hû

noun. hound (or ?heart), hound, [N.] dog; S. ?heart

A noun appearing as N. hû “dog” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KHUG “bark, bay” (Ety/KHUGAN). The same form hû appeared in rough notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s with a gloss that might be “hound” or might be “heart”, according to Christopher Gilson (PE17/86). This later hû form was derived from ✶khōgo, which makes me think “hound” is the more likely meaning given the primitive form’s resemblance to ᴹ√KHUG.

Conceptual Development: G. hû “dog” also appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/49), but in this period was probably derived from the early root ᴱ√SAẆA (QL/82).

hû

hound

_ n. Zoo. _hound. Q. hú. The gloss might be 'heat'.

hû

noun. spirit, shadow

hû

spirit

_ n. _spirit, shadow.

hûn

noun. *heart

A noun appearing as N. hûn in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “heart (physical)” derived from the root ᴹ√KHŌ-N of the same meaning (Ety/KHŌ-N). This word was not used metaphorically; a metaphorical or emotional “heart” would be S. gûr or ind. Similar but unglossed forms hôn or hûn derived from ✶khōn- appeared in Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/86), which could be later iterations of the Noldorin “heart” word. A prior word S. hû in the same notes was glossed “hound” or “heart” according to Christopher Gilson.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. {hond >>} honn “heart” which Tolkien specified was “not used metaphorically, for which ilf is used” (GL/49). It was likely based on the early root ᴱ√HONO from which the Early Qenya word for “heart” was derived (QL/40). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, Tolkien again had hond “heart” (PE13/147), but it was deleted and replaced by ᴱN. lhonn “heart” (PE13/149). The initial h was restored in The Etymologies of the 1930s, as noted above.

Neo-Sindarin: In Tolkien’s later writings, the primitive root for this word sometimes became √khōm (NM/176; PE19/102; PE21/71), which in Sindarin would produced hû. However, I would retain the form hûn as a Sindarin-only variant; compare to the root √TAM which had a Sindarin variant √TAN.

hûl

noun. secret

A noun for “secret” of unclear derivation, appearing in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/136).

thurin

masculine name. Secret

A name that Finduilas gave to Túrin translated “Secret” (UT/157), simply the adjective thurin “secret, hidden” used as a name.

hû

dog

hû (i chû, o chu, construct hu), pl. hui (i chui)

hû

dog

(i chû, o chu, construct hu), pl. hui (i chui)

hûb

haven

hûb (i chûb, o chûb, contruct hub) (harbor, small landlocked bay), pl. huib (i chuib)

hûb

harbour

1) hûb (i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven, small landlocked bay), pl. huib (i chuib), 2) lond (haven, pass, strait; narrow path), pl. lynd, coll. pl. lonnath (as in the name Lonnath Ernin, WR:294); 3)

hûb

small landlocked bay

hûb (i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven), pl. huib (i chuib).

hûb

landlocked bay

(small) hûb (i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven), pl. huib (i chuib)

hûd

assembly

hûd (i chûd, o chûd, construct hud), pl. huid (i chuid)

hûl

cry of encouragement in battle

hûl (i chûl, o chûl, construct hul), pl. huil (i chuil)

hûn

heart

1) (physical heart) hûn (i chûn, o chûn, construct hun), pl. huin (i chuin), 2) (inner mind) gûr (i **ûr, construct gur), pl. guir (i nguir = i ñuir). Note: A homophone means ”death”, but has different mutations. (VT41:11). 3) ind (inner thought, mind, meaning), no distinct pl. form;, coll. pl. innath. 4) nest (core, center), pl. nist. Also notice the prefix hû**- apparently meaning ”heart”..

hûr

action, readiness for

hûr (i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (vigour, fiery spirit), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûr

fiery spirit

hûr (i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûr

fiery spirit

hûr (i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûr

readiness for action

hûr (i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (vigor, fiery spirit), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûb

haven

(i chûb, o chûb, contruct hub) (harbor, small landlocked bay), pl. huib (i chuib)

hûb

harbour

(i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven, small landlocked bay), pl. huib (i chuib)

hûb

small landlocked bay

(i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven), pl. huib (i chuib).

hûb

bay

(i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven), pl. huib (i chuib)

hûb

landlocked bay

(i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven), pl. huib (i chuib)

hûd

assembly

(i chûd, o chûd, construct hud), pl. huid (i chuid)

hûl

cry of encouragement in battle

(i chûl, o chûl, construct hul), pl. huil (i chuil)

hûn

heart

(i chûn, o chûn, construct hun), pl. huin (i chuin)

hûr

fiery spirit

(i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûr

fiery spirit

(i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (readiness for action, vigour), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûr

action, readiness for

(i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (vigour, fiery spirit), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

hûr

readiness for action

(i chûr, o chûr, construct hur) (vigor, fiery spirit), pl. huir (i chuir) if there is a pl.

thurin

secret

(adjective) 1) thurin (hidden); no distinct pl. form, 2) dolen (hidden), lenited dholen, pl. dolin;

thurin

secret

(hidden); no distinct pl. form

côf

noun. bay

The earliest iteration of this word seems to be G. gobos “haven” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, cognate to ᴱQ. kôpa(s) (GL/40). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, Tolkien had ᴱN. cû “bay, cove”, again as a cognate of ᴱQ. kópa (PE13/141). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was N. hûb “haven, harbour, small landlocked bay” derived from the root ᴹ√KHOP (Ety/KHOP). In notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, Tolkien use S. côf “bay” in a pair of names: S. Côf Belfalas “Bay of Belfalas” and S. Côf Gwaeren Bel “Windy Bay of Bel”, but the section where it appeared was rejected (VT42/15).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I’d use the 1930s form hûb for “bay”, because (a) it is the latest form that was not rejected and (b) is compatible with an attested Quenya form ᴹQ. hópa of the same meaning.

cared

noun. action, action, *doing, making

An element in the word athragared “interaction” (PE17/14), also the gerund/infinitive of the verb car- “do, make” (PE17/68) and thus meaning “✱doing, making” as well. As such I would use this word for action as a general process, as opposed to a specific action for which I would use ᴺS. caur.

côf

bay

(noun) 1) côf (i gôf, o chôf, construct cof), pl. cŷf (i chŷf), 2) (small landlocked bay) hûb (i chûb, o chûb, construct hub) (harbour, haven), pl. huib (i chuib)

nest

heart

(core, center), pl. nist. Also notice the prefix hû- apparently meaning ”heart”..

can-

verb. to cry out, shout, call

cidinn

adjective. small

_ adj. _small. Q. cinta.

cinnog

adjective. small

_ adj. _small. Q. cinta.

círbann

noun. haven

côf

noun. bay

dagor

noun. battle

dagor

noun. battle

faer

noun. spirit

gûr

noun. heart (in the moral sense), counsel

lonnath

noun. havens

nalla-

verb. to cry

nallon

verb. I cry

niben

adjective. small, petty

niben

adjective. little finger (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

nimp

adjective. small and frail

rim

noun. crowd, host, great number

ach

noun. bone

aew

small bird

. No distinct pl. form.

auth

battle

(war), pl. oeth, coll. pl. othath. Note: a homophone means "dim shape, apparition".

bara

fiery

1) bara (eager), lenited vara, pl. berai, 2) nórui (sunny). No distinct pl. form.

bara

fiery

(eager), lenited vara, pl. berai

can

cry out

(i gân, i chenir) (shout, call). Compare

caun

cry

(noun) caun (i gaun, o chaun) (clamour, outcry, shout), pl. coen (i choen), coll. pl. conath, the latter often used = "lamentation" (PM:345, 362). Note: a homophone of caun means "valour".

caun

cry

(i gaun, o chaun) (clamour, outcry, shout), pl. coen (i choen), coll. pl. conath, the latter often used = "lamentation" (PM:345, 362). Note: a homophone of caun means "valour".

círbann

haven

círbann (i gírbann, o chírbann, construct círban), pl. círbain (i chírbain).

círbann

haven

(i gírbann, o chírbann, construct círban), pl. círbain (i chírbain).

côf

bay

(i gôf, o chôf, construct cof), pl. cŷf (i chŷf)

dagor

battle

(noun) 1) dagor (i nagor, o ndagor), analogical pl. degyr (i ndegyr), coll. pl. dagorath. Archaic dagr, so we might have expected dagrath as the coll. pl.; dagorath would be an analogical formation. 2) (battle of two or a few, not a general host) maeth (i vaeth) (fight), no distinct pl. except with article (i maeth). 3) auth (war), pl. oeth, coll. pl. othath. Note: a homophone means "dim shape, apparition".

dagor

battle

(i nagor, o ndagor), analogical pl. degyr (i ndegyr), coll. pl. dagorath. Archaic dagr, so we might have expected dagrath as the coll. pl.; dagorath would be an analogical formation.

dagra

battle

(verb, "do battle, make war") dagra- (i nagra, i ndagrar), also dagrada- (i nagrada, i ndagradar)

dagra

battle

(i nagra, i ndagrar), also dagrada- (i nagrada, i ndagradar)

dolen

secret

(hidden), lenited dholen, pl. dolin

fae

spirit

1) fae (soul, radiance). No distinct pl. form. 2) faer (radiance). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349)

fae

spirit

(soul, radiance). No distinct pl. form.

faer

spirit

(radiance). No distinct pl. form. (MR:349)

glâd

small forest

(i ’lâd, construct glad) (wood), pl. glaid (in glaid).

golu

secret lore

(i ngolu = i ñolu, o n’golu = o ñgolu) (secret lore), analogical pl. gely (in gely = i ñgely) if there is a pl. Archaic golw, hence golwath as the likely coll. pl. 

gûr

heart

(i ’ûr, construct gur), pl. guir (i nguir = i ñuir). Note: A homophone means ”death”, but has different mutations. (VT41:11).

hosta-

verb. to gather, collect

hoth

crowd

1) hoth (i choth, o choth) (host, horde), pl. hyth (i chyth), 2) ovras (heap), pl. evrais (archaic övrais), coll. pl. ovrassath, 3) rim (great number, host), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim). Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”.

hoth

crowd

(i choth, o choth) (host, horde), pl. hyth (i chyth)

ind

heart

(inner thought, mind, meaning), no distinct pl. form;, coll. pl. innath.

lond

haven

lond (harbour, pass, strait; narrow path), pl. lynd, coll. pl. lonnath (as in the name Lonnath Ernin, WR:294)

lond

haven

(harbour, pass, strait; narrow path), pl. lynd, coll. pl. lonnath (as in the name Lonnath Ernin, WR:294)

lond

harbour

(haven, pass, strait; narrow path), pl. lynd, coll. pl. lonnath (as in the name Lonnath Ernin, WR:294)

lorn

haven

lorn (anchorage, harbour, quiet water), pl. lyrn (VT45:29)

lorn

haven

(anchorage, harbour, quiet water), pl. lyrn (VT45:29)

lorn

harbour

lorn (anchorage, haven, quiet water), pl. lyrn (VT45:29)

lorn

harbour

(anchorage, haven, quiet water), pl. lyrn (VT45:29)

losta-

verb. to sleep

See instead: lor-.

lûr

noun. sleep, slumber

maeth

battle

(i vaeth) (fight), no distinct pl. except with article (i maeth).

mîw

small

1) mîw (tiny, frail), lenited vîw, no distinct pl. form, 2) niben (petty), pl. nibin. Also used as a name for the the little finger. (VT48:6) 3) SMALL (and frail) nimp, no distinct pl. form (VT48:18)

mîw

small

(tiny, frail), lenited vîw, no distinct pl. form

nalla

cry

(i nalla, in nallar). Attested in the 1st person present-tense form nallon ”

niben

small

(petty), pl. nibin. Also used as a name for the the little finger. (VT48:6) 

nimp

small

no distinct pl. form (VT48:18)

nórui

fiery

(sunny). No distinct pl. form.

ovras

crowd

(heap), pl. evrais (archaic övrais), coll. pl. ovrassath

pêg

small spot

(i** bêg, construct peg) (dot), pl. pîg (i** phîg) 

rim

crowd

(great number, host), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim). Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”.

ruin

fiery red

(burning); no distinct pl. form. Also used as noun ”red flame, blazing fire”. (Silm app, entry ruin; PM:366) Note: a homophone means ”slot, spoor, track, footprint”.

tinu

small star

(i** dinu, o thinu; also -din at the end of compounds) (spark), analogical pl. tiny (i** thiny). Archaic tinw, so the coll. pl. is likely  tinwath.

hû

noun. dog

hû

noun. dog

hûb

noun. haven, harbour, small landlocked bay

hûd

noun. assembly, assembly, *gathering, moot

hûl

noun. cry of encouragement in battle

hûn

noun. heart (physical)

hûr

noun. readiness for action, vigour, fiery spirit

hûb

noun. haven, harbour, small land-locked bay

hûd

noun. assembly

hûl

noun. cry of encouragement in battle

hûn

noun. heart (physical)

hûr

noun. readiness for action, vigour, fiery spirit

hundor

masculine name. Hundor

huan

masculine name. hound

huan

noun. hound

thurin

adjective. secret, hidden

bara

adjective. fiery

bara

adjective. eager

cirban

noun. haven

cobas

place name. Haven

The bay north of Dol Amroth in early maps of Gondor from the 1940s (TI/312, WR/434), unnamed in the maps published in The Lord of the Rings. The name is similar to N. hobas “harbourage” and ᴱQ. kópas “harbour”. It was probably derived from the root ᴹ√KOP, a (rejected) variant of ᴹ√KHOP > hobas from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KOP, Ety/KHOP). See the entry on ᴹ√KHOP for details.

dagor

noun. battle

dagor

noun. battle

dagr

noun. battle

dagra-

verb. to battle

lorn

noun. haven

maeth

noun. battle, fight (not of general host but of two or a few)

mithren

adjective. small

muin

adjective. secret

mân

noun. departed spirit

mîw

adjective. small, tiny, frail

ovras

noun. crowd, heap.

rhim

noun. crowd, host, great number

rhimb

noun. crowd, host, great number

hú

noun. hound (or ?heart)

A Quenya word hú glossed as either “hound” or “heart” (according to Christopher Gilson) appearing in rough notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s exploring the possible origins of S. huorn (PE17/86). This was followed by an unglossed variant form Q. hó, apparently derived from khōgo. Tolkien seems to have vacillated between primitive roots √KHUG/KHOG (the former being the basis for “dog” words in The Etymologies) or √KHON (the basis for “heart” words in The Etymologies), connections that were also pointed out by Christopher Gilson.

Neo-Quenya: Giving the tenuous nature of this word, I’d stick to better defined ᴹQ. huo “dog” from The Etymologies for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

hú

hound

hú noun "hound" (PE17:86), cf. huan, huo

huan

hound

huan (hún-, as in dat. sg. húnen) noun "hound" (KHUGAN, KHUG). Cf. hú, huo.

huo

dog

huo noun "dog" (KHUG, see KHUGAN; cf. hú, huan). Also roa.

fúmë

sleep

fúmë noun "sleep" (LT1:253). Read perhaps *húmë in a LotR-compatible form of Quenya, since Tolkien later decided that fu- tended to become hu-.

indo

heart, mood

indo (1) noun "heart, mood" (ID), "state" (perhaps especially state of mind, given the other glosses) (VT39:23), "mind, region/range of thought, mood" (PE17:155, 179), "inner thought, in fea as exhibited in character or [?personality]" (PE17:189). In another post-LotR source, indo is translated "resolve" or "will", the state of mind leading directly to action (VT41:13). Indo is thus "the mind in its purposing faculty, the will" (VT41:17). Indo-ninya,a word occurring in Fíriels Song, translated "my heart" (see ninya). In the compound indemma "mind-picture", the first element would seem to be indo.

roa

dog

roa noun "dog" (VT47:35). Also huo.

röa

noun. dog

A word for “dog” appearing in 1968 notes on monosyllabic primitive Elvish nouns (VT47/35). Of the primitive forms, Tolkien first gave ✶wā(w) “dog” and ✶grā “bear”, but ✶wā(w) was struck through and the gloss of ✶grā was changed to “dog”, after which Tolkien wrote Q. roa “dog” (VT47/36). He seems to have been disatisfied with this derivation, however, going on to write a number of primitive animal roots in the upper margin, including ✶yarr- “dog”.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. roa “a wild beast” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶raw̯a under the early root ᴱ√RAVA or ᴱ√RAẆA (QL/79).

Neo-Quenya: Giving Tolkien’s vacillations on these 1968 forms, I’d stick to the better known ᴹQ. huo as the common word for “dog” in (Neo) Quenya, which is the word used in Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT).

súlë

spirit, breath

súlë (þ) noun "spirit, breath", also name of tengwa #9; originally thúlë (þúlë), before the shift th > s that occurred shortly before the rebellion of the Noldor (Appendix E, THŪ). Its gloss, "blowing forth", was metaphorically used as "the emission of power (of will or desire) from a spirit" (PE17:124). If the element súlë appears in Súlimë and Súlimo (q.v.), the stem-form may seem to be súli-.

axo

bone

axo noun "bone"; pl. axor in Markirya

axo

noun. bone

A word for “bone” appearing in the Markirya poem from the 1960s in its plural form axor (MC/222-223). It might be related (conceptually if not etymologically) to the root √AKAS “neck, ridge” (PE17/92).

Conceptual Development: A similar word ᴱQ. as (ass-) bone dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/33). The locative plural of this noun assari “of bones” appeared in the Oilima Markirya poem written around 1930. The form ᴹQ. astŭ- “bone” appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/27).

Neo-Quenya: While this word could be derived from ✱aksō, I prefer to assume it is derived from ✱ᴺ✶askō with metathesis sk > ks in Quenya. This makes it more etymologically distinct from axë “neck” and also allows a (Neo) Sindarin form ᴺS. asg “bone”, since a Sindarin derivative of ✱aksō would collide with S. ach “neck”.

cinta

small

cinta adj. "small" (PE17:157)

cinta

adjective. small

cópa

harbour, bay

[cópa] ("k")noun "harbour, bay" (KOP; changed to hópa, KHOP). Early "Qenya" likewise hascópa (also cópas) ("k")"harbour" (LT1:257).

elwen

heart

elwen noun "heart" (LT1:255; rather hón or enda in LotR-style Quenya)

enda

heart

enda noun "heart", but not referring to the physical organ; it literally means "centre" (cf. endë) and refers to the fëa (soul) or sáma (mind) itself. (VT39:32)

fëa

spirit

fëa noun "spirit" (pl. fëar attested, MR:363). The Incarnates are said to live by necessary union of hroa (body) and fëa (WJ:405). In Airëfëa noun "the Holy Spirit", Fëanáro masc. name "Spirit of Fire" (Quenya-Sindarin hybrid form: Fëanor), Fëanturi noun "Masters of Spirits", name of the two Valar Mandos and Lórien (SA:tur), fëafelmë noun "spirit-impulse" (impulses originating with the spirit, e.g. love, pity, anger, hate) (VT41:19 cf. 13, VT43:37). In one source it is said to mean specifically a "spirit indwelling a body", i.e. "soul" (PE17:124), which contradicts such uses as Airefëa or Fëanturi. Cf. fairë.

hó

spirit, shadow

hó noun "spirit, shadow" (PE17:86)

hó

noun. hound (or ?heart)

hón

heart

hón noun "heart" (physical) (KHŌ-N); hon-maren "heart of the house", a fire (LR:63, 73; this is "Qenya" with genitive in -en, not -o as in LotR-style Quenya read *hon-maro?)

hópa

haven, harbour, small landlocked bay

hópa noun "haven, harbour, small landlocked bay" (KHOP)

inya

small

inya (2) adj. "small" (LT1:256; this "Qenya" word may be obsoleted by # 1 above)

lomba

secret

lomba adj.or noun "secret" (LT1:255)

mintë

small

mintë adj. "small" (VT45:35)

mitsa

small

mitsa adj. "small" (VT45:35) Another synonym from the same source, mitra, looks unusual for a Quenya word (because of the medial cluster tr)

nincë

small

*nincë (ninci*-) ("k")adj. "small". The form is given as "ninki" with the last vowel marked as short; this is probably the etymological form that would underlie Quenya nincë. The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa**, *nimpë. (VT48:18)

nitya

small

#nitya adj. "small" (VT48:15, PM:365)

nulda

secret

nulda adj. "secret" (DUL)

níca

small

níca ("k")adj. "small". The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa, *nimpë. (VT47:26, VT48:18)

pinilya

small

pinilya adj. "small" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")

rimbë

crowd, host, great number

rimbë noun "crowd, host, great number" (RIM, SA:rim, Letters:282)

rúsë

wrath

rúsë (þ) noun "wrath" (PE17:188)

rúsë

noun. wrath

sanga

crowd, press, throng

sanga (þ) noun "crowd, press, throng" (STAG, SA:thang, LT2:342; pl. sangar (?) twice in Narqelion). In Sangahyando (þ) masc. name "Throng-cleaver", name of a man in Gondor _(SA:thang; a footnote in Letters:425 explains that "throng" here means a closely formed body of enemy soldiers. In the Etymologies, stems STAG, SYAD, _sangahyando is said to be a swordname, and LT2:342 likewise defines the word as a name of Turambar's sword: "cleaver of throngs, Throng-cleaver".)

sára

fiery

sára (2) adj. "fiery" (LT1:248; this "Qenya" word may have been obsoleted by # 1 above)

uruitë

fiery

uruitë adj. "fiery" (UR; thisstem was struck out in Etym, but several words that must be derived from it occur in LotR, so it seems that Tolkien restored it.)

uruvoitë

fiery

uruvoitë adj. "fiery" (LT1:271)

vilissë

spirit

vilissë noun "spirit" (GL:23)

órë

heart

órë (1) noun "heart" (inner mind), also name of tengwa #21 (Appendix E), "premonition" (VT41:13), "nearest equivalent of 'heart' in our application to feelings, or emotions (courage, fear, hope, pity, etc.)" (VT41:13). The órë apparently defines a person's personality, cf. the description of Galadriel in PM:337, that "there dwelt in her the noble and generous spirit (órë) of the Vanyar". Órenya "my heart" (VT41:11).

úruva

fiery

úruva adj. "fiery" (from UR; this stem was struck out in Etym, but several words that must be derived from it occur in LotR, so it seems that Tolkien restored it. The word úruva also occurred in early "Qenya"; in LT1:271 it is glossed "like fire".)

þúlë

noun. spirit

hyōba

noun. spirit, shadow

grawa

noun. dog

nik

root. small

One of various roots for “small” Tolkien used in his later writings. The root √NIK “small” first appeared in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s (VT47/26; VT48/18), but was connected to the diminutive suffix ✶-i(n)ki which had a much longer conceptual history. One of the earliest known diminutive suffix was ᴱQ. -íne(a) in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s from the root ᴱ√INI “small” (QL/42), which might be a precursor to √NIK; these suffixes reappeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/49, 81). In the Gnomish Grammar of the 1910s, the word G. inc “small” was used as the basis for the “diminutive superlative” -inci (PE11/16).

In the Qenya Lexicon, Tolkien connected ᴱ√INI “small” to the root ᴱ√MINI of similar meaning (QL/42, 61). There are no signs of ᴱ√MINI “small” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, but the word G. migin “little” (GL/57) hints at a (hypothetical) variant root ✱ᴱ√MIKI. Further support for ✱ᴱ√MIKI can be found in other diminutive forms in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s such as prefixal diminutive ᴱQ. mike- along adverbial ᴱQ. mike “little” (QL/48, 81), the latter appearing with the gloss “a bit” in the English-Qenya Dictionary from this period (PE15/70) along with other similar words in both the dictionary and the grammar. This ✱ᴱ√MIKI might be another precursor to √NIK. An early hint at √NIK itself might appear in the word ᴹQ. nikse “minnow, little fish” from the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/27).

In Noldorin and Sindarin, the primary diminutive suffix became -eg, which was connected to the Common Eldarin suffix -iki elsewhere in notes on hands and fingers (VT47/14 note #21). In the notes where √NIK “small” appeared in the late 1960s, Tolkien gave the primitive diminutive as -inkĭ along with variants ikki, -iksi, -si, -ensi, -ki.

One of the main competing roots for “small” was ᴹ√PIK [see the entry for √PI(N)], itself with a lengthy conceptual history. The shift of pitya >> nitya “little” in the father name of Amrod from the late 1960s may represent a replacement of √PIK by √NIK (PM/365), but I think it is likelier the two roots coexisted with slightly different meanings, as was the case for their earlier precursors. In the notes from the late 1960s, √NIK was also contrasted with √NIP “small (usually with connotation of weakness)” (VT48/18), from which the word S. niben “petty” was derived, as in S. Nogoth Niben (WJ/388).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume √NIK meant “small” in a neutral sense, √PIK “tiny” (along with variants √PĪ and √PIN) and √NIP “small and weak”. I would use these as the major Eldarin roots for “small” words, along with a number of other more specialized roots.

nimpĭ

adjective. small

ninkĭ

adjective. small

phay

root. spirit, spirit; [ᴹ√] radiate, send out rays of light

When this root first appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/PHAY), it was glossed “radiate, send out rays of light” and its derivatives were consistent with this definition, most notably in N. Feanor “Radiant Sun”. In later writings, this root was instead glossed “spirit” (PM/352), which is the connotation of most of its later derivatives. For example, the later meaning of S. Fëanor was changed to “Spirit of Fire”.

The earlier sense “radiate” probably also survived in Tolkien’s later conception, however. On MR/250, the word Q. fairë “spirit” is said to originally have had the sense “radiance”, which is precisely the meaning that ᴹQ. faire had in The Etymologies. There is also a primitive monosyllable ✶phāy “flame, ray of light” in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s (OP2: PE19/102). If the root meaning “radiate” remains valid, then the word S. ✱fael “gleam of the sun”, an element of S. Faelivrin “gleam of the sun on the pools of Ivrin” (the second name of Finduilas), might be a derivative of this root.

wā(w)

noun. dog

yarr-

noun. dog, dog; *growl, snarl

In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien gave the root ᴱ√YAPA “snarl, snap, bark ill-temperedly” (QL/105). It had no derivatives in QL, but in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon the words G. gab- “bark, bay (of dogs)” and G. gôbi “a large hound” were clearly related (GL/36). There were no similar forms for many years, but then primitive ✶yarr- “dog” appeared in notes from 1968 (VT47/36). This later primitive was likely related to Q. yarra- “growl, snarl” from the Q. Markirya poem of this same period (MC/223), perhaps from a root ✱√YAR.

askō Reconstructed

noun. bone

manô

noun. spirit

A noun translated “spirit” and fully declined as an example of a Weak II noun (SD/438). It appeared with both a short a (SD/424) and long â (SD/438). Given its ending -ô, it might be a masculine-noun, but it seems unlikely that spirits would only be male. This entry assumes it is a common-noun instead. It is probably related to ᴹQ. manu “departed spirit” as suggested by various authors (AAD/19, AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/MAN).

raba

noun. dog

A noun translated “dog” and fully declined as an example of a Strong II noun (SD/437). It is also used as an example of a common-noun that can be altered to masculine and feminine forms rabô “male dog” and rabê “bitch” (SD/434).