leper (pl. leperi given) noun "finger" (VT44:16, VT47:10, 14, 24, VT48:5; an older source gives the word for "finger" as lepsë, q.v.)
Quenya
lepsë
finger
lepsë
noun. *finger
Variations
- lepse ✧ PE17/089
leper
finger
leper
noun. finger
The Quenya word for “finger” appearing in various notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, derived from the root √LEP “pick up” (VT47/10; VT48/5).
Conceptual Development: The Quenya “finger” words went through quite a few conceptual changes, but they were always based on the root √LEP. The earliest of these was ᴱQ. let (lept-) “finger” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LEPE with plural form lepsi (QL/53). In Qenya word lists of the 1920s, however, this became ᴱQ. lepta “finger”, still with the plural lepsi (PE15/72; PE16/137).
The form was ᴹQ. let (leps-) in the Declension of Nouns of the early 1930s (PE21/19, 26), expanded to ᴹQ. lepse “finger” in The Etymologies written around 1937, based on the root ᴹ√LEPET of the same meaning (Ety/LEPET). This form demonstrated the 1930s sound change whereby pt became ps (PE19/44 note #44). Tolkien revised this sound change so that the result remained pt (PE19/44), and in 1940s drafts to The Lord of the Rings Tolkien used the word ᴹQ. rakkalepta “✱claw-fingered” in Treebeard’s description of orcs (SD/68), though in the published version this word only appeared in English.
In the Outline of Phonology from the 1950s (OP1) Tolkien considered restoring the sound change pt > ps (PE19/84 note #75), and Q. lepsë appeared in notes from the late 1950s or early 60s on the tree name S. lebethron, so named because “its leaves (like chestnut) [were] shaped like a fingered hand” (PE17/89). However, he again abandoned this, clarifying that the actual result of [[q|[pt] was a spirantal [ɸt]]] (spelled pt to represent the bilabial pronunciation), and that in Tarquesta pronunciation (Exhilic Quenya of the first age) the [ɸ] vocalized to [u̯] so that ✶lepta > leꝑta > Q. leu̯ta “finger” (PE19/84). Q. lepta appeared in several words in the 1960s: Q. leptafinya “clever-fingered” (PE17/17) and Q. Tyelpelepta “✱silver-fingered” (VT47/27).
In drafts of the 1968 notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals, lepta reappeared as an independent word, but with the gloss “thumb” (VT47/27). In the final versions of these notes, however, Tolkien used leper for “finger”, as noted above.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use leper for “finger”, but would retain lepta as an adjective meaning “fingered”, especially in compounds like [ᴹQ.] raccalepta “claw-fingered”.
Cognates
Derivations
Element in
- Q. Eldarinwë Leperi ar Notessi “Elvish Fingers and Numerals” ✧ VT47/04
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶leper- > leper [leper] ✧ VT47/10 ✶leper- > leper [leper] ✧ VT47/24 ✶leper > leper [leper] ✧ VT48/05
éna
?. [unglossed]
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶eñna > enna > éna [eŋna] > [enna] ✧ PE19/097
amya-
verb. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √AM “go up, go up, [ᴹ√] up” ✧ PE17/157
Elements
Word Gloss -ya “verbal suffix” Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √AM > amya [amja-] ✧ PE17/157 Variations
amya✧ PE17/157 (amya)
arra
adjective. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √SRAG “awkward, awry; hard, (very) difficult” ✧ PE17/172
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √SRA-G > asra > arra [asra] > [azra] > [arra] ✧ PE17/172
cairë
?. [unglossed]
Cognates
- S. caer “*flat isle on a river, [N.] flat isle on a river” ✧ PE17/101
Derivations
- √KAY “lie, lie, [ᴹ√] lie down; [ᴱ√] rest, dwell” ✧ PE17/101
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √KAYA > caire [kaire] ✧ PE17/101 Variations
- caire ✧ PE17/101
conta-
verb. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √KOM “gather, collect” ✧ PE17/157
Elements
Word Gloss -ta “causative verb suffix” Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √KOM > conta [komta-] > [konta-] ✧ PE17/157 Variations
conta✧ PE17/157 (conta)
cúma
noun. [unglossed]
Cognates
- S. cû “bow, bow; [N.] arch, crescent; [G.] waxing or waning moon” ✧ PE17/122
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶kūma > cúma [kūma] ✧ PE17/122
felca
adjective. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √PHELEG “excavation, excavation; [ᴹ√] cave” ✧ PE17/118
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √PHELEK > felca [pʰelka] > [ɸelka] > [felka] ✧ PE17/118
felehta-
verb. [unglossed], *to excavate, tunnel, mine
An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from ✱phelektā- or ✱phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “✱to excavate, tunnel, mine”.
Derivations
- √PHELEG “excavation, excavation; [ᴹ√] cave” ✧ PE17/118
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √PHELEK > felehta [pʰelektā] > [ɸelektā] > [ɸelextā] > [ɸelextā] > [felextā] ✧ PE17/118 Variations
- felehta ✧ PE17/118
finca
noun. [unglossed]
Cognates
- S. fing “lock of hair” ✧ PE17/017
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶finik/fink > finca [pʰinika] > [pʰinka] > [pʰiŋka] > [ɸiŋka] > [fiŋka] ✧ PE17/017 Variations
- finca ✧ PE17/017
hendas
?. [unglossed]
Element in
- Q. calma hendas “*light in the eyes” ✧ PMCH/02; TMME/192
hindo
noun. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √KHIN “child” ✧ PE17/157
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √KHIN > hindo [kʰindo] > [xindo] > [hindo] ✧ PE17/157
hindë
noun. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √KHIN “child” ✧ PE17/157
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √KHIN > hinde [kʰinde] > [xinde] > [hinde] ✧ PE17/157 Variations
hinde✧ PE17/157 (hinde)
holdë
noun. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √SKOL “shut, close” ✧ PE17/098
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √KHOL > holde [kʰolde] > [xolde] > [holde] ✧ PE17/098 Variations
- holde ✧ PE17/098
háro
?. [unglossed]
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶khādo > hāzo > hāro [kʰādo] > [xādo] > [xāðo] > [hāðo] > [hāro] ✧ PE22/148 Variations
- hāro ✧ PE22/148
lingi-
verb. [unglossed]
maitya
?. [unglossed]
Variations
- mahtya ✧ PE19/084 (mahtya)
malsa
?. [unglossed]
Derivations
- ✶maslā ✧ PE19/101
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶maslā > malsa [maslā] > [malsā] > [malsa] ✧ PE19/101
melya-
verb. [unglossed], *to be in love
Derivations
- √MEL “love, love, [ᴹ√] love (as friend)”
naue
?. [unglossed]
Derivations
- ✶ndagwē ✧ PE19/094
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶ndagwē > ndau̯we > nau̯we > naue [ndagwē] > [ndaɣwē] > [ndauwē] > [nauwē] > [naue] ✧ PE19/094 Variations
- nawe ✧ PE19/094 (
nawe)
sal-
verb. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √SAL “[unglossed], *harp(ing), lyre” ✧ PE22/133
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √SAL > azálie [asālie] > [azālie] ✧ PE22/133
sélo
?. [unglossed]
Derivations
- ✶steglō ✧ PE19/095
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶steglō > thélo > þélo > sélo [steglō] > [θeglō] > [θeɣlō] > [θēlō] > [θēlo] > [sēlo] ✧ PE19/095
sóla
?. [unglossed]
Derivations
- ✶soglā ✧ PE19/095
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶soglā > sóla [soglā] > [soɣlā] > [sōlā] > [sōla] ✧ PE19/095
thar-
verb. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √STAR “*stiff, [ᴹ√] stiff” ✧ PE22/133
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √STAR > thar [star-] > [θar-] ✧ PE22/133 Variations
- thar ✧ PE22/133
tomba
noun. [unglossed]
Derivations
- √TOM “of resonant sounds” ✧ PE17/138
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √TOM > tomba [tomba] ✧ PE17/138
tompë
noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat
@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20
Derivations
- √TOM “of resonant sounds” ✧ PE17/138
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √TOM > tompe [tompe] ✧ PE17/138 Variations
- tompe ✧ PE17/138
um(ba)-
prefix. [unglossed]
Derivations
Element in
- Q. umbacarin “[unglossed]” ✧ PE17/172
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √UMU > um(ba) [umba-] ✧ PE17/172 Variations
- um(ba) ✧ PE17/172 (um(ba))
umbacarin
noun. [unglossed]
úpa-
verb. [unglossed]
þúna
?. [unglossed]
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶stuknā > thúna [stuknā] > [stugnā] > [θugnā] > [θuŋnā] > [θūnā] > [θūna] > [sūna] ✧ PE19/086 Variations
- thúna ✧ PE19/086 (thúna)
leuta
noun. finger
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶lepta > leꝑta > leu̯ta [lepta] > [leɸta] > [leuta] ✧ PE19/084 Variations
- leu̯ta ✧ PE19/084
lepsë noun "finger" (LEP/LEPET; see leper). According to VT45:27, Tolkien derived lepsë from primitive ¤lepti; if so, lepsë should have the stem-form *lepsi-. However, Tolkien struck out the ancestral form lepti, so we cannot be sure whether this idea was maintained or not. In later sources, the word for "finger" appears as leper.