lassë noun "leaf"; pl. lassi is attested (Nam, RGEO:66, Letters:283, LAS1, LT1:254, VT39:9, Narqelion); gen. lassëo "of a leaf", gen. pl. lassion "of leaves" (earlier lassio) (WJ:407). The word lassë was only applied to certain kinds of leaves, especially those of trees (PE17:62), perhaps particularly _ear-shaped _leaves (cf. the entry _LAS1 _in the Etymologies, where Tolkien comments on the pointed or leaf-shaped Elvish ears and suggests an etymological connection between words for "ear" and "leaf"); see also linquë #3. Compound lasselanta "leaf-fall", used (as was quellë) for the latter part of autumn and the beginning of winter (Appendix D, Letters:428); hence Lasselanta alternative name of October (PM:135). Cf. also lassemista "leaf-grey, grey-leaved" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in Letters:224, PE17:62), lassewinta a variant of lasselanta (PM:376). Adj. laicalassë "green as leaves" (PE17:56). See also lillassëa, lantalasselingëa.
Quenya
olassië
collection of leaves, foliage
lassë
leaf
lassë
noun. leaf, leaf; [ᴱQ.] petal
The basic Quenya word for “leaf”, derived from the root √LAS (PE17/62, 153; VT39/9). This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. lasse “leaf” appeared as its own entry (QL/51). ᴹQ. lasse “leaf” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√LAS (Ety/LAS¹). In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien said that lasse meant both “a leaf or petal” (GL/52). After that Tolkien translated it only as “leaf”. In one set of later notes Tolkien said it was even more restricted in meaning, and “only applied to certain kinds of leaves, especially those of trees, and would not e.g. be used of leaf of a hyacinth (linque)” (PE17/62).
Neo-Quenya: Despite Tolkien late declaration, I would use lassë as the general “leaf” word for purposes of Neo-Quenya, though more specialized words may also exist such as linquë “(leaf of a) hyacinth”. I would also use it metaphorically in its Early Qenya sense as the “petal” of a flower where the context is very clear, such as lassi indilo “leaves of a lily” = “lily petals”. But where ambiguous, I would use the neologism ᴺQ. lótelas for “petal”, more literally “flower leaf”.
Cognates
Derivations
Element in
- Q. ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen “ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind” ✧ LotR/0377; RGEO/58
- Q. ai! lassi lantar laurië súrinen “ah! leaves fall golden in [by means of] the wind” ✧ RGEO/58
- Q. laicalassë “green-leaf, green as leaves”
- ᴺQ. lassëa “with leaves, leafy”
- Q. lasselanta “(late) autumn, (lit.) leaf-fall, (late) autumn, (lit.) leaf-fall; [ᴹQ.] October” ✧ LotR/1107
- Q. Lassemista “Leaf-Grey”
- Q. lassewinta “leaf fall, autumn, *(lit.) leaf blowing”
- Q. lillassëa “having many leaves”
- ᴺQ. lótelas “petal, (lit.) flower-leaf”
- ᴺQ. nornolassëa “having oak-leaves”
- Q. olass(i)ë “foliage, collection of leaves”
- ᴺQ. parmalas(së) “page, (lit.) leaf of book”
- Q. táli lantalasselingië “*with feet like the music of falling leaves” ✧ PE16/096; PE16/096
- Q. taniquelassë “*high-white-leaf”
- ᴺQ. tyávelassë “spice, (lit.) taste-leaf”
- ᴺQ. yullas “tea”
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶lassē > lasse [lassē] > [lasse] ✧ Let/282 ✶lassḗi > lássei > lassī [lassei] > [lassī] > [lassi] ✧ PE19/106 ✶lasséinen > lassēnen > lassī́nen [lasseinen] > [lassīnen] ✧ PE19/106 ✶lassē > lasse [lassē] > [lasse] ✧ VT39/09 Variations
- lasse ✧ Let/282; LotR/1107; PE16/096; PE16/096; PE17/062; PE17/062; Plotz/11; VT39/09
olass(i)ë
noun. foliage, collection of leaves
A noun for “foliage” appearing as either olassië or olassë, a combination of o- “together” and lassë “leaf” (Let/282; PE17/56, 84).
Cognates
- S. golas “foliage, collection of leaves” ✧ Let/282; PE17/084
Derivations
- ✶gwa-lassiē “foliage” ✧ Let/282; PE17/084
Element in
- Q. Laicolassë “Green-foliage” ✧ PE17/056
Elements
Word Gloss o- “together” lassë “leaf, leaf; [ᴱQ.] petal” -ië “abstract noun, adverb” Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶gwa-lassa/gwa-lassiē > olassiē [gwalassiē] > [gwolassiē] > [ɣwolassiē] > [ɣolassiē] > [olassiē] > [olassie] ✧ Let/282 ✶walass(s) > olassie [walassiē] > [wolassiē] > [olassiē] > [olassie] ✧ PE17/084 Variations
- olassiē ✧ Let/282
- olasse ✧ PE17/056
- olassie ✧ PE17/084
farnë
foliage
farnë (1) noun "foliage", archaic faznë (VT46:9). Not to be confused with farnë as the pa.t. of the verb farya-, q.v.
taniquelassë
leaf
taniquelassë noun name of tree (UT:167), perhaps Tanique(til) + lassë "leaf"
olassië noun "collection of leaves, foliage" (Letters:283). A shorter form #olassë is apparently present in laicolassë "green-foliage" (PE17:56).