der

root. hard, difficult

A root in linguistic notes from 1959 used for the sense “hard, difficult” in Sindarin because other roots like √GUR > S. gor- gained a very negative sense due to collision with the roots √ÑGOR “horror” and √ÑGUR “death” (PE17/154). Tolkien first gave this root as √DIR before switching it to √DER. There is no indication of its use in Quenya, so it is probably a Sindarin-only innovation.

Changes

• DIR → DER ✧ PE17/154

Derivatives

• ✶dērā “hard, difficult” ✧ PE17/154
  • S. dîr “hard, difficult” ✧ PE17/154
• ✶dirnā “tough” ✧ PE17/154
  • S. dern “tough, thrawn” ✧ PE17/154

Variations

• DIR ✧ PE17/154 (DIR)

dērā

adjective. hard, difficult

Changes

• dīrā → dērā ✧ PE17/154

Derivations

• √DER “hard, difficult” ✧ PE17/154

Derivatives

• S. dîr “hard, difficult” ✧ PE17/154

Variations

• dīrā ✧ PE17/154 (dīrā)

ndē̆r

noun. man

Derivations

• √N(D)ER “male (person), man”

Derivatives

• S. dîr “man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix”

srak

root. hard, difficult