cala

light

cala ("k")noun "light" (KAL). Concerning the "Qenya" verb cala-, see #cal- above.

cala

noun. light, light; [ᴱQ.] daytime (sunlight), 12 hours

This is the most common Quenya word for “light”, derived from the root √KAL of similar meaning (RGEO/62; PE17/84). It appears in numerous compounds, either in its full form or in a reduced form cal-.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. kala appeared all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “daytime (sunlight), 12 hours” and derived from the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), but it had the sense “light” in the phrase ᴱQ. i·kal’antúlien “Light hath returned” (LT1/184), and it was given as the cognate of G. gala “light, daylight” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon (GL/37).

ᴹQ. kala “light” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√KAL “shine” (Ety/KAL). Somewhat curiously in that document its primitive form was given as ᴹ✶k’lā́ (EtyAC/KAL), a form that also appeared in the first version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ1) from the 1930s (PE18/38). Tolkien may have used this variant form to explain N. glaw “radiance” (< ᴹ✶g’lā́), but in later writings S. glaw “sunshine” was derived from √LAW.

Derivations

• √KAL “light; shine, be bright, light; shine, be bright, [ᴱ√] shine golden” ✧ PE17/084

Element in

• Q. Anducal “*Light of the West”
• Q. Calacirya “Pass of Light” ✧ RGEO/62
• Q. calambar “*light-fated”
• Q. Calantar “Light-giver”
• Q. Calaquendi “Elves of the Light, (lit.) Light Elves”
• ᴺQ. calatengwë “photograph, (lit.) light-writing”
• Q. Calion “*Son of Light”
• Q. Caliondo
• Q. Calmacil “*Sword of Light, Shining Sword”
• Q. Calmindon “Light-tower”
• Q. Herucalmo
• ᴺQ. ruical(a) “firelight”
• Q. ú calo “without the light” ✧ PE17/143; VT39/14

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√CAL > Cala	[kala]	✧ PE17/084

Variations

• Cala ✧ PE17/084; RGEO/62

calina

light

calina ("k")adj. "light" (KAL), "bright" (VT42:32) "(literally illumined) sunny, light" (PE17:153) but apparently a noun "light" in coacalina, q.v.

cálë

light

cálë ("k")noun "light" (Markirya; in early "Qenya", cálë meant "morning", LT1:254)

cálë

noun. light

A noun for “light” appearing in the versions of the Markirya poem from the 1960s (MC/222-223).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. kále “morning” was a derivative of the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), and kāle was mentioned again Gnomish Lexicon Slips as a cognate of G. gaul “a light” (PE13/114). The form ᴱQ. kale “day” appeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, but was deleted (PE14/43). It might also be an element in ᴹQ. yúkale “twilight” (= “both lights”) from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/KAL).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d stick to the better attested Q. cala “light”.

Element in

• Q. cálë fifírula “the light fading” ✧ MC/222

Variations

• kále ✧ MC/222; MC/223

calma

noun. a light

a light

calima

bright

calima adj. "bright" (VT42:32); cf. ancalima; in PE17:56, arcalima appears as another superlative "brightest" (see ar- #2).

alta

radiance

alta (2) noun "radiance" (VT42:32, PE17:50). Cf. variant ñalta.

alta

noun. radiance

alima

fair, good

alima adj. "fair, good" (also alya) (PE17:146)

limbë

quick, swift

limbë (1) adj. (stem limbi-, given primitive form ¤lĭmbĭ) "quick, swift" (PE17:18)

linda

fair, beautiful

linda adj. "fair, beautiful" (of sound) (SLIN, LIND; VT45:27), "soft, gentle, light" (PE16:96), "beautiful, sweet, melodious of sound" (PE17:150); for Linda as a noun, see Lindar.

linda

adjective. beautiful (of sound), sweet, melodious; soft, gentle, light, beautiful (of sound), sweet, melodious; soft, gentle, light, [ᴱQ.] kind; [ᴹQ.] fair

Derivations

• ✶lindā “*sweet sounding”

Element in

• Q. lindalë “music”
• Q. norolinda “*tripping lightly” ✧ PE16/096

Variations

• Linda ✧ PE17/150

nalta

radiance, glittering reflection

nalta ("ñ")noun "radiance, glittering reflection" (from jewels, glass or polished metals, or water) (PM:347)

vilin

airy, breezy

vilin adj. "airy, breezy" (LT1:273). Not to be confused with vilin "I fly", see vil-.

Calion

the golden

Calion, Tar-Calion, masc. name, the Quenya name of King Ar-Pharazôn "the Golden". Calion would seem to be connected to cal- "shine", cálë "light". (Silm)

calina

adjective. light, bright, sunny, (lit.) illumined

Cognates

• S. calen “green; fresh, vigorous; †bright, green; †bright, [N.] bright-coloured; [S.] fresh, vigorous” ✧ PE17/153; VT42/19

Derivations

• ✶kalinā “bright”
• √KAL “light; shine, be bright, light; shine, be bright, [ᴱ√] shine golden” ✧ PE17/153

Element in

• Q. Anarcalin “*Sun-Bright”
• Q. cöacalina “light of the house, indwelling spirit”

Elements

Word	Gloss
cal-	“to shine”
-ina	“adjective suffix; passive participle”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√KAL > kălina	[kalina]	✧ PE17/153

Variations

• kălina ✧ PE17/153
• kalina ✧ VT42/19

alya

fair, good

alya (1) adj. "fair, good" (PE17:146), "prosperous, rich, abundant, blessed" (GALA). In a deleted entry in Etym, the glosses provided were "rich, blessed"; another deleted entry defined alya as "rich, prosperous, blessed". (GALA, [ÁLAM], VT42:32, 45:5, 14)

calma

lamp, a light, device for shining light

calma noun "lamp, a light, device for shining light" (Appendix E, KAL, PE17:123, 180), also name of tengwa #3 (cf. calmatéma), which was also already its name in the mostly pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies(VT45:18, there spelt "kalma"). In early "Qenya", calma ("k") meant"daylight" _(LT1:254; in MC:213, the word is translated "light").Plural instrumental calmainen ("k") "lights-by", by lights (MC:216)_

-ima

fair

-ima adjectival suffix. Sometimes it is used to derive simple adjectives, like vanima "fair" or calima "bright"; it can also take on the meaning "-able" (PE17:68), as in mátima "edible" (mat- "eat"), nótima "countable" (not- "count") and (with a negative prefix) úquétima "unspeakable" (from quet- "speak"). Note that the stem-vowel is normally lengthened in the derivatives where -ima means "-able", though this fails to occur in cenima "visible" (q.v., but contrast hraicénima, q.v.) and also before a consonant cluster as in úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176). "X-ima" may mean "apt to X" (when the ending is added to an intransitive verbal stem), as in Fírimar "mortals", literally "those apt to die" (WJ:387). The adj. úfantima "not concealable" (PE17:176) also appears as úfantuma (PE17:180), indicating the existence of a variant ending -uma (possibly used to derive adjectives with a "bad" meaning; compare the ending *-unqua next to -inqua, q.v.)

calar

lamp

calar noun "lamp" (VT47:13)

calar

noun. lamp

A word for “lamp” in notes from the late 1960s derived from √kalar- (VT47/13). This word is less well-known than Q. calma “lamp” (LotR/1121).

Cognates

• T. calar “lamp” ✧ VT47/13
• S. calar “(portable) lamp”

Derivations

• √KALAR “*be radiant, [ᴹ√] be radiant” ✧ VT47/13
  • √KAL “light; shine, be bright, light; shine, be bright, [ᴱ√] shine golden” ✧ PE18/087

Element in

• ᴺQ. calarwa “optical”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√kalar- > calar	[kalar]	✧ VT47/13

vanya

fair

vanya (1) adj. "fair" (FS), "beautiful" (BAN), a word referring to beauty that is "due to lack of fault, or blemish" (PE17:150), hence Arda Vanya as an alternative to Arda Alahasta for "Arda Unmarred" (ibid., compare MR:254). Nominal pl. Vanyar "the Fair", the first clan of the Eldar; the original meaning of this stem was "pale, light-coloured, not brown or dark" (WJ:382, 383, stem given as WAN), "properly = white complexion and blonde hair" (PE17:154, stem given as GWAN); stems BAN vs. WAN discussed, see PE17:150.

vanë

fair

vanë adj. "fair" (LT1:272; in Tolkien's later Quenya rather vanya)

vanë

adjective. fair, fair, [ᴱQ.] lovely

Derivations

• √BAN “beauty (due to lack of fault or blemish); fair, beautiful” ✧ PE17/056

Element in

• Q. úvanë(a) “without beauty”
• Q. vanessë “beauty” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. vanië “beauty” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. vanima “beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair” ✧ PE17/056

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√BAN > vane	[bani] > [bane] > [βane] > [vane]	✧ PE17/056

Variations

• vane ✧ PE17/056

alcar

noun. radiance

radiance, splendour

fairë

radiance

fairë (3) noun "radiance" (PHAY)

arya

twelve hours, day

arya (3) noun "twelve hours, day" (AR1; compare aurë). In deleted notes this word was also used as an adjective: "of the day, light" (VT45:6). Still according to VT45:6, arya is also the name of Tengwa #26 in the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, but Tolkien would later call #26 arda instead (indeed arya was changed from arda in the source; Tolkien would later change his mind back again). The abandoned name arya suggests that the letter was to have the value ry (rather than rd as in the classical system outlined in LotR Appendix E). Since the word for "day" (daylight period) is given as aurë in later sources, and arya is assigned other meanings in late material (see #1, 2 above), the conceptual validity of arya "day" is questionable.%

alalunga

adjective. light, unheavy

Elements

Word	Gloss
al(a)-	“in-, un-, not; †-less, without”
lungo	“heavy”

calad

gerund noun. light

calad

noun. light

_ n. _light, fire, brightness, shining. >> galad

galad

light

_ n. _light, fire, brightness, shining. >> calad, Caras Galadon

lim

adjective. clear, sparkling, light

lind

adjective. fair

Derivations

• √LIN “sing, make a musical sound, sing, make a musical sound, [ᴱ√] gentle”

Element in

• S. Linhir “Fair Stream” ✧ RC/587

Variations

• lin ✧ RC/587 (lin)

calad

noun. light, fire, brightness, shining, light, brightness, shining, fire

A noun for “light” derived from the root √KAL of similar meaning (PE17/50, 84), and appearing in the phrase Lacho calad! Drego morn! “Flame light! Flee night!” (UT/65). In one place it was glossed “light, fire, brightness, shining” (PE17/84), so it seems it could refer to any shining thing or source of light. For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would only use it in reference to “fire” as a source of illumination, not as a flame.

Conceptual Development: N. calad “light” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above (Ety/KAL). In this document it was the basis for the final element of the name N. Gil-galad, and this was true in some later writings as well (PE17/50), but Tolkien eventually decided the second element of Gil-galad was (ñ)galad “radiance”, an element also seen in the name of Galadriel (PM/347).

Derivations

• √KAL “light; shine, be bright, light; shine, be bright, [ᴱ√] shine golden” ✧ PE17/050; PE17/084

Element in

• S. Calben “*Light One”
• S. Caledhel “*Light Elf”
• ᴺS. Forchalad “aurora, (lit.) northern radiance”
• S. Gil-galad “Starlight, (lit.) Star of Radiance” ✧ PE17/050
• ᴺS. Harchalad “aurora, (lit.) southern radiance”
• S. Lacho calad! Drego morn! “Flame light! Flee night!” ✧ UT/065

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√KAL > calad	[kalata] > [kalat] > [kalad]	✧ PE17/050
√CAL > calad	[kalata] > [kalat] > [kalad]	✧ PE17/084

bain

fair

_ adj. _fair, good, blessed, wholesome, favourable, without evil/bad element, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bân

bân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, good, wholesome, favourable, not dangerous, evil or hostile. bân or bain << bân pl. bain. >> bain

calar

noun. lamp

n. lamp. >> calardan

fael

adjective. fair minded, just, generous

fair

adjective. quick

_adj. _quick, ready, prompt. >> feir

feir

adjective. quick

_adj. _quick, ready, prompt. >> fair

gwain

adjective. fair

adj. fair. . This gloss was rejected.

gwana

noun/adjective. fair

Changes

• gwain → gwana “fair, general word for Elves” ✧ PE17/140

Derivations

• ✶wanasō ✧ PE17/140

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶wanasō > gwana	[wanasō] > [wanaso] > [wanaho] > [gwanaho] > [gwanah] > [gwana]	✧ PE17/140

Variations

• gwain ✧ PE17/140 (gwain)

gwân

adjective. fair

_ adj. _fair, pale.

glân

adjective. bright, shining white

The word is deduced from its mutated form, but it is worth mentioning that a stem GALÁN "bright", with glan "daylight" (and later "clear") as derivative, is listed in the Etymologies (not included in the published text, but see VT/45:13). Most of the words meaning "white" in the Indo-Eureopean languages come from the original notion of "brightness", e.g. Greek leukós "white" is cognate with Latin lucere "to shine", lux "light". This association of sense is also found in Gnomish, PE/11:39 (glan "clean, pure", from "bright" originally) and in Early Noldorin (PE/13:144, glann "clean"). The similarity with Welsh glan (where the vowel, incidentally, is also long, though this is concealed by Welsh orthographic convention) is also striking

aglar

noun. radiance

_n. _radiance, glory. Q. alkar. >> aglareb

calar

noun. (portable) lamp

galad

radiance

1a _ n. _radiance. >> Galadriel, Gil-galad

galad

noun. light, radiance, glittering, reflection (from jewels, glass or polished metal, or water)

galad

noun. radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss, radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss; [ᴱN.] dawn

A word for “radiance, glittering reflection” derived from primitive ✶ñ(g)alatā and the root √Ñ(G)AL “shine by reflection” (PM/347). Most notably it was an element in the names Galadriel and Gil-galad. In the latter name, since the ancient form began with ñg-, its mutated form was -galad rather than the more usual ’alad.

Conceptual Development: This word had a long and intricate history, and was intertwined with the shifting conceptions of various roots and names. It’s earliest iteration was G. {gâl(a) >>} gala “light, daylight” (GL/37), cognate to ᴱQ. kala of similar meaning, derived from the early root ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44). Since ancient initial g- became k- in Early Qenya, is very likely the early root was actually ✱ᴱ√GALA. In early notes, Tolkien experimented with various alternate forms for this word such as gâl or gaul (GL/37; PE13/114), and in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had the word ᴱN. galad with the gloss “dawn” (PE13/144).

By the 1930s, Tolkien had revised the phonology of Quenya so that primitive initial g became ʒ and then vanished, but he wished to retain the kal-/gal- variation in “light” words, and so introduced a Noldorin-only variant ᴹ√GAL of the root ᴹ√KAL “shine” (Ety/GAL). In The Etymologies, Tolkien had both N. calad (Ety/KAL) and N. galad (EtyAC/GAL) for “light”, the former appearing in its mutated form as an element in the name N. Gil-galad “Starlight” (Ety/GIL).

S. calad continued to be the basis for the second element of S. Gil-galad in some later writings (PE17/50), but Tolkien began to have problems with another name from The Lord of the Rings, that is Galadriel. When Tolkien first introduced her name, it basically meant “Tree-lady” (TI/249), but this was no longer suitable for her more elevated role in the Legendarium, and in any case the proper Sindarin word for “tree” was galadh. In 1955 notes Tolkien considered making the initial element of her name mean “blessed” or “bliss” instead (NM/346).

In notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien connected the names Gil-galad and Galadriel as sharing a common element meaning “light” and experimented with various derivatives of the roots √KAL and √GAL (PE17/50), but couldn’t contrive a satisfactory solution since the shared word would be mutated in Gil-Galad but unmutated in Galadriel. Eventually Tolkien resolved this quandary by introducing a new root √Ñ(G)AL in various notes from the late 1960s (PE17/59-60; NM/353) whose primitive form in Sindarin was strengthened ✶ñgalatā that would produce the correct result for both names. Tolkien discussed this new word at length in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968:

> The name [Galadriel] was derived from the Common Eldarin stem ÑAL “shine by reflection”; ✱ñalatā “radiance, glittering reflection” (from jewels, glass or polished metals, or water) > Quenya ñalta, Telerin alata, Sindarin galad ... The whole = “maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance” was given in reference to Galadriel’s hair. Galad occurs also in the epesse of Ereinion (“scion of kings”) by which he was chiefly remembered in legend, Gil-galad “star of radiance” (PM/347).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would assume (ñ)galad refers to radiant, glittering and reflected light, as opposed to S. calad (lit. = “shining”) which refers to direct light and the sources of such light, such as lamps and flames.

Cognates

• Q. nalta “radiance, glittering reflection” ✧ PM/347
• T. alata “radiance, glittering reflection” ✧ SA/kal

Derivations

• √GAL “light; shine, be bright” ✧ PE17/084
• ✶ñ(g)alatā “(reflected) radiance, glitter (of reflected light), glory” ✧ PM/347
  • √Ñ(G)AL “gleam, sheen, shine (by reflection)” ✧ NM/350; NM/353; PE17/059; PE17/169; PM/347
  • √GAL “light; shine, be bright” ✧ PE17/050
  • √KAL “light; shine, be bright, light; shine, be bright, [ᴱ√] shine golden” ✧ PE17/050

Element in

• S. Caras Galadhon “City of the Trees” ✧ PE17/084
• S. Galadriel “Glittering-garland” ✧ Let/425; NM/346; PE17/084; PM/347
• S. Gil-galad “Starlight, (lit.) Star of Radiance” ✧ Let/425; PE17/084; PM/347
• S. Malgalad “?yellow radiance”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√GAL > galad	[galata] > [galat] > [galad]	✧ PE17/084
✶ñalatā > galad	[ŋalatā] > [ŋgalatā] > [ŋgalata] > [galata] > [galat] > [galad]	✧ PM/347

calad

light

_(noun) _1) calad (i galad, o chalad), pl. celaid (i chelaid), 2) gaul (i **aul), pl. goel (i ngoel = i ñoel), coll. pl. golath. Note: A homophone means "wolf-howl", but has different mutations. 3) (bright light) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (sunlight, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid). 4) gâl (gal-, -al in compounds, with article i **âl), pl. gail (i ngail = i ñail).

calad

light

(i galad, o chalad), pl. celaid (i chelaid), 2) gaul (i ’aul), pl. goel (i ngoel = i ñoel), coll. pl. golath. Note: A homophone means "wolf-howl", but has different mutations. 3) (bright light) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (sunlight, brilliance, radiance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid). 4) gâl (gal-, -al in compounds, with article i ’âl), pl. gail (i ngail = i ñail).

gail

light

(adjective) 1) gail (bright), lenited ngail, no distinct pl. form (VT45:18), 2) lim (clear, sparkling), no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fish”.

gail

light

(bright), lenited ngail, no distinct pl. form (VT45:18)

lim

light

(clear, sparkling), no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fish”.

rill

light

(construct ril) (brilliance, flame), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rill).

glawar

sunlight

(i ’lawar) (gold, radiance of the Golden Tree Laurelin), pl. glewair (in glewair) if there is a pl. (VT41:10)

gail

bright

gail (light), lenited ngail; no distinct pl. form (VT45:18). The adj. calen etymologically means "bright", but is used = "green" (q.v.).

gail

bright

(light), lenited ngail; no distinct pl. form (VT45:18). The adj. calen etymologically means "bright", but is used = "green" (q.v.).

glaur

golden light

(i ’laur), pl. gloer (in gloer).

lim

clear

(adj.) lim (sparkling, light), no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fish”.

lim

clear

(sparkling, light), no distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fish”.

gîl

bright spark

(i ngîl = i ñîl, construct gil) (star, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. *giliath** (RGEO, MR:388)*

glóren

shining with golden light

(glórin-) (golden), lenited ’lóren; pl. glórin

galad

glittering reflection

galad (i ngalad = i ñalad), (bright light, sunlight, brilliance, radiance), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid).

galad

glittering reflection

(i ngalad = i ñalad), (bright light, sunlight, brilliance, radiance), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid).

bain

fair

bain (beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

bain

fair

(beautiful). Lenited vain. No distinct pl. form.

calar

lamp

#calar (i galar, o chalar), pl. celair (i chelair). Isolated from the pl. compound celerdain "lampwrights", sg. *calardan.

calar

lamp

(i galar, o chalar), pl. celair (i chelair). Isolated from the pl. compound celerdain "lampwrights", sg. ✱calardan.

glaw

radiance

(i ’law), pl. gloe (in gloe)

brêg

quick

brêg (sudden, lively), lenited vrêg, pl. brîg

brêg

quick

(sudden, lively), lenited vrêg, pl. brîg

galad

radiance

1) galad (i ngalad = i ñalad) (bright light, sunlight, brilliance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid), 2) glaw (i **law), pl. gloe (in gloe), 3) thîl; no distinct pl. form, coll. pl. ?thiliath**.

galad

radiance

(i ngalad = i ñalad) (bright light, sunlight, brilliance, glittering reflection), pl. gelaid (in gelaid = i ñgelaid)

glanna

clear

(verb, ”make clear”) *glanna- (i **lanna, in glannar**) (VT45:13; this is how David Salo would normalize the form ”glantha” occurring in the primary source)

glanna

clear

(i ’lanna, in glannar) (VT45:13; this is how David Salo would normalize the form ”glantha” occurring in the primary source)

glân

clear

glân (white), lenited lân, pl. glain. (UT:390, VT45:13). Note: a homophone means ”hem, border”.

glân

clear

(white), lenited ’lân, pl. glain. (UT:390, VT45:13). Note: a homophone means ”hem, border”.

nartha

kindle

(i nartha, in narthar) (VT45:37)

thîl

radiance

; no distinct pl. form, coll. pl. ?thiliath.

cala

noun. light

calar

noun. lamp

Cognates

• Q. calar “lamp” ✧ VT47/13
• S. calar “(portable) lamp”

Derivations

• √KALAR “*be radiant, [ᴹ√] be radiant” ✧ VT47/13
  • √KAL “light; shine, be bright, light; shine, be bright, [ᴱ√] shine golden” ✧ PE18/087

kalat

noun. light

Derivatives

• Os. k’lā́t- ✧ PE18/087

Variations

• kalā́t- ✧ PE18/087

k’la

noun. *light

Derivations

• √KAL “light; shine, be bright, light; shine, be bright, [ᴱ√] shine golden” ✧ PE18/087

Element in

• ✶uklā “gloom, gloomy” ✧ PE18/088

kalinā

adjective. bright

Derivatives

• Q. calina “light, bright, sunny, (lit.) illumined”

Elements

Word	Gloss
kal-	“to shine, be bright”
-nā	“adjective suffix; passive participle”

gal

root. light; shine, be bright

A Sindarin-only root for “light; shine”, a variant of √KAL of the same meaning. Its most notable derivative is S. galad “radiance, light”, an element in the names Galadriel and Gil-galad. This root did not explicitly appear in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where the base for Qenya light words was given as ᴱ√KALA “shine golden” (QL/44), but nearly all the Gnomish derivations of this root begin with g-, as in G. gal- “to shine” and G. glarw(ed) “bright, light” (GL/39). Given that [[eq|initial [g] > [k]]] in early Quenya, this makes it very likely the actual early root was ✱ᴱ√GALA, or at the very least a blending of ᴱ√KALA and ᴱ√GALA.

The first explicit appearance of the root ᴹ√GAL “shine” was in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/GAL), where it was given along with an extended root ᴹ√GALAN “bright” (EtyAC/GAL¹). Tolkien considered but rejected having some Quenya derivatives of these roots: ᴹQ. ala “day” and ᴹQ. alan “daytime” (EtyAC/GAL¹), but he seems to have decided that ᴹ√GAL was a Noldorin-only root, as described in the ᴹ√KAL entry from the same set of documents (Ety/KAL).

The root √GAL reappeared in various etymological notes from the 1950s and 60s, where Tolkien again iterated it was not used in Quenya, and was a root specific to Sindarin (PE17/59) and possibly also Nandorin (PE17/50). The root was potentially problematic in the name Gil-galad, however, in that it was not mutated to Gil-’alad. It seems likely that when Tolkien first coined this name, the second element was from N. calad “light” from the root ᴹ√KAL. This root and word survived into Sindarin (UT/65), and Tolkien sometimes still considered it the basis for Gil-galad (PE17/50).

However, at one point he decided the elements in the names Galadriel and Gil-galad were the same; to explain the lack of mutation in Gil-galad, he posited that the root was actually strengthened to √ÑGAL (PE17/59). Galadriel’s name in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 was based on the root √ÑAL “shine by reflection” (PM/347), so it seems this was the path Tolkien eventually followed. This makes the ultimate status of √GAL “shine” rather unclear, especially since some of its other derivatives like S. uial twilight (PE17/153) were sometimes derived from √ÑAL (PE17/169).

Changes

• GAL → ÑGAL “light” ✧ PE17/059

Derivatives

• ✶gaili “ray”
• √GLAY “light [substance]”
  • S. glae(gal) “light (as an ethereal substance), light (as an ethereal substance), *photons” ✧ NM/283
• ✶ñ(g)alatā “(reflected) radiance, glitter (of reflected light), glory” ✧ PE17/050
  • Q. nalta “radiance, glittering reflection” ✧ PE17/050; PM/347
  • S. galad “radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss, radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss; [ᴱN.] dawn” ✧ PM/347
  • T. alata “radiance, glittering reflection” ✧ PM/347
• S. galad “radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss, radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss; [ᴱN.] dawn” ✧ PE17/084

Element in

• Q. yúyal “twilight” ✧ PE17/153
• S. Galadriel “Glittering-garland” ✧ SA/kal
• S. Galdor
• S. galvorn “type of dark metal devised by Eöl, *(lit.) shining-black” ✧ SA/kal
• S. Gil-galad “Starlight, (lit.) Star of Radiance” ✧ SA/kal
• S. uial “twilight, evendim” ✧ PE17/153

Variations

• gal ✧ Let/278; PE17/050
• GAL ✧ PE17/050; PE17/059; PE17/084; PE17/146; PE17/153; PE17/153; PE17/153
• gal- ✧ SA/kal

kal

root. light; shine, be bright, light; shine, be bright, [ᴱ√] shine golden

This root was the basis for words having to do with “light” for most of Tolkien’s life. Its derivatives include Q. cala “light” and S. aglar “glory” which likewise retained the same basic form and meaning throughout Tolkien’s life. The root ᴱ√KALA first appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “shine golden” (QL/44) along with a rejected variant ᴱ√ALA “light” (QL/29). In this early iteration, the root ᴱ√KALA included a number of derivatives having to do with daytime, such as ᴱQ. kala “daytime (sunlight), 12 hours” and G. gala “daylight” (QL/44; GL/38). Also of interest is that most of the Gnomish derivatives from this period began with g-, indicating that the true form of the root may have been ✱ᴱ√GALA (or at least a blending with it), since [[eq|initial [g-] became [k-]]] in Early Qenya.

This G/K variation became explicit in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where ᴹ√KAL “shine” had a Noldorin-only variant ᴹ√GAL (Ety/GAL, KAL). Tolkien did consider having a few Quenya derivatives of ᴹ√GAL, but they were all rejected (EtyAC/GAL¹). In the 1930s, it also seems the “daytime” derivatives were transferred to ᴹ√AR “day” (Ety/AR¹). The root √KAL continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings, variously glossed “shine”, “light” and “be bright”, with such frequency that it is impractical to list all the references. Likewise Tolkien continued to refer to the Sindarin-only variant √GAL on a regular basis; see that entry for details.

The root √KAL had a couple of extended forms of note, in particular √KALAR glossed “be radiant” in the 1930s (PE18/62), also appearing in the vowel-suppressed variant ᴹ√AKLA(R) “radiance, splendour” which served as the basis for Q. alcar/S. aglar “glory, brilliance, splendour, radiance” (PE17/105, 124; PE18/36, 87; VT47/13; Ety/AKLA-R, KALAR); in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s this variant root was given as ᴱ√ḶKḶ instead (QL/30). Tolkien frequently used the extension √KALAT as the representation of triconsontal roots (PE18/33, 86; WJ/392), though the only derivative he ever gave for it was ✶kalatta “a light, lamp” (PE21/80).

Derivatives

• ✶akkal- “to blaze, shine (suddenly and) brilliantly” ✧ PE18/085; PE18/088
  • ᴺQ. accal- “to blaze, shine (suddenly and) brilliantly”
• ✶akla- “to shine out, flash” ✧ PE18/085; PE18/087; PE18/087
  • Q. alca- “to glitter, to glitter, *shine out, flash” ✧ PE18/087
  • ᴺS. agla- “to shine out, flash”
  • ᴺS. agol “flash”
• ✶aklar(a) “radiance, brilliance, glory” ✧ PE17/024
  • Q. alcar “glory, splendour, radiance, brilliance” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/105; PE17/124; PE18/085; PE18/087; VT47/13
  • S. aglar “glory, brilliance, splendour, radiance” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/105; PE17/124; PE18/087; VT47/13
  • T. aclar “glory, splendour” ✧ VT47/13
• ✶kal- “to shine, be bright”
• √KALAR “*be radiant, [ᴹ√] be radiant” ✧ PE18/087
  • ✶aklar(a) “radiance, brilliance, glory” ✧ PE17/105; PE17/124; PE18/085; PE18/085; PE18/087; VT47/13
  • Q. alcar “glory, splendour, radiance, brilliance” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/105; PE17/124; PE18/085; PE18/087; VT47/13
  • S. aglar “glory, brilliance, splendour, radiance” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/105; PE17/124; PE18/087; VT47/13
  • T. aclar “glory, splendour” ✧ VT47/13
  • ✶aklāra “brilliant, glorious” ✧ PE18/087
  • S. aglor “brilliant, glorious” ✧ PE18/087
  • Q. calar “lamp” ✧ VT47/13
  • T. calar “lamp” ✧ VT47/13
• ✶kalma “a light”
  • Q. calma “lamp, (device for shining) light, lamp, (device for shining) light, [ᴱQ.] candle; (day)light”
• ✶kalta- “cause to shine, kindle” ✧ PE22/129
  • Q. calta- “to kindle, to kindle, [ᴹQ.] (cause to) shine, light up, [ᴱQ.] set light to”
• ✶k’la “*light” ✧ PE18/087
• ✶ñ(g)alatā “(reflected) radiance, glitter (of reflected light), glory” ✧ PE17/050
  • Q. nalta “radiance, glittering reflection” ✧ PE17/050; PM/347
  • S. galad “radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss, radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss; [ᴱN.] dawn” ✧ PM/347
  • T. alata “radiance, glittering reflection” ✧ PM/347
• Q. alcar “glory, splendour, radiance, brilliance” ✧ SA/aglar
• Q. cal- “to shine”
• Q. cala “light, light; [ᴱQ.] daytime (sunlight), 12 hours” ✧ PE17/084
• ᴺQ. calainë “serenity, serene”
• ᴺQ. calas “brass”
• Q. calima “bright, luminous” ✧ Let/278; PE17/153
• Q. calina “light, bright, sunny, (lit.) illumined” ✧ PE17/153
• ᴺQ. callë “fair weather, clear sky, blue sky”
• ᴺQ. calta “picture, photography”
• ᴺQ. calwa “lurid”
• ᴺS. aglann “ray of light”
• S. aglar “glory, brilliance, splendour, radiance” ✧ SA/aglar
• S. cal- “to shine”
• S. calad “light, fire, brightness, shining, light, brightness, shining, fire” ✧ PE17/050; PE17/084
• S. calan “day(light)”
• S. calar “(portable) lamp”
• S. calen “green; fresh, vigorous; †bright, green; †bright, [N.] bright-coloured; [S.] fresh, vigorous” ✧ PE17/153; PE17/153; SA/calen; SA/kal
• ᴺS. celia- “to illuminate, light up; to illustrate”

Element in

• √KALAR “*be radiant, [ᴹ√] be radiant” ✧ PE17/105; PE17/124; PE17/156; VT47/13
• √KALAT ✧ WJ/392
• ✶Kalatāna ✧ PE17/084
• ✶ñ(g)alatā “(reflected) radiance, glitter (of reflected light), glory” ✧ PE17/050
• √SKAL “cover, veil, cloak, conceal, cover, veil, cloak, conceal, [ᴹ√] screen, hide (from light), overshadow” ✧ PE17/184
• Q. Altáriel “Galadriel” ✧ PE17/084
• Q. Caltáriel “woman crowned with glory, radiance” ✧ PE17/084
• Q. Calacirya “Pass of Light” ✧ PE17/073; SA/kal
• Q. Calantar “Light-giver” ✧ NM/280
• Q. Calaquendi “Elves of the Light, (lit.) Light Elves” ✧ SA/kal
• Q. Calion “*Son of Light” ✧ SA/kal
• S. Glingal “Hanging Flame”

Variations

• kal ✧ Let/278; PE17/050
• KAL- ✧ PE17/024
• CAL ✧ PE17/084; PE17/150
• kal- ✧ PE18/091; SA/aglar; SA/calen; SA/kal
• Kala ✧ WJ/392

than

root. kindle, set light to, fire, light

Tolkien used this root primarily to explain the name S. Gilthoniel “Star-kindler”. In a 1955 letter to David Masson, Tolkien gave √THAN “kindle” as the basis for the perfect participle S. thoniel “kindler”, in contrast to S. thôn < ✶stŏna (PE17/82). In Words, Phrases and Passages in the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien gave {√TON >> √TÁN >>} √THĂN/THĀN as the basis for the same name, but with the suffix S. -iel being a feminine suffix (PE17/23; MR/388).

The root √THAN from the 1950s might be a restoration of the unglossed root ᴱ√tan- from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like G. tan “firewood” and G. tantha- “set light to, kindle” (GL/69), along with other forms like G. tôn “fire (on a hearth)” and G. tortha- “scorch” (GL/71). This may be reflected in the deleted forms in the aforementioned note: {√TON >> √TÁN >>} √THĂN/THĀN.

Changes

• TON → TÁN ✧ PE17/023
• TÁN → THĂN/THĀN ✧ PE17/023

Derivatives

• S. thoniel “kindler (in the past)” ✧ PE17/082

Element in

• Q. Ilthániel “Starkindler” ✧ PE17/023 (Ilthániel*)
• S. Gilthoniel “Star-kindler” ✧ MR/388; PE17/023
• S. narthan “beacon”
• ᴺS. nethan- “to inspire, kindle inside”

Variations

• thăn/thān ✧ MR/388
• THĂN/THĀN ✧ PE17/023; PE17/187
• TON ✧ PE17/023 (TON)
• TÁN ✧ PE17/023 (TÁN)

bani

adjective. fair

Element in

• Q. vanië “beauty” ✧ PE17/057
• Q. vanima “beautiful, fair, beautiful, fair, *handsome; [ᴱQ.] proper, right, as it should be, fair” ✧ PE17/057

Variations

• vanĭ ✧ PE17/057

wanyā

adjective. fair

Derivations

• √(G)WAN “pale, fair” ✧ WJ/383

Derivatives

• Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ WJ/380; WJ/383
  • T. Vania “Vanya” ✧ WJ/383

Variations

• wanjā ✧ WJ/380; WJ/383

calad

gerund noun. light

calad

noun. light

Derivations

• ᴹ√KAL “shine” ✧ Ety/KAL

Element in

• N. Cilgalad “Pass of Light” ✧ Ety/KIL
• N. Gil-galad “Starlight”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√KAL > calad	[kalata] > [kalat] > [kalad]	✧ Ety/KAL

gal-

prefix. light

galad

noun. light

Derivations

• ᴹ√GAL “shine” ✧ Ety/GAL

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√GAL > galad	[galata] > [galat] > [galad]	✧ Ety/GAL

gail

noun. bright light

gail

adjective. bright, light

Derivations

• ᴹ✶galyā “bright, light” ✧ Ety/KAL
  • ᴹ√GAL “shine” ✧ Ety/KAL

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶galyā > gail	[galjā] > [galja] > [galia] > [geli] > [geil] > [gail]	✧ Ety/KAL

glan

adjective. clear

Changes

• glan → glan “daylight” ✧ EtyAC/GAL¹

Derivations

• ᴹ√GALAN “bright” ✧ EtyAC/GAL¹

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√GALÁN > glan	[galána] > [glana] > [glan]	✧ EtyAC/GAL¹

glaw

noun. radiance

glaw

noun. radiance

Cognates

• ᴹQ. kala “light” ✧ Ety/KAL

Derivations

• ᴹ✶glā “radiance” ✧ Ety/KAL
  • ᴹ√GAL “shine” ✧ Ety/KAL

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶g’lā́ > glaw	[glā] > [glǭ] > [glou] > [glau]	✧ Ety/KAL

glaur

noun. golden light (of the golden tree Laurelin)

glor-

noun. golden light (of the golden tree Laurelin)