er

one, alone

er cardinal "one, alone" (ERE, VT48:6, VT49:54), in an early source also adv. "only, but, still" (LT1:269); Eru er "one God" (VT44:17; er was here emended by Tolkien from erëa, which seems to be an adjectival form *"one, single".)

er

adverb/adjective. one, alone, one, alone; [ᴱQ.] only, a single

Changes

• Erea → Er “*one” ✧ VT44/17

Cognates

• S. er “one, alone” ✧ PE17/095; SA/er; VT48/06
• T. er “one” ✧ VT48/06

Derivations

• √ER “one, single, alone, one, single, alone; [ᴹ√] be alone, deprived; [ᴱ√] remain alone” ✧ SA/er

Element in

• Q. a Aina Neldië Eru Er órava (o)messë “Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us” ✧ VT44/17
• ᴺQ. ellumë “once, one time”
• Q. Ercambo “Onehand(ed), One-hand Man”
• Q. Ercantië “Great Pattern”
• Q. Erendis “?Lonely Bride”
• Q. Eressëa “Lonely (Isle)” ✧ SA/er
• ᴺQ. eretildo “unicorn”
• ᴺQ. erië “oneness”
• Q. erinqua “single, alone”
• ᴺQ. eritë “singular”
• Q. Ermenië “One Beginning”
• ᴺQ. ernóna “only-born, only-begotten”
• Q. Erólamaitë “uniconsonantal”
• Q. Eru “The One, God”
• ᴺQ. essámalë “agreement, (lit.) one-mindedness”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√er > er	[er]	✧ SA/er

Variations

• Er ✧ VT44/17
• Erea ✧ VT44/17 (Erea)

erya

single, sole

erya adj. "single, sole" (ERE)

erëa

cardinal. one

erëa adj.? "one" or *"single", apparently an adjectival form (see er) (VT44:17)

sanomë

there

sanomë adv. "there" (PE17:71). Cf. sinomë, tanomë.

sanomë

adverb. there

ta

there

ta (5) adv. "there" (VT49:33; this may be an Elvish root or "element" rather than a Quenya word; see tanomë; see however also tar, tara, tanna under ta #1).

tasse

there

tassë

there

tassë adv. "there" (VT49:11), short form tás. These seem to be properly locative forms of ta "that, it", hence "in that [place]". Compare allative tanna "thither" and ablative talo "thence".

tassë

adverb. there

Element in

• Q. tas cennen nótimë eldali “I saw a few elves there” ✧ PE22/155

Variations

• tas ✧ PE22/155
• tās ✧ VT49/11
• tasse ✧ VT49/11

tás

there

tás adv. "there" (VT49:11); also tassë, q.v.

tás

adverb. there

en

there, look! yon (yonder)

en (1) interjection "there, look! yon (yonder)" (EN, VT45:12)

erinqua

single, alone

erinqua adj. "single, alone" (VT42:10)

a

cardinal. one

min

cardinal. one

min numeral "one", also minë (VT45:34, VT48:6)

min

cardinal. one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first

Cognates

• S. min “one, one, [G.] single” ✧ PE17/095; VT48/06
• T. min “one” ✧ VT48/06

Derivations

• ✶min “one”
  • √MIN “one, first of a series, one, first of a series; [ᴹ√] stand alone, stick out”

Element in

• ᴺQ. millumë “once, one time”
• ᴺQ. mindórë “million”
• Q. minya “first; eminent, prominent”

minë

cardinal. one

minë numeral "one", also min (MINI, VT45:34)

mir

cardinal. one

mir (2) cardinal "one" (LT1:260; in LotR-style Quenya rather minë)

rea

adjective. single

rie

adverb. only

rië

adverb. only

Derivations

• ✶rē “single item take out of a (long) series” ✧ PE22/158
  • √ER “one, single, alone, one, single, alone; [ᴹ√] be alone, deprived; [ᴱ√] remain alone” ✧ PE22/158

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶rē > rie	[reje] > [rie]	✧ PE22/158

Variations

• rie ✧ PE22/158

rëa

adjective. single

Derivations

• ✶rē “single item take out of a (long) series” ✧ PE22/158
  • √ER “one, single, alone, one, single, alone; [ᴹ√] be alone, deprived; [ᴱ√] remain alone” ✧ PE22/158

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶rē > rëa	[rea]	✧ PE22/158

quén

one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman

quén (quen-, as in pl. queni; as final element in compounds -quen) noun "one, (some)body, person, individual, man or woman", pl. queni = "persons", "(some) people", "they" with the most general meaning (as in "they [= people in general] say that..."). The element is combined with noun and adjective stems in old compounds to denote habitual occupations or functions, or to describe those having some notable (permanent) quality; examples include roquen, ciryaquen, arquen, q.v. Also in aiquen "whoever", ilquen "everybody" (WJ:361 cf. 360, 372).

mo

one, someone, anyone

mo, indefinite pronoun "one, someone, anyone" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 20, 26)

er

adjective. single

er

card

_ card. _one. Q. er. >> min, tad

er

adjective. one, alone

Cognates

• Q. er “one, alone, one, alone; [ᴱQ.] only, a single” ✧ PE17/095; SA/er; VT48/06

Derivations

• √ER “one, single, alone, one, single, alone; [ᴹ√] be alone, deprived; [ᴱ√] remain alone” ✧ SA/er

Element in

• S. elloth “single flower” ✧ VT42/18
• S. Eradan
• S. Erchamion “One-handed” ✧ SA/er
• S. Erchirion
• S. ereb “single, alone, lonely, single, alone, lonely, [N.] isolated” ✧ SA/er
• S. Erebor “Lonely Mountain” ✧ SA/er
• S. Erien
• ᴺS. erlu “once, one time”
• S. Erui

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√er > er	[er]	✧ SA/er

er-

prefix. alone, one

erui

adjective. single, alone

The proper word for first in Sindarin was minui

erui

adjective. first (incorrect use by the Gondorians)

The proper word for first in Sindarin was minui

ennas

adverb. there

Derivations

• √EN “again, once more, go on doing; further, beyond, again, once more, go on doing; further, beyond; [ᴹ√] yonder, over there”

Element in

• S. ar e aníra ennas suilannad mhellyn în phain “and he desires to greet there all his friends” ✧ AotM/062; SD/129

neder

card

_ card. _nine. Q. nerte. >> cae, caen-

cae

card

_ card. _ten. Q. cea. >> caen-, mimp. This gloss was rejected.

min

cardinal. one, one, [G.] single

Cognates

• Q. min “one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first” ✧ PE17/095; VT48/06

Element in

• S. Miniel “Vanyar”
• S. minlamad “?alliteration, (lit.) first-echoing”
• S. minui “first” ✧ VT42/25
• S. minuial “(dawn) twilight”

Variations

• min ✧ PE17/095; VT48/06
• mîn ✧ VT42/25

nel

card

_ card. _three. Q. nelde. Fcan, canad, neledh

pen

pronoun. one, somebody, anybody

Usually enclitic and mutated as ben.2

caen-

card

_ card. _ten. Q. cainen. >> cae, mimp. This gloss was rejected.

can

card

_ card. _four. Q. canta. >> canad, leben

canad

card

_ card. _four. Q. canta. >> can, leben

eneg

card

_ card. _six. Q. enque, enc-. >> odog

leben

card

_ card. _five. Q. lepen, lempe. >> eneg

min

card

_ card. _one. Q. min. >> er, tad

odog

card

_ card. _seven. Q. otos. >> tolod

tad

card

_ card. _two. Q. atta. Fnel, neledh

tad

card

card. two. . This gloss was rejected.

tolod

card

_ card. _eight. Q. tolto. >> neder

ennas

adverb. there, in that place

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

mîn

fraction. one (first of a series)

minai

adjective. single, distinct, unique

er

alone

(adjectival prefix) er- (one, lone)

er

alone

(one, lone)

er

single

1) er (pl. ir) (VT48:6), 2)

er

single

(pl. ir) (VT48:6)

er

lone

(adjectival prefix) er- (alone, one)

er

lone

(alone, one)

eru

the one

isolated from

erui

alone

erui (first, single). No distinct pl. form. Also eriol (pl. erioel); archaic *eriaul.

erui

alone

(first, single). No distinct pl. form. Also eriol (pl. erioel); archaic ✱eriaul.

erui

single

erui (first, alone). No distinct pl. form. 3) minai (distinct, unique), lenited vinai; pl. mini

erui

single

(first, alone). No distinct pl. form. 3) minai (distinct, unique), lenited vinai; pl. mini**

êr

one

whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone)

ennas

there

ennas (SD:128-31)

ennas

there

(SD:128-31)

tass

1,D adverb. then, there

A Quenya-influenced neologism meaning "there, then, in that (place/time)", from Q. tassë.

he

she

he, hen, hene. (The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly he is the nominative, whereas hen is the accusative ”her”. Hene could be an emphatic form. It may be that all of these pronouns as ”N” rather than Sindarin proper.)

he

she

hen, hene. *(The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly he is the nominative, whereas hen is the accusative ”her”. Hene could be an emphatic form. It may be that all of these pronouns as ”N” rather than Sindarin proper.)*

min

cardinal. one

1) (number ”one” as the first in a series) min, mîn (VT48:6), Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”. 2) (number) êr, whence the adjectival prefix er- (alone, lone); 3)

min

one

mîn (VT48:6), Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”.

pen

cardinal. one

(indefinite pronoun) (= somebody, anybody) pen (WJ:376); lenited ben. According to one interpretation of the phrase caro den i innas lín from the Sindarin Lords Prayer (VT44:23), this could mean *”let one do your will”, with den (perhaps a lenited form of *ten) as the indefinite pronoun ”one”. However, others interpret den as the accusative form of the pronoun ”it”: ”Do it [, that is:] your will”.

pen

one

(WJ:376); lenited ben. According to one interpretation of the phrase caro den i innas lín from the Sindarin Lord’s Prayer (VT44:23), this could mean ✱”let one do your will”, with den (perhaps a lenited form of ✱ten) as the indefinite pronoun ”one”. However, others interpret den as the accusative form of the pronoun ”it”: ”Do it [, that is:] your will”.

er

cardinal. one

Cognates

• Q. er “one, alone, one, alone; [ᴱQ.] only, a single” ✧ VT48/06

min

cardinal. one

Cognates

• Q. min “one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first” ✧ VT48/06

ash

cardinal. one

Element in

• Bs. ash nazg durbatulûk “one ring to rule them all” ✧ LotR/0254; PE17/011
• Bs. ash nazg gimbatul “one ring to find them” ✧ LotR/0254; PE17/011
• Bs. ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul “one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them” ✧ LotR/0254; PE17/011

ash

cardinal. one

hi

pronoun. she

A pronominal prefix, the feminine singular pronoun “she” (SD/247). It appears in the pseudo-phrase hi-Akallabêth “She-that-hath-fallen” in the sentence êphal êphalak îdô hi-Akallabêth and in the verb form hikalba “[she] fell” in the sentence Anadûnê zîrân hikalba “Númenor beloved fell (down)”. See the entry on pronominal-prefixes for more discussion.

Derivations

• √Ad. HI “she”

Element in

• Ad. êphal êphalak îdô hi-Akallabêth “far far away now (is) She-that-hath-fallen” ✧ SD/247

er

root. one, single, alone, one, single, alone; [ᴹ√] be alone, deprived; [ᴱ√] remain alone

This root, the basis for the word “one”, was established early and retained its meaning throughout Tolkien’s life. It appeared all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as ᴱ√ERE “remain alone”, and was the basis for ᴱQ. er “one” and ᴱQ. eressea “lonely” (QL/36). These words retained their forms and meaning for the entirety of Tolkien’s life, most notably in Q. Tol Eressëa “Lonely Isle” whose form and meaning were likewise introduced very early and never changed.

The contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon also had a variety of words derived from this root, such as G. er “one” and G. ereth “solitude” (GL/32). This root appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√ERE “be alone, deprived” with both Quenya and Noldorin derivatives (Ety/ERE). The root continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings, variously glossed as “one”, “alone” or “single”.

One interesting feature of this root was the limitations of its use as a number. In some 1968 notes on river names Tolkien said:

> [S.] Erui. Though this was the first of the Rivers of Gondor it cannot be used for “first”. In Eldarin er was not used in counting in series: it meant “one, single, alone” (VT42/10).

In accompanying notes, Tolkien gave:

> 1 “single” (non-serial) ER; “one, first of a series” MIN (VT42/24).

Thus the root for “one” when counting the first of a series was √MIN, whereas √ER could only be used of things that were isolated or unique.

Derivatives

• ✶eryā “isolated, lonely”
  • S. air “lonely” ✧ PE17/028; VT50/18
• ✶rē “single item take out of a (long) series” ✧ PE22/158
  • Q. ré “day (period from sunset to sunset)” ✧ PE22/158
  • Q. rëa “single” ✧ PE22/158
  • Q. rië “only” ✧ PE22/158
• Q. er “one, alone, one, alone; [ᴱQ.] only, a single” ✧ SA/er
• ᴺQ. erda “solitary, deserted”
• Q. erdë “singularity”
• ᴺQ. erta- “to unite”
• Q. Eru “The One, God” ✧ SA/er
• S. er “one, alone” ✧ SA/er
• ᴺS. ereth “solitude, oneness, loneliness”
• S. ero “*only, alone”
• S. ertha- “to unite”

Element in

• ✶erikwa “single, alone” ✧ VT42/10

Variations

• ere ✧ PE22/158
• er ✧ SA/er; VT42/10; VT47/16; VT47/16; VT47/17

imin

masculine name. One

Element in

• Q. Imillië “Company of Imin”

min

cardinal. one

Derivations

• √MIN “one, first of a series, one, first of a series; [ᴹ√] stand alone, stick out”

Derivatives

• Q. min “one, one, [ᴱQ.] one (in a series), the first”

Element in

• ✶Imin “One” ✧ WJ/421
• ✶Iminye ✧ WJ/421

Variations

• Min ✧ NM/060

er-

prefix. alone, one

he

pronoun. she

he

pronoun. she

Derivations

• ᴹ✶sī̆/sē̆ “she” ✧ Ety/S
  • ᴹ√S “demonstrative stem” ✧ Ety/S

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶sī̆/sē̆ > he	[se] > [he]	✧ Ety/S

Variations

• hen ✧ Ety/S
• hene ✧ Ety/S

hen

pronoun. she

hen(e)

pronoun. she

hene

pronoun. she

min

cardinal. one

Cognates

• ᴹQ. min “one” ✧ Ety/MINI

Derivations

• ᴹ√MIN “stand alone, stick out” ✧ Ety/MINI

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√MINI > min	[mini] > [mine] > [min]	✧ Ety/MINI

minei

adjective. single, distinct, unique

min

fraction. one (first of a series)

er Reconstructed

adjective. one, alone

Cognates

• ᴹQ. er “one, alone”

Derivations

• ᴹ√ER “be alone, deprived”

Element in

• N. Erchamui “One-handed” ✧ Ety/KAB
• N. ereb “isolated”
• N. eriol “single, alone”
• N. ereg “first”
• N. erceleb “*true-silver”
• N. Eregon “Stone Pinnacle”