-lë ending forming nouns that "seem properly to have been universal and abstract" (VT39:16, in which source Tolkien is actually commenting on the prehistoric form -lē, but -lë is its Quenya descendant)
Quenya
le
you
le
pronoun. you (plural)
Derivations
- ✶de “you (pl.)” ✧ VT49/51
Element in
- ᴺQ. lenya “yours (plural)”
- Q. mélima yondion, lenna antanyes mélio cenwa “*dear [one] of sons I give it to be read with love” ✧ Minor-Doc/1955-CT
- Q. vá meninyë ó le “I won’t come with you” ✧ PE22/162
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶de > lé [dē] > [lē] > [le] ✧ VT49/51 Variations
- lé ✧ VT49/51
-lë
seem properly to have been universal and abstract
lye
thou/thee, you
lye pron. "thou/thee, you", 2nd person sg. formal/polite (corresponding to familiar/intimate tye, q.v.) (VT49:36) It seems the original stem-form was le (VT49:50), distinct from de as a plural "you", but when initial d became l and the forms threatened to fall together, le was apparently altered to lye by analogy with the ending -lyë and the emphatic pronoun elyë. Stressed lyé (VT49:51). For lye as object, cf. nai Eru lye mánata "God bless you" (VT49:39). Allative lyenna "to you, upon you" (VT49:40-41). Compare the reflexive pronoun imlë "yourself, thyself", q.v. (it did not have to be *imlyë, for the corresponding pl. pronoun indë "yourselves" is distinct anyhow).
lye
pronoun. you (polite)
Changes
le→ lyé ✧ VT49/51Cognates
- S. le “thee, you (polite)” ✧ PE17/026
Derivations
- ✶le “you (sg.)” ✧ PE19/080; VT49/50
Element in
- Q. i Héru aselyë “the Lord is with thee” ✧ VT43/30
- Q. imlë “yourself (polite)”
- ᴺQ. lyenya “yours (polite)”
- Q. nai elen siluva lyenna “*may a star shine upon you” ✧ VT49/41
- Q. nai lye hiruva airëa Amanar “may thee find a blessed Amanar [Yule]” ✧ Minor-Doc/1963-12-18
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶le > lye [lje] ✧ PE19/080 ✶le/de > lyé [lje] ✧ VT49/50 Variations
- le ✧ PE17/026 (le); PE17/074 (le); VT43/30 (le); VT49/56 (
le)- lyé ✧ VT49/51
lé
way
lé (1) noun "way" = "method, manner" ("as in that is not As way"). Not to be confused with lé as a stressed form of le = plural "you"; Tolkien was himself dissatisfied with this clash (PE17:74).
lé
with
lé (2) prep. "with" (PE17:95)
lé
preposition. with, with, [ᴹQ.] by, [ᴱQ.] with (accompaniment)
Cognates
- S. di “with” ✧ PE17/095
Derivations
- ✶dē “with” ✧ PE17/095
Element in
- ᴺQ. letinwessë “constellation”
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶dē > lē > lé [dē] > [lē] ✧ PE17/095 Variations
- lé ✧ PE17/095 (lé)
-ldë
you
-ldë (1) pronominal suffix "you", 2nd person pl. (VT49:51; carildë *"you do", VT49:16). This ending Tolkien revised from -llë in earlier sources (VT49:48, cf. PE17:69).
-ldë
suffix. you (plural)
Derivations
- ✶de “you (pl.)” ✧ VT49/51
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶de > -lde [-lde] > [-lðe] > [-lde] ✧ VT49/51 Variations
- -lde ✧ PE17/057; PE17/190; VT49/16; VT49/51
-llë
you
-llë (2) abandoned pronominal ending "you", 2nd person pl. (VT49:48); Tolkien later revised this ending to -ldë.
-llë
suffix. you (plural)
Variations
- -lle ✧ PE17/057; PE17/069; PE17/075; PE17/075; VT49/48
-lyë
you, thou
-l or -lyë (VT49:48, 51), pronominal endings for 2nd person sg. polite/formal "you, thou": caril or carilyë *"you do" (VT49:16), hamil "you judge" (VT42:33), anel "you were" (see ná #1); see -lyë for further examples. These endings may also be added to pronouns (etel/etelyë or mil, milyë; see et, mi). In one source, -l is rather used as a reduced affix denoting plural "you"; see heca! (WJ:364)
-lyë
thou, you
-lyë pronominal ending "thou, you" (VT49:48), 2nd person sg. formal/polite: hiruvalyë "thou shalt find" (Nam, RGEO:67), carilyë *"you do" (VT49:16). Long form of -l, q.v. The ending also occurs in alyë, the imperative particle a with a pronominal suffix (VT43:17); see a #3. The intimate/familiar ending corresponding to polite/formal -lyë is -tyë, q.v
alyë
you
alyë imperative particle with ending -lyë "you"; see a #3.
ilcë
you
ilcë ("k") (2) *"you", emphatic pronoun of the 2nd person pl. familiar, apparently a form abandoned by Tolkien. An alternative form incë was also listed; a query appears between the forms (VT49:48).
-l
suffix. you (polite)
-l(yë)
suffix. you (polite)
Derivations
- ✶de “you (pl.)” ✧ VT49/50
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶le/de > -lye [-lje] ✧ VT49/50 Variations
- -lye ✧ PE17/057; PE17/075; VT49/16; VT49/48; VT49/51
- -l ✧ PE17/075; VT49/16; VT49/48; VT49/51
- -l(ye) ✧ PE17/190
- lye ✧ PE22/161
lelya-
go, proceed (in any direction), travel
lelya- (1) vb. "go, proceed (in any direction), travel", pa.t. lendë / elendë (WJ:363, VT14:5, PE17:139) At one point Tolkien assigned a more specific meaning to the underlying root LED: "go away from the speaker or the point in mind, depart" (PE17:52), which would make lelya- a near synonym of auta-. The same source denies that the derivatives of _LED _were used simply for "go, move, travel", but elsewhere Tolkien assigns precisely that meaning to lelya-.
lenna-
go
lenna- vb. "go", pa.t. lendë "went" (LED; cf. lelya-). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the word lenna- wrongly appears as **linna-; see VT45:27.
-yë
conjunction. and
-yë (4) conj. "and" as a suffix added to the second of a pair, as Menel Cemenyë "Heaven and Earth" (VT47:30, 31, VT49:25). Other "pairs" are mentioned as examples but not actually translated into Quenya by Tolkien: Sun and Moon (*Anar Isilyë), Land and Sea (*Nór Eäryë), fire and water (*nárë nenyë, or *úr nenyë).
arë
and
arë conj. "and", longer form of ar, q.v. (VT43:31)
men
way
men (2) noun "way" (SA) or "place, spot" (MEN)
men
noun. way, way; [ᴹQ.] place, spot
Cognates
- S. men “road, way, road, way; [N.] *place”
Derivations
- √MEN “go, move, proceed (in any direction); make for, go towards; have as object, (in)tend; direction, object, point moved toward; region”
Element in
- ᴺQ. catamen “background, milieu”
- Q. formen “north, north, [ᴹQ.] right-hand [direction]” ✧ SA/men
- Q. hyarmen “south, (lit.) left-hand direction” ✧ SA/men
- Q. Ilmen “*Place of Starlight”
- ᴺQ. mancamen “market, (lit.) trade-place”
- ᴺQ. menessë “instead, (lit.) in place”
- Q. mentië “passage, journey, direction of travel”
- ᴺQ. mótamen “office”
- ᴺQ. natsemen “website, (lit.) web-spot”
- Q. númen “west, direction or region of the sunset, occident, (lit.) going down” ✧ SA/men
- ᴺQ. parmen “school, place of study”
- ᴺQ. quermen “a turning, turn, corner (of a street)”
- Q. rómen “east, uprising, sunrise” ✧ SA/men
- ᴺQ. tirmen “theater”
- ᴺQ. tungwemen “tax-office”
tye
you, thou, thee
tye pron. "you, thou, thee", 2nd person intimate/familar (LR:61, 70, Arct, VT49:36, 55), corresponding to formal/polite lye. According to VT49:51, tye was used as an endearment especially between lovers, and (grand)parents and children also used it to address one another ("to use the adult lye was more stern"). Tyenya "my tye", used = "dear kinsman" (VT49:51). The pronoun tye is derived from kie, sc. an original stem ki with an added -e(VT49:50). Stressed tyé; dual tyet "the two of you" (VT49:51 another note reproduced on the same page however states that tye has no dual form, and VT49:52 likewise states that the 2nd person familiar "never deleloped" dual or plural forms). Compare the reflexive pronoun intyë "yourself". Possibly related to the pronominal stem KE (2nd person sg.), if tye represents earlier *kye.
-llo
you
[-llo (2) "you", dual; abandoned pronominal ending. Also written -illo. (VT49:49)]
-ndë
you
[#-ndë (2) pronominal suffix for dual "you", as in carindë *"you (two) do". Tolkien changed the ending to -stë (VT49:33)]
-stë
you
-stë "you", 2nd person dual pronominal ending (VT49:51, 53), e.g. caristë "the two of you do" (VT49:16). Tolkien first wrote carindë, but changed the ending (VT49:33). The ending -stë is derived from earlier -dde (VT49:46, 51). An archaic ending of similar form could also be the third person dual, "the two of them" (but see -ttë #1).
-tyë
you
-t (3) reduced pronominal affix of the 2. person, "you" (sg.), the long form being -tyë (both endings are listed in VT49:48). See heca regarding the example hecat (WJ:364). However, in a later source, Tolkien denies that -tyë has any short form (VT49:51, 57). The status of the ending -t is therefore doubtful.
-tyë
you, thou
-tyë pronominal ending "you, thou" (VT49:48, 51), 2nd person familiar/intimate: carityë *"you do" (VT49:16; the corresponding formal/polite ending is -l, -lyë, cf. PE17:135 where Tolkien states that hiruvalyë "thou shalt find" from Namárië would be hiruvatyë if the polite pronoun were replaced by the familiar one). Compare the independent pronoun tye. In VT49:51, Tolkien denies that the ending -tyë has any short form (see, however, -t # 3). Cf. natyë "you are"; see ná #1. Compare tye, -tya.
anta-
give
anta- (1) vb. "give" (ANA1, MC:215, 221), pa.t. antanë (antanen "I gave", VT49:14) or †ánë, perfect ánië (PE17:147, cf. QL:31). According to VT49:14, Tolkien noted that anta- was sometimes often with an "ironic tone" to refer to missiles, so that antanen hatal sena "I gave him a spear (as a present)" was often used with the real sense of "I cast a spear at him". Usually the recipient of the thing given is mentioned in the dative or allative case (like sena in this example), but there is also a construction similar to English "present someone with something" in which the recipient is the object and the gift appears in the instrumental case: antanenyes parmanen, "I presented him with a book" (PE17:91). The verb occurs several times in FS: antalto"they gave"; strangely, no past tense marker seems to be present (see -lto for the ending); antar a pl. verb translated "they gave", though in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be the present tense "give" (pl.); antaróta "he gave it" (anta-ró-ta "gave-he-it"), another verb occurring in Fíriel's Song, once again with no past tense marker. Also antáva "will give", future tense of anta- "give"; read perhaps *antuva in LotR-style Quenya; similarly antaváro* "he will give" (LR:63) might later have appeared as antuvas (with the ending -s rather than "Qenya" -ro for "he"). Antalë imperative "give thou" (VT43:17), sc. anta "give" + the element le "thou", but this was a form Tolkien abandoned. Apparently ana** was at one point considered as another imperative "give", but Tolkien rewrote the text in question (VT44:13), and the normal patterns would suggest *á anta with an independent imperative particle.
incë
you
incë ("k") *"you", emphatic pronoun for 2nd person pl. familiar, apparently a form abandoned by Tolkien. It is listed as an alternative to ilcë in the source, a query appearing between the forms (VT49:48, 49). The word could also be read as intë (VT49:49)
men-
go
#men- (4) vb. "go" (VT47:11, cf. VT42:30, VT49:23), attested in the aorist (menë) in the sentence imbi Menel Cemenyë menë Ráno tië "between Heaven and Earth goes the path of the Moon". In the verb nanwen- "return" (or go/come back), -men- is changed to -wen- following nan- "back" (etymological form cited as nan-men-, PE17:166). In examples from VT49:23, 24, Tolkien used men- in the sense of "go as far as": 1st person sg. aorist menin (menin coaryanna "I arrive at [or come/get to] his house"), endingless aorist menë, present tense ména- "is on point of arrival, is just coming to an end", past tense mennë "arrived, reached", in this tense usually with locative rather than allative (mennen sís "I arrive[d] here"), perfect eménië "has just arrived", future menuva "will arrive". All of these examples were first written with the verb as ten- rather than men-, Tolkien then emending the initial consonant.
ñaltariel
ñaltariel
Ñaltariel noun true Quenya form of Galadriel; the form actually used was Altariel, Quenyarized from Telerin Alatáriel(lë). (PM:347)
-ntyë
you
[-ntyë "you", abandonded pronominal ending for 2nd person pl. familiar (VT49:49)]
vanya-
go, depart, disappear
vanya- (2) vb. "go, depart, disappear", pa.t. vannë (WAN). The verb auta- may have replaced this word in Tolkien's later conception.
and
and
a (2) conj. "and", a variant of ar occurring in Fíriel's Song (that also has ar; a seems to be used before words in f-, but contrast ar formenna "and northwards" in a late text, VT49:26). According to PE17:41, "Old Quenya" could have the conjunction a (as a variant of ar) before n, ñ, m, h, hy, hw (f is not mentioned), PE17:71 adding ty, ny, hr, hl, ñ, l, r, þ, s. See ar #1. It may be that the a or the sentence nornë a lintieryanen "he ran with his speed" (i.e. as quickly as he could) is to be understood as this conjunction, if the literal meaning is "he ran and [did so] with his speed" (PE17:58).
ar
and
ar (1) conj. "and" (AR2, SA, FS, Nam, RGEO:67, CO, LR:47, 56, MC:216, VT43:31, VT44:10, 34; see VT47:31 for etymology, cf. also VT49:25, 40). The older form of the conjunction was az (PE17:41). Ar is often assimilated to al, as before l, s (PE17:41, 71), but "in written Quenya ar was usually written in all cases" (PE17:71). In one case, Tolkien altered the phrase ar larmar "and raiments" to al larmar; the former may then be seen as representing the spelling, whereas the latter represents the pronunciation(PE17:175). More complex schemes of assimilation are suggested to have existed in "Old Quenya", the conjunction varying between ar, a and as depending on the following consonant (PE17:41, 71). An alternative longer form of the conjunction, arë, is said to occur "occasionally in Tolkien's later writings" (VT43:31, cf. VT48:14). In the Etymologies, the word for "and" was first written as ar(a) (VT45:6). In one source, Tolkien notes that Quenya used ar "as preposition beside, next, or as adverb = and" (PE17:145); compare ara.
ar
and
o (1) conj. "and", occurring solely in SD:246; all other sources give ar.
ar
conjunction. and, and; [ᴱQ., ᴹQ.] but
Changes
ara→ ar ✧ NM/239ar→ ar “and” ✧ PE17/041ar→ ar ✧ PE17/041ar→ al ✧ PE17/175Cognates
- S. a “and; †by, near, beside” ✧ PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/102; PE17/145; SA/ar
Derivations
- ✶as(a) “and” ✧ PE17/041; PE17/041; VT47/31
- √AS “beside” ✧ VT47/31
- ✶ad(a) “and, alongside” ✧ PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/041; PE17/070; PE17/071; PE17/071; PE17/102
- √AD(A) “by (the side of), beside, alongside; against, opposed to, opposite” ✧ PE17/071
- √AD(A) “by (the side of), beside, alongside; against, opposed to, opposite” ✧ PE17/145
- √AR “beyond, further than; outside; beside, alongside, beyond, further than; outside; beside, alongside; [ᴱ√] spread, extend sideways” ✧ SA/ar
Element in
- Q. aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie’n aurë “Behold, people of the Eldar and Fathers of Men, the day has come!” ✧ S/190; WJ/166
- Q. álamë tulya úsahtienna “[and] lead us not into temptation” ✧ VT43/21
- Q. alcar i Ataren ar i Yondon ar i Airefëan “glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit” ✧ VT43/36
- Q. alcarin Vendë ar manaquenta “O glorious and blessed Virgin” ✧ VT44/10
- Q. ar aistana i yávë mónalyo Yésus “and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus” ✧ VT43/31; VT43/31
- Q. ar ámen apsenë úcaremmar “and forgive us our trespasses” ✧ VT43/18
- Q. ar cé mo formenna tentanes Amanna “and if northwards, it pointed towards Aman” ✧ VT49/25
- Q. ar Elendil Vorondo voronwë “and of the faith of Elendil the Faithful” ✧ UT/305
- Q. ar hísië untúpa Calaciryo míri oialë “and mist covers the jewels of Calacirya forever” ✧ LotR/0377; RGEO/58
- Q. ar hísië untúpa Calaciryo míri oialë “and mist covers (lit. down-roofs) Calacirya’s jewels forever” ✧ RGEO/59
- Q. ar i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa tennoio “and of the One who is above all thrones for ever” ✧ UT/305
- Q. ar ilyë tier undulávë lumbulë “and all paths are drowned deep in shadow” ✧ LotR/0377; RGEO/58
- Q. ar lumbulë undulávë ilyë tier “and (heavy) shadow swallowed (lit. down-licked) all roads” ✧ RGEO/59
- Q. ar mi cemen rainë i hínin “and on earth peace, good will toward men” ✧ VT44/34; VT44/34; VT44/34
- Q. ar sindanóriello caita mornië “and out of a grey country darkness lies” ✧ LotR/0377; RGEO/58
- Q. ar sindanóriello mornië caita “and from a grey country darkness lies” ✧ RGEO/59
- Q. ar súlë Manwëo etsurinyë ar Eldaron indor turyaner “*and the spirit of Manwe went out and the hearts of the Eldar were comforted / or obeyed” ✧ NM/239; NM/239
- Q. arta “etcetera” ✧ PE17/071
- Q. ar wingildi wilwarindië “*and the foam-like butterflies” ✧ PE16/096
- Q. cemendë tambe Erumandë “on Earth as [it is] in Heaven” ✧ VT43/17
- Q. cuita’r parë “live and learn” ✧ PE22/154
- Q. Elainen tárin Periandion ar meldenya anyáran “*to Elaine, queen of Hobbits and my very old friend” ✧ VT49/40
- Q. Eldarinwë Leperi ar Notessi “Elvish Fingers and Numerals” ✧ VT47/04
- Q. Nasser ar Cenime Cantar Valaron ar Maiaron “The Natures and Visible Shapes of the Valar and Maiar” ✧ PE17/175; PE17/175
- Q. savin Elessar ar i nánë aran Ondórëo “I believe that E[lessar] really existed and that he was a King of Gondor” ✧ PE22/158; VT49/27
- Q. násië “now and at the hour of our death: Amen” ✧ VT43/34; VT43/34
- Q. sínen i·anda nyarnë metta ar taina andaurenya na quanta “*with this the long tale ends and my extended long day is complete” ✧ Minor-Doc/1955-CT
- Q. sinomë maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn’ Ambar-metta “In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world” ✧ LotR/0967; PE17/103; PE22/147
- Q. sustanë Manwëo súlë ten i indo Sindicollo ar he lastanë ar carnes “*the spirit of Manwe blew unto the heart of Thingol and he listened and did it” ✧ NM/239; NM/239
- Q. Valar ar Maiar fantaner nassentar fanainen ve quenderinwe coar ar larmar “Valar and Maiar cloaked their true-being in veils, like to Elvish bodies and raiment” ✧ PE17/174; PE17/175; PE17/175
- Q. ványë ar válmë “I and those with me are against it” ✧ PE22/162
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶as(a) > ar [asa] > [aza] > [ara] > [ar] ✧ PE17/041 ✶ad(a) > az > ar [ada] > [ad] > [að] > [ar] ✧ PE17/041 ✶ad > ar [ad] > [að] > [ar] ✧ PE17/041 ✶ad(a) > ar [ada] > [ad] > [að] > [ar] ✧ PE17/041 ✶as(a) > ar [asa] > [aza] > [ara] > [ar] ✧ PE17/041 ✶ad > ar [ad] > [að] > [ar] ✧ PE17/070 ✶ad(ă)/ad > ar [ad] > [að] > [ar] ✧ PE17/071 ✶ad > ađ > ař > ar [ad] > [að] > [ar] ✧ PE17/071 ✶ada > ar [ada] > [ad] > [að] > [ar] ✧ PE17/102 √ADA > ar [ad] > [að] > [ar] ✧ PE17/145 √ar- > ar [ar] ✧ SA/ar ✶as > ar [asa] > [aza] > [ara] > [ar] ✧ VT47/31 Variations
- Ar ✧ NM/239
- ara ✧ NM/240 (
ara)- a ✧ PE17/071 (a)
- as ✧ PE17/071 (as); PE17/071
- al ✧ PE17/071; PE17/175
- are ✧ VT43/31 (
are); VT43/34 (are); VT47/04
as
with
as prep. "with" (together with), also attested with a pronominal suffix: aselyë "with thee" (VT47:31, VT43:29). The conjunction ar "and" may also appear in assimilated form as before s; see ar #1.
as
with
o (2) prep. "with" (MC:216; this is "Qenya"; WJ:367 states that no independent preposition o was used in Quenya. Writers may rather use as.) See ó- below.
as
preposition. with
Derivations
- √AS “beside”
Element in
- Q. i Héru aselyë “the Lord is with thee” ✧ VT43/29
az
and
az, archaic form of the conjunction ar "and"; see ar #1.
car-
with
#car- (2) prep. "with" (carelyë "with thee"), prepositional element (evidently an ephemeral form abandoned by Tolkien) (VT43:29)
puhta
coitus
puhta noun "coitus" (PE13:163, gloss specified to refer to "one act"; a more general word for "sex" could perhaps be derived by adding an abstract or generalizing ending like -lë)
tiuca
thick, fat
tiuca adj.("k") "thick, fat" (TIW)
vand-
way, path
vand- noun "way, path" (LT1:264; a final vowel would seem to be required, but in Tolkien's later Quenya, the words tië or mallë are to be preferred)
yo
and
yo conj. "and", "often used between _two _items (of any part of speech) that were by nature or custom clearly associated, like the names of spouses (Manwë yo Varda), or "sword and sheath" (*macil yo vainë*), "bow and arrows" (quinga yo pilindi), or groups like "Elves and Men" (Eldar yo Fírimor but contrast eldain a fírimoin [dative forms] in FS, where Tolkien joins the words with a, seemingly simply a variant of the common conjunction ar). In one source, yo is apparently a preposition "with" (yo hildinyar* = "with my heirs", SD:56).
ó
with, accompanying
ó
preposition. with
Changes
yó→ ó ✧ PE22/162Element in
- Q. i Héru aselyë “the Lord is with thee” ✧ VT43/29
- Q. vá meninyë ó le “I won’t come with you” ✧ PE22/162
Variations
- yó ✧ PE22/162 (
yó)- ó- ✧ VT43/29
le, pronominal element "you", (originally) the "reverential 2nd person sing" (RGEO:73, VT49:56). However, singular le was apparently altered to lye (q.v.), and le took on a plural significance (le for pl. "you" is apparently derived from de, the ancient 2nd person pl. stem, VT49:50-51). Stressed lé (VT49:51), dual let "the two of you" (ibid.). At certain points in Tolkiens conception, le was still sg. "thou" rather than pl. "you". It is attested as an ending in the imperative form antalë "give thou" (VT43:17); see anta-. The form ólë in VT43:29 apparently means *"with thee"; according to Tolkiens later system, it would rather mean "with you" (pl.) Compare aselyë "with thee" (sg.) in a later source (see as).