A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “year” with derivatives like ᴹQ. yén/N. în “year” (Ety/YEN). Tolkien’s ongoing use of words like Q. yén and S. ínias “annals” indicate its ongoing validity (LotR/377; MR/200), but in Quenya at least the meaning shifted to that of an “Elvish long year”, equal to 144 solar years (LotR/1107; MR/471; NM/84).
Middle Primitive Elvish
en
root. yonder, over there
en
adverb. yonder
ene
root. ?genitive
endero
masculine name. (?virile) young bridegroom
enek
root. six
ent
adverb. over there
yen
root. year
yenrinde
noun. year
ēntrende
place name. Outer Lands, East
edenā
adjective. first
lepenar
noun. week
way
root. enfold
The earliest iteration of this root was ᴱ√VAẎA “enfold, wind about” from the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. vaile “covering”, ᴱQ. vaima “wrap, robe”, and ᴱQ. vaita- “wrap” (QL/100). The contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon had derivatives like G. baidha- “clothe”, G. bail “sheath, case, cover; pod”, and G. bain “clad”, based on the primitive form Baʒ̔- (GL/21). This likely meant the medial consonant of the root was actually the voiced palatal spirant [ʝ], which Tolkien generally represented as ẏ in Qenya roots (PE12/15-16).
{ᴱN. bain >>} ᴱN. bai “clad” and ᴱN. bail “sheath” from Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s were probably related (PE13/138). In The Etymologies from the 1930s the root appeared as ᴹ√WAY “enfold” with derivatives like ᴹQ. vaita-/N. gwaeda- “enfold” and N. ui “envelope” (Ety/WAY; EtyAC/WAY). In this entry the form was revised to ᴹ√VAY (Ety/WAY). Tolkien also indicated that it was “confused in later Q with BAYA”, perhaps an attempt to salvage the bai- forms of Gnomish and Early Noldorin, but this sentence was struck out and there is no other sign of ᴹ√BAY in The Etymologies.
Neo-Eldarin: In The Etymologies, the Noldorin words for “clothing” seem to have moved to a new root, ᴹ√KHAP “enfold”, but this root had no Quenya derivatives. I think it is best to reconceive of the Early Qenya derivatives of ᴱ√VAẎA related to “clothing” as derivatives of ᴹ√WAY instead. The Gnomish derivatives of ᴱ√VAẎA can’t be easily salvaged, however, since the later roots changed to make it difficult produce their initial b.
snew
root. entangle
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “entangle” with derivatives ᴹQ. neuma “snare” and {nû >>} N. hniof/hnuif “noose, snare” (Ety/SNEW).
ad
root. entrance, gate
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “gate, entrance” (Ety/AD) that seems to have replaced ᴱ√BOÐO (QL/75) from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. Its two main derivatives are ᴹQ. ando and N. annon “(great) gate, door”. These words in turn were transferred in 1959 to the root √ANA “to, towards”, from the original “approach, entrance” (PE17/40). Thus it seems Tolkien abandoned this root, perhaps because he wished to use it instead for √AD(A) “alongside, by the side of”, one of the etymologies Tolkien considered for the Eldarin words for “and” (PE17/71).
bor(on)
root. endure
The root ᴹ√BOR “endure” along with its extended form ᴹ√BORON appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s along with various derivatives having to do with endurance, faithfulness and everlastingness (Ety/BOR, BORÓN). It was simply a later version of the root ᴱ√VORO from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, unglossed but clearly of a similar meaning based on its Qenya and Gnomish derivatives like ᴱQ. voronda “faithful”, ᴱQ. vorima “everlasting” and G. bron(n) “steadfast, firm” (QL/102; GL/23-24).
Similar forms like Q. voronda or vórima “faithful” continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writing (UT/317). The well established names Q. Voronwë or S. Bronwe(g) “Steadfast, Faithful” retained the same basic form and meaning throughout Tolkien’s life, testifying to the enduring nature of the Elvish root for “endurance”.
khap
root. enfold
luktiēnē
feminine name. enchantress
met
root. end
metta
noun. end
wāyā
noun. envelope
pad
root. *enclosure
skar
root. ?stop, end; limit, marge
A hastily written entry in The Etymologies of the 1930s with an unclear gloss (possibly “stop, end; limit, marge”) serving as the basis for the name Ilk. Esgaroth (also with an unclear gloss, possibly “?strand-burg”) with the element Ilk. esgar = “shore” (EtyAC/SKAR²). The name Ilk. Esgaroth was given a much clearer etymology as “Reedlake” under the entry ᴹ√ESEK “✱sedge, reed” (Ety/ESEK).
slig
root. *entwine, thread; spider
An unglossed root in The Etymologies of the 1930s, with derivatives like ᴹQ. lia/N. thlê “fine thread, spider filament” and ᴹQ. líne/N. thling “cobweb, [N.] spider” (Ety/SLIG). It is probably a later iteration of the primitive form ᴱ√LI+ya “unite many as one” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. lia “twine” and ᴱQ. liante “tendril” (QL/53), with analogous forms G. lind “twine” and G. -liont in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/54). For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, it is probably best to assume this root is associated with collections of thread rather than directly with spiders, since in later writings spider words were based on √ungu- (PE22/160).
ñgyo(n)
root. grandchild, descendant
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “grandchild, descendant” with derivatives in Quenya, Telerin and Old Noldorin of similar meaning (Ety/ÑGYŌ); it is clearly an elaboration of ᴹ√YO(N) “son”.
ed(er)
root. open
A deleted root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “open” and the forms √ED and extended √EDÉR, but it had no derivatives (EtyAC/ED).
(e)ned
root. centre, middle
batā̆
noun. beaten track, pathway
belē
noun. strength
luk
root. magic, enchantment
nĕ
suffix. ?genitive
pantā
adjective. open
tū
adjective. strength
wed
root. bind
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “bind” with derivatives like ᴹQ. vére/N. gwaedh “bond, troth, compact, oath” and ᴹQ. vesta-/N. gwesta- “swear”, though Tolkien deleted Quenya derivatives of this root beginning with ves- saying they fell out of use due to conflict with ᴹ√BES “wed” (Ety/WED). This root might be a later iteration of the hypothetical early root ✱ᴱ√FEDE indicated by words in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s like G. fedhin “bound by agreement; ally, friend” and G. fedhra- “unite in a band” (GL/34), but the 1910s and 1930s forms are rather dissimilar so it is hard to say.
inik
root. *idea
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s given as ᴹ√INK and ᴹ√INIK, the latter marked with a “?” but probably representing the actual form of the root (Ety/INK). The root was unglossed, but its derivatives all seem to be related to the sense “idea” such as ᴹQ. inka “idea”, ᴹQ. intya [< inkya] “guess, supposition, idea, notion” and N. inc “guess, idea, notion” (Ety/INK; EtyAC/INK). It might be connected to the later root √IN(ID) “mind” from 1957 (PE17/155).
ku(ʒ)
root. bow
The root ᴹ√KU(Ʒ) “bow” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KUƷ), most likely a later version of ᴱ√KUVU “bend, bow” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/49). One notable derivative in both periods was G. cû “bow, crescent” and N. cû “arch, crescent”, which regularly appeared as S. cû “bow” in later writings, for example in S. Laer Cú Beleg “Song of the Great Bow” (GL/27; Ety/KUƷ; S/209).
The probably-related root ᴹ√KUB “bow” appeared in the Quenya Verbal System of the 1940s (PE22/102); ᴹQ. nukumna “humbled (?under-bowed)” from this period may also be related (SD/246). In notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien gave ✶kūma, Q. cúma and S. cû(f) next to Q. lúva “bow, bight (not for shooting)” < √LUB “bend”, so presumably cúma/cû was “bow (for shooting)” (PE17/122). Finally Q. cúna “bent, curved” appeared in notes associated with the version of the Q. Markirya poem from the late 1960s, along with a verb form cúna- “to bend” (MC/222-223).
These variations make it difficult to determine what Tolkien intended the root to mean, but for purposes of Neo-Eldarin I would assume a base root of √KU(Ʒ) or √KU(H) with perhaps a verbal variant √KUB based on its use in the 1940s, and with the primitive sense “bow, bend”.
ney
root. tear
Tolkien used similar forms throughout his life for Elvish words connected to “tears”, the most enduring being Q. Nienna “Lady of Pity and Mourning” and S. nirnaeth as in Nirnaeth Arnoediad “[Battle of] Tears Unnumbered”. The first manifestation of this root was as ᴱ√NYE(NE) “bleat” and ᴱ√NYEHE “weep” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, though Tolkien considered moving all the derivatives of ᴱ√NYE(NE) to ᴱ√NYEHE (QL/68). Nonetheless it seems the distinction survived in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon which had both nı̯e and nı̯eχe as primitive forms (GL/59-60). Early derivatives include ᴱQ. nyé “bleat” and ᴱQ. nyéni “she-goat” along with ᴱQ. nyére/G. nîr “grief” and ᴱQ. nie/G. nîn “tear”, the last of these appearing in G. Nínin-Udathriol, the earliest name of S. Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
The root reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√NEI̯ “tear” (Ety/NEI), though Tolkien considered and rejected alternate roots ᴹ√NEÑ (EtyAC/NEI) and ᴹ√NEI̯(ET) “moist” (NEI̯(ET)), the latter becoming the primitive word ᴹ✶neiti > ᴹQ. níte “moist, dewy” and N. nîd “damp, wet; tearful”. Other derivatives include ᴹQ. nie “tear”/N. nîn “tear” (same as the forms from the 1910s) as well as N. nírnaeth “lamentation” (Ety/NEI). Tolkien’s continued use of Q. Nienna (S/28) and S. nirnaeth (S/192) in later versions of the Silmarillion indicate this root’s ongoing validity.
Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think some of the Quenya nye- forms from the 1910s might be salvaged as abnormal vocalization from n(e)ye- < √NEY.
rap
root. bind
rasat
root. twelve
The root ᴹ√RÁSAT “twelve” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, and students of Elvish long supposed that its unattested derivative ✱rasta was the Quenya word for “twelve”. In later publications, however, the Quenya word for “twelve” was given as yunquë (VT47/41), derived from primitive ✶yūnekē.
This word yunquë dates back to Early Quenya, first appearing as ᴱQ. yunqe in the Early Qenya Grammar from the 1920s (PE14/82), so it is likely that the √RASAT “twelve” co-existed with ✶yūnekē when that root was introduced in the 1930s. In currently published materials, rasta only appears as a suffix in yurasta “twenty four” (twice-twelve) in a discussion of the Elvish duodecimal (base twelve) counting system, also probably from the 1930s (PE14/17). It may be that ✶yūnekē was used for the general word for “twelve”, while √RASAT was used for “groups of twelve” as part of this duodecimal system. If so, it may have only been used as a suffix in grouping words in this counting system.
sab
root. juice
This root was one of a surprisingly large number of roots Tolkien used for “juice”, appearing as ᴹ√SAB in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. sáva/N. saw “juice” (Ety/SAB). It might be a variant of (hypothetical) early root ✱ᴱ√WASA needed to explain the forms G. gwâs and ᴱQ. vasa “juice” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/44). The primitive form ᴹ✶sāba also appeared in a rough 1940 note with the word N. iofog “fruit drink”, though Tolkien ultimately decided the second element was derived from ᴹ√SUK “drink” (TMME/53).
Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume this root refers mainly fruit juice and pulp, as opposed to syrup and tree sap which would be derived from ᴹ√PIS.
sliw
root. sickly
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “sickly”, with derivatives like ᴹQ. laiwa/N. flaew “sickly, sick, ill” and ᴹQ. líve/N. fliw “sickness” (Ety/SLIW). The root was first written as ᴹ√LIW (EtyAC/LIW). It is probably a later iteration of the unglossed root ᴱ√LEẆE from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives ᴱQ. leuke “sick, ill; pallid, wan” and ᴱQ. leume “sickness” (QL/53).
stā
root. [unglossed]
tap
root. stop
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “stop” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tampa “stopper” and ᴹQ. tape “he stops, blocks” (Ety/TAP; EtyAC/TAP). The word Q. tapta “impeded” from notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 was probably related (VT39/17), indicating the root’s ongoing validity.
top
root. cover, roof, roof, cover
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cover, roof” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tópa-/N. toba- “to roof”, ᴹQ. tópa “roof”, and N. tobas “roofing” (Ety/TOP). It was grouped together with and was apparently a variant of ᴹ√TUP (EtyAC/TOP), a root with a much lengthier history; see that entry for details. For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think this root could mean “roof” as opposed to √TUP = “cover”.
khlip
root. [unglossed]
An unglossed root in a rejected paragraph from the Quenya Verbal System of the 1940s (PE22/112 note #78).
maiga
root. [unglossed]
An unglossed root appearing in the first version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa from the 1930s (TQ1) to illustrate certain patterns of root formation (PE18/66). It may have serving as the basis for ᴹQ. Maia, though this word was given different derivations later.
skil
root. [unglossed]
A root mentioned in passing in as a variant of ᴹ√KIL “divide” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, but it had no derivatives and appeared nowhere else (Ety/KIL).
a-
prefix. complete
neled
root. three
adnō
noun. gate
al
prefix. without
alar-si
interjection. hail!
andā
adjective. long
auluta-
verb. [unglossed]
eñma
?. eñma
eʒ
root. be
eʒ-
verb. to be
geiā
adverb. ever
il
root. all
kaltwa
?. [unglossed]
karpa
root. ?
khōn
noun. heart
kuu̯
noun. bow
kōmā
noun. [unglossed]
liñwi
noun. fish
mbarat
root. fate
melā-
verb. to love
mā
noun. land
ndḗro
noun. bridegroom
ndǣr
noun. bridegroom
neinē
noun. tear
nel
root. three
ni
pronoun. I
nā/ana
root. be, exist
patnā
adjective. wide
sagmā
noun. poison
settā
adjective. first
skala
noun. fish
smal
root. yellow
smalinā
adjective. yellow
span
root. white
stalga
adjective. stalwart, steady, firm
ta
root. that
tainā
adjective. long
tanka
adjective. firm
torōmā
noun. [unglossed]
yagō
noun. gulf
yē
root. to be
ī
article. the
ana
root. be, exist
bay
root. [unglossed]
iw
root. [unglossed], [ᴱ√] *fish
khe
pronoun. they
kub
root. bow
oth
root. fort
phan
root. [unglossed]
A deleted root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with no glosses or derivatives and no clear function (EtyAC/PHAN).
stin
root. [unglossed]
tul-
verb. come, am coming, have come, am arrived, am here
uruk
root. [unglossed]
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with no glosses or derivatives and no clear function (EtyAC/URUK).
us
root. [unglossed]
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with no glosses or derivatives and no clear function (EtyAC/US).
ē
root. to be
ī
root. to be
A root mentioned in Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants from 1936 as the basis for the 1930s genitive suffix ᴹQ. -n. In later writings, the Quenya genitive suffix became Q. -o, and the dative suffix -n was given a new etymology from √NA/ANA, so likely ᴹ√ENE fell out of Tolkien’s favor for this particular use.