gartha-

verb. to defend, keep

There was a deleted verb N. gartho “defend, keep” in The Etymologies of the 1930s based on the root ᴹ√GARAT, an extension of ᴹ√GAR “keep, maintain, defend” (EtyAC/GAR).

Neo-Sindarin: I think it is worth restoring ᴺS. gartha- “to defend” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, but for “keep” I would use better known S. heb-.

Conceptual Development: This verb had other meanings in Tolkien’s earlier writings. In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s it was G. gartha- “admire, have affection or respect for” based on the early root ᴱ√gṛþ- (GL/42). The Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s had ᴱN. gartha- “to set, put in position, appoint” (PE13/161), perhaps related to the early root ᴱ√ƷARA “spread, wide places” given the noun ᴱN. garth “place” from the same page in this document.

gartha-

verb. to defend, keep

gartha

defend

gartha- (keep) (i **artha, i ngarthar** = i ñarthar)

gartha

keep

(defend) (i ’artha, i ngarthar = i ñarthar). Noun

gartha

defend

(keep) (i ’artha, i ngarthar = i ñarthar)

heb

keep

(verb) 1) heb- (i chêb, i chebir) (retain); 2) gartha- (defend) (i **artha, i ngarthar** = i ñarthar). Noun

hebin

verb. I keep, I have kept

Because of the mutation triggered by the first person pronominal ending, it is impossible to guess whether the stem of this should be heb-, hab- or hob-. The root KHEP listed in VT/41:6 apparently implies that heb- is the correct form

band

safekeeping

(i mand, o mband; construct ban) (custody, prison, duress, doom, hell), pl. baind (i mbaind), coll. pl. bannath.

heb

keep

(i chêb, i chebir) (retain)