Primitive elvish

lin

root. pool, mere, lake

A root for “pool, mere, lake” appearing in etymological notes from 1957 (PE17/145, 160), and also appearing as ᴹ√LIN “pool” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/LIN¹). In both instances it was the second element in Q. ailin “(large) lake”, and so connected to S. ael “lake” (N. oel) as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (SA/lin¹). In the 1957 notes Tolkien said the root √LIN had a “Sindarin differentiation > glin-” (PE17/160), but I can find no indication of this in any attested words.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was connected to ᴹ√LINKWI with derivatives ᴹQ. linqe/N. lhimp “wet” and N. lhimmid “moisten” (Ety/LINKWI; EtyAC/LINKWI). This is turn was probably a later iteration of the early root ᴱ√LIQI “flow, water; clear, transparent” with derivatives like ᴱQ. linqe “water”, ᴱQ. liqin(a) “wet” and ᴱQ. liqis(tea) “transparence (transparent)” (QL/54). For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is best to assume the “wetness” senses were transferred to ᴹ√LINKWI, but I think it is worth positing a Neo-Eldarin root ✱ᴺ√LIKWIS “clear, transparent” to preserve words associated with tranparency.

This root may be associated with √LIN “make a musical sound”; see that entry for details.

Primitive elvish [PE17/145; PE17/160] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-lī

suffix. many

Primitive elvish [PE23/133] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-īm

suffix. plural

Primitive elvish [PE23/133] Group: Eldamo. Published by

li

root. many

This root was connected to words for “many” throughout Tolkien’s life. In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s it appeared as ᴱ√, with variant ᴱ√ILI “many” and extended form ᴱ√LIYA (LI + ya) “unite many as one” with derivatives like ᴱQ. lia- “entwine” and ᴱQ. liante “tendril” (QL/42, 53). In later writings there is no sign of the inversion √IL “many” (later √IL meant “all”), whereas ᴱ√LIYA seems to have shifted to unrelated ᴹ√SLIG with derivatives like ᴹQ. lia “fine thread, spider filament” and ᴹQ. liante “spider” (Ety/SLIG).

The base root ᴹ√LI “many” did reappear in The Etymologies of the 1930s, however (Ety/LI), and √LI “many” appeared again in etymological notes from the late 1960s (VT48/25). The long-standing connection between this root and the Quenya (partitive) plural suffixes indicates its stability in Tolkien’s mind.

Primitive elvish [VT48/25] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

liniath

noun. pools

Noldorin [Hithliniath WJ/194] Group: SINDICT. Published by

lhîn

noun. pool

Noldorin [Ety/KHIS; Ety/LIN¹] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lhîn

noun. pool

Noldorin [Ety/369, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhim

noun. cold pool or lake (in mountains)

Noldorin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhimb

noun. cold pool or lake (in mountains)

Noldorin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Quenya 

lin-

many

lin- (1) (prefix) "many" (LI), seen in lindornëa, lintyulussëa; assimilated lil- in lillassëa.

linipsinwië

noun. complexity, complication, complicatedness; (lit.) many-threadedness

A neologism coined by Luinyelle posted on 2023-11-21 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a noun form of [ᴺQ.] linipsinwa “complex; (lit.) many-threaded”.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

linitë

adjective. plural

An adjective for “plural”, a combination of li(n)- “many” and the suffix -itë. Also used as a grammatical term. The terms asta-linitë and quanta-linitë can be used to distinguish the partitive plural from the normal (full) plural.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

linipsinwa

adjective. complex, complicated, convoluted; (lit.) many-threaded

A neologism coined by Luinyelle posted on 2023-11-21 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of li(n)- “many” and an adjective form of ipsin “thread”.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

linillo

adverb. from many places

A neologism coined as part of my research into Quenya correlatives.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

lina

adjective. many

A neologism for “many” derived from the root √LI. I’ve deprecated this word in favor of attested ᴹQ. lia.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

linítë

adjective. of several kinds, of several sorts

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

li(n)-

prefix. many

A Quenya prefix for “many” appearing regularly in Tolkien’s writings throughout his life, dating all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. It was derived from the root √LI that was also the basis for the partitive plural suffix Q. -li. In Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948, Tolkien specified that li(n)- referred to an indefinite quantity bigger than a few: “a number, a good many, not a few” (PE23/101 note #36).

> Indefinite, expressing “mere plurality” (more than two at least); “some” with the plural, “(not) a few,” “several.” This is expressed by the stems lī̆-, and lĭn(i). In C. Eldarin the stem meant “many,” often a great number, but in Quenya except in a few older derivatives, especially the prefix lin-, lilin-, it is used always as expressing a lesser or vaguer number than the next (PE23/100).

This was then contrasted with ᴹQ. sem(p)- “few” and ᴹQ. hrim- “a great number, very many” [>> *rim-***].

Quenya [PE17/081; VT42/18; VT48/32] Group: Eldamo. Published by

limbë

many

limbë (2) adj. "many", probably obsoleted by #1 above (LT2:342)

linya

pool

linya noun "pool" (LIN1)

lóna

pool, mere

lóna (1) noun "pool, mere" (VT42:10). Variant of lón, lónë above?

moica

gentle, soft

moica ("k")adj. "gentle, soft" (GL:58)

nendë

pool

nendë (1) noun "pool" (NEN), "lake" (PE17:52)

rimillo

adverb. from many places

A neologism coined as part of my research into Quenya correlatives.

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

Sindarin 

lîn

pool

lîn (lake), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. #**liniath (isolated from Hithliniath**, WJ:194). 3)

lîn

pool

(lake), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. #*liniath*** (isolated from Hithliniath**, WJ:194). 3)

loeg

noun. pool

Sindarin [S/407, UT/450, LotR/Map] Group: SINDICT. Published by

loeg

noun. pool

lîn

noun. pool

Sindarin [Ety/369, X/LH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rim

noun. cold pool or lake (in mountains)

Sindarin [Ety/384, X/RH] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ael

pool

1) ael (aelin-, pl. aelin) (lake, mere). In ”Noldorin” oel, pl. oelin. 2)

ael

pool

(aelin-, pl. aelin) (lake, mere). In ”Noldorin” oel, pl. oelin.

both

small pool

(i moth, construct both) (puddle), pl. byth (i mbyth). David Salo would lengthen the vowel and read ✱bôth in Sindarin.

laew

many

laew (frequent); no distinct pl. form.

laew

many

(frequent); no distinct pl. form.

loeg

pool

loeg (no distinct pl. form: loeg is also atttested with plural meaning) (VT45:29). 4) nên (water, lake, stream, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn.

loeg

pool

(no distinct pl. form: loeg is also atttested with plural meaning) (VT45:29). 4) nên (water, lake, stream, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn.

Nandorin 

loeg

noun. pool

@@@ as suggested by Lokyt, possibly a plural form of unattested log, since it is glossed in the plural in the source material: “pools”


Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Qenya 

lini

pronoun. (pl.) a good few, several

A pronominal form of li(n)- appearing as {lĭne >>} lĭni “a good few, several” in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/103). It was apparently always plural, and it also seems lini could apply to both people and things, as opposed to lie = “people”.

linima

adjective. of several sorts, of several kinds

The correlative ᴹQ. linima “of several sorts” appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/107), a combination of ᴹQ. li(n)- “several, many” and ᴹQ. -ima “sorts”.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I would update this to ᴺQ. linítë “of several kinds, of several sorts” using the later suffix -itë, as in taitë “of that sort”.

Qenya [PE23/106; PE23/107] Group: Eldamo. Published by

linin-

prefix. many

li(n)-

prefix. many

Qenya [Ety/DÓRON; Ety/LI; Ety/YEN; PE23/100; PE23/101; PE23/102; PE23/111; PE23/112] Group: Eldamo. Published by

linya

noun. pool

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “pool” derived from the root ᴹ√LIN of the same meaning (Ety/LIN¹).

Conceptual Development: A similar word ᴹQ. linde “pool” appears in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/10), but this word is probably best avoided, as it clashes with Q. lindë “singing, song” (PE17/80).

linde

noun. pool

linímen

adverb. *aiming at many things

A (rejected) correlative combination appearing in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/112), a combination of ᴹQ. li(n)- “several, many” and an adjectival form of ᴹQ. men- “aim at”.

nende

noun. pool

Early Primitive Elvish

lini

root. gentle

Early Primitive Elvish [PME/054; QL/054] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ili

root. many

Early Primitive Elvish [QL/042; QL/053] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

lin

root. pool

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/AY; Ety/KHIS; Ety/LIN¹] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

line

noun. pool

A noun for “pool” derived from the root ᴹ√LIN (Ety/LIN¹). Its Quenya cognate ᴹQ. linya suggests its primitive form was ✱✶linyā [linjā]. If so, it is an example of how, after [[ilk|final [a] was lost]], the [[ilk|final [j] became [i]]] and then became [e], as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL-Ilkorin/line).

Doriathrin [Ety/LIN¹] Group: Eldamo. Published by

moth

noun. pool

A Doriathrin noun for “pool”, derived from root ᴹ√MBOTH (Ety/MBOTH). Its Quenya cognate ᴹQ. motto suggests a primitive form of ✱✶mbottʰō. As pointed out by Helge Fauskanger (AL-Doriathrin/moth), the primitive [mb-] might be expected to have become [b-], since initial nasals usually vanished before stops in Ilkorin, as for example Ilk. bril < MBIRÍL.

Doriathrin [Ety/MBOTH] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

-lin

suffix. many

Old Noldorin [Ety/LI] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

-lim

suffix. many

Gnomish [GG/15; LT2A/Balcmeg; LT2A/Gondothlim; PE15/26; QL/053] Group: Eldamo. Published by

eilin

noun. pool

lim

adjective. many

Gnomish [GG/15; GL/17; GL/54] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nîn

noun. pool

An archaic noun in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “pool” (GL/60), almost certainly derived from the early root ᴱ√NENE (QL/65).

Early Noldorin

lhuin

noun. pool

Early Noldorin [PE13/149] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

li(n)-

prefix. many

Early Quenya [LT1A/Tinwë Linto; PE16/077; QL/042; QL/053; QL/069] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lia(r)

adjective. many

Early Quenya [QL/053] Group: Eldamo. Published by

limba

adjective. many

Early Quenya [QL/053] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ola-

prefix. many

olli

adjective. many

Early Quenya [QL/069] Group: Eldamo. Published by

olli-

prefix. many