is “judge” or “think = ✱have as an opinion”.

Conceptual Development: Tolkien introduced the name Námo in the 1950s, which is probably where this concept originated. It seems to have remained √NAM up through 1968, and then nam- >> nem- >> ham- >> nav- in 1969.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer to use the form nam- “judge, ✱think [have as an opinion]” for consistency with the name Námo in The Silmarillion as published.

naxa

adjective. evil

naxa

noun/adjective. evil

nem-

verb. to judge

nwalca

cruel

nwalca ("k")adj. "cruel" (ÑGWAL; this must represent earlier *ñwalca = *ngwalca; these forms are not given in Etym, but compare nwalmë_ below. In Tengwar writing, the initial NW would be represented by the letter nwalmë.)_

náma

judgement

náma noun "a judgement" or "a desire" (VT41:13)

olmë

odour

olmë noun "odour" (changed by Tolkien from holmë, VT46:6)

pal-

verb. beat

[pal- (2) vb. "beat", also in an alternative (extended?) form palap-, VT46:8. See palpa-.]

taura

mighty, masterful

taura adj. "mighty, masterful" (TUR, PE17:115), "very mighty, vast, of unmeasured might or size" (VT39:10). Cf. túrëa.

tele

verb. mean, intend

tier

path

tier is, besides the pl. form of tië "path" above, an ephemeral word for "so", abandoned by Tolkien in favour of tambë (VT43:17)

tië

path, course, line, direction, way

tië noun "path, course, line, direction, way" (TE3, VT47:11); pl. tier in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67); tielyanna "upon your path" (UT:22 cf. 51; tie-lya-nna "path-your-upon")

ui

no

ui interjection "no" (originally an endingless negative verb in the 3rd person aorist: "it is not [so]"; see #u-). Apparently this is the word for "no" used to deny that something is true (compare vá, which is rather used to reject orders, or to issue negative orders). (VT49:28) Compare uito.

ulco

evil

ulco (stem #ulcu-) noun "evil", pl. *ulqui (VT43:23-24; the stem-form is attested in the ablative case: ulcullo "from evil", VT43:12)

ulco

noun. evil

umbar

noun. doom

doom

vand-

way, path

vand- noun "way, path" (LT1:264; a final vowel would seem to be required, but in Tolkien's later Quenya, the words tië or mallë are to be preferred)

vanya

fair

vanya (1) adj. "fair" (FS), "beautiful" (BAN), a word referring to beauty that is "due to lack of fault, or blemish" (PE17:150), hence Arda Vanya as an alternative to Arda Alahasta for "Arda Unmarred" (ibid., compare MR:254). Nominal pl. Vanyar "the Fair", the first clan of the Eldar; the original meaning of this stem was "pale, light-coloured, not brown or dark" (WJ:382, 383, stem given as WAN), "properly = white complexion and blonde hair" (PE17:154, stem given as GWAN); stems BAN vs. WAN discussed, see PE17:150.

vanya-

verb. 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.

vanë

fair

vanë adj. "fair" (LT1:272; in Tolkien's later Quenya rather vanya)

vanë

adjective. fair, fair, [ᴱQ.] lovely

úmëa

evil

úmëa (2) adj. "evil" (UGU/UMU). Obsoleted by #1 above? Possibly connected to úmëai in Narqelion, if that is a "Qenya" plural form.

úra

evil, nasty

úra (1) adj. "evil, nasty" (VT43:24, VT48:32)

úra

adjective. nasty

úro

evil

úro noun "evil" (VT43:24); Tolkien may have abandoned this form in favour of ulco, q.v.

úva

verb. impend, be imminent, threaten (to come)

uthu

root. bad; unsuitable; improper, useless, wrong; [wrong] with a bad sense

This root appeared in a page of roots from Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 with the gloss “unsuitable, bad, improper, useless, wrong” (PE17/172). This page was rejected, but the root √UTHU appeared again later in DLN as the basis for prefixes meaning wrong “with a general bad sense”: Q. us- and S. oth- as in S. othgarn “misdeed” and Q. uskare > Q. uxarë of the same meaning (PE17/151).

oklā

adjective. bad, wicked

oko

root. evil, wicked, bad

saw

root. disgusting, foul, vile; bad, unhealthy, ill, wretched

uk

root. nasty

The root √OKO was mentioned a couple times in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 with glosses like “wicked, evil” and “evil, bad” serving as the basis for Q. olca/S. ogol “bad, wicked, evil” along with similar words (PE14/149, 170). In other notes from this period Tolkien said √OKO “evil” influenced the meaning of the Sindarin root √AK “hostile return” (PE17/167). In one of these 1959 notes, Tolkien wrote UK, UKLA below OKO with derivatives Q. ulca and S. ogl, all unglossed (PE17/149); Q. ulca was the word Tolkien used most frequently for “evil” in Quenya. In notes from 1968, Tolkien mentioned √UK “nasty” in passing, without giving any derivatives (VT48/25); Patrick Wynne suggested this form of the root may have been connected to 1969 √UG “dislike” (VT48/32 note #15; PE22/160).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I prefer Q. ulca for “evil”, but I think √OKO “wicked” might coexist with it as variant to salvage other words from that root.

bani

adjective. fair

ndab

root. to judge

uba-

verb. impend,be imminent,approach,draw near

ugrā

adjective. nasty

wanyā

adjective. fair

xenna

noun. odour