tā/taʒ

root. high, high, [ᴹ√] lofty; noble

This root and ones like it were used for “high” things for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as unglossed ᴱ√TAHA in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. tā “high; high above, high up”, ᴱQ. tahōra or tayóra “lofty”, and ᴱQ. tāri “queen”; it had a variant form ᴱ√TAʕA where the ʕ might be a malformed Y (QL/87). The corresponding forms in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon were G. dâ “high” and G. dara “lofty” (GL/29), indicating the true form of the root was ᴱ√DAHA, since initial voiced stops were unvoiced (d- > t-) in Early Qenya (PE12/17). Primitive forms like ᴱ✶dagá > ᴱN. dâ/ᴱQ. tá “high” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s indicates the root continued to begin with D for the following decade (PE13/141, 161).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√TĀ/TAƷ “high, lofty; noble” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tára “lofty, high”, ᴹQ. tári “queen” and N. taen “height, summit of high mountain” (Ety/TĀ). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien gave the root as √TAG or Tā- “high”, and in notes from around 1967 Tolkien gave √TAƷ as the explanation of the initial element of Q. Taniquetil and contrasted it with √TĂR “stand” (PE17/186). In 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2), Tolkien wrote a marginal note giving √TAƷ > TĀ “high”, but this note was rejected with a statement “transfer to Gen. Structure. No [ʒ] existed in Eldarin” (PE19/72-73 note #22).

This last rejection seems to be part of Tolkien’s general vacillation on the nature and phonetic evolution of velar spirants in Primitive Elvish in 1968-70. For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume the root form was √TAH or √TAƷ > √TĀ as the basis for “high” words, much like √MAH or √MAƷ > ✶mā was the basis for “hand” words.

tāra

adjective. high

arātā

adjective. high, lofty, noble

orya-

verb. to rise

barathī

noun. queen

keme

noun. earth

kemen

noun. earth

kherī

noun. lady

kherūnī

noun. lady

kirissi

noun. cleft

kyelep

root. silver

This root and ones like it were used for Elvish words for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The earliest iteration of the root began with T-, however, appearing as unglossed ᴱ√TELEPE in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. telpe “silver” (QL/91). Even at this early stage, however, the Gnomish equivalent was G. celeb (GL/25), but the reason for the t/c variation isn’t clear. The closest explanation is that palatal consonants like [c] became [tʲ] in Qenya vs. [k] in Gnomish (compare ᴱQ. tyava- vs. caf- “taste” from ᴱ√TYAVA) but this doesn’t explain why the Qenya form has initial t- rather than ty-.

Elsewhere in the Elvish languages of the 1910s there seem to be etymological variations of [k] vs. [t], such as ᴱQ. kitya- vs. G. tisca- “tickle” (QL/47; GL/70) and ᴱQ. talqe vs. G. celc “glass” (QL/88; GL/25), so perhaps ᴱQ. telpe vs. G. celeb “silver” is another example of this. Another explanation appeared in Early Noldorin word lists from the 1920s, where the primitive form was ᴱ✶kelekwé which produced ᴱN. celeb as usual but the Qenya form was ᴱQ. telqe with “k = t by dissimilation” (PE13/140), presumably away from q.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had the root ᴹ√KYELEP with variant ᴹ√TELEP, producing N. celeb but ᴹQ. tyelpe or ᴹQ. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). But Tolkien revised this entry, marking ᴹ√TELEP as questionable and introducing the Telerin form ᴹT. telpe < ᴹ√KYELEP, concluding that ᴹQ. telpe must be a loan from Telerin. This finally put N. celeb vs. ᴹQ. telpe (borrowed from Telerin) on a solid phonological foundation. Tolkien seems to have stuck with this explanation, mentioning this borrowing from Telerin to Quenya several times in his later writings, with the proper but now archaic Quenya form being Q. †tyelpë (Let/426; PM/356; UT/266).

kyelepē

noun. silver

tollă

noun. island

yag

root. gap, gap; [ᴹ√] yawn, gape

This root appeared as ᴹ√YAG “yawn, gape” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. yáwe/N. iau “ravine, cleft, gulf” and N. ia “gulf”, the last of these the final element in N. Moria (Ety/YAG). The root √YAG was mentioned several times in Tolkien’s later writings, usually in connection to S. Moria (Let/383; PE17/35, 42). In one place it was given the gloss “gap” (PE17/42).

tar-

affix. high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)

A prefix (and sometimes suffix) meaning “high” as in Tarcil “High Man” or Tarmenel “High Heaven”. It is often used in reference to royalty and nobility, as in Tarumbar “King of the World” or Sorontar “Lord of Eagles”, as well as the names of Númenorean kings and queens. It is related to the adjective tára “high” based on the root √TĀ/TAƷ of similar meaning (Ety/TĀ).

tá

high

tá 2) adj. "high" (LT1:264; there spelt tâ. This is hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, but cf. tára "lofty".)

ornë

noun. (tall) tree, (tall) tree, [ᴹQ.] high isolated tree

A word for a “(tall) tree” in Quenya, derived from primitive ✶ornē (Let/426; PE17/25, 50). This word can be compared to the more common alda “tree”. Talking about the primitive forms Tolkien said:

> ... ✱ornē “tree” originally and usually applied to the taller, straighter, and more slender trees, such as birches [as opposed to] ... stouter and more spreading trees, such as oaks and beeches, were called in C.E. galadā “great growth” (NM/349 and note #1).

I would use ornë in Quenya only for tall straight trees, and alda as either the general word for “tree”, or where applicable for broad and spreading trees.

Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor to this word seems to be ᴱQ. orond- “bush”, cognate to G. orn “tree” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/62). It became {orne >>} ᴱQ. orme “tree” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/139) and then ᴹQ. orne “high isolated tree” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ᴹ✶ÓR-NI “high tree” (Ety/ÓR-NI). It retained the form orne thereafter.

orwa

adjective. high, lofty

An adjective appearing as orwa or orna “high, lofty” in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/186), clearly based on √ORO “rise”. The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s has ᴱQ. orwa or orda “lofty” under the early root ᴱ√ORO (QL/70). See also tára “lofty, tall, high”.

Ilmarin

mansion of the high airs

Ilmarin noun "mansion of the high airs", the dwelling of Manwë and Varda upon Oiolossë (SA:ilm-)

Ormal

high-gold

Ormal noun, one of the Lamps of the Valar: *"High-Gold"??? (Silm)

Taniquetil

high white horn

Taniquetil (Taniquetild-), place-name: the highest of the mountains of Valinor, upon which were the mansions of Manwë and Varda. Properly, this name refers to the topmost peak only, the whole mountain being called Oiolossë (SA:til). The Etymologies has Taniquetil, Taniquetildë ("q") (Ta-niqe-til) ("g.sg." Taniquetilden, in LotR-style Quenya this is the dative singular) "High White Horn" (NIK-W, TIL, TA/TA3, OY). Variant Taníquetil with a long í, translated "high-snow-peak"(PE17:26, 168).

Tarannon

high-gift

Tarannon masc. name; ?"High-gift"? Or, if -annon is a Sindarin-influenced form of andon "great gate" rather than a masculinized form of anna "gift", "Lord of the Gate"??? (Appendix A)

Tarcil

high-man

Tarcil ("k") (#Tarcild-, as in pl. Tarcildi) masc. name, "high-Man", also used as a term for Númenórean (Appendix A, TUR, KHIL, VT46:17, PE17:101; the latter source provides the gloss "Great Man of Numenor"; tarcil(di) = "high-men = Elf-friends of Númenor"). Cf. the variant tarhildi, q.v.

Tareldar

high-elves

Tareldar pl. noun "High-elves" (MR:349), sg. #Tarelda

Tarmenel

high heaven

Tarmenel place-name "High Heaven" (LotR1:II ch. 1, VT44:34, in the latter source also locative tarmeneldë), Tar-menel "the true firmament", as opposed to Nur-menel (q.v.) (MR:388)

Tarnumen

high west

[Tarnumen] place-name *"High west" (???) (VT45:38)

Tarquenya

noun. High Speech

High Speech [= Quenya]

antara

very high, very lofty

antara adj. "very high, very lofty", the adjective tára "lofty" with the superlative prefix an- (q.v.) We might have expected *antára. Also place-name Antaro (VT45:5, 36), said to be the "name of a mountain in Valinor south of Taniq[u]etil" (VT46:17)

aracáno

masculine name. High Chieftain

Youngest son of Fingolfin, who did not appear in The Silmarillion (PM/345, 360). His name is a compound of ar(a)- “high” and cáno “chieftain”; it was also the mother-name of his father Fingolfin (PM/345).

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

ilm-

mansion of the high airs

ilm- stem appearing in Ilmen, the region above the air where the stars are, in Ilmarë, name of a Maia, and in Ilmarin "mansion of the high airs", the dwelling of Manwë and Varda upon Oiolossë (SA)

ilmarin

place name. Mansion of the High Airs

The mansion of Manwë and Varda on Taniquetil, translated as “mansion of the high airs” (LotR/235, RC/217). The etymology of this name is unclear, but it is probably derived from Ilma “Starlight”, and related to Ilmen “Place of (Star)light” (SA/ilm).

Conceptual Development: The name ᴹQ. Ilmarin first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/92). It did not appear in The Silmarillion proper, though it was discussed by Christopher Tolkien in The Silmarillion index and appendix (SI/Taniquetil, SA/ilm).

ingaran

high-king

ingaran noun "high-king" (PM:340), compounded from inga and aran

mairë

work of high and beautiful art

mairë noun "work of high and beautiful art" (or the process of producing a work) (PE17:163)

orna

tall, high, lofty

orna adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orwa

oromar

high (lofty) dwelling, hall

oromar (oromard-) noun "high (lofty) dwelling, hall" (PM17:63-64), pl oromardi "high halls" or "high mansions" in Namárië (cf. RGEO:66, PE17:64), referring to the mansions of Manwë and Varda upon Mt. Taniquetil. See mar #1. Distinguish oromardi noun "mountain-dwellers" (PE16:96), pl. of *oromar(d-).

orwa

tall, high, lofty

orwa adj. (2) "tall, high, lofty" (PE17:112, 186), also orna

tarhildi

high-men, the noble followers

tarhildi, pl. noun "High-men, the Noble followers" (PE17:18), referring to the Dúnedain. Sg. perhaps #tarhil (with stem #tarhild-), cf. tarcil.

tarmen

high place

#tarmen noun "high place" (pl. locative tarmenissen in VT44:34)

tarquendi

high-elves

tarquendi ("q")noun "High-elves" = Lindar (= the later Vanyar; Tolkien revised the names) Sg. #tarquendë (TĀ/TA3)

tarquesta

high-speech

tarquesta ("q")noun "high-speech" (that is Lindarin [later Vanyarin, Tolkien revised the names], or Qenya [Quenya]) (TĀ/TA3)

tarquesta

noun. high language

high language, spoken Quenya

tána

high, lofty, noble

tána (meaning unclear, probably adj. "high, lofty, noble") (TĀ/TA3). Compare tára.

ingaran

noun. high-king

halda

adjective. high, tall

halla

adjective. tall, tall, [ᴹQ.] high

The Quenya word for “tall”, also the name of the tengwa ½ used as a sign for h-aspiration (LotR/1123). This word first appeared in notes on the The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s (PE22/51), though in a couple places Tolkien suggested an alternate form halda instead (PE17/184; PE22/103).

Conceptual Development: Early Noldorin word-lists of the 1920s had ᴱQ. {alda >>} halda as the cognate of ᴱN. {all >>} gall “wide, broad”, both derived from {ᴱ✶aldá >>} ᴱ✶ʒaldá (PE13/136, 144).

orna

adjective. high, lofty

tárië

noun. height

A word for “height” in the Praises of Cormallen: a laita tárienna “bless (or praise) [them] to the height” (LotR/953; Let/448; PE17/103). It is a noun form of the adjective Q. tára “high”.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. tárie “height” appeared in the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s along with adjective ᴱQ. tára “high” (PE15/73-74).

tárië

height

tárië noun "height", allative tárienna "to [the] height" (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308)

inga

top, highest point

inga (1) noun "top, highest point" (PM:340), "only applied to shapes pointing upwards...[it] referred primarily to position and could be used of tops relatively broad". Compounded in the nouns aldinga "tree-top" (alda + inga) (VT47:28), ingaran "high-king" (PM:340)

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

ingwë

masculine name. Chief

Lord of the first tribe of the Elves and the high king of Elvenkind (S/52, 62). His name is ancient and its original meaning is unclear, but it is sometimes translated as “Chief”, and is interpreted as a combination of the root √ING “first, foremost” and the suffix -wë common in ancient names (PM/340).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this character was first named ᴱQ. Ing, but this was soon changed to ᴱQ. Inwe (LT1/22). The form become ᴹQ. Ingwe in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/13, LR/214), and the derivation for Ingwë discussed above had already emerged in The Etymologies (Ety/ING, WEG).

-tar

king

-tar or tar-, element meaning "king" or "queen" in compounds and names (TĀ/TA3), e.g. Valatar; compare the independent nouns tár, tári. Prefix Tar- especially in the names of the Kings and Queens of Númenor (e.g. Tar-Amandil); see their individual names (like Amandil in this case), cf. also Tar-Mairon "King Excellent", title used by Sauron (PE17:183). Also in Tareldar "High-elves"; see also Tarmenel.

Ara-

noble

Ara-, ar- a prefixed form of the stem Ara- "noble" (PM:344). In the masc. names Aracáno "high chieftain", mothername (amilessë, q.v.) of Fingolfin (PM:360, cf. 344), Arafinwë "Finarfin" (MR:230)

Ingwë

chief

Ingwë masc. name, "chief", name of the "prince of Elves" _(PM:340, ING, WEG, VT45:18). Pl. Ingwer "Chieftains", what the Vanyar called themselves (so in PM:340, but in PM:332 the plural has the more regular form Ingwi). Ingwë Ingweron "chief of the chieftains", proper title of Ingwë as high king (PM:340)_. In the Etymologies, Ingwë is also said to be the name of a symbol used in writing: a short carrier with an i-tehta above it, denoting short i (VT45:18).

Minyatur

first-ruler

Minyatur noun "First-ruler"; Tar-Minyatur "High First-ruler", title of Elros as the first King of Númenor (SA:minas, PM:348, SA:tur)

Orocarni

the red mountains

Orocarni noun "the Red Mountains", place-name: literally rather *"Mountain-Reds": a plural form of carnë "red" with the element oro- "mountain" or "high" prefixed (Silm)

an-

very

an- (2) intensive or superlative prefix carrying the idea of "very" or "most", seen in ancalima "most bright" (cf. calima "bright"), antara "very high, very lofty" and #anyára "very old" or "oldest" (the latter form occurring in the so-called Elaine inscription [VT49:40], there with the dative ending -n). Assimilated to am- before p-, as in amparca ("k") "very dry", and to al-, ar-, as- before words in l-, r-, s- (though Tolkien seems to indicate that before words in l- derived from earlier d, the original quality of the consonant would be preserved so that forms in and- rather than all- would result). See also un-. (Letters:279, VT45:5, 36) Regarding the form of the superlative prefix before certain consonants, another, partially discrepant system was also set down in the Etymologies and first published in VT45:36. The prefix was to appear as um- or un- before labialized consonants like p-, qu-, v- (the consonant v preserving its ancient pronunciation b- following the prefix, thus producing a word in umb-), as in- (technically iñ-) before c- and g- (the latter presumably referring to words that originally had initial g-, later lost in Quenya but evidently preserved following this prefix), and as an- otherwise. However, this system would contradict the canonical example ancalima, which would have been *incalima if Tolkien had maintained this idea. In a post-LotR source, the basic form of the prefix is given as am- instead (see am- #2). In this late conception, the prefix still appears as an- before most consonants, but as ama- before r, l, and the form an- is used even before s- (whether original or from þ), not the assimilated variant as- described above. General principles would suggest that the form am- should also appear before y- (so the form #anyára probably presupposes an- rather than am- as the basic form of the prefix, Tolkien revisiting the earlier concept in the _Elaine inscription). (PE17:92)_

arta

exalted, lofty

arta (1) adj. "exalted, lofty" (PM:354), "high, noble" (PE17:118, 147); cf. names like Artaher, Artanis.

imbë

dell, deep vale

imbë (2) noun "dell, deep vale" (VT45:18), "wide ravine (between high mountain sides)" (PE17:92)

luimë

flood

luimë noun "flood" (VT48:23, 30; the additional glosses "floodwater, flooded land" were struck out, VT48:30), "flood, high tide" (VT48:24, 30). According to VT48:30, partially illegible glosses in Tolkien's manuscript may also suggest that luimë can be used for any tide, or for the spring tide (the maximum tide just after a new or full moon).

mar

earth

mar (1) noun "earth" (world), also "home, dwelling, mansion". Stem mard- (VT46:13, PE17:64), also seen in the ablative Mardello "from earth" (FS); the word is used with a more limited sense in oromardi "high halls" (sg. oromar, PM17:64), referring to the dwellings of Manwë and Varda on Mt. Taniquetil (Nam, RGEO:66). The initial element of Mardorunando (q.v.) may be the genitive mardo (distinguish mardo "dweller"). May be more or less identical to már "home, house, dwelling" (of persons or peoples; in names like Val(i)mar, Vinyamar, Mar-nu-Falmar, Mardil) (SA:bar, VT45:33, VT47:6). Már is however unlikely to have the stem-form mard-; a "Qenya" genitive maren appears in the phrase hon-maren, q.v., suggesting that its stem is mar-. A possible convention could therefore be to use már (mar-) for "home, house" (also when = household, family as in Mardil, q.v.), whereas mar (mard-) is used for for "earth, world". Early "Qenya" has mar (mas-) "dwelling of men, the Earth, -land" (LT1:251); notice that in LotR-style Quenya, a word in -r cannot have a stem-form in -s-.

na

to be

na (1) form of the verb "to be", evidently the imperative (or subjunctive): Tolkien stated that na airë would mean "be holy" (VT43:14), and san na (q.v.) must mean "thus be" = "let it be so"; see ná #1 Cf. also the sentence alcar mi tarmenel na Erun "glory in high heaven be to God" (VT44:32/34). Inserted in front of a verb, na expresses a wish: aranielya na tuluva "may thy kingdom come" (ibid).

ná

is

ná (1) vb. "is" (am). (Nam, RGEO:67). This is the copula used to join adjectives, nouns or pronouns "in statements (or wishes) asserting (or desiring) a thing to have certain quality, or to be the same as another" (VT49:28). Also in impersonal constructions: ringa ná "it is cold" (VT49:23). The copula may however be omitted "where the meaning is clear" without it (VT49:9). Ná is also used as an interjection "yes" or "it is so" (VT49:28). Short na in airë [] na, "[] is holy" (VT43:14; some subject can evidently be inserted in the place of [].) Short na also functions as imperative: alcar mi tarmenel na Erun "glory in high heaven be to God" (VT44:32/34), also na airë "be holy" (VT43:14); also cf. nai "be it that" (see nai #1). The imperative participle á may be prefixed (á na, PE17:58). However, VT49:28 cites ná as the imperative form. Pl. nar or nár "are" (PE15:36, VT49:27, 9, 30); dual nát (VT49:30). With pronominal endings: nányë/nanyë "I am", nalyë or natyë "you (sg.) are" (polite and familiar, respectively), nás "it is", násë "(s)he is", nalmë "we are" (VT49:27, 30). Some forms listed in VT49:27 are perhaps to be taken as representing the aorist: nain, naityë, nailyë (1st person sg, and 2nd person familiar/polite, respectively); does a following na represent the aorist with no pronominal ending? However, the forms nanyë, nalyë, ná, nassë, nalme, nar (changed from nár) are elsewhere said to be "aorist", without the extra vowel i (e.g. nalyë rather than nailyë); also notice that *"(s)he is" is here nassë rather than násë (VT49:30).Pa.t. nánë or né "was", pl. náner/nér and dual nét "were" (VT49:6, 9, 10, 27, 28, 30, 36). According to VT49:31, né "was" cannot receive pronominal endings (though nésë "he was" is attested elsewhere, VT49:28-29), and such endings are rather added to the form ane-, e.g. anen "I was", anel "you were", anes "(s)he/it was" (VT49:28-29). Future tense nauva "will be" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 27; another version however gives the future tense as uva, VT49:30). Nauva with a pronominal ending occurs in tanomë nauvan "I will be there" (VT49:19), this example indicating that forms of the verb ná may also be used to indicate position. Perfect anaië "has been" (VT49:27, first written as anáyë). Infinitive (or gerund) návë "being", PE17:68. See also nai #1.

ornë

tree

ornë noun "tree" _(Letters:308, SD:302: "when smaller and more slender like a birch or rowan", Etym stem ÓR-NI: "tree, high isolated tree"). For the etymology, see Letters:426; for (original) difference in meaning between ornë and alda, see alda. In ornemalin "tree-yellow"; see laurelindórenan lindelorendor... (LotR2:III ch. 4; cf. Letters:308), also as final element in malinornë "yellow-tree, mallorn" (q.v.) Masc. name Ornendil *"Tree-friend" (Appendix A)_, compound Ornelië "tree-folk" (Quenya name of the Galadhrim, the tree-people of Lórien) (TI:239).

oro

mount, mountain

oro (1) noun "mount, mountain" (PE17:64), cf. Qenya oro noun "hill" (LT1:256; rather ambo in LotR-style Quenya, though #oro "mountain, hill" appears in Orocarni and orofarnë, q.v. [PE17:83], also with the meaning "high" in oromar, q.v.) Cf. oro- element "up, aloft" (PE17:64).

telpë

silver

telpë noun "silver" (in one example with generalized meaning "money", PE14:54), telep- in some compounds like Teleporno; assimilated telem- in Telemnar and the adj. telemna (KYELEP/TELEP, SA:celeb, LT1:255, 268; also tyelpë, telep-, UT:266). The true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē is tyelpë, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In various names: Telperion the White Tree of Valinor; Telperien ("Telperiën"), fem. name including telp- "silver" (Appendix A); Telperinquar "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (SA:celeb - also Tyelperinquar); Telporno, Teleporno "Silver-high" = Sindarin _Celeborn(Letters:347, UT:266). _It seems that Teleporno is properly Telerin, Quenyarized as Telporno. Compare adjectives telemna, telpina, telepsa, telepta (q.v.)

tumba

adjective. deep valley, [ᴹQ.] deep, lowlying; [Q.] deep valley

The adjective ᴹQ. tumba “deep, lowlying” appeared in rough (and ultimately rejected) notes on irregular verbs from the Quenya Verbal System of the late 1940s as a derivative of ᴹ√TUB “fall low, go down” (PE22/127). In a 1961 letter to Rhona Beare tumba was glossed “deep valley” as an element in the Entish phrase Q. Taurelilómëa-tumbalemorna Tumbaletaurëa Lómëanor “Forestmanyshadowed-deepvalleyblack Deepvalleyforested Gloomyland” (Let/308; LotR/467), but I think this is only an approximate translation, and the word is better understood as adjectival in sense: “✱like a deep valley”. As further evidence of this, in notes from the late 1960s the form tumba was changed to a more typical noun form Q. tumbo in the name Q. i Tumbo Tarmacorto “the Vale of the High Mountain Circle” (NM/351).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d treat this word as an adjective only, and use Q. tumbo for the noun.

tára

lofty

tára (1) adj. "lofty". (SA:tar, LT1:264, TĀ/TA3 (AYAK, TÁWAR), VT45:6), "tall, high" (WJ:417). Compare antara. Adverb táro in an early "Qenya" text (VT27:20, 26). The adj. tára is not to be confused with the continuative form of the verb #tar- "stand".

tári

queen

tári noun "queen", used especially of Varda (TĀ/TA3, LT1:264), etymologically "she that is high" (SA:tar). Dative tárin in the Elaine inscription (VT49:40), genitive tário in Namárië. Elentári "Starqueen", a title of Varda. (Nam, RGEO:67). Tarinya "my queen" (UT:179; sic, not *tárinya). Táris or tárissë "queenship" (PE17:155)

aran

noun. king

or

preposition. above, above, [ᴱQ.] upon; on

A preposition for “above” in the phrase ar i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa tennoio “and of the One who is above all thrones for ever” (UT/305), clearly the Quenya equivalent of N. or “above” and thus based on the root √ORO “rise” (Ety/ORO).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s gave ᴱQ. or the gloss “on”, though it was already derived from the root ᴱ√ORO at this early stage (QL/70). It was glossed “above” in English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s (PE15/68), but was translated “upon” in Earendel Poem from around 1930 (MC/216). It has what appears to be an inverted form ro in a sentence in Early Qenya Word-lists from around this period: ᴱQ. sinda nekka ui sara ro sinda hyalin me sinda móro, untranslated but probably something like “✱this pen is not writing [up]on this paper with this ink” (PE16/146).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use the word or for both “above [but not touching]” and “upon = above and touching”.

orta-

verb. to rise

Tolkien defined an intransitive verb orta- “to rise” based on the root √OR “rise”, first mentioned in The Etymologies of the 1930s where Tolkien had ᴹQ. orta- glossed both transitive “raise” and intransitive “rise” (Ety/ORO). This intransitive verb reappeared in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) of 1948 as ta-formative ort(a), contrasted with ta-causative ᴹQ. ortā́ “raise, lift” = “✱make rise” (PE22/114). In this paradigm, intransitive “rise” was distinguished from transitive “raise” mainly in its half-strong past tense oronte “rose” (or archaic †ronte), as opposed weak past ortane “raised, lifted” (PE22/115).

In QVS, Tolkien gave another intransitive verb ᴹQ. orya-, and said “to avoid the confusion with the causatives -ya was preferred for intransitives: so oryane, rose, ortane, raised” (PE22/115). This seems to indicate orya- “rise” was preferred. Despite this, intransitive orta- “rise” continued to appear in Tolkien later writings (PE17/52, 64; PE21/77; PE22/164) as an alternate to orya- “rise”, which appeared regularly as well (see that entry for details).

Conceptual Development: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer the more distinctive verb orya- for “rise”, and I use orta- only for transitive “raise”. However, some Neo-Quenya writers like the idea of a transitive/intransitive verb distinguished by different past forms. For example Helge Fauskanger used orta- for both “rise” and “raise” in his NQNT (NQNT).

orya-

verb. to rise

An intransitive verb for “to rise” mentioned in various places in Tolkien’s later writings of the 1940s, 50s and 60s, based on the root √OR “rise” (PE17/64; PE22/114, 156). Tolkien usually described it as a ya-formative verb with a half-strong past oronye (PE17/64, 77; PE22/164), though Tolkien occasionally gave it a weak past oryane (PE22/115, 157).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. oro- “rise” based on the early root ᴱ√ORO (QL/70). In a rejected page of verbs and roots from the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) written in 1948, Tolkien had [verb?] ᴹQ. oro, orro “up, rise (from ground)” derived from the root ᴹ√SRŌ (PE22/127), but in the main document he used ya-formative ᴹQ. orya- for “rise” (PE22/114-115), possibly the first appearance of this version of the verb. Tolkien sometimes gave the intransitive Quenya verb for “to rise” as ta-formative orta- with half-strong past oronte; see that entry for discussion.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer orya- “rise” with half-strong past oronye, and because Tolkien said “-ya was preferred for intransitives” (PE22/115).

ingëa

adjective. top

A neologism for “top” as an adjective coined by Luinyelle and Arael on 2022-05-23 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) as an adjectival form of Q. inga “top”.

#turco

chief

#turco (1) noun "chief" (isolated from Turcomund "chief bull", Letters:423). Turco, masc. name, see Turcafinwë.

-ië

suffix. is

-ië (3) "is", -ier "are", stative verb suffix occurring in Fíriel's Song: númessier "they are in the west", meldielto "they are...beloved", talantië "he is fallen", márië "it is good" (< *númessë "in the west", melda "beloved", *talanta "fallen"); future tense -iéva in hostainiéva "will be gathered" (< *hostaina "gathered"). Compare ye "is", yéva "will be", verbs that also occur in Fíriel's Song. This suffix is probably not valid in LotR-style Quenya: -ië is an infinitival or gerundial ending in CO, for ye "is" Namárië has ná, and the phrase "lost is" is vanwa ná, not *vanwië.

Naira

vast, wide, empty

naira (2) adj. "vast, wide, empty" (PE17:27)

aiqua

steep

aiqua("q")adj. "steep" (AYAK). Not to be confused with the pronoun *aiqua "if anything, whatever" that post-Tolkien writers have extrapolated from aiquen (q.v.) on the basis of such pairs as ilquen vs. ilqua (q.v.)

aiqualin

tall

aiqualin ("q")adj. "tall", plural form (???) (MC:216; this is "Qenya" - but cf. aiqua above.)

alda

tree

alda noun "tree" (GALAD, GÁLAD, SA, Nam, RGEO:66, LR:41, SD:302, LT1:249, LT2:340, VT39:7), also name of tengwa #28 (Appendix E). Pl. aldar in Narqelion; gen. pl. aldaron "of trees" in Namárië. Etymology of alda, see Letters:426 and UT:266-7. The latter source states that primitive ¤galadā, whence Quenya alda, originally applied to stouter and more spreading trees such as oaks or beeches, while straighter and more slender trees such as birches were called ¤ornē, Quenya ornë - but this distinction was not always observed in Quenya, and it seems that alda became the general word. According to PE17:25, primitive galada (sic) referred to "a plant (large) and was a general term". Place-name Aldalómë ""tree-night" or "tree-shade-night" (LotR2:III ch. 4, translated in PE17:82); Aldarion masc. name, *"Son of (the) Trees" (Appendix A), Tar-Aldarion a Númenorean King (UT:210). Aldaron a name of Oromë (Silm); aldinga "tree-top" (VT47:28), aldarembina (pl. aldarembinë attested) adj. "tree-tangled", the cognate of Sindarin galadhremmin**(PM:17:26).Aldúya fourth day of the Eldarin six-day week, dedicated to the Trees (Appendix D). The word seems to include Aldu, a dual form referring to the Two Trees. The Númenóreans altered the name to Aldëa (presumably < aldajā), referring to one tree (the White) only. The dual Aldu seems to occur also in Aldudénië** "Lament for the Two Trees" (a strange word, since Quenya does not permit intervocalic d as in this word perhaps the Vanyarin dialect of Quenya did) (Silm)

alda

noun. tree

alda

noun. tree, tree, [ᴱQ.] branch

The basic Quenya word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. alda “tree” appeared under the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” (QL/29). Tolkien seems to have switched its derivation to ✱galadā in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where ᴹQ. alda “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD of the same meaning (Ety/GALAD). See also ornë “(tall) tree” for a discussion of another similar word.

Conceptual Development: There were a few instances where the word alda had a different meaning. In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, alda was glossed “branch” (PE16/139). In notes from 1959 Tolkien said “✱galadā, originally only large flourishing plant, as tree, and especially one that flowered, Q alda, S galað; the general word for ‘tree’ was Q orne ‘upstanding plant’ (PE17/153)”. But in its numerous appearance elsewhere, alda was simply a general word for “tree”.

aran

king

aran noun "king"; pl. arani (WJ:369, VT45:16, PE17:186); gen.pl. aranion "of kings" in asëa aranion, q.v.; aranya "my king" (aran + nya) (UT:193). Aran Meletyalda "king your mighty" = "your majesty" (WJ:369); aran Ondórëo, "a king of Gondor" (VT49:27). Also in arandil "king's friend, royalist", arandur "king's servant, minister" (Letters:386); Arantar masc. name, "King-Lord" (Appendix A); Arandor "Kingsland" region in Númenor (UT:165); the long form Arandórë appears as a name of Arnor in PE17:28 (elsewhere Arnanórë, q.v.) Othercompounds ingaran, Noldóran, Núaran, q.v.

arato

noble

arato noun "a noble" (PE17:147), in PE17:118 given as aratō and there glossed "lord" (often = "king"). Cf. aráto. The form cited in the latter source, aratō with a long final vowel, is evidently very archaic (compare Enderō under Ender); later the vowel would become short. (PE17:118)

arquen

noble

arquen noun "a noble" (WJ:372), "knight" (PE17:147)

cemi

earth, soil, land

cemi noun "earth, soil, land"; Cémi ("k")"Mother Earth" (LT1:257; the "Qenya" word cemi would correspond to cemen in LotR-style Quenya)

ciris

cleft, crack

ciris _("k")_noun "cleft, crack" (LT2:337 - obsoleted by cirissë?)

ea-

verb. be, exist

falqua

cleft, mountain pass, ravine

falqua ("q") noun "cleft, mountain pass, ravine" (LT2:341)

fásë

gap, gulf

fásë noun "gap, gulf" (GL:36)

halda

adjective. tall, tall; [ᴱQ.] wide, broad

halla

tall

halla (1) adj. "tall" (Appendix E, footnote)

haran

king, chieftain

haran (#harn-, as in pl. harni) noun "king, chieftain" (3AR, TĀ/TA3, VT45:17; for "king", the word aran is to be preferred in LotR-style Quenya). In a deleted entry in the Etymologies, haran was glossed "chief" (VT45:17)

hellë

sky

hellë noun "sky" (3EL; a distinct word hellë "frost" was struck out, see KHEL.)

heri

lady

heri noun "lady" (KHER, LT1:272)

heri

noun. lady

hyatsë

cleft, gash

hyatsë noun "cleft, gash" (SYAD), apparently changed by Tolkien from hyassë (VT46:16)

héra

chief, principal

héra adj. "chief, principal" (KHER)

ilwë

sky, heavens

ilwë noun "sky, heavens" (LT1:255), "the middle air among the stars" (LT1:273). VT49:51, 53 also mentions an obscure prononominal element ilwë.

ita

very, extremely

ita, íta adv. 2) "very, extremely" (PE17:112). Like #1 above, this element emerged as part of Tolkiens efforts to explain the initial element of the name Idril (Q Itaril), so it is questionable if #1 and #2 were ever meant to coexist in the "same" version of Quenya.

kemen

earth

kemen noun "earth"; see cemen.

lai

very

[lai adverbial particle "very" (VT45:8)]

lóna

island, remote land difficult to reach

lóna (2) noun "island, remote land difficult to reach" (LONO (AWA) ). Obsoleted by #1 above?

lúto

flood

lúto noun "flood" (LT1:249)

mahalma

throne

mahalma noun "throne", nominative pl. mahalmar "thrones" and locative pl. mahalmassen in CO. Adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:399)

mahalma

noun. throne

A noun for “throne” in the phrase nai tiruvantes i hárar mahalmassen mi Númen “in the keeping of those who sit upon thrones of the West” (UT/305, 317). In the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, Tolkien said that mahalma was derived from Valarin maχallām of the same meaning and was “properly one of the seats of the Valar” (WJ/399). As such, this word is unlikely to be used for an ordinary “throne”, which instead would be tarhanwa.

melehta

mighty

melehta adj. "mighty" (PE17:115), cf. meletya

melehta

adjective. mighty

An adjective for “mighty” derived from the root √MBELEK in a page of notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115), apparently from the primitive form ✱✶mbelektā (with [kt] > [ht]). A variant form meletya appears with the 2nd-plural possessive suffix -lda as Meletyalda “your mighty” in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/369), likely from the primitive form ✱✶mbelekya (with [kj] > [tj]). This variant form has a more typical primitive adjective suffix ✶-ya, but is inconsistent with the attested Sindarin cognate S. belaith, so I’d stick with melehta for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

meletya

mighty

#meletya adj. "mighty", isolated from meletyalda adjective with suffix "your mighty" = "your majesty" (see -lda; meletya = *"mighty"). In full Aran Meletyalda "king your mighty" = "your majesty" (WJ:369). Compare melehta.

meletya

adjective. mighty

no

under

no prep. "under" (NŪ; all other sources give nu instead. In early "Qenya", no meant "upon"; MC:214)

nu

under

nu prep. "under" _(LR:56, Markirya, Nam, RGEO:66, MC:214; the _Etymologies alone gives no [q.v.] instead). In Mar-nu-Falmar, nuhuinenna, q.v. Prefix nú- in nútil, q.v.

nëa

to be

nëa (2) an optative form of the verb na- "to be"? (nëa = LotR-style Quenya nai?): ya rato nëa "which soon may (it) be" = "which I hope will be soon" (Arct)

oro-

verb. rise

oro- (2) vb. "rise" (LT1:256; Tolkien's later Quenya has orta-, but cf. oro #1)

oronta

steep

oronta adj. "steep" (LT1:256)

orta-

verb. rise

orta- vb. "rise", also transitive "raise, lift up", pa.t. ortanë (Nam, RGEO:67, ORO; misreading "ortani" in Letters:426). According to PE17:63-64, this pa.t. form ortanë is only transitive ("raised"), whereas the intransitive pa.t. ("rose") is orontë. Cf. orya-.

orta/orya

verb. rise

orya-

verb. rise

orya- vb. "rise" (intrasitive only, contrast orta-), pa.t. oronyë (PE17:64)

quimellë

lady

quimellë noun "lady" (GL:45)

sanca

cleft, split

sanca (þ) ("k") noun? (or adj, or both?) "cleft, split" (STAK)

silma

silver, shining white

silma adj. "silver, shining white" (SIL), "crystal (white)" (PE17:23)

taran

king

taran (1) noun "king", possibly ephemeral variant of aran, q.v. (PE17:186)

taura

mighty, masterful

taura adj. "mighty, masterful" (TUR, PE17:115), "very mighty, vast, of unmeasured might or size" (VT39:10). Cf. túrëa.

telempë

silver

telempë noun "silver" (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya telpë, which is actually also found in early "Qenya")

telepta

silver

telepta adj. "silver" (as adj.: silvery) (LT2:347), used as noun in the phrase mi telepta of someone clad "in silver", where the context (involving other colour-words) shows that this adj. describes something of silver colour(PE17:71). Compare telemna, telepsa, telpina.

telepta

adjective. silver, silver, *silver-coloured

An adjective for “silver” appearing in the phrase Sanome tarne Olórin, Arakorno, Eomer, Imrahil, mi mīse, mi telepta yo morna, mi laiqua yo ninque, mi luini, ta Gimli mi losseä “There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil in grey, in silver and black, in green and white, and in blue, and also Gimli in white” in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/71).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had unglossed ᴱQ. telepta under the early root ᴱ√TELEPE whose derivatives had to do with silver (QL/91). A similar form ᴹQ. telepsa “of silver” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver”, which Tolkien equated to ᴹQ. telpina (Ety/KYELEP). This form telepsa may reflect the 1930s sound change whereby pt became ps; compare ᴹQ. lepse “finger” from ᴹ√LEPET (Ety/LEPET). Tolkien revised the entry for ᴹ√KYELEP, replacing telepsa with (unglossed) ᴹQ. telemna (Ety/KYELEP). The adjective telepta “silver” was restored in the 1960s (see above) after Tolkien abandoned the ps > pt sound change.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I would use this word primarily for silver as a color.

telluma

dome, copula

telluma noun "dome, copula", especially the "Dome of Varda" over Valinor, but also applied to the domes of the mansion of Manwë and Varda upon Taniquetil. Adopted from Valarin _delgūmā under the influence of pure Quenya telumë (WJ:399, 411). Pl. tellumar is attested (Nam, RGEO:66)_.

telpë

noun. silver, silver; [ᴱQ.] money

This was the Quenya word for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The word was derived from the root √KYELEP, which became †tyelpë in Quenya and S. celeb in Sindarin. However, the Quenya form of the word was influenced by Telerin telpë “because the Teleri in their lands, to the north of the Noldor, found a great wealth of silver, and became the chief silversmiths among the Eldar” (Let/426). The archaic Quenya form †tyelpë was retained for the name of the palatal series of tengwar consonants, the tyelpetéma (LotR/1120), but in ordinary use (and most names) the forms telpë or telep- (in compounds) were used.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. telpe based on the early root ᴱ√TELEPE, but its Gnomish cognate was G. celeb (QL/91). Tolkien did not explain this difference in these early documents from the 1910s. In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s he had ᴱQ. telqe and ᴱN. celeb “silver” derived from primitive ᴱ✶kelekwé, explaining initial t in the Qenya form as the result of dissimilation away the kw (PE13/140).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien introduced a root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver” as an alternate to ᴹ√TELEP, with derivatives ᴹQ. telpe or tyelpe, N. celeb and ᴹT. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). He then said “Q telpe may be Telerin form (Teleri specially fond of silver, as Lindar of gold), in which case all forms may refer to KYELEP”. It seems that he stuck with this idea thereafter and abandoned ᴹ√TELEP.

Note that in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s Tolkien used ᴱQ. telpe for “money” (PE14/54), and I would give telpë this meaning for purposes of Neo-Quenya as well, much like the French word argent means both “silver” and “money”.

telumë

dome, roof, canopy

telumë noun "dome, roof, canopy" (TEL/TELU, WJ:411 cf. 399; see also telluma); "firmament" (MC:214), inflected telumen in MC:221 (the latter is "Qenya"). Telumehtar "warrior of the sky", older name of Menelmacar = Orion (Appendix E, TEL/TELU, WJ:411); Telumendil *"Sky-friend", name of a constellation (Silm)

tol

island, isle

tol noun "island, isle" (rising with sheer sides from the sea or from the river, SA:tol, VT47:26). In early "Qenya", the word was defined as "island, any rise standing alone in water, plain of green, etc" (LT1:269). The stem is toll-; the Etymologies as published in LR gives the pl. "tolle" (TOL2), but this is a misreading for tolli (see VT46:19 and compare LT1:85). The primitive form of tol is variously cited as ¤tolla (VT47:26) and ¤tollo (TOL2).

tumba

deep valley

tumba noun "deep valley" (Letters:308; SA:tum and TUB gives tumbo "valley, deep valley"); apparently an extended form *tumbalë in tumbalemorna "deepvalleyblack" or (according to SA:tum) "black deep valley", also tumbaletaurëa "deepvalleyforested"; see Taurelilómëa-tumbalemorna...

tunda

tall

tunda adj. "tall" (TUN)

turco

noun. chief

turinqui

queen

turinqui ("q") noun "queen" (LT1:260; apparently the fem. of tur. In Tolkien's later Quenya, "queen" is tári.)

tyelpë

silver

tyelpë noun "silver" (KYELEP/TELEP), etymology also in Letters:426 and UT:266. Tyelpë is the true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In the Etymologies, tyelpë is also the name of Tengwa #1 with overposed dots, this symbol having the value ty (VT45:25). Cf. tyelpetéma as the name of the entire palatal series of the Tengwar system.

tyelpë

noun. silver

tár

king

tár noun "king" (only used of the legitimate kings of whole tribes); the pl. tári "kings" must not be confused with the sg. tári "queen" (TĀ/TA3). Prefix tar-, compare -tar above. The normal Quenya word for "king" is aran, but compare Tarumbar.

tári

noun. queen, queen, [ᴱQ.] mistress, lady

túr

king

túr, tur noun "king" (PE16:138, LT1:260); rather aran in LotR-style Quenya, but cf. the verb tur-. Also compare the final element -tur, -ntur "lord" in names like Axantur, Falastur, Fëanturi, Vëantur (q.v.)

ulundë

flood

ulundë noun "flood" (ULU), possibly in the sense of (great) river.% Cf. nuinë, oloirë.

vardar

king

vardar noun "king" (LT1:273; rather aran in LotR-style Quenya)

varni

queen

varni noun "queen" (LT1:273; rather tári in Tolkien's later Quenya)

ye

is

ye (2) copula "is" (FS, VT46:22); both earlier and later sources rather point to ná (q.v.) as the copula "is", so ye may have been an experiment Tolkien later abandoned. Future tense yéva, q.v.

yána

vast, huge; wide

yána (1) adj. "vast, huge; wide" (PE17:99, 115); also yanda, q.v.

úyë

is

úyë vb., a form occurring in Fíriel's Song (cf. VT46:22), apparently ye "is" with the negative prefix ú-, hence "is not" (úyë sérë indo-ninya símen, translated "my hearth resteth not here", literally evidently *"[there] is not rest [for] my heart here")

eldatár

`Vm#1~C6 noun. elf-king, elfking, elven-king

lai

adverb. very

rianna

noun. queen

duinen

noun. flood, high tide

A noun for “flood, high tide” in notes on Variation D/L in Common Eldarin from the late 1960s (VT48/24, 26). It is probably a combination of the root √DUY “flood” and S. nen “water” as suggested by Patrick Wynne (VT48/32 note #19).

aran

'high or noble person'

pl1. erain n. 'high or noble person', king, chief.

rodon

'One of the High'

pl1. Rodyn n. 'One of the High', Vala. (Q. pl1.?) Artor. >> arod, raud

terchil

noun. 'high-Men'

pl1. n. 'high-Men', ancient name of the Edain. A S. form not used. Q. tarcildi, prob. Orkish tark. >> Adan

Ara-

prefix. high, noble, royal

Menel

noun. sky, high heaven, firmament, the region of the stars

aglonn

noun. defile, pass between high walls

ar-

prefix. high, noble, royal

cirith

noun. cleft, high climbing pass, narrow passage cut through earth or rock, ravine, defile

duinen

noun. flood, high tide

or

high

(adjectival pref.) or- (above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

or

high

(above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

orchal

adjective. tall, tall; [N.] superior, eminent, lofty

A word for “tall” as an epithet for Galdor, as in Galdor Orchal = “Galdor the Tall” (WJ/305 note #48). It also appeared as an element in the (untranslated) name Orchaldor (UT/210). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. orchall, orchal, or orchel was glossed “superior, lofty, eminent” as a combination of N. or- “above” and N. hall “exalted, high” (Ety/KHAL², ORO; EtyAC/KHAL², ORO). Christopher Tolkien noted that the e in orchel was uncertain, and Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne suggested that orchal was a possible reading, which is in better keeping with its Old Noldorin form ON. orkhalla.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would assume orchal “tall; [N.] superior, eminent, lofty” is a somewhat emphatic variant of N. hall “high; exalted” for things that are notably tall or noble.

taer

adjective. lofty

A Sindarin word for “lofty” mentioned as the equivalent of Q. tára “tall”, proof that the primitive form was ✶tagra < √TAƷ since aʒr &gt; air and then aer in Sindarin, but aʒr &gt; ār in Quenya (PE17/186).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had ON. tōra “lofty” as the equivalent of ᴹQ. tára “lofty, high” under the root ᴹ√TĀ/TAƷ (Ety/TĀ; EtyAC/TĀ), but due to differences in the primitive form in ᴹ✶tārā in the 1930s, this produced N. taur which blended with primitive ᴹ✶taurā < ᴹ√TUR to gain the senses “vast, mighty, overwhelming, awful; high, sublime” (Ety/TUR).

Earlier still, the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. dara “lofty” (GL/29) equivalent to ᴱQ. tára “lofty” (QL/87). In this period the root likely began with D, as in ✱ᴱ√DAHA, since in Early Qenya of the 1910s, primitive initial voiced stops were unvoiced [ᴱ✶d- > ᴱQ. t-].

Andrath

high pass

andrath (literally "long climb"), pl. endraith.

aglonn

pass between high walls

aglonn (defile), pl. eglynn;

aglonn

pass between high walls

aglonn (defile), pl. eglynn.

duinen

high tide

duinen (i dhuinen), pl. duinin (i nuinin). (VT48:26).

taen

summit (of high mountain)

taen (i daen, o thaen) (height), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaen). Note: a homophone means ”long (and thin)”.

telu

high roof

telu (i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely).

andrath

high pass

(literally "long climb"), pl. endraith.

duinen

high tide

(i dhuinen), pl. duinin (i nuinin). (VT48:26).

telu

high roof

(i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely).

hallas

noun. height

A neologism for “height” coined by Fiona Jallings, a noun form of [N.] hall “high”.

taen

height

taen (i daen, o thaen) (summit of high mountain), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaen). Note: a homophone means ”long (and thin)”.

taen

height

(i daen, o thaen) (summit of high mountain), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaen). Note: a homophone means ”long (and thin)”.

criss

noun. cleft, cleft, [N.] cut, slash, [G.] gash; [N.] pass, [G.] gully, ravine

A word for a “cleft, cut, slash” (PE21/81; Ety/KIRIS) derived from √KIRIS, a blend of the roots √KIR and √RIS (PE17/87).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to G. criss “cleft, gash, gully” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s where it was probably already a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KIRISI as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (GL/27; LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth). In the Name-list to The Fall of Gondolin Tolkien gave cris with the definition “a cleft, ravine, or narrow way of waters with high walls” (PE15/21), and in this period it typically appeared in this shorter form within names like G. Cris Ilbranteloth or G. Cris Thorn.

N. criss appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cleft, cut, slash” under the root ᴹ√KIRIS “cut” (Ety/KIRIS). It also appeared under the root ᴹ√KIR with the gloss “cleft, pass”, but this instance was deleted (EtyAC/KIR). S. criss “cleft” was mentioned in passing in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure (EVS2) from the early 1950s as derived from primitive ✶kirissi (PE21/80-81), and it was mentioned as a blending of roots in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s as described above (PE17/87). Its use in names diminished over time, however, the only remnant in the final version of The Silmarillion being S. Crissaegrim (S/121).

Neo-Sindarin: In The Etymologies of the 1930s it seems this word was principally used as for a “cleft, cut, slash” independent of geography. I would assume the same is true for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, since criss is used only in a single geographic name in Tolkien’s later writings; S. cirith was use more broadly in geographic features. I would also assume it was a larger and more violent cut (a “gash” or “slash”) compared to S. rest for simple cuts.

raud

tall

adj. tall, high, lofty, eminent, noble. Q. arta (< áratā). >> Nimrodel, rodel

rodel

lady

1a _n._lady, high lady. >> Nimrodel

gondrath

highway

(i ’ondrath) (street of stone, causeway), pl. gendraith (i ngendraith = i ñendraith). Archaic pl. göndreith. (WJ:340). Possibly the pl. can also be gondraith, without umlaut of the first element.

aglonn

defile

(noun) aglonn (pass between high walls), pl. eglynn.

ar

noble

(adjectival prefix) ar- (high, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain.

arn

noble

(adjective) 1) arn (royal), pl. ern, also arth (lofty, exalted), pl. erth, or arod (archaic *araud), pl. aroed. 2) brand (high, lofty, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind; 3) raud (eminent, high), in compounds -rod, pl. roed. 4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”. Also used as noun ”a noble”; see below.

arth

lofty

1. arth (noble, exalted), pl. erth, 2) brand (high, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind, 3) orchall (superior, eminent), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail), 4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

beleg

mighty

1. beleg (great), lenited veleg, pl. belig; 2) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

hall

exalted

hall (high); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

or

above

(adj. pref.) or- (over, high)

taur

vast

taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

telu

dome

telu (i delu, o thelu) (high roof), pl. tely (i thely)

aglonn

defile

(pass between high walls), pl. eglynn.

ar

noble

(high, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain.

brand

lofty

(high, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind

brand

noble

(high, lofty, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind

hall

exalted

(high); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

or

above

(over, high)

raud

noble

(eminent, high), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed.  4) taur (also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”. Also used as noun ”a noble”; see below.

taur

vast

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

taur

lofty

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

taur

tall

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

taur

mighty

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

telu

dome

(i delu, o thelu) (high roof), pl. tely (i thely)

arod

adjective. noble

an-

very

(as adverbial prefix) an-, as in:

aran

king

1. (king of a region) aran (pl. erain). Coll. pl. aranath. Also †âr with stem-form aran- (also with pl. erain; the longer form aran may be a back-formation from this plural). 2) (king of a people) †taur (i daur, o thaur) (said in LR:389 s.v. _T_Ā to refer to ”legitimate kings of the whole tribes”), pl. toer (i thoer), coll. pl. torath.

arphen

noble

(noun, "a noble") 1) arphen, pl. erphin; 2) raud (eminent man, champion), pl.roed (idh roed), coll. pl. rodath.

arth

exalted

1. arth (lofty, noble), pl. erth;

baradh

steep

baradh (pl. beraidh, lenited varadh).

caw

top

caw (i gaw, o chaw), pl. coe (i choe)

celeb

silver

1. (noun) celeb (i geleb, o cheleb), pl. celib (i chelib) if there is a pl. form. 2) (adj., "of/like silver") celebren (lenited gelebren, pl. celebrin; also celebrin- as first element of compounds, as in Celebrindal). Also celefn (lenited gelefn, pl. celifn). As for ”silver” as adjective, see also SHINING WHITE. Adj.

ceven

earth

1. ceven (i geven, o cheven), pl. cevin (i chevin) (VT48:23), 2) (world) Amar (archaic Ambar), pl. Emair; 3) bâr (dwelling, house, home, family; land) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds. 4) (maybe ”earth” as substance) cae (i gae, o chae). No distinct pl. form even if there is a pl., except with article (i chae). For ”earth” as a substance, see also SOIL.

dae

very

dae (exceedingly). Lenited dhae.

dîn

gap

1. dîn (i dhîn) (opening, mountain pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”. 2) gass (i **ass, construct gas) (hole), pl. gais (i ngais** = i ñais)

eria

rise

eria- (arise) (i eria, in eriar), pa.t. erias (VT46:7)

galadh

tree

1. galadh (i **aladh), pl. gelaid (i ngelaidh = i ñelaidh) (Letters:426, SD:302). 2) orn (pl. yrn**). Note: a homophone means ”tall”.

heryn

lady

1. heryn (i cheryn, o cheryn), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cheryn), 2) hiril (i chiril, o chiril), no distinct pl. form even with article (i chiril), coll. pl. hirillath. 3) brennil (i vrennil), pl. same as sg. except with article: i mrennil. Coll. pl. brenillath. 4) bassoneth (bread-giver) (i massoneth, o mbassoneth), pl. bassonith (i mbassonith). Archaic *bassauneth. 5) dî (i nî, o ndi) (bride), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî).

im

dell

im (deep vale), no distinct pl. form (though the pl. article in will mark the word as pl. when definite). The word typically occurs, not by itself, but in compounds like imlad, imloth, imrath, imrad (VT45:18, VT47:19)

main

chief

(adj.) main (lenited vain; pl. mîn) (prime, prominent) (VT45:15)

mîn

towering

mîn (lenited vîn; no distinct pl. form) (isolated, first). Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the numeral ”one”.

nu

under

1. (prep.) nu, followed by lenition (with article nuin ”under the”, followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salos reconstructions), 2) dî, unstressed di (beneath, in) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

or

above

(prep.) or (om), with article erin ”above the” (followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salos reconstructions). Erin represents archaic örin.

rist

cleft

(noun) 1) rist (-ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh rist). Note: a homophone means ”cleaver, cutter”, 2) cirith (i girith, o chirith) (cutting, pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chirith), 3) cîl (i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”. 4) criss (i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cut, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss), 4) iaw (gulf, ravine), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”, 5) rest (ravine, cut), pl. rist (idh rist), 6) (deep cleft) falch (ravine[?]), pl. felch

rodon

vala

1. Rodon (pl. Rodyn, coll. pl. Rodonnath), 2) Balan (i Valan), pl. Belain (i Melain). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. form used with the article was "iMbelain" (LR:365 s.v. KIRIK).

rîs

queen

1. rîs, no distinct pl. except with article preceding (idh rîs); coll. pl. ?rissath; 2) rían (”crown-gift”), pl. ríain (idh ríain); 3) bereth (i vereth) (spouse), pl. berith (i mberith), 4) ríen (crowned lady), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn). The adjective rîn ”crowned” may also be used as a noun ”crowned woman” = ”queen”, but with no distinct pl. form except when article precedes (idh rîn again); coll. pl. ríniath. Note: a homophone means ”remembrance”.

thanc

cleft

(adj.) thanc (forked, split), pl. thainc

toll

island

toll (i doll, o tholl, construct tol), pl. tyll (i thyll)

tond

tall

1. tond (lenited dond; pl. tynd), 2) †orn (pl. yrn). Note: a homophone of the latter means ”tree”.

tûm

deep valley

(under or among hills) tûm, tum- (i dûm, o thûm, construct tum), pl. tuim (i thuim)

tûm

deep valley

(under or among hills) tûm, tum- (i dûm, o thûm, construct tum), pl. tuim (i thuim). or

(h)law

noun. flood

Amroth

noun. Amroth

prop. n.

Ara-

prefix. king

pref. king. >> ar-, Arathorn

Menel

noun. the heavens

_n. _the heavens, the apparent dome of the sky. Probably a Quenya word introduced into Sindarin. It was a 'pictorial' word, as the lore of the Eldar and the Númenoreans know much astronomy.

ar-

prefix. king

pref. king. >> ara-, Arathorn

ara

noun. king

_ n. _king. 

aran

noun. king (used of a lord or king of a specified region)

arod

adjective. tall

_ adj. _tall, eminent. Q. aratā.

arod

adjective. noble

arod

noble

1b _adj._noble. >> raud

arod

adjective. noble

adj. #noble.

arod

adjective. noble

d adj. noble. Q. arata. >> raud

arphen

noun. a noble

arth

adjective. (unknown meaning, perhaps (?) noble, lofty, exalted)

balan

Vala

pl1. Belain** ** n. Vala.

belaith

adjective. mighty

adj. mighty. Q. melehta.

belaith

adjective. mighty

An adjective for “mighty” derived from the root √MBELEK in a page of notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s (PE17/115), apparently from the primitive form ✱✶mbelektā with the ekt vocalizing to eith and then the ei becoming ai in the final syllable.

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

brann

towering

_ adj. _towering, tall and massive. >> brand

cae

noun. earth

This word is indeclinable, according to the Etymologies

celeb

noun. silver

celeb

silver

_n. _silver. >> Celebdil, Celebrant, celebrin

celeb

noun. silver

The word celeb was the word for “silver” in Sindarin and its conceptual precursors throughout Tolkien’s life.

Conceptual Development: G. celeb “silver” appeared all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was related to the early root ᴱ√TELEPE of the same meaning (GL/25; QL/91). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s ᴱN. celeb was derived instead from ᴱ✶kelekwé with the sound change of primitive kw to p and later to b (PE13/140), though in that same document he considered (but rejected) ᴱ✶t’lépe > ᴱN. tlub “silver” (PE13/154). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien introduced a new root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver” to be the basis of N. celeb, with the sound change whereby intial ky became k (c) (Ety/KYELEP). This sound change continued to be a feature of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, and Tolkien retained this derivation going forward.

ceven

noun. Earth

ennorath

noun. central lands, middle-earth

falch

noun. deep cleft, ravine

galadh

noun. tree

galadh

tree

_n. Bot._tree, like oak (nordh) and beech. A galadh was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. In Sindarin, there was no much distinction in size between galað and orn. A galað was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. Birch, ash and oak are of the orn kind. Q. alda. >> orn

galadh

tree

{ð} n. tree. In Sindarin, there was no much distinction in size between galað and orn. A galað was more thick, dense and branching than a orn. Birch, ash and oak are of the orn kind. Q. alda. >> orn

galadh

noun. tree

The basic Sindarin word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates back at least to The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. galadh “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD (Ety/GALAD). See also orn “(tall) tree” of similar meaning.

Conceptual Development: Gnomish of the 1910s had some earlier version of this “tree” word: G. galdon >> alwen “tree” in the Name-list to the Fall of Gondolin (PE15/24) and archaic/poetic G. †alwen “tree” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/19), the latter probably from the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” that was the basis for ᴱQ. alda “tree” (QL/29).

heruin

noun. lady

n. lady. >> heryn, Rocheruin

heruin

noun. lady

heryn

noun. lady

heryn

noun. lady

n. lady. >> heruin, Rocheryn

heryn

noun. lady

hiril

noun. lady, lady; [G.] princess, †queen

hlô

noun. flood

n. flood.

im

noun. dell, deep vale

This word only survived in compounds (due to the clash with im.1 )

ithildin

noun. a silver-colored substance, which mirrors only starlight and moonlight

lebethron

noun. a tree - its black wood was used by the woodwrights of Gondor

In the original manuscript, one of the earlier (rejected) form of this name was lebendron. Didier Willis proposed the etymology lebed+doron "finger-oak", actually a real tree name (Finger Oak or Quercus digitata)

lô

flood

n. flood.

maer

adjective. excellent

_ adj. _excellent. Q. maira admirable, excellent, precious. >> maer-, maeron

malhorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

mallorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

malthorn

noun. golden tree of Lothlórien

mithril

noun. true-silver, a silver-like metal

nu

preposition. under

With suffixed article, see also nuin

nu

preposition. under

The Sindarin word for “under”, appearing as an element in names like Dor-nu-Fauglith “Land under Choking Ash” (WJ/239) and Taur-nu-Fuin “Forest under Nightshade” (S/155), clearly based on the root √N(D)Ū “sink, go down” (17/64).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. no “under” derived from the root ᴹ√NŪ̆ (Ety/NU), with either short u becoming o, or unstressed au becoming o]], the latter being indicated by a parentical nau [perhaps the primitive form?] appearing after its Quenya equivalent ᴹQ. no “under” (EtyAC/NU). As noted above, in Tolkien’s later writings the form was nu, probably derived from ✱nū with the vowel shortening when unstressed.

nuin

preposition. under the

orn

noun. (any large) tree

orod

mount

pl1. ered or eryd** ** n. mount, mountain. Q. oro, orto.

oron

noun. tree

n. Bot. tree. Also in compound -(o)rŏnō. >> orn

raud

lofty

adj. lofty. Q. rāta. >> arod, taer

raud

excellent

_ adj. _excellent, noble, eminent.

riss

adjective. cleft

_ adj. _cleft, cloven, separate. Q. rista, risse, rinse. >> Imladris

rían

noun. queen, queen, *(lit.) crowned-lady

rîs

noun. queen

taer

lofty

adj. lofty. Q. tāra.

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

tol

noun. island, (steep) isle rising with sheer sides from the sea or from a river

amar

earth

(archaic Ambar), pl. Emair

an-

very

as in:

aran

king

(pl. erain). Coll. pl. aranath. Also †âr with stem-form aran- (also with pl. erain; the longer form aran may be a back-formation from this plural).

arn

noble

(royal), pl. ern, also arth (lofty, exalted), pl. erth, or arod (archaic ✱araud), pl. aroed.

arphen

noble

pl. erphin

arth

lofty

(noble, exalted), pl. erth

arth

exalted

(lofty, noble), pl. erth

arwen

noble woman

(pl. erwin).****

baradh

steep

(pl. beraidh, lenited varadh).

bassoneth

lady

(bread-giver) (i massoneth, o mbassoneth), pl. bassonith (i mbassonith). Archaic ✱bassauneth.

beleg

mighty

(great), lenited veleg, pl. belig

bereth

queen

(i vereth) (spouse), pl. berith (i mberith)

brand

tall

(lofty, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind.

brennil

lady

(i vrennil), pl. same as sg. except with article: i mrennil. Coll. pl. brenillath.

bâr

earth

(dwelling, house, home, family; land) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

cae

noun. earth

cae

earth

(i gae, o chae). No distinct pl. form even if there is a pl., except with article (i chae). For ”earth” as a substance, see also

caw

top

(i gaw, o chaw), pl. coe (i choe)

ceven

earth

(i geven, o cheven), pl. cevin (i chevin) (VT48:23)

cirith

cleft

(i girith, o chirith) (cutting, pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chirith)

criss

cleft

(i griss, o chriss, construct cris) (cut, slash), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chriss), 4) iaw (gulf, ravine), pl. ioe. Note: a homophone means ”corn”

cîl

cleft

(i gîl, o chîl) (pass between hills, gorge), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîl), coll. pl. cíliath. A homophone means ”renewal”.

dae

adverb. very

dae

very

(exceedingly). Lenited dhae.

dî

lady

(i nî, o ndi) (bride), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî).

dî

under

unstressed di (beneath, in) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

dîn

gap

(i dhîn) (opening,  mountain pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”.

ennor

place name. central land, middle-earth

eria

rise

(arise) (i eria, in eriar), pa.t. **erias **(VT46:7)

falch

cleft

(ravine[?]), pl. felch

galadh

tree

(i ’aladh), pl. gelaid (i ngelaidh = i ñelaidh) (Letters:426, SD:302).

galadhon

of or related to trees

(lenited ‘aladhon, pl. galadhoen). Archaic ✱galadhaun. The latter is based on David Salo’s analysis of the name Caras Galadhon; others have interpreted the last word as some kind of genitive plural, maybe influenced by Silvan Elvish.

galadhrim

people of the trees

(Elves of Lórien). Adj.

gass

gap

(i ’ass, construct gas) (hole), pl. gais (i ngais = i ñais)

hall

tall

(exalted); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

heryn

lady

(i cheryn, o cheryn), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cheryn)

hiril

lady

(i chiril, o chiril), no distinct pl. form even with article (i chiril), coll. pl. hirillath.

huorn

walking tree of fangorn

(i chuorn, o chuorn), pl. huyrn (i chuyrn).

im

dell

(deep vale), no distinct pl. form (though the pl. article in will mark the word as pl. when definite). The word typically occurs, not by itself, but in compounds like imlad, imloth, imrath, imrad (VT45:18, VT47:19)

lebethron

oak tree

.

main

chief

(lenited vain; pl. mîn) (prime, prominent) (VT45:15)

mîn

towering

(lenited vîn; no distinct pl. form) (isolated, first). Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the numeral ”one”.

nothlir

family tree

(family line); no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nothliriath.

nu

under

followed by lenition (with article nuin ”under the”, followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salo’s reconstructions)

orchall

lofty

(superior, eminent), pl. erchail (for archaic örchail)

orn

tall

(pl. yrn). Note: a homophone of the latter means ”tree”.

orn

tree

(pl. yrn). Note: a homophone means ”tall”.

raud

tall

(eminent, noble), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed. Also used as noun ”champion, eminent man, [a] noble”.

rest

cleft

(ravine, cut), pl. rist (idh rist)

rist

cleft

(-ris), no distinct pl. except with article (idh rist). Note: a homophone means ”cleaver, cutter”

rían

queen

(”crown-gift”), pl. ríain (idh ríain)

ríen

queen

(crowned lady), pl. ?rîn (idh rîn). The adjective rîn ”crowned” may also be used as a noun ”crowned woman” =  ”queen”, but with no distinct pl. form except when article precedes (idh rîn again); coll. pl. ríniath. Note: a homophone means ”remembrance”.

rîs

noun. queen

rîs

queen

no distinct pl. except with article preceding (idh rîs); coll. pl. ?rissath

taur

king

(i daur, o thaur) (said in LR:389 s.v. TĀ to refer to ”legitimate kings of the whole tribes”), pl. toer (i thoer), coll. pl. torath.

thanc

cleft

(forked, split), pl. thainc

toll

island

(i doll, o tholl, construct tol), pl. tyll (i thyll)

tond

adjective. tall

tond

tall

(lenited dond; pl. tynd)

toss

low-growing tree

(i** doss, o thoss, construct tos), pl. tyss (i** thyss). Tolkien mentioned ”maple, hawthorn, blackthorn, holly, etc.” as examples of the low-growing trees covered by this word. Specific trees, see

duimë

noun. flood, high tide

aráta

adjective. noble

galada

noun. tree

galla

noun. tree

telpe

noun. silver

aglon

noun. defile, pass between high walls

aglond

noun. defile, pass between high walls

brand

adjective. high (in size)

brann

adjective. high (in size)

hall

adjective. exalted, high

taen

noun. height, summit of high mountain

taur

adjective. mighty, vast, overwhelming, huge, awful, high, sublime

telu

noun. dome, high roof

eria-

verb. to rise

A verb in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “rise”, appearing as {oria >>} erio [Noldorin-style infinitive forms], derived from ON. {orta- >>} ortie or orie “rise” [Old Noldorin infinitives] under the root ᴹ√ORO “up, rise, high” (Ety/ORO; EtyAC/ORO). The change of e to i from ON. oria- to N. eria- was due to i-affection. This verb had an archaic [ON?] past †oronte “arose” [likely based on ON. orta-], and modern past form of {orias >>} erias, though this modern past was hard to make out in the source document. The suffix -as is the generalized intransitive past tense suffix for Noldorin/Sindarin derived verbs, as opposed to transitive past -ant.

Conceptual Development: There are some words in Early Noldorin word-lists of the 1920s of similar derivation, incuding ᴱN. rhó “to arise” from primitive ᴱ✶roso- (PE13/152) and rhosta- or amrosta- from primitive ᴱ✶-rosi-, unglossed but appearing under ᴱN. amrost “rising” which served as a gerund for these verbs (PE13/159). See the entry for ᴱN./G. amra- for other early verbs meaning “rise, go up”, based instead on ᴱ√AM(U) “up”.

or

preposition/prefix. above, above; [G.] onto, on top, on

A preposition and prefix in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “above” and derived from the root ᴹ√ORO “up; rise; high” (Ety/ORO).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had adverb G. or “on, on top” which could be used as a preposition meaning “on, onto” (GL/63), clearly also derived from ᴱ√ORO. As a prefix, G. or- meant “on, onto, up, in addition to, etc.” (GL/62).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin I would only use or as an adverb/preposition/prefix for “above [not necessarily touching]”, while for “on [top of]” I would use S. po.

orn

noun. tree

amar

noun. earth

amar

noun. Earth

ambar

noun. earth

aran

noun. king (used of a lord or king of a specified region)

baradh

adjective. steep

baradh

adjective. steep

An adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “steep”, derived from primitive ᴹ✶baradā “lofty, sublime” that was also the basis for the name ᴹQ. Varda (Ety/BARÁD).

bereth

noun. queen, spouse

bereth

noun. queen

brand

adjective. lofty, noble, fine

brann

adjective. lofty, noble, fine

brennil

noun. lady

brennil

noun. lady

caw

noun. top

caw

noun. top

A word in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “top” derived under the root ᴹ√KAS “head” (Ety/KAS). It is probably derived from primitive ✱kāsa, with long ā becoming au as usual, and intervocalic s becoming h and then vanishing.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies, N. caw replaced a deleted word N. câs “top, summit; beginning” (EtyAC/KAS). Early Noldorin word lists of the 1920s had ᴱN. câ “top” (PE13/121, 140), probably of similar origin.

celeb

noun. silver

celeb

noun. silver

celebren

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth)

celefn

adjective. of silver

celevon

adjective. of silver

coe

noun. earth

This word is indeclinable, according to the Etymologies

coe

noun. earth

An indeclinable word given as {cíw >>} coe “earth” in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√KEM (Ety/KEM; EtyAC/KEM).

Possible Etymology: The primitive form of rejected cíw is given as ᴹ✶kēm and its derivation is clear: the long ē became ī and then the final m reduced to w after i as usual. The derivation of coe is more obscure, however. The likeliest explanation is that Tolkien imagined its ancient form with a slightly lowered vowel which he generally represented as ǣ in this period (in later writings as ę̄). According to the first version of the Tengwesta Qenderinwa and Comparative Vowel Tables from the 1930s (PE18/46; PE19/25), ǣ &gt; ei &gt; ai &gt; ae, and in The Etymologies itself, it seems ai often became oe instead of ae.

Neo-Sindarin: Updating the derivation of hypothetical ✱kę̄m would produced ᴺS. cae in Sindarin phonology. But given the obscurity of its derivation, I recommend using 1950s S. ceven for “earth” instead.

criss

noun. cleft, cut, slash

cîl

noun. cleft, pass between hills, gorge

dae

adverb. very

ell

noun. sky

An element meaning “sky” in several names from The Etymologies of the 1930s: N. Elfaron “Sky-hunter” (Ety/SPAR) and N. Elthoron “Eagle of the Sky” (Ety/THOR). It was derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” which had an Old Noldorin form: ON. elle (Ety/ƷEL). However, Tolkien said “In Noldorin and Telerin this is confused with EL star”, implying that the word was not used in modern language; an earlier but rejected version of this entry had archaic N. †ell, el “sky” (EtyAC/ƷEL).

Neo-Sindarin: Despite the above statements, ell is probably the best attested option for “sky” in Neo-Sindarin, and I would use it as such, since it is in fact distinct from S. êl “star”, a word that is itself archaic/poetic versus more common S. gil.

eria-

verb. to rise

galadh

noun. tree

galadh

noun. tree

hiril

noun. lady

hiril

noun. lady

im

noun. dell, deep vale

This word only survived in compounds (due to the clash with im.1 )

imb

noun. dell, deep vale

This word only survived in compounds (due to the clash with im.1 )

imm

noun. dell, deep vale

This word only survived in compounds (due to the clash with im.1 )

lo

noun. flood

no

preposition. under

With suffixed article, see also nuin

no

preposition. under

nu

preposition. under

With suffixed article, see also nuin

nuin

preposition. under the

or

preposition. above, over

or-

prefix. above, over

orn

noun. (any large) tree

rhîs

noun. queen

rhîs

noun. queen

taur

noun. king (only used of the legitimate kings of whole tribes)

In LotR/IV:IV, Frodo is called Daur, which might be the mutated form of this word

thanc

adjective. cleft, split, forked

toll

noun. island, (steep) isle rising with sheer sides from the sea or from a river

tond

adjective. tall

tonn

adjective. tall

tonn

adjective. tall

An adjective appearing as tond, tonn “tall” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶tundā under the root ᴹ√TUN (Ety/TUN).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would assume the standalone form of this word is ᴺS. tond since “nd remained at the end of fully accented monosyllables” in Sindarin (LotR/1115).

âr

noun. king (used of a lord or king of a specified region)

âr

noun. king

galad

noun. tree

galad

noun. tree

>> Galadrim

galad

noun. tree

Derived from galadâ "great growth", "tree", applied to stout and spreading trees such as oaks and beeches (UT:266, Letters:426; in the latter source, the root GAL is defined as "grow", intransitive). It is interesting to notice that this word, given in a source much later than the Etymologies that provides most of the Nandorin material, nonetheless agrees well with the older words cited by Tolkien: again we see the loss of original final -â, whereas original post-vocalic d is unchanged as in the word edel.

dâira

noun. Earth

A noun translated as “Earth” in the final version of the Lament of Akallabêth (SD/247). It may be related to S. dôr “land”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynn (AAD/13).

Conceptual Development: In the Lament of Akallabêth (first draft), this noun appeared as kamāt (SD/311).

ârû

noun. king

A noun translated as “king” (SD/429). The Adûnaic word for “queen” is not attested, but could be a feminized form of this word, such as ✱ârî.

durin

masculine name. king

kibil

noun. silver