em

root. mother

emel

noun. mother

emer

noun. mother

lemek

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s illustrating certain phonetic combinations (PE19/98), and therefore possibly not a “real” root.

keme

noun. earth

kemen

noun. earth

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).

tā/taʒ

root. high, high, [ᴹ√] lofty; noble

This root and ones like it were used for “high” things for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as unglossed ᴱ√TAHA in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. tā “high; high above, high up”, ᴱQ. tahōra or tayóra “lofty”, and ᴱQ. tāri “queen”; it had a variant form ᴱ√TAʕA where the ʕ might be a malformed Y (QL/87). The corresponding forms in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon were G. dâ “high” and G. dara “lofty” (GL/29), indicating the true form of the root was ᴱ√DAHA, since initial voiced stops were unvoiced (d- > t-) in Early Qenya (PE12/17). Primitive forms like ᴱ✶dagá > ᴱN. dâ/ᴱQ. tá “high” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s indicates the root continued to begin with D for the following decade (PE13/141, 161).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√TĀ/TAƷ “high, lofty; noble” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tára “lofty, high”, ᴹQ. tári “queen” and N. taen “height, summit of high mountain” (Ety/TĀ). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien gave the root as √TAG or Tā- “high”, and in notes from around 1967 Tolkien gave √TAƷ as the explanation of the initial element of Q. Taniquetil and contrasted it with √TĂR “stand” (PE17/186). In 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2), Tolkien wrote a marginal note giving √TAƷ > TĀ “high”, but this note was rejected with a statement “transfer to Gen. Structure. No [ʒ] existed in Eldarin” (PE19/72-73 note #22).

This last rejection seems to be part of Tolkien’s general vacillation on the nature and phonetic evolution of velar spirants in Primitive Elvish in 1968-70. For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume the root form was √TAH or √TAƷ > √TĀ as the basis for “high” words, much like √MAH or √MAƷ > ✶mā was the basis for “hand” words.

phay

root. spirit, spirit; [ᴹ√] radiate, send out rays of light

When this root first appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/PHAY), it was glossed “radiate, send out rays of light” and its derivatives were consistent with this definition, most notably in N. Feanor “Radiant Sun”. In later writings, this root was instead glossed “spirit” (PM/352), which is the connotation of most of its later derivatives. For example, the later meaning of S. Fëanor was changed to “Spirit of Fire”.

The earlier sense “radiate” probably also survived in Tolkien’s later conception, however. On MR/250, the word Q. fairë “spirit” is said to originally have had the sense “radiance”, which is precisely the meaning that ᴹQ. faire had in The Etymologies. There is also a primitive monosyllable ✶phāy “flame, ray of light” in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s (OP2: PE19/102). If the root meaning “radiate” remains valid, then the word S. ✱fael “gleam of the sun”, an element of S. Faelivrin “gleam of the sun on the pools of Ivrin” (the second name of Finduilas), might be a derivative of this root.

phut

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root appearing in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2) as an etymological variation of √PUT (PE18/90).

sal

root. [unglossed], *harp(ing), lyre

The unglossed root ᴱ√SALA appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. salma “lyre, small harp” and ᴱQ. salumbe “harping, music” (QL/81). The root √SAL appeared again Common Eldarin: Verb Structure from the early 1950s to illustrate the reformed perfect form of its verb Q. asálie (PE22/132), but since these later forms are unglossed it is unclear whether they have the same meaning (“✱harp(ing)”) as the earlier version of the root.

stuk

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in a rejected section of the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, serving to illustration certain phonetic developments: ✶stuknā > Q. thúna (PE19/86).

tig

root. [unglossed]

A root appearing in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 as the basis for the verb Q. tinga- “go (for a long while)” (PE22/157). The etymology was marked with an “X” and so was probably a transient idea (PE22/157 note #70).

amal

noun. mother

minya

ordinal. first

te

pronoun. they

amas

noun. mother

ambō

noun. hill

amma

noun. mother

amme

noun. mother

palad

noun. plain

phawalōkō

noun. dragon

tāra

adjective. high

tī

pronoun. they

en

root. name

eméné-

eméné-

{ē} v. pa.t.

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.

emyn duir

place name. Dark Mountains

Hills in north-eastern Mirkwood, translated “Dark Mountains” (UT/280), also known as Emyn-nu-Fuin “Mountains of Mirkwood” (UT/281). This name is a combination of the plural of amon “hill” and the plural of the adjective dûr “dark”.

emyn muil

place name. Drear Hills

Hills between the river Anduin and the Dead Marshes (LotR/373), translated “Drear Hills” in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings (RC/334). It appears to be a combination of the plural of amon “hill” and muil “drear” (see that entry for further discussion).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, these hills went through many names: N. Duil Rain >> N. Emyn R(h)ain (TI/268), later N. Sern Lamrach >> N. Trandóran before finally settling on Ety Muil (TI/424).

Emyn-nu-Fuin

noun. mountains under night

emyn (pl. of amon “hill”) + nu (“under”) + fuin (“dead of night, gloom, darkness”)

Emyn Arnen

noun. hills beside the water [see [His.], entry arnen]

emyn (pl. of amon “hill”), ar (#from Dor. ar - “outside, beside”) + nen (“water”)

Emyn Beraid

noun. hills-towers

emyn (pl. of amon “hill”), beraid (pl. of barad “tower”) #Another possible interpretation of the name is “hills of towers”.

Emyn Duir

noun. dark mountains

emyn (pl. of amon “hill”), duir (pl. of dûr “dark”) David Salo: “dh and mh were liable to revert to d and m when they came to follow a nasal after syncope” TolkLang message 19.31.

Emyn Eglain

noun. mountains of forsaken elves

emyn (pl. of amon “hill”) + eglain (pl. of eglan “a forsaken”)

Emyn Muil

noun. drear hills

emyn (pl. of amon “hill”), muil (Dor. “twilight, shadow, vagueness”)

emel

noun. mother

emmel

noun. mother

emig

noun. "litte mother"

emig

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

Emeldir

Emeldir

Patrick H. Wynne has suggested that Emeldir possibly consists of Sindarin emel ("mother") + dir ("man"), yielding a hypothetical translation "manly-mother" or "mother with manly courage" (close in meaning to her epithet the Manhearted).

Emyn Eglain

place name. Hills of the Forsaken (Elves)

The name Emyn Eglain means "Hills of the Forsaken (Elves)" in Sindarin, from emyn ("hill") and Eglain ("the Forsaken"). The name Eglamar is, as noted by Christopher Tolkien, "one of the oldest names in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium" (for other applications, cf. Eglamar (disambiguation)).

Emyn Muil

place name. the drear hills

Emyn Muil is a Sindarin name meaning "the drear hills"; the word emyn is the plural form of amon ("hill").

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)

emig

little mother

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

emlinn

yellowhammer

(a yellow bird) emlinn (= "yellow singer"); no distinct pl. form. Also emelin, no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emelinnath

emlinn

yellowhammer

(= "yellow singer"); no distinct pl. form. Also emelin, no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emelinnath. Adj.

emlinn

yellowhammer

emlinn (= "yellow singer"); no distinct pl. form. Also emelin, no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emelinnath. Adj.

camlost

masculine name. Empty-handed

A name of Beren, an alternate of Erchamion “One-handed” (S/184). This name is a combination of cam “hand” and lost “empty” (SA/cam, Ety/LUS).

Conceptual Development: Beren’s sobriquet “One-handed” dates back to the earliest Lost Tales, but the alternate “Empty-handed” did not appear until Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s. The first version of the name was Ilk. Mablosgen (SM/311), variously revised to Dor. Mablost (LR/405) or N. Camlost (LR/146). All three names appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s where Tolkien specified their languages as Ilkorin, Doriathrin and Noldorin, respectively (Ety/MAP, KAB, LUS).

In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, only S. Camlost appeared, either normally (WJ/51) or in its lenited form Gamlost (WJ/231, 234).

Camlost (Beren)

noun. empty-handed

cam(b) (“hand”) + lost (“empty”)

Mablost

noun. empty hand (Beren)

mab (Dor. “hand”) + lost (Dor. “empty”)

lost

adjective. empty

lost

adjective. empty

orchal

adjective. superior, lofty, eminent

In his article Probable errors in the Etymologies, Helge Fauskanger lists orchel as a misreading, following Christopher Tolkien's note admitting that the e is uncertain. However, though orchal is attested in WJ/305, it does not necessarily mean that the form orchel is incorrect. It might be constructed by analogy with words such as hathol "axe" (from WJ/234 and the name of a Númenórean, Hatholdir, UT:444), which is also found as hathal (in Hathaldir, name of a companion of Barahir, LR/433, untranslated but conceivably cognate) and hathel (LR/389). Without entering into the details, such words end with a syllabic consonant (as in English "people"), and several vocalizations are apparently possible in Sindarin. The epenthetical vowel is generally o, but it seems that a or e are also allowed. Regarding orchal, its origin is of course different, as it is a compound word where the second element clearly derives from KHAL, but it may have been assimilated, later, to this class of words by analogy. We may therefore consider that orchel is a perfectly valid dialectal variant

main

ordinal. first, (only in the sense of) prime, chief, pre-eminent

mein

ordinal. first, (only in the sense of) prime, chief, pre-eminent

orchal

adjective. tall, tall; [N.] superior, eminent, lofty

ned

noun. first, *one more; first; *during

This word replaced the preposition uin “of the” in the third version of the King’s Letter, appearing in the phrase nelchaenen ned Echuir “the thirty-first day of Stirring”. Both Carl Hostetter (VT31/30) and David Salo (SG/229) theorized that this replacement has a similar prepositional function, from either √NOT “count” or √NED “middle”. Fiona Jallings suggested it might be a temporal preposition, with sense “during” (FJNS/349).

On VT47/40, note 67, Patrick Wynne suggested that this word might be a cognate of the newly published Quenya word net(ë) “one more”. This theory is supported by the most likely interpretation of nelchaenen. This word seems to mean “thirtieth” rather than “thirty-first”, and Patrick Wynne suggested that nelchaenen ned means “thirtieth and one more” = “thirty-first”. I find this theory the most compelling, and use it here.

-m

suffix. we

1st du. pron. suff. #we (you and me). Q. -mmo.See paradigm PE17:132.

-nc

suffix. we

1st du. pron. suff. #we (you and me). Q. -lmo.See paradigm PE17:132. >> -ngid

amon

hill

pl1. emyn n. hill, lump, clump, mass, often applied to (esp. isolated) mountains. Q. umbo(n). FAmon Amarth

arod

adjective. tall

_ adj. _tall, eminent. Q. aratā.

arod

adjective. noble

adj. #noble.

arod

adjective. noble

d adj. noble. Q. arata. >> raud

maer

adjective. excellent

_ adj. _excellent. Q. maira admirable, excellent, precious. >> maer-, maeron

men-

verb. to go

The basic Sindarin verb for “go”, derived from the root √MEN (PE17/143). Its archaic past form emēnē was discussed in notes from around 1965 (PE17/93); its modern past would be ✱evín. It also appeared in its gerund form in the sentence niðin mened “I have a mind to go, I intend to go” in notes from 1969 (PE22/165).

raud

tall

adj. tall, high, lofty, eminent, noble. Q. arta (< áratā). >> Nimrodel, rodel

raud

lofty

adj. lofty. Q. rāta. >> arod, taer

raud

noun. metal

A noun appearing as N. rhaud “metal” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√RAUTĀ of the same meaning (Ety/RAUTĀ). In that document, it was the basis for the second element of the names Finrod, Angrod and Damrod. In Tolkien’s later writings the second element of these names were based on S. raud “noble” instead. This 1930s “metal” word might reappear in Rodëol “metal of Eöl” in drafts of the Silmarillion from the 1950s, since in Sindarin initial r did not become rh as it did in Noldorin. For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I think it best to stick to [N.] tinc “metal”

taer

lofty

adj. lofty. Q. tāra.

orchall

eminent

1) orchall (lofty, superior), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail), 2) raud (high, noble), in compounds -rod, pl. roed. Also used as noun ”champion, eminent man, [a] noble”: raud, pl. roed (idh roed), coll. pl. rodath.

raud

eminent

(high, noble), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed. Also used as noun ”champion, eminent man, [a] noble”: raud, pl. roed (idh roed), coll. pl. rodath.****

iûl

embers

iûl (pl. iuil unless iûl is ”inherently” plural, as the gloss might suggest).

iûl

embers

(pl. iuil unless iûl is ”inherently” plural, as the gloss might suggest).

lost

empty

lost (pl. lyst), also cofn (void), lenited gofn, pl. cyfn

lost

empty

(pl. lyst), also cofn (void), lenited gofn, pl. cyfn

orchall

eminent

(lofty, superior), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail)

tinc

eminent

should at least be preferred for clarity).

tinc

eminent), t

olkien may have abandoned this word (or tinc should at least be preferred for clarity).

eredh

germ

eredh (seed), pl. eridh

eredh

germ

(seed), pl. eridh

balf

noun. excitement, emotion

orchal

adjective. tall

In his article Probable errors in the Etymologies, Helge Fauskanger lists orchel as a misreading, following Christopher Tolkien's note admitting that the e is uncertain. However, though orchal is attested in WJ/305, it does not necessarily mean that the form orchel is incorrect. It might be constructed by analogy with words such as hathol "axe" (from WJ/234 and the name of a Númenórean, Hatholdir, UT:444), which is also found as hathal (in Hathaldir, name of a companion of Barahir, LR/433, untranslated but conceivably cognate) and hathel (LR/389). Without entering into the details, such words end with a syllabic consonant (as in English "people"), and several vocalizations are apparently possible in Sindarin. The epenthetical vowel is generally o, but it seems that a or e are also allowed. Regarding orchal, its origin is of course different, as it is a compound word where the second element clearly derives from KHAL, but it may have been assimilated, later, to this class of words by analogy. We may therefore consider that orchel is a perfectly valid dialectal variant

raud

excellent

_ adj. _excellent, noble, eminent.

adorn

Adorn

The name Adorn is said to be a of pre-Númenórean origin, adapted in form to suit the Sindarin language.

aew

bird

(small bird) 1) aew. No distinct pl. form. 2) fileg, pl. filig; the form filigod appears as an alternative singular. or

amon

hill

1) amon (pl. emyn) (steep-sided mount), 2) dôl (i dhôl, construct dol) (head), pl. dŷl (i nŷl). Note: In the Etymologies, this word was derived from a root with initial nd- (NDOL), which would make the mutations different (i nôl, pl. i ndŷl). However, the later name Fanuidhol "Cloudyhead" apparently indicates that the lenited form of this d was later to be dh (whereas it would be n if the former derivation had been maintained). 3) tund (i dund, o thund, construct tun) (mound), pl. tynd (i thynd), coll. pl. tunnath.

amon

hill

(pl. emyn) (steep-sided mount)

ar

noble

(adjectival prefix) ar- (high, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain.

arn

noble

(adjective) 1) arn (royal), pl. ern, also arth (lofty, exalted), pl. erth, or arod (archaic *araud), pl. aroed. 2) brand (high, lofty, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind; 3) raud (eminent, high), in compounds -rod, pl. roed. 4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”. Also used as noun ”a noble”; see below.

arphen

noble

(noun, "a noble") 1) arphen, pl. erphin; 2) raud (eminent man, champion), pl.roed (idh roed), coll. pl. rodath.

arphen

noble

pl. erphin

bâr

earth

(dwelling, house, home, family; land) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

ceven

earth

1) ceven (i geven, o cheven), pl. cevin (i chevin) (VT48:23), 2) (world) Amar (archaic Ambar), pl. Emair; 3) bâr (dwelling, house, home, family; land) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds. 4) (maybe ”earth” as substance) cae (i gae, o chae). No distinct pl. form even if there is a pl., except with article (i chae). For ”earth” as a substance, see also SOIL.

ceven

earth

(i geven, o cheven), pl. cevin (i chevin) (VT48:23)

cofn

void

(adjective) cofn (empty), lenited gofn, pl. cyfn

duinen

high tide

(i dhuinen), pl. duinin (i nuinin). (VT48:26).

dôl

hill

(i** dhôl, construct **dol) (head), pl. dŷl (i** nŷl). Note: In the Etymologies, this word was derived from a root with initial nd- (NDOL), which would make the mutations different (i** nôl, pl. i** ndŷl). However, the later name Fanuidhol "Cloudyhead" apparently indicates that the lenited form of this d was later to be dh (whereas it would be n** if the former derivation had been maintained).

eneth

name

(noun) eneth (pl. enith)

eriad

noun. rising

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2020 specifically for Eldamo as a replacement for early ᴱN./G. orost “rising”. It is simply the gerund of [N.] eria- “to rise”.

esta

name

(verb.) esta- (call) (i esta, in estar)

fae

spirit

1) fae (soul, radiance). No distinct pl. form. 2) faer (radiance). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349)

faer

spirit

(radiance). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349)

fileg

bird

pl. filig; the form filigod appears as an alternative singular.

galas

plant

galas (i **alas) (growth), pl. gelais (i ngelais = i ñelais), coll. pl. galassath**

galas

plant

(i ’alas) (growth), pl. gelais (i ngelais = i ñelais), coll. pl. galassath

galvorn

copper, gold,  iron, silver

(i** ’alvorn, pl. gelvyrn [in ngelvyrn*] if there is a pl.), a black metal made by the Dark Elf Eöl. (WJ:322)*

gaw

void

(noun) 1) gaw (i **aw), pl. goe (i ngoe = i ñoe), 2) (noun, "the Void" beyond the world) Gast (i **Ast if the word can occur with article and is not counted as a proper name), 3) iâ (chasm, gulf, abyss), pl. iai (LR:400, RS:437, Letters:383)

gaw

void

(i ’aw), pl. goe (i ngoe = i ñoe)

gondrath

highway

(i ’ondrath) (street of stone, causeway), pl. gendraith (i ngendraith = i ñendraith). Archaic pl. göndreith. (WJ:340). Possibly the pl. can also be gondraith, without umlaut of the first element.

heria

impulse, have an

(i cheria, i cheriar) (be compelled to do something, begin suddenly and vigorously, set vigorously out to do) (VT45:22)

hîn

they

(of women) hîn. It is unclear whether Tolkien maintained this ”Noldorin” pronoun in Sindarin.

iâ

void

(chasm, gulf, abyss), pl. iai (LR:400, RS:437, Letters:383)

laden

plain

(adjective) laden (flat, wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (suggested Sindarin forms for ”Noldorin” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

laden

plain

(flat,  wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (suggested Sindarin forms for ”Noldorin” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

lhûg

dragon

lhûg (construct lhug; with article ?i thlûg or ?i lûg the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (snake, serpent), pl. lhuig (?i luig), also amlug (pl. emlyg).

lhûg

dragon

(construct lhug; with article ?i thlûg or ?i lûg – the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (snake, serpent), pl. lhuig (?i luig), also amlug (pl. emlyg).

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)

or

high

(adjectival pref.) or- (above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

talath

plain

(noun) 1) talath (i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath_, LR:353 s.v.

talath

plain

(i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v. DAL. Compare the Talath Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the *Silmarillion.

tinc

metal

tinc (i dinc, o thinc), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thinc), coll. pl. tingath. The word rhaud “metal” occurring in the Etymologies would normally be ”updated” to Sindarin in the form raud, but since raud appears with different meanings in later sources (see

tinc

metal

(i** dinc, o thinc), no distinct pl. form except with article (i** thinc), coll. pl. tingath. The word rhaud** “metal” occurring in the Etymologies would normally be ”updated” to Sindarin in the form raud, but since raud** appears with different meanings in later sources (see

arod

adjective. noble

hand

noun. [unglossed]

taer

adjective. lofty, lofty, *high

amar

earth

(archaic Ambar), pl. Emair

amarthan

fated

amarthan (pl. emerthain)

amarthan

fated

(pl. emerthain)

ar

noble

(high, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain.

arth

lofty

1) arth (noble, exalted), pl. erth, 2) brand (high, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind, 3) orchall (superior, eminent), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail), 4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

cofn

void

(empty), lenited gofn, pl. cyfn

mithril

copper, gold,  iron, silver

(i** vithril, no distinct pl. form except with article [i** mithril], coll. pl. ?mithrillath). The description of mithril may seem to fit titanium.

or

high

(above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

orchall

lofty

(superior, eminent), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail)

orchall

superior

orchall (lofty, eminent), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail)

orchall

superior

(lofty, eminent), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail)

raud

noble

(eminent, high), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed.  4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”. Also used as noun ”a noble”; see below.

raud

tall

(eminent, noble), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed. Also used as noun ”champion, eminent man, [a] noble”.

mein

ordinal. first

minui

ordinal. first

cae

noun. earth

Ara-

prefix. high, noble, royal

aew

noun. (small) bird

aewen

adjective. of birds

amon

noun. hill, steep-sided mount

ar-

prefix. high, noble, royal

arod

adjective. noble

arod

noble

1b _adj._noble. >> raud

arphen

noun. a noble

arth

adjective. (unknown meaning, perhaps (?) noble, lofty, exalted)

cae

noun. earth

This word is indeclinable, according to the Etymologies

ceven

noun. Earth

eneth

noun. name

ennorath

noun. central lands, middle-earth

esta-

verb. to name

faer

noun. spirit

hû

spirit

_ n. _spirit, shadow.

lad

noun. plain, valley

limlug

noun. fish-dragon, sea-serpent

minui

ordinal. first

orthad

gerund noun. rising

raud

noun. metal

seregon

noun. "Blood of Stone", a plant of the kind called in English "stonecrop", with deep red flowers, that grew on Amon Rûdh

aew

bird

. No distinct pl. form.

aewen

of birds

pl. aewin.

amoth

noun. shoulder

amrent

noun. lark

andrath

high pass

(literally "long climb"), pl. endraith.

arn

noble

(royal), pl. ern, also arth (lofty, exalted), pl. erth, or arod (archaic ✱araud), pl. aroed.

arth

lofty

(noble, exalted), pl. erth

arwen

noble woman

(pl. erwin).****

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”.

brand

lofty

(high, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind

brand

noble

(high, lofty, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind

brand

tall

(lofty, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind.

cae

earth

(i gae, o chae). No distinct pl. form even if there is a pl., except with article (i chae). For ”earth” as a substance, see also

cîl

pass between hills

(i gîl, o chîl) (cleft, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. . A homophone means ”renewal”.

eneth

name

(pl. enith)

ennor

place name. central land, middle-earth

erui

first

(single, alone). No distinct pl. form. Some would argue that Tolkien abandoned erui as a word for ”first”.

ess

noun. name

esta

name

(call) (i esta, in estar)

fae

spirit

(soul, radiance). No distinct pl. form.

gast

void

(i ’Ast if the word can occur with article and is not counted as a proper name)

hall

tall

(exalted); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

hwest

breath

(i chwest, o chwest) (puff, breeze), pl. hwist (i chwist)

hîn

they

. It is unclear whether Tolkien maintained this ”Noldorin” pronoun in Sindarin.

hûr

fiery spirit

(i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

limlug

fish-dragon

(sea serpent), pl. limlyg

lâd

plain

(valley, lowland), construct lad, pl. laid

men

we

men (accusative mín ”us”, presumably usually lenited vín, which is also the genitive ”our”).

men

we

(accusative mín ”us”, presumably usually lenited vín, which is also the genitive ”our”).

minui

first

1) minui (lenited vinui; no distinct pl. form), 2) mîn (lenited vîn; no distinct pl. form) (isolated, towering). Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the number ”one”; 3) erui (single, alone). No distinct pl. form. Some would argue that Tolkien abandoned erui as a word for ”first”.

minui

first

(lenited vinui; no distinct pl. form)

mîn

first

(lenited vîn; no distinct pl. form) (isolated, towering). Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the number ”one”

orn

tall

(pl. yrn). Note: a homophone of the latter means ”tree”.

ross

polished metal

(glitter), pl. ryss (idh** ryss**). Note: homophones mean ”reddish, russet, copper-coloured, red-haired” and also ”spray, foam, rain, dew”. For concrete metals, see

taur

vast

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

taur

vast

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

taur

lofty

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

taur

tall

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

telu

high roof

(i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely).

thûl

breath

1) thûl (pl. thuil), 2) hwest (i chwest, o chwest) (puff, breeze), pl. hwist (i chwist)

thûl

breath

(pl. thuil)

tond

tall

1) tond (lenited dond; pl. tynd), 2) †orn (pl. yrn). Note: a homophone of the latter means ”tree”.

tond

adjective. tall

tond

tall

(lenited dond; pl. tynd)

tund

hill

(i** dund, o thund, construct tun) (mound), pl. tynd (i** thynd), coll. pl. tunnath.

emenya

emenya

emenya, see emya

emerwen

noun. shepherdess

A word attested as part of a title of Tar-Ancalimë: Emerwen Aranel “Princess Shepherdess” (UT/209). Its final element is the suffixal form -wen of vendë “maiden”. Its initial element probably has something to do with either sheep or herding. See emer- for further discussion.

emel

mother

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

emerwen

shepherdess

emerwen noun "shepherdess" (UT:209, 434)

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.

emma

picture

emma noun *"picture" (compounded in indemmar "mind-pictures") (PE17:179)

emmë

we

emmë (2) pron. "we", emphatic pronoun; dative emmen (VT43:12, 20). In the source this pronoun is intended as the 1st person plural exclusive; later Tolkien changed the corresponding pronominal ending from -mmë to -lmë, and the plural emphatic pronoun would likewise change from emmë to *elmë. Since the ending -mmë was redefined as a dualexclusive pronoun, the form emmë may still be valid as such, as a dual emphatic pronoun "we" = "(s)he and I".

emmë

mummy

emmë (1) noun "mummy", hypocoristic form of "mother", also used in children's play for "index finger" and "index toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6, 17, 19). Also emya.

empanya-

plant

*empanya- vb. "plant" (deduced from the "Qenya" pl. past tense empannen, VT27:20-22)

emya

mummy

emya noun "mummy", also used in children's play for "index finger" and "index toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6). Said to be a reduction of emenya *"my mother", seemingly presupposing #emë as a word for "mother" (but this word normally appears as emil or amil, incorporating a feminine ending). In VT48:19, emya is explained as deriving from em-nya "my mother". Compare emmë # 2.

emil

noun. mother

emya

noun. mummy, (orig.) my mother

v'emattë

v'emattë

v'emattë ??? May be the preposition ve + an otherwise unknown word emattë. (Narqelion)

cemi

earth, soil, land

cemi noun "earth, soil, land"; Cémi ("k")"Mother Earth" (LT1:257; the "Qenya" word cemi would correspond to cemen in LotR-style Quenya)

indemma

mind-picture

indemma noun "mind-picture", i.e. a vision transferred from one mind to another and perceived as visual (and aural) images, usually produced by Elves, though Men were capable of receiving them (especially during sleep) (PE17:174, 179). Compound of indo (#1) + emma. Ephemerally Tolkien may have considered the word fanwos (q.v.) for the same phenomenon.

kemen

earth

kemen noun "earth"; see cemen.

quanta emma

facsimile

quanta emma, quantemma noun "facsimile", a complete detailed visual reproduction (by any means) of a visible thing" (PE17:179), literally *"full picture", cf. emma, q.v.

cumna

empty

cumna ("k")adj. "empty" (KUM)

faina-

emit light

faina- vb. "emit light" (PHAY)

yúla

ember, smouldering wood

yúla noun "ember, smouldering wood" (YUL)

Naira

vast, wide, empty

naira (2) adj. "vast, wide, empty" (PE17:27)

aráto

champion, eminent man

aráto noun "champion, eminent man" (SA:ar(a) )

elmë

elmë

*elmë, see emmë #2

felmë

impulse, emotion

felmë noun "impulse, emotion" (VT41:19; this suggests a verb #fel- "to feel"). Compounded in fëafelmë, hroafelmë.

lusta

void, empty

lusta adj. "void, empty" (LUS)

ta

they, them

ta (3) pron. "they, them", an "impersonal" 3rd person pl. stem, referring "only to 'abstracts' or to things (such as inanimates) not by the Eldar regarded as persons" (VT43:20, cf. ta as an inanimate Common Eldarin plural pronoun, VT49:52). Compare te, q.v. The word ta occurring in some versions of Tolkien's Quenya Lord's Prayer may exemplify this use of ta as an "impersonal" plural pronoun: emmë avatyarir ta** "we forgive them" (VT43:8, 9; this refers to trespasses, not the trespassers). However, since Tolkien also wanted ta to mean "that" (see #1 above), he may seem to be somewhat dissatisfied with ta "they, them", introducing variant forms like tai (VT49:32) to free up ta as a sg. pronoun. In one document, tai was in turn altered to te (VT49:33), which could suggest that the distinction between animate and inanimate "they, them" was abandoned and the form te (q.v.) could be used for both. In some documents, Tolkien seems to use tar as the plural form (VT49:56 mentions this as an uncertain reading in a source where the word was struck out; compare ótar under ó**-).

tai

they, them

tai (2) pron. "they, them", 3rd person pl., used with reference to inanimates rather than persons or living things (VT49:32, see ta #3 above). Perhaps to avoid the clash with tai "that which", the pronoun tai "they, them" was altered to te in at least one manuscript (VT49:33), so that it would merge with the pronoun used of living beings and the distinction between animate and inanimate would be abandoned (see te).

te

they, them

te pron. "they, them", 3rd person pl. (VT49:51, LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308). The pronoun te represents an original stem-form (VT49:50). Dative ten, téna or tien "for them, to them" (q.v.) Stressed té (VT49:51). Ótë "with them", q.v. VT43:20 connects te "them" with a discussion of Common Eldarin pronominal stems (ca. 1940s), where te is the "personal" 3rd person pl. stem, referring to persons rather than abstracts or inanimates (which are denoted by ta instead; see, however, the entry ta #3 regarding the problems with this form, and the hints that te may possibly be used with reference to inanimates as well)). Also consider the reflexive pronoun intë "themselves", the final element of which is apparently this pronoun te; see also tú for the dual form.

tú

they, them

tú pron. "they, them", 3rd person dual ("the two of them"), both "personal and neuter" (the pronoun can be used of persons and things alike). (VT49:51) Tolkien also considered tet for the same meaning, listing it alongside tú in one source (VT49:56), but this form was apparently abandoned.

walmë

excitement, emotion

walmë noun "excitement, emotion" (PE17:154, 189)

naira

adjective. vast, wide, empty

valmë

noun. excitement, emotion

walmë

noun. excitement, emotion

amya

noun. mummy, (orig.) my mother

An affectionate word used by a child to address his or her mother (PE17/170), also appearing as emya (VT47/10; VT48/6, 19) along with other variants like amye or amilye (VT47/26-27, 32). It is a reduction of the possessive form: amilinya “my mother”. See amil(lë) “mother” for a discussion of the am-/em- variation.

laima

noun. plant

A noun for “plant” appearing in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 derived from the root √LAY (PE17/159).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. laute (lausi-) “living thing, (esp.) vegetable” and ᴱQ. lauke (lauki-) “vegetable, plant species”, both derived from the early root ᴱ√LAWA (QL/52). The word lauke also appeared in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa with the gloss “plant” (PME/52) and appeared again in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s with the gloss “vegetable” and an accusative form of lautya (PE16/141), indicating a new stem form lauty-.

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.

tinco

noun. metal

A word for “metal” in Appendix F of The Lord of the Rings as the name of tengwa #1 [1] and the tincotéma series of tengwar. ᴹQ. tinko “metal” first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√TINKŌ of the same meaning (Ety/TINKŌ). It also appeared in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 40s (PE22/22, 50, 61), already the name of tengwa #1 and its corresponding series.

Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is ᴱQ. sink (sinq-) “mineral, gem, metal” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SINI “pale blue” (QL/83). Hints of this earlier word can be seen in ✶sinkitamo >> sintamo “[metal] smith” in notes from the late 1960s.

-lmë

we

-lmë 1st person pl. pronominal ending: "we" (VT49:38; 51 carilmë *"we do", VT49:16). It was originally intended to be inclusive "we" (VT49:48), including the person(s) spoken to, but by 1965 Tolkien made this the ending for exclusive "we" instead (cf. the changed definition of the corresponding possessive ending -lma, see above). _(VT49:38) Exemplified in laituvalmet "we shall bless them" (lait-uva-lme-t "bless-shall-we-them") (the meaning apparently changed from inclusive to exclusive "we", VT49:55), see also nalmë under ná# 1. (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308_)

-ltë

they

-ltë, 3rd person pl. pronominal suffix, "they" (VT49:51; cariltë "they do", VT49:16, 17). It alternates with -ntë in Tolkiens manuscripts (VT49:17, 57). In his early material, the ending also appears as -lto, occurring in Fíriel's Song (meldielto "they are beloved" and cárielto "they made"), also in LT1:114: tulielto "they have come" (cf. VT49:57). Compare -lta, -ltya as the ending for "their".

-lwë

we

-lwë, later -lvë, pronominal ending "we" (VT49:51), 1st person pl. inclusive ending, occurring in the verbs carilwë "we do" (VT49:16) and navilwë (see #nav-). The ending became -lvë in later, Exilic Quenya (VT49:51). See -lv-.

-mmë

we

-mmë "we", 1st person dual exclusive pronominal ending: "I and one other" (compare the inclusive dual form -ngwë or -nquë). First written -immë in one source (VT49:57). Carimmë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16, cf. VT43:6). At an earlier conceptual stage, the ending was already exclusive, but plural rather than dual: vammë "we won't" (WJ:371), firuvammë "we will die" (VT43:34), etemmë ?"out of us" (VT43:36); see also VT49:48, 49, 55. Also compare the corresponding emphatic pronoun emmë (q.v.). The ending -lmë replaced -mmë in its former (plural exclusive) sense. In some early material, -mmë was apparently used as an ending for plural inclusive "we" (VT49:55).

-ngwë

we

-ngwë "we", 1st person dual inclusive pronominal ending: "thou and I" (compare the exclusive dual form -mmë). Caringwë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16). One source lists the ending as "-inke > -inque" instead (VT49:51, 53, 57; "inke" was apparently Old Quenya). In an earlier pronoun table reproduced in VT49:48, the ending -ngwë is listed as an alternative to -lmë, which Tolkien at the time used as the plural inclusive ending (a later revision made it plural exclusive).

-ntë

they

-ntë "they", pronomimal ending, inflexion of 3rd person plural when no subject is previously mentioned (CO; see also VT49:49). This ending competes with -ltë (q.v.) in Tolkiens conception (VT49:57; for "they do", both carintë and cariltë are attested, VT49:16 vs. 17). The corresponding pronominal possessive suffix appears as -ntya or -nta in various sources.

-on

name

-on gen.pl. ending (3O), in aldaron, aranion, elenion, Eldaron, #esseron, Ingweron, Istarion, Númevalion, Quendion, Silmarillion, Sindaron, tasarion (see Nan-Tasarion), Valion, wenderon, yénion. Normally the ending -on is added to the nominative plural, whether it ends in -i or -r, but some nouns in -ë that would have nominative plurals in -i seem to prefer the ending -ron in the genitive (hence #esseron as the gen. pl. of essë "name", though the nominative pl. is attested as essi and we might have expected the gen. pl. *ession; similarly wenderon, Ingweron).

-ttë

they

-ttë (1) "they", dual 3rd person pronominal ending ("the two of them") (VT49:51), replacing (also within the legendarium) the older ending -stë (which was later used for the second person only). This older ending -stë corresponds to a possessive ending -sta "their" (VT49:16), but this was presumably likewise altered to *-tta as the new ending for dual "their" = "of the two of them".

-ya

dad

-ya (3) suffix of endearment, attested in Anardilya as an intimate form of the name Anardil (UT:174, 418), possibly also occurring in atya "dad", emya "mum" (q.v.) The forms ataryo "daddy" and amilyë "mummy" (q.v.) may contain gender-specific variants -yo masc. and -yë fem.

Ara-

noble

Ara-, ar- a prefixed form of the stem Ara- "noble" (PM:344). In the masc. names Aracáno "high chieftain", mothername (amilessë, q.v.) of Fingolfin (PM:360, cf. 344), Arafinwë "Finarfin" (MR:230)

Túna

hill, mound

Túna (also Tún) place-name, used of the hill on which Tirion was built (Silm, TUN, KOR), derived from a stem (TUN) apparently meaning simply *"hill, mound".

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)

aiqualin

tall

aiqualin ("q")adj. "tall", plural form (???) (MC:216; this is "Qenya" - but cf. aiqua above.)

ala-

plant, grow

ala- (4) vb. "plant, grow" _(the first gloss would suggest that the following one is transitive: to "grow" plants) (PE17:100). _Compare al- "thrive, *grow" (which however seems intransitive).

amal

mother

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

ambalë

yellow bird, 'yellow hammer'

ambalë noun "yellow bird, 'yellow hammer' " (SMAL)

ambo

hill, rising ground

ambo noun "hill, rising ground" (Markirya, PE17:92), "mount" (PE17:157), allative pl. ambonnar "upon hills" in Markirya (ruxal' ambonnar "upon crumbling hills") According to VT45:5, ambo was added to the Etymologies as a marginal note.

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).

amilyë

mummy

amilyë or milyë (cited as (a)milyë), noun "mummy", also used as a play-name of the index finger, but Tolkien emended it to emmë, emya. (VT48:4) In its basic sense, (a)milyë would be a variant of amil, amillë "mother", q.v.

ammalë

yellow bird, 'yellow hammer'

ammalë noun "yellow bird, 'yellow hammer' " (SMAL)

ammë

mother

ammë noun "mother" (AM1)

amun

hill

amun (amund-) noun "hill" (LT2:335; in Tolkien's later Quenya ambo)

amya

my mother

amya (1) noun "my mother", form used in address (PE17:170), cf. emya

angulócë

dragon

angulócë noun("k") "dragon" (LOK)

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)

arato

noble

arato noun "a noble" (PE17:147), in PE17:118 given as aratō and there glossed "lord" (often = "king"). Cf. aráto. The form cited in the latter source, aratō with a long final vowel, is evidently very archaic (compare Enderō under Ender); later the vowel would become short. (PE17:118)

arquen

noble

arquen noun "a noble" (WJ:372), "knight" (PE17:147)

enna

first

[enna adj. "first" (VT45:12)]

essë

name

essë (1) noun "name", also later name of Tengwa #31, originally (MET) called árë (ázë). (Appendix E). With a pronominal ending esselya "thy name" (VT43:14). Pl. #essi in PM:339 and MR:470, gen.pl. #esseron "of names" in the compound Nómesseron (q.v.); we would rather have expected *ession, given the nom.pl. essi; perhaps #esser is a valid alternative plural form. Essecarmë noun "name-making" (MR:214, 470), Eldarin ceremony where the father announces the name of his child. Essecenta *("k") noun "Name-essay" (see centa) (MR:415); Essecilmë noun "name-choosing", an Eldarin ceremony where a child named him- or herself according to personal lámatyávë (q.v.) (MR:214, 471). The meaning Tolkien originally assigned to the word essë** in the Etymologies was "place" rather than "name" (VT45:12).

esta

first

esta (2) adj. "first" (ESE/ESET); this entry was marked with a query. The word Yestarë (q.v.) "Beginning-day" in LotR suggests that Tolkien decided to change the stem in question to _YESE/YESET_. We could then read *yesta for esta (but later this became a noun "beginning" rather than an adj. "first", PE17:120) and also prefix a y to the other words derived from ESE/ESET (essë* > yessë, essëa > yessëa). Estanossë noun "the firstborn", read likewise Yestanossë** (*Yestanessi?) but in a later text, Tolkien used Minnónar (q.v.) for "the Firstborn" as a name of the Elves, and this form may be preferred. _(In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the word _Estanossë is cited as "Estanesse", but according to VT45:12, the second-to-last vowel is actually o in Tolkien's manuscript.)

fenumë

dragon

fenumë noun "dragon" (LT2:341 but lócë is the normal word in LotR-style Quenya)

foa

breath, puff of breath

foa (1) noun "breath, puff of breath" (VT47:35, 36)

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.

fúmë

noun. breath

A word for “breath” in the Löa Yucainen poem, perhaps related to föa “(puff of) breath”.

halla

tall

halla (1) adj. "tall" (Appendix E, footnote)

hó

spirit, shadow

hó noun "spirit, shadow" (PE17:86)

hórë

impulse

hórë noun "impulse" (KHOR), hórëa "impulsive" _(KHOR; VT45:22 confirms that "impulsive" is the correct gloss, misread "impulsion" in the Etymologies as printed in LR)_

inga

first

inga (2) adj. "first" (ING)

ita-

sparkle

ita- 1) vb. "sparkle" (SA:ril, PM:363)

laima

plant

laima noun "plant" (PE17:159). Cf. olvar.

lelta-

send

#lelta- vb. "send", attested in the past tense with pronominal suffixes: leltanelyes "you sent him" (VT47:21)

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.

lenta-

send

[#lenta- vb. "send", attested in the past tense with pronominal suffixes: lentanelyes "you sent him". Changed by Tolkien to #lelta-, q.v. (VT47:22, 21)]

lirulin

lark

lirulin noun "lark" (MR:238, 262), changed from aimenel, aimenal

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).

lócë

dragon, snake, serpent, drake

lócë ("k")noun "dragon, snake, serpent, drake", older hlócë _("k")(SA:lok-, LT2:340, LOK; in the Etymologies the word is followed by "-ī", whatever that is supposed to mean)_

mamil

mother, mummy

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

mar

earth

mar (1) noun "earth" (world), also "home, dwelling, mansion". Stem mard- (VT46:13, PE17:64), also seen in the ablative Mardello "from earth" (FS); the word is used with a more limited sense in oromardi "high halls" (sg. oromar, PM17:64), referring to the dwellings of Manwë and Varda on Mt. Taniquetil (Nam, RGEO:66). The initial element of Mardorunando (q.v.) may be the genitive mardo (distinguish mardo "dweller"). May be more or less identical to már "home, house, dwelling" (of persons or peoples; in names like Val(i)mar, Vinyamar, Mar-nu-Falmar, Mardil) (SA:bar, VT45:33, VT47:6). Már is however unlikely to have the stem-form mard-; a "Qenya" genitive maren appears in the phrase hon-maren, q.v., suggesting that its stem is mar-. A possible convention could therefore be to use már (mar-) for "home, house" (also when = household, family as in Mardil, q.v.), whereas mar (mard-) is used for for "earth, world". Early "Qenya" has mar (mas-) "dwelling of men, the Earth, -land" (LT1:251); notice that in LotR-style Quenya, a word in -r cannot have a stem-form in -s-.

mavar

shepherd

mavar noun "shepherd" (LT1:268, GL:58)

me

we, us

me (1) 1st person pl. exclusive pronoun "we, us" (VT49:51; VT43:23, VT44:9). This pronoun preserves the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed mé (VT49:51). Cf. also mel-lumna "us-is-heavy", sc. *"is heavy for us" (LR:47, mel- is evidently an assimilated form of men "for us", dative of me; the form men is attested by itself, VT43:21). For me as object, cf. álamë** "do not [do something to] us", negative imperative particle with object pronoun suffixed (VT43:19: álamë tulya, "do not lead us"), ámen** "do [something for] us", imperative particle with dative pronoun suffixed (ámen apsenë "forgive us", VT43:12, 18). Dual exclusive met "we/us (two)" (Nam, VT49:51), "you and me" (VT47:11; the latter translation would make met an inclusive pronoun, though it is elsewhere suggested that it is rather exclusive: "him/her and me", corresponding to wet [q.v.] as the true inclusive dual form). Rá men or rámen "for us/on our behalf", see rá. Locative messë "on us", VT44:12 (also with prefix o, ó- ?"with" in the same source). See also ménë, ómë.

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.

menta-

send, cause to go

menta- (1) vb. "send, cause to go" (in a desired direction) (VT41:6, VT43:15). A similar-sounding primitive verb mentioned in PE17:93 is said to have past and perfect forms that would produce Quenya *mennë*, eménië, but here Tolkien seems to be discussing a distinct intransitive verb "go" and its Sindarin descendants, and Quenya menta- rather belongs to the causative (transitive) verbs which according to the same source has "weak" past-tense forms (in -në, hence mentanë "sent", and likely ementië** as perfect "has sent").

minya

first

minya adj. "first" (MINI) (cf. Minyatur, Minyon); "eminent, prominent" (VT42:24, 25). Minyar "Firsts", the original name of the Vanyar (or rather the direct Quenya descendant of the original Primitive Quendian name) (WJ:380)

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)

orna

tall, high, lofty

orna adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orwa

orwa

tall, high, lofty

orwa adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orna

rauta

metal

rauta noun "metal" [meaning changed by Tolkien from "copper"]. Notice that in the LotR, the word for metal is given as tinco. (RAUTĀ)

róma

shoulder

róma (3) noun "shoulder" (LT2:335; evidently obsoleted by # 1 and # 2 above.)

sanda

name

[sanda, sandë] (þ) (2) noun "name" (VT46:16)

sanya

name

[sanya] (þ) (2) noun ?"name" (reading of gloss uncertain, VT46:16)

setta

first

[setta, setya adj. "first" (possibly also "primary", but Tolkien's gloss was not certainly legible) (VT46:13)]

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-.

tinco

metal

tinco noun "metal" (TINKŌ), also name of tengwa #1 (Appendix E, there spelt "tinco", but "tinko" in Etym); tincotéma noun "t-series", dental series, first column of the Tengwar system (Appendix E)

tintina-

sparkle

tintina- vb. "sparkle" (actually glossed "it sparkles") (TIN)

toi

they

toi pron. "they" (FS; replaced by te in LotR-style Quenya?)

tunda

tall

tunda adj. "tall" (TUN)

tundo

hill, mound

tundo noun "hill, mound" (TUN)

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.

tára

lofty

tára (1) adj. "lofty". (SA:tar, LT1:264, TĀ/TA3 (AYAK, TÁWAR), VT45:6), "tall, high" (WJ:417). Compare antara. Adverb táro in an early "Qenya" text (VT27:20, 26). The adj. tára is not to be confused with the continuative form of the verb #tar- "stand".

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.

umbo

hill, lump, clump, mass

umbo, umbon noun "hill, lump, clump, mass" (PE17:93)

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.

ve

we

ve (2) pron. "we", 1st person pl. inclusive (corresponding to exclusive me), derived from an original stem-form we (VT49:50, PE17:130). Variant vi, q.v. Stressed wé, later vé (VT49:51). Dative (*wéna >) véna, VT49:14. Dual wet*, later vet "the two of us" (inclusive; cf. exclusive met) (VT49:51). Also compare the dative form ngwin or ngwen (q.v.), but this would apparently be wen > ven** according to Tolkiens later ideas.

vi

we

vi pron. "we", 1st person inclusive (PE17:130), variant of ve #2.

vilissë

spirit

vilissë noun "spirit" (GL:23)

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-.)

yána

vast, huge; wide

yána (1) adj. "vast, huge; wide" (PE17:99, 115); also yanda, q.v.

órë

rising

órë (2) noun "rising", anarórë "sunrise" (ORO). Cf. early "Qenya" órë "the dawn, Sunrise, East" (LT1:264). See under Melkor concerning the final element of Melkórë.

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)

-ltë

suffix. they

aimenal

noun. lark

cúma

noun. [unglossed]

halla

adjective. tall

thar-

verb. [unglossed]

-lto

they

-lto, "Qenya" pronominal ending "they"; see -ltë

-ntë

suffix. they

ambona

noun. hill

ango

noun. dragon

esse

noun. name

essë

noun. name

esta-

verb. name

halda

adjective. tall, tall; [ᴱQ.] wide, broad

halda

adjective. high, tall

ortea

adjective. rising, ascendant

tar-

affix. high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)

we

we

we, wé, see ve #2

þúlë

noun. spirit

orohalla

adjective. superior

emil

noun. mother

emelin

noun. yellow bird, "yellow hammer"

emil

noun. mother

emlin

noun. yellow bird, "yellow hammer"

emmelin

noun. yellow bird, "yellow hammer"

iûl

noun. embers

A noun for “embers” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√YUL “smoulder” and cognate to ᴹQ. yúla of the same meaning (Ety/YUL). It was marked ON. but should probably be N. as suggested by Hostetter and Wynne (EtyAC/YUL).

Conceptual Development: A form N. uilw “embers” appeared earlier in the same entry, but was deleted.

Neo-Sindarin: This word would become ✱ŷl if adapted directly to Neo-Sindarin, but the root √YUL was used for “drink” in later writings (PE17/63, 180; WJ/416). To avoid this conflict, I recommend adapting ᴹ√YUL “smoulder” as the Neo-Root ᴺ√YOL of the same meaning, which would allow the retention of this Noldorin word unchanged since it could be derived from ✱yōlā instead, where [[s|long [ō] became [ū]]] after [[s|[ju] became [ȳ]]] (probably).

iûl

noun. embers

The word is classed as Old Noldorin (ON) in the Etymologies, but rather seems to be Noldorin

lhost

adjective. empty

uilw

noun. embers

caun

adjective. empty, void

cofn

adjective. empty, void

lhost

adjective. empty

iuitha-

verb. to employ, to use

The gloss was hardly legible and Christopher Tolkien read "to enjoy" in Ety/400, but the meaning "to employ", much more probable (Cf. iuith ), was later confirmed in VT/45:23

orchal

adjective. superior, lofty, eminent

In his article Probable errors in the Etymologies, Helge Fauskanger lists orchel as a misreading, following Christopher Tolkien's note admitting that the e is uncertain. However, though orchal is attested in WJ/305, it does not necessarily mean that the form orchel is incorrect. It might be constructed by analogy with words such as hathol "axe" (from WJ/234 and the name of a Númenórean, Hatholdir, UT:444), which is also found as hathal (in Hathaldir, name of a companion of Barahir, LR/433, untranslated but conceivably cognate) and hathel (LR/389). Without entering into the details, such words end with a syllabic consonant (as in English "people"), and several vocalizations are apparently possible in Sindarin. The epenthetical vowel is generally o, but it seems that a or e are also allowed. Regarding orchal, its origin is of course different, as it is a compound word where the second element clearly derives from KHAL, but it may have been assimilated, later, to this class of words by analogy. We may therefore consider that orchel is a perfectly valid dialectal variant

orchall

adjective. superior, lofty, eminent

In his article Probable errors in the Etymologies, Helge Fauskanger lists orchel as a misreading, following Christopher Tolkien's note admitting that the e is uncertain. However, though orchal is attested in WJ/305, it does not necessarily mean that the form orchel is incorrect. It might be constructed by analogy with words such as hathol "axe" (from WJ/234 and the name of a Númenórean, Hatholdir, UT:444), which is also found as hathal (in Hathaldir, name of a companion of Barahir, LR/433, untranslated but conceivably cognate) and hathel (LR/389). Without entering into the details, such words end with a syllabic consonant (as in English "people"), and several vocalizations are apparently possible in Sindarin. The epenthetical vowel is generally o, but it seems that a or e are also allowed. Regarding orchal, its origin is of course different, as it is a compound word where the second element clearly derives from KHAL, but it may have been assimilated, later, to this class of words by analogy. We may therefore consider that orchel is a perfectly valid dialectal variant

orchel

adjective. superior, lofty, eminent

In his article Probable errors in the Etymologies, Helge Fauskanger lists orchel as a misreading, following Christopher Tolkien's note admitting that the e is uncertain. However, though orchal is attested in WJ/305, it does not necessarily mean that the form orchel is incorrect. It might be constructed by analogy with words such as hathol "axe" (from WJ/234 and the name of a Númenórean, Hatholdir, UT:444), which is also found as hathal (in Hathaldir, name of a companion of Barahir, LR/433, untranslated but conceivably cognate) and hathel (LR/389). Without entering into the details, such words end with a syllabic consonant (as in English "people"), and several vocalizations are apparently possible in Sindarin. The epenthetical vowel is generally o, but it seems that a or e are also allowed. Regarding orchal, its origin is of course different, as it is a compound word where the second element clearly derives from KHAL, but it may have been assimilated, later, to this class of words by analogy. We may therefore consider that orchel is a perfectly valid dialectal variant

coe

noun. earth

An indeclinable word given as {cíw >>} coe “earth” in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√KEM (Ety/KEM; EtyAC/KEM).

Possible Etymology: The primitive form of rejected cíw is given as ᴹ✶kēm and its derivation is clear: the long ē became ī and then the final m reduced to w after i as usual. The derivation of coe is more obscure, however. The likeliest explanation is that Tolkien imagined its ancient form with a slightly lowered vowel which he generally represented as ǣ in this period (in later writings as ę̄). According to the first version of the Tengwesta Qenderinwa and Comparative Vowel Tables from the 1930s (PE18/46; PE19/25), ǣ &gt; ei &gt; ai &gt; ae, and in The Etymologies itself, it seems ai often became oe instead of ae.

Neo-Sindarin: Updating the derivation of hypothetical ✱kę̄m would produced ᴺS. cae in Sindarin phonology. But given the obscurity of its derivation, I recommend using 1950s S. ceven for “earth” instead.

gast

proper name. Void

A name for the Void beyond the world appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s, more fully Belegast (Ety/KUM).

ereg

place name. First

Earlier name for the river S. Erui from Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, apparently a Noldorin word meaning ereg “first” (TI/312, WR/436).

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.

thûl

noun. breath

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “breath” derived from the root ᴹ√THŪ “puff, blow” (Ety/THŪ). As written in The Etymologies, the actual form was thūl (EtyAC/THŪ).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien gave G. fest “breath, breathing” (GL/35), likely derived from the early root ᴱ√ǶEHE “breathe” (QL/41) with ƕ becoming f.

tinc

noun. metal

A word for “metal” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√TINKŌ of the same meaning (Ety/TINKŌ).

Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is G. sinc “metal” from the Gnomish Lexicon (GL/67), a cognate of ᴱQ. sink “mineral, gem, metal” under the early root ᴱ√SINI “pale blue” in the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon (QL/83). For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I prefer to use ᴺS. sinc for “✱mineral”.

belegast

place name. Void

Noldorin term for the “Void” appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s, a combination of beleg “great” and Gast “void” (Ety/KUM), also appearing as a variant Belego containing gaw “void” (Ety/GAS).

orchal

adjective. tall

In his article Probable errors in the Etymologies, Helge Fauskanger lists orchel as a misreading, following Christopher Tolkien's note admitting that the e is uncertain. However, though orchal is attested in WJ/305, it does not necessarily mean that the form orchel is incorrect. It might be constructed by analogy with words such as hathol "axe" (from WJ/234 and the name of a Númenórean, Hatholdir, UT:444), which is also found as hathal (in Hathaldir, name of a companion of Barahir, LR/433, untranslated but conceivably cognate) and hathel (LR/389). Without entering into the details, such words end with a syllabic consonant (as in English "people"), and several vocalizations are apparently possible in Sindarin. The epenthetical vowel is generally o, but it seems that a or e are also allowed. Regarding orchal, its origin is of course different, as it is a compound word where the second element clearly derives from KHAL, but it may have been assimilated, later, to this class of words by analogy. We may therefore consider that orchel is a perfectly valid dialectal variant

orchall

adjective. tall

In his article Probable errors in the Etymologies, Helge Fauskanger lists orchel as a misreading, following Christopher Tolkien's note admitting that the e is uncertain. However, though orchal is attested in WJ/305, it does not necessarily mean that the form orchel is incorrect. It might be constructed by analogy with words such as hathol "axe" (from WJ/234 and the name of a Númenórean, Hatholdir, UT:444), which is also found as hathal (in Hathaldir, name of a companion of Barahir, LR/433, untranslated but conceivably cognate) and hathel (LR/389). Without entering into the details, such words end with a syllabic consonant (as in English "people"), and several vocalizations are apparently possible in Sindarin. The epenthetical vowel is generally o, but it seems that a or e are also allowed. Regarding orchal, its origin is of course different, as it is a compound word where the second element clearly derives from KHAL, but it may have been assimilated, later, to this class of words by analogy. We may therefore consider that orchel is a perfectly valid dialectal variant

orchel

adjective. tall

In his article Probable errors in the Etymologies, Helge Fauskanger lists orchel as a misreading, following Christopher Tolkien's note admitting that the e is uncertain. However, though orchal is attested in WJ/305, it does not necessarily mean that the form orchel is incorrect. It might be constructed by analogy with words such as hathol "axe" (from WJ/234 and the name of a Númenórean, Hatholdir, UT:444), which is also found as hathal (in Hathaldir, name of a companion of Barahir, LR/433, untranslated but conceivably cognate) and hathel (LR/389). Without entering into the details, such words end with a syllabic consonant (as in English "people"), and several vocalizations are apparently possible in Sindarin. The epenthetical vowel is generally o, but it seems that a or e are also allowed. Regarding orchal, its origin is of course different, as it is a compound word where the second element clearly derives from KHAL, but it may have been assimilated, later, to this class of words by analogy. We may therefore consider that orchel is a perfectly valid dialectal variant

amar

noun. Earth

amon

noun. hill

edhen

adjective. first

gaw

noun. void

lhûg

noun. dragon

rhaud

noun. metal

tonn

adjective. tall

aew

noun. (small) bird

amar

noun. earth

amarthan

adjective. fated

ambar

noun. earth

amlug

noun. dragon

amlug

noun. dragon

amon

noun. hill, steep-sided mount

borth

?. [unglossed]

brand

adjective. lofty, noble, fine

brand

adjective. high (in size)

brann

adjective. lofty, noble, fine

brann

adjective. high (in size)

clei

?. [unglossed]

coe

noun. earth

This word is indeclinable, according to the Etymologies

coen

?. [unglossed]

ereg

adjective. first

fileg

noun. small bird

filigod

noun. small bird

gaw

noun. void

lhad

noun. plain

lhimlug

noun. fish-dragon, sea-serpent

mindon

noun. isolated hill, especially a hill with a watch tower

mindon

noun. tower

mân

noun. departed spirit

nana

noun. mother, mummy

naneth

noun. mother

rhaud

noun. metal

thûl

noun. breath

tinc

noun. metal

tond

adjective. tall

tonn

adjective. tall

tund

noun. hill, mound

tunn

noun. hill, mound

emmë

noun. mother

minya

ordinal. first

aráta

adjective. noble

manô

noun. spirit

A noun translated “spirit” and fully declined as an example of a Weak II noun (SD/438). It appeared with both a short a (SD/424) and long â (SD/438). Given its ending -ô, it might be a masculine-noun, but it seems unlikely that spirits would only be male. This entry assumes it is a common-noun instead. It is probably related to ᴹQ. manu “departed spirit” as suggested by various authors (AAD/19, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/MAN).

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.

dâira

noun. Earth

A noun translated as “Earth” in the final version of the Lament of Akallabêth (SD/247). It may be related to S. dôr “land”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynn (AAD/13).

Conceptual Development: In the Lament of Akallabêth (first draft), this noun appeared as kamāt (SD/311).

yad-

verb. to go

A verb appearing in the Lament of Akallabêth in the form ayadda “(it) went” (SD/247, VT24/12). Its initial element is the 3rd persons neuter plural suffix a- “it”. This leaves the basic verb form yadda, which is the past tense according to the theories used here.

Conceptual Development: It appeared in the form yadda in the first draft version of the Lament, and this form was also briefly considered as a replacement for unakkha “he-came” in the first sentence of the Lament (SD/312).

pûh

noun. breath

A noun translated “breath” and fully declined as an example of a Weak I noun (SD/431).