Noldorin 

gwe

noun. man, warrior

gwelw

noun. air (as a substance)

A noun appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as N. gwelw “air (as a substance)” derived from primitive ᴹ✶wilwā under the root ᴹ√WIL “fly, float in air” (Ety/WIL).

Conceptual Development: An earlier precursor is G. gwail “air” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√gu̯il (GL/45).

Neo-Sindarin: If adapted to Neo-Sindarin, this word would be ᴺS. gwelu as suggested in HSD (HSD).

gwedh-

verb. to bind

gwedh

noun. bond

Noldorin [Ety/WED; PE22/032] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwerth-i-cuina

place name. (Land of) the Dead that Live

An earlier name for S. Dor Firn-i-Guinar appearing in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, glossed “Living Dead” (SM/116) or “Land of the Dead that Live” (LR/305). It is a combination of the plural of G. gwarth “dead (only of persons)”, i “that” and the present form of cuina- “to live”. It is unclear why the verb was not plural or lenited, as it was in other forms of this name (and as it was on WJ/71).

Noldorin [LR/305; LRI/Gwerth-i-Cuina; SM/116; SM/135; SM/233; SMI/Cuilwarthien; SMI/Gwerth-i-cuina; WJ/071; WJI/Gwerth-i-guinar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwend

noun. bond, friendship

gwenn

noun. maiden

gwest

noun. oath

gwesta-

verb. to swear

gweith

noun. manhood; man-power, troop of able bodied men, host, regiment

Noldorin [Ety/WEG; EtyAC/WEG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gweria-

verb. to betray

gweneth

noun. virginity

gwedh

noun. bond

Noldorin [Ety/397] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwedh-

verb. to bind

Noldorin [Ety/397, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gweith

noun. manhood

Noldorin [Ety/398, VT/46:21, X/E1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gweith

noun. man power, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people

Noldorin [Ety/398, VT/46:21, X/E1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gweith

noun. region, wilderness

Noldorin [Ety/398, VT/46:21, X/E1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelw

noun. air (as substance)

Noldorin [Ety/398, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelwen

noun. air, lower air (distinct from the upper air of the stars, or the outer)

Noldorin [Ety/398] gwelu+men. Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwelwen

noun. air, lower air

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s given as the equivalent of ᴹQ. vilwa “lower air” under the root ᴹ√WIL (Ety/WIL). Since ᴹQ. vilwa was changed to wilma, I’d abandon this word and use N. gwilith instead.

gwend

noun. bond, friendship

Noldorin [Ety/397-398, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwend

noun. maiden

Noldorin [Ety/398, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gweneth

noun. virginity

Noldorin [Ety/398] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwenn

noun. maiden

Noldorin [Ety/398, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gweria-

verb. to betray, cheat

Noldorin [Ety/397] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwest

noun. oath

Noldorin [Ety/397] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwesta-

verb. to swear

Noldorin [Ety/397] Group: SINDICT. Published by

herven

noun. husband

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “husband”, a combination of ᴹ√KHER “govern” and N. benn “man” (which itself archaically meant “husband”), the latter element based on the root ᴹ√BES “wed” (Ety/BES, KHER).

Conceptual Development: In Early Noldorin Word-lists from the 1920s, “husband” was {gwidhion >>} ᴱN. gwedhion, based on the root ᴱ√wed- having to do with marriage (PE13/146). It has a negated form ᴱN. yrwidhion “without husband” (PE13/156). Another precursor was ᴱQ. heruvesto “lord husband” from Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, which was assembled from elements similar to N. hervenn, but in the Qenya branch of the language instead.

Neo-Sindarin: In later writings, Tolkien seems to have revised ᴹ√BES > √BER as the basis for marriage words (VT49/45). However, I prefer to retain the 1930s root ᴹ√BES and would therefore use hervenn for “husband” in Neo-Sindarin, though ᴺS. bethron “spouse (m.)” is an alternative.

Noldorin [Ety/BES; Ety/KHER] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwathel

noun. [sworn] sister, associate [f.]

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “sister, associate”, the female equivalent of N. gwador “(sworn) brother, associate”, a combination of prefix N. gwa- “together” with the root ᴹ√THEL “sister” (Ety/THEL). It is used for metaphorical “sisters” by oath or association, and not by blood.

Noldorin [Ety/THEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bein

adjective. fair, beautiful

Noldorin [Ety/BAN; Ety/GWEN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwador

noun. (sworn) brother, associate

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “brother” that was “especially used of those not brothers by blood, but sworn brothers or associates”, a combination of prefix N. gwa- “together” with the root ᴹ√TOR “brother” (Ety/TOR).

gwîn

noun. evening

Noldorin [Ety/WIN; EtyAC/WIN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

alf

noun. swan

Noldorin [Ety/348, S/427, LotR/E, VT/42:6-7, X/PH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

alf

noun. swan

Noldorin [Ety/ÁLAK; Ety/KHOP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

anw

adjective. male

A literal interpretation of the Etymologies would class this word as a noun, but David Salo notes that the punctuation in The Etymologies is not always reliable. Noldorin anw cannot be cognate to the Quenya noun hanu (3anû) because the final -u would drop. It must rather be cognate to the Quenya adjective hanwa (3anwâ) attested under the stem INI, where it is also stated that inw, corresponding to Quenya inya "female", has been remodelled after anw. The combination of these two entries, along with the phonological evidences, clearly indicates that anw is actually an adjective

Noldorin [Ety/360, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

benn

noun. man, male

Noldorin [Ety/352, VT/45:9] "husband". Group: SINDICT. Published by

bess

noun. (young) woman

Noldorin [Ety/352, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

bess

noun. wife

Noldorin [Ety/352, SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

calen

adjective. green

Noldorin [Ety/362, S/429, Letters/282, RC/349, VT/42:19] Etym. "bright-coloured". Group: SINDICT. Published by

caw

noun. top

Noldorin [Ety/362] Group: SINDICT. Published by

caw

noun. top

cerin

noun. circular enclosure

Noldorin [Ety/365, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

cerin

noun. mound

Noldorin [Ety/365, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dess

noun. young woman

Noldorin [Ety/375] Group: SINDICT. Published by

noun. woman, lady

Noldorin [Ety/352, Ety/354] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dîr

noun. man, referring to an adult male (elf, mortal, or of any other speaking race)

Noldorin [Ety/354, Ety/352] Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodrim

noun. Northmen

Noldorin [Ety/392] forod+rim. Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodwaith

noun. Northmen

Noldorin [Ety/382, Ety/398, X/EI] forod+gwaith. Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodwaith

noun. the lands of the North

Noldorin [Ety/382, Ety/398, X/EI] forod+gwaith. Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodweith

noun. Northmen

Noldorin [Ety/382, Ety/398, X/EI] forod+gwaith. Group: SINDICT. Published by

forodweith

noun. the lands of the North

Noldorin [Ety/382, Ety/398, X/EI] forod+gwaith. Group: SINDICT. Published by

guruth

noun. death

Noldorin [Ety/377] Group: SINDICT. Published by

guruth

noun. death

Noldorin [Ety/ÑGUR; RS/186] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwador

noun. brother (especially used of those not brothers by blood, but sworn brothers or associates)

Noldorin [Ety/394] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwaedh

noun. bond, troth, compact, oath

Noldorin [Ety/397] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwaith

noun. manhood

Noldorin [Ety/398, VT/46:21, X/E1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwaith

noun. man power, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people

Noldorin [Ety/398, VT/46:21, X/E1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwaith

noun. region, wilderness

Noldorin [Ety/398, VT/46:21, X/E1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwaloth

noun. blossom, collection of flowers

This form replaced deleted goloth in the manuscript of The Etymologies, see VT/45:29. The deleted form is however also later attested in VT/42:18

Noldorin [Ety/370, VT/45:29] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwanath

noun. death (act of dying, not death as a state or abstract)

Noldorin [Ety/397] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwann

adjective. departed, dead

Noldorin [Ety/397] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwanod

noun. tale, number

Noldorin [Ety/378] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwanur

noun. a pair of twins

Noldorin [Ety/378, Ety/392, VT/46:6, LotR/A(iv)] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwanur

noun. brother or kinsman, kinswoman

Noldorin [Ety/378, Ety/392, VT/46:6, LotR/A(iv)] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwanw

noun. death (act of dying, not death as a state or abstract)

Noldorin [Ety/397, X/W] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwarth

noun. betrayer

Noldorin [Ety/397] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwarth

noun. betrayer

gwastar

noun. hummock

Noldorin [Ety/388, Ety/399] gwa-+thâr. Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwastar

noun. hummock

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “hummock”, a combination of the prefix N. gwa- “together” and the root ᴹ√STAR “stiff” (Ety/STAR; WŌ).

Noldorin [Ety/STAR; Ety/WŌ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwath

noun. shade, shadow, dim light

Noldorin [Ety/397, S/432] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwath

noun. stain

Noldorin [Ety/397, S/432] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwath

noun. shade

Noldorin [Ety/DYEL; Ety/WATH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gwilith

noun. air (as a region)

Noldorin [Ety/398] Group: SINDICT. Published by

gwîn

adjective. young

Noldorin [EtyAC/GWIN; EtyAC/WIR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gûr

noun. death

Noldorin [Ety/377] Group: SINDICT. Published by

herven

noun. husband

Noldorin [Ety/352, Ety/364, X/ND4] hîr+benn. Group: SINDICT. Published by

hervenn

noun. husband

Noldorin [Ety/352, Ety/364, X/ND4] hîr+benn. Group: SINDICT. Published by

hervenn

noun. husband

herves

noun. wife

Noldorin [Ety/352, Ety/364] hîr+bess. Group: SINDICT. Published by

herves

noun. wife

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s for “wife”, a combination of ᴹ√KHER “govern” and N. bess “woman” (which itself archaically meant “wife”), the latter element based on the root ᴹ√BES “wed” (Ety/BES, KHER).

Conceptual Development: A precursor to this word was ᴱQ. herivesti “wife, ✱lady spouse” from Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, which was assembled from elements similar to N. herves, but in the Qenya branch of the language instead.

Neo-Sindarin: In later writings, Tolkien seems to have revised ᴹ√BES > √BER as the basis for marriage words (VT49/45). However, I prefer to retain the 1930s root ᴹ√BES and would therefore use herves for “wife”. However, in later writings Tolkien also used the short form bess for “wife” as well (SD/129), so I consider herves to be more formal.

Noldorin [Ety/BES; Ety/KHER] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hervess

noun. wife

Noldorin [Ety/352, Ety/364] hîr+bess. Group: SINDICT. Published by

hervess

noun. wife

lhae

noun. great number

Noldorin [VT/45:27, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhaeb

adjective. fresh

Noldorin [Ety/368, VT/45:26, X/OE, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhaes

noun. babe

Noldorin [Ety/367, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhaes

noun. babe

A noun appearing as N. lhaes “babe” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√LAP (Ety/KEM).

Neo-Sindarin: This word is sometimes adapted to Neo-Sindarin as ᴺS. laes, for example in HSD (HSD). This updated form is the usual revision of the voiceless initial lh of Noldorin to voiced l in Sindarin. However, this is not the only phonological difficulty in this word. For example, there is some evidence that in Sindarin, the vocalization of spirantalized p is to u rather than i, suggesting ᴺS. ✱laus. There is also evidence that voiceless stops didn’t vocalize before s in Sindarin, but rather became simple spirants, as in ach “neck” < aks, suggesting instead ✱laph. In this case, I think it is best to avoid all these complexities and just use the 1968 word S. gwinig for “baby”.

lhind

noun. air, tune

Noldorin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhinn

noun. air, tune

Noldorin [Ety/369, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhoeb

adjective. fresh

Noldorin [Ety/368, VT/45:26, X/OE, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhoeb

adjective. fresh

Noldorin [Ety/LÁYAK; EtyAC/LÁYAK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lhoth

noun. flower, inflorescence, a head of small flowers

The noun is collective, a single flower being lotheg

Noldorin [Ety/370, LB/354, VT/42:18, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhothod

noun. (single) flower

Noldorin [VT/45:29, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhum

noun. shade

Noldorin [Ety/370, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhum

noun. shade

A word appearing as N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from the root ᴹ√LUM, most notably an element in the name N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM). It was the cognate of ᴹQ. lumbe, and thus derived from primitive ✱lumbē, which explains why the final m survived as a reduction of mb.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was G. lôm {“pool, sl...” >>} “gloom, shade” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, based on primitive ᴱ✶lou̯me (GL/54) and probably derived from the early root ᴱ√LOMO as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Hisilómë). In this early document, G. lum or glum was “a cloud” (GL/55), likely a derivative of ᴱ√LUVU for “✱dark weather” as also suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Luvier). In Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱN. {lom >>} lhom “shadow” (PE13/149). This became N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies, as noted above.

Neo-Sindarin: In later writings, Hithlum was designated North Sindarin and its final element was based on a loan from Q. lómë “dusk”, with the m surviving only because it was from the North dialect (PE17/133; WJ/400). However, the root √LUM “shadow, darkness” also survived in later writings (PE17/168), so I think N. lhum “shade” can be salvaged, though if adapted to Neo-Sindarin it would need to become ᴺS. lum as suggested in HSD (HSD). Given the later use of Q. lumbo for “(dark) cloud”, I think the Gnomish sense G. lum “[dark] cloud” can be salvaged as well.

lothod

noun. (single) flower

Noldorin [VT/45:29, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

muindor

noun. brother

Noldorin [Ety/394] muin+tôr. Group: SINDICT. Published by

muindor

noun. brother

narn

noun. a tale or a saga, that is told in verse to be spoken and not sung

Noldorin [Ety/374, WJ/313, MR/373, S/412] OS *narna, CE *nʲarnâ "told". Group: SINDICT. Published by

neth

adjective. young

Noldorin [Ety/377] Group: SINDICT. Published by

neth

adjective. young

irregular, compare: tathor @@@

Noldorin [Ety/NETH; Ety/Nι; EtyAC/NIS] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nifredil

noun. a pale winter flower, snowdrop

Noldorin [Ety/376, Ety/378, LotR/II:VI, Letters/402, X/PH] niphred+-il "little pallor". Group: SINDICT. Published by

nûd

noun. bond

penedh

noun. Elf

Noldorin [Ety/KWEN(ED); EtyAC/SET] Group: Eldamo. Published by

penn

noun. Elf

Noldorin [EtyAC/MOR; PE22/067] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pent

noun. tale

Noldorin [Ety/366] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhaen

adjective. crooked

Noldorin [Ety/382, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhaen

adjective. crooked

rhoeg

adjective. crooked, bent, wrong

Noldorin [Ety/383, X/OE, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thlind

adjective. fine, slender

Noldorin [Ety/386, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thlinn

adjective. fine, slender

Noldorin [Ety/386, X/LH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thîn

noun. evening

Noldorin [Ety/392, VT/46:18] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thîn

noun. evening

Noldorin [Ety/THIN; EtyAC/THIN] Group: Eldamo. Published by

trîw

adjective. fine, slender

Noldorin [Ety/392] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tôr

noun. brother

The word muindor is more usual

Noldorin [Ety/394, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tôr

noun. brother

An (archaic) word for “brother” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√TOR of the same meaning, with an irregular plural terein (Ety/TOR). In ordinary speech, it was replaced by muindor, with an initial element muin “dear”.

Neo-Sindarin: In notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien introduced a new word hanar for “brother” (VT47/14). However, I think †tôr and related words might be retained to mean a “metaphorical brother”, a close male associate who may or may not be related by blood, as with such words as gwador “(sworn) brother, associate”. In this paradigm, I would assume muindor still refers to a brother by blood, with an added connotation of strong affection.

ungoliant

feminine name. Gloomweaver

Noldorin [Ety/UÑG; LRI/Ungoliantë; LT1I/Ungoliant; RSI/Ungoliant; SM/091; SMI/Ungoliant; TII/Ungoliant; WR/196; WRI/Ungoliant(e)] Group: Eldamo. Published by