A Sindarin word in notes from around 1957, derived from primitive ✶wagmē, the equivalent of Q. vangwë “storm” (NM/237). It is not entirely clear whether Tolkien intended the Sindarin word to have the same meaning, as elsewhere gwaew was typically glossed “wind”. But in the same paragraph, gwae also appeared (likewise unglossed), which is the more usual Sindarin word for “wind”, so I think gwaew = “storm” is a reasonable assumption. The same form and derivation of gwaew < ✶wagme appeared in Quenya Notes also from 1957, but there its Quenya equivalent (also vangwe) was glossed “blow”.
Sindarin
gwaew
wind
gwaew
noun. storm; blow
Cognates
- Q. vangwë “storm; blow, storm, *gale; blow” ✧ PE17/034
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶wagmē > gwaew [wagmē] > [wagme] > [gwagme] > [gwaɣme] > [gwaime] > [gwaim] > [gwaem] > [gwaev] > [gwaew] ✧ NM/237 ✶wagme > gwaew [wagme] > [gwagme] > [gwaɣme] > [gwaime] > [gwaim] > [gwaem] > [gwaev] > [gwaew] ✧ PE17/034
gwae
wind
_ n. _wind. Tolkien also notes "WAKH in wagme > gwaew, gwae" (PE17:34). Q. vea. >> gwaew
gwae
noun. wind
The normal Sindarin word for “wind”, usually appearing as gwae but sometimes as gwaew, most frequently derived from √WAY “blow” but also a bewildering variety of other roots (NM/237; PE17/33-34, 189); see the entry for √WĀ for further discussion.
Conceptual Development: The earliest form of this word was G. gwâ “wind” from both Gnomish Grammar and Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s (GG/14; GL/43). The form ᴱN. gwá “wind” reappeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists from the 1920s (MC/217), but in the Nebrachar poem from circa 1930 the form was gwaew “wind” (MC/217). It was N. gwaew “wind” in The Etymologies of the 1930s from the root ᴹ√WAIWA (Ety/WĀ), and appeared a number of times in later writings as both gwae and (more rarely) gwaew, as noted above.
Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I prefer using only gwae for “wind”, reserving gwaew for “storm”.
Cognates
Derivations
Element in
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶wā-yo > gwoe > gwae [wājo] > [wǭjo] > [wǭio] > [woio] > [gwoio] > [gwoi] > [gwoe] > [gwae] ✧ NM/237 √WAYA > gwae [wajā] > [waja] > [waia] > [gwaia] > [gwai] > [gwae] ✧ PE17/033 ✶waiwe > gwae(w) [waiwe] > [gwaiwe] > [gwaiw] > [gwaew] ✧ PE17/033 √WIW > gwae(w) [waiwe] > [gwaiwe] > [gwaiw] > [gwaew] ✧ PE17/034 ✶wāyā > gwoe > gwae [wājā] > [wāja] > [wǭja] > [wǭia] > [woia] > [gwoia] > [gwoi] > [gwoe] > [gwae] ✧ PE17/034 √WAYA > Gwae [wajā] > [waja] > [waia] > [gwaia] > [gwai] > [gwae] ✧ PE17/189 Variations
- gwaew ✧ PE17/033 (gwaew)
- gwae(w) ✧ PE17/033 (gwae(w)); PE17/034
- Gwae ✧ PE17/189
sûl
noun. wind
sûl
noun. wind, [strong] wind, *gust
A noun for “wind” appearing in names like Amon Sûl, derived from the root √SŪ “blow, move with audible sound (of air)” (NM/237; PE17/124).
Conceptual Development: A precursor to this word is G. saul “great wind” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/67), derived from the early root ᴱ√SUHYU “air, breath, exhale, puff” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Súlimo; QL/86).
Neo-Sindarin: Given its connection to the sound of wind, I think sûl would be used mostly for strong or noisy wind, including (but not limited to) gusts of wind, as opposed to more ordinary (and less noisy) gwae “wind”. This notion is supported by its Gnomish precursor G. saul “great wind”.
Cognates
- Q. súrë “wind, breeze” ✧ PE17/124
Derivations
Element in
- S. Amon Sûl “Weathertop, (lit.) Hill of the Wind” ✧ SA/sûl
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √sū > sûl [sūl] > [sūle] > [sūl] ✧ NM/237 √SŪ > sūl [sūli] > [sūle] > [sūl] ✧ PE17/124 Variations
- sūl ✧ PE17/015; PE17/124
gwaew
storm
1) gwaew (i **waew) (wind), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaew**), 2)
gwaew
storm
(i ’waew) (wind), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaew)
gwaew
wind
1) gwaew (i **waew) (storm), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaew), 2) sûl (i hûl), pl. suil (i suil**). Note: a homophone means ”goblet”.
gwaew
wind
(i ’waew) (storm), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaew)
gwaeren
windy
(lenited ’waeren; pl. gwaerin)
sûl
wind
(i hûl), pl. suil (i suil). Note: a homophone means ”goblet”.
alagos
storm of wind
(pl. elegys, coll. pl. alagossath)
_ n. _wind. Tolkien also notes "WAKH in wagme > gwaew, gwae" (PE17:34). >> gwae