enel

between

enel prep. "between" = "at the central position in a row, list, series, etc. but also applied to the case of three persons" (VT47:11). This preposition refers to the position of a thing between others of the same kind; compare imbë.

enel

preposition. in the middle, between

enellië

proper name. *Company of Enel

Term for the third tribe of Elves as companions of ✶Enel, the first Elf of that tribe to awake, a combination of his name and Q. lië “people”

eneldë

middle finger

[eneldë, enellë, enestil noun "middle finger" (VT47:26)]

enelmo

go-between, intervener, intermediary [as noun], mediator

enelmo noun "a go-between, intervener, intermediary [as noun], mediator" (VT47:14)

enelmo

noun. go-between, intervener, intermediary, mediator

eneldë

noun. *middle finger

enellë

noun. *middle finger

endë

noun. centre, middle, centre, middle; [ᴹQ.] core

entë

noun. centre

enestil

noun. *middle finger

lepenel

middle finger

lepenel noun "middle finger", also [lependë] (VT47:10, VT48:5; lependë was struck out, VT48:15)

lepenel

noun. middle finger

imbë

between

imbë (1) prep "between" (Nam, RGEO:67, VT47:11, PE17:92). This is "between" referring to a gap, space, barrier, or anything intervening between two other things, like or unlike one another (compare enel). The pluralized form imbi implies "among" of several things (ancalima imbi eleni "brightest among stars"); "in the sense 'among' before plurals [imbë] is usually pluralized > imbi even when a plural noun follows". As pointed out by Patrick Wynne, imbi may also be used in the sense of "between" before two singular nouns connected by "and" (as in the example imbi Menel Cemenyë "between heaven and earth"), whereas imbë is used before dual forms, as in the examples imbë siryat "between two rivers", imbë met "between us". Elided imb' in the phrase imb' illi "among all" (VT47:11, 30). A dual form imbit is also mentioned, used to express "in absolute form the sense 'between two things' when these are not named" (apparently meaning that imbit expresses *"between them" referring to two entities, with no noun following) (VT47:30, PE17:92)

lependë

noun. middle finger

In rought drafts of notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, Tolkien coined various words for “middle finger” using initial element √ENED “middle”: Q. enestil, enelde or enelde, the first of these in combination with Q. til “tip” with the usual sound change of d+t > t+t > st (VT47/26). But Tolkien soon revised the form to lepende, a combination of ✶lepe “finger” and Q. endë “middle” (VT47/27).

The word lepende “middle finger” reappeared in the polished version of these notes, along with a variant lepenel (VT47/10). Tolkien said this variant was an older word interpreted as “finger number-three”, but was originally based on Q. enel “in the middle, between” (VT47/11), with d/l variation in the primitive root √ENED (VT47/29 note #43). In yet another version of these notes, lepenel was the only word for “middle finger” (VT48/5).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d use lependë as the usual word for “middle finger”, with †lepenel as an archaic variant.

lependë

middle finger

[lependë] noun "middle finger", also lepenel (VT47:10, VT48:15; struck out)

neldë

cardinal. three, three; [ᴱQ.] four

ná-

verb. to be, to be, [ᴱQ.] exist

The basic Quenya verb for “to be”, based on the root √NĀ (PE17/93). It was typically used as the copula equating a noun to another noun or an adjective:

> √NA joining adjs./nouns/pronouns in statements (or wishes) asserting (or desiring) a thing to have a certain quality, or to be the same as another (PE22/147).

In many circumstances this verb was optional:

> As a copula “be, is” is not usually expressed in Quenya where the meaning is clear: sc. in such expressions as “A is good” where the adjective (contrary to the usual order in Quenya of a qualifying adjective) follows: the normal Quenya for this is A mára (PE17/93).

For further discussion see the entry on the Quenya copula.

Conceptual Development: This verb dates back all the way to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was given as the early root ᴱ√NĀ “be, exist” (QL/64). This verb and its root appeared regularly throughout Tolkien’s writings thereafter, but at times Tolkien considered alternative verbs for “to be”; see the entry ëa- for further discussion.

antil

middle finger

[antil noun "middle finger" (VT47:26)]

antil

noun. *middle finger

An alternate name for the middle finger in rough drafts of Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, a combination of √ƷAN “adorn” and Q. til “tip” (VT47/26-27 note #35). As pointed out by Patrick Wynne, this represents an abnormal development for initial ʒ, vanishing rather than becoming h; this vanishing of ʒ was a feature of Quenya Tolkien toyed with in the late 1960s.

mitta

preposition/adverb. between, [ᴹQ.] inwards, into, [ᴱQ.] in; [Q.] between

mitta-

between

mitta- (2) prep. "between" (VT43:30; the final hyphen may suggest that suffixes would normally follow)

neldë

cardinal. three

neldë cardinal "three" (SA:neldor, NÉL-ED, VT47:11, VT48:6). Eleni neldë "three stars", archaic elenion neldë = *"of stars three". Genitive "of 3 stars" = elenion neldë (for archaic elenion neldëo) (VT49:45; see 54 regarding neldion as the gen. pl.) Cf. also nelya, neldëa, Neldië.

olë

cardinal. three

olë (2) cardinal "three" (LT1:258; in LotR-style Quenya Tolkien replaced this "Qenya" form with neldë)

tólë

centre

tólë noun "centre" (LT1:269; the word endë is to be preferred in Tolkien's later Quenya)