men

noun. way, way, *direction; [ᴹQ.] place, spot [only in compounds]

A noun or word element, most notably appearing in the four cardinal directions formen, hyarmen, númen, and rómen, which Christopher Tolkien translated as “way” in The Silmarillion appendix (SA/men). This is consistent with the later meaning of its root: √MEN “go, move, proceed”, and in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien had a primitive form ✶mēn- “a way, a going, a mov[ement]” (PE17/165) which might be the source of Christopher Tolkien’s translation of Q. men.

Conceptual Development: The situation in Tolkien’s earlier writings was different. In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. men was translated “place, spot” under the root ᴹ√MEN (Ety/MEN). In this document, it seems the literally meaning of direction words were “✱north-place”, “✱south-place”, etc., as opposed to later “✱north-direction, ✱south-direction”. This can be seen in other words Tolkien used in this period, such as ᴹQ. Ilmen “Place of Light” (SM/241).

This ambiguity continued into Tolkien’s later writings, as can be seen in a 1965 letter to Dick Plotz, where Tolkien translated númen “the direction or region of the sunset” (Let/361). Another example is menel “firmament, high heaven, the region of the stars”, which Tolkien said was “a Q. invention from men (direction, region) + el (the basis of many stars)” in The Road Goes Ever On as published in 1967 (RGEO/65). There are other Quenya words where men refers to a location rather than a direction: ruimen “fireplace, hearth” (PE17/183) and turmen “realm” = “✱mastered-region” (PE17/28), both from the mid-1960s.

However, some words are hard to explain as locations, such as alamen “a good omen on departure”, also from DLN of 1959 (PE17/162). Tolkien used men as an element in the terms coimen “life-year” and olmen “growth-year” in notes from around 1959, which are probably best explained as a “way” or “process” of life or growth (NM/84-85). However the stems of these words ended in mend-, so their element men may be different from what is seen in formen, etc. As another wrinkle, Tolkien regularly used nómë to mean “place” in his later writings, as in sinomë “in this place [= here]” (LotR/967) and tanomë “in that place [= there]” (VT49/11).

It is hard to determine how much of this variation is due to conceptual vacillation on Tolkien’s part. My best guess of the timelime is that:

• In the 1930s men meant “place, spot”, and the root ᴹ√MEN was not verbal (Ety/MEN).

• In the 1940s Tolkien decided that √MEN was verbal, meaning {“intend” >>} “go” (PE22/103).

• By the 1950s Tolkien reformulated men to mean “way, a going” in keeping with the new meaning of the root (PE17/165). In this period Tolkien also introduced nómë “place”.

• By the 1960s Tolkien partially reversed himself, deciding men could mean either “way, direction” and “place, region”, but without abandoning nómë.

Neo-Quenya: The word men is somewhat contentious in Neo-Quenya. The word men is a very popular element for “place” in many neologisms (especially older ones), such as ᴺQ. natsemen “website = ✱web-spot”, ᴺQ. tirmen “theater = ✱watch-place” and ᴺQ. mótamen “office = ✱work-place”. However, others feel that this sense has been entirely replaced by nómë, so that men in such compounds should be replaced by a suffix ᴺQ. -non (-nom-).

Given this ambiguity, I would use men only for “way, ✱direction” as a standalone word, and would instead use nómë = “place”. However, given Tolkien’s vacillations as described above, I would allow the use of men as “place, spot, region” in compounds [perhaps originally conceived of as a destination], though I think ᴺQ. -non “-place” is also fine.

men

way

men (2) noun "way" (SA) or "place, spot" (MEN)

men

who

men (3) pron. "who", evidently a misreading or miswriting for man (MC:221, in Markirya)

men

(for) us

men (1) pron. "(for) us", dative form of me, q.v.

me

we, us

me (1) 1st person pl. exclusive pronoun "we, us" (VT49:51; VT43:23, VT44:9). This pronoun preserves the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed mé (VT49:51). Cf. also mel-lumna "us-is-heavy", sc. *"is heavy for us" (LR:47, mel- is evidently an assimilated form of men "for us", dative of me; the form men is attested by itself, VT43:21). For me as object, cf. álamë** "do not [do something to] us", negative imperative particle with object pronoun suffixed (VT43:19: álamë tulya, "do not lead us"), ámen** "do [something for] us", imperative particle with dative pronoun suffixed (ámen apsenë "forgive us", VT43:12, 18). Dual exclusive met "we/us (two)" (Nam, VT49:51), "you and me" (VT47:11; the latter translation would make met an inclusive pronoun, though it is elsewhere suggested that it is rather exclusive: "him/her and me", corresponding to wet [q.v.] as the true inclusive dual form). Rá men or rámen "for us/on our behalf", see rá. Locative messë "on us", VT44:12 (also with prefix o, ó- ?"with" in the same source). See also ménë, ómë.

men-

verb. 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.

mentië

passage, journey, direction of travel

mentië noun "passage, journey, direction of travel" (PE17:13); the elements are men- "go, proceed" + tië "path, road". Not to be confused with the gerund of menta- #1.

menya

our

menya (pl. menyë is attested) possessive pron. "our", 1st person pl. exclusive independent possessive pronoun (VT43:19, 35). Evidently derived from the dative form men "for us" by adding the adjectival ending -ya. Compare ninya, q.v.

ména

region

ména noun "region" (MEN). Not to be confused with the present/continuative tense of #men- "go".

númen

west, the way of the sunset

númen noun "west, the way of the sunset" (SA:andúnë, cf. NDŪ, MEN; capitalized Númen under SA:men and in CO), "going down, occudent" (Letters:361), also name of tengwa #17 _(Appendix E). _According to VT45:38, the word is actually cited as "nú-men" in Tolkien's Etymologies manuscript. Allative númenna "Westward" (LR:47, SD:310, VT49:20, capitalized Númenna, VT49:22; numenna with a short u, VT49:23); adj. númenquerna "turned westward" (VT49:18, 20). See also númenyaron, númessier. - In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, "nú-men" was intended as the name of tengwa #21, to which letter Tolkien at this stage assigned the value n (VT45:38). However, this tengwa was later given the Quenya value r instead and was renamed órë.

ómen

on/for us

ómen prep. + pron. ?"on/for us" (órava ómen "have mercy on us", VT44:12, changed by Tolkien from the simple dative form men "for us", then replaced by (o)messë)

kemen

earth

kemen noun "earth"; see cemen.

-men(d-)

suffix. a single action

Hróatani

eastern men

Hróatani noun *"Eastern Men" (PE17:18), as opposed to the Núnatani (Dúnedain, Westmen).

Núnatani

western men

Núnatani noun "Western Men" = Sindarin Dúnedain (WJ:386). Sg. #Núnatan "Dúnadan".

hanu

male (of men or elves), male animal, man

hanu noun "a male (of Men or Elves), male animal, man" (3AN, VT45:16)

irmin

the world, all the regions inhabited by men

irmin noun "the world, all the regions inhabited by Men" (LT2:343; hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya)

nor-

verb. run (or leap: of animals, men etc.)

nor- vb. "run (or leap: of animals, men etc.)", pa.t. nornë (PE17:58, 168); cf. nórima, nornoro-

tarhildi

high-men, the noble followers

tarhildi, pl. noun "High-men, the Noble followers" (PE17:18), referring to the Dúnedain. Sg. perhaps #tarhil (with stem #tarhild-), cf. tarcil.

lér

man

**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)

nér

man

nér (1) (ner-, as in pl. neri) noun "man" (adult male elf, mortal, or of other speaking race) (MR:213, VT49:17, DER, NDER, NI1, VT45:9; see also WJ:393)

nér

noun. man

vëo

man

†vëo noun "man" (WEG; etymologically connected to vëa "manly, vigorous"; the more neutral word for "man" is nér. According to VT46:21, Tolkien indicated that vëo is an archaic or poetic word.) Tolkien at a later point defined the word as "living creature" (PE17:189). Cf. variant wëo, q.v.

-nen

suffix. instrumental

-ma

suffix. instrumental

-nna

to

-n (1) dative ending, originating as a reduced form of -nă "to", related to the allative ending -nna (VT49:14). Attested in nin, men, ten, enyalien, Erun, airefëan, tárin, yondon (q.v.) and also added to the English name Elaine (Elainen) in a book dedication to Elaine Griffiths (VT49:40). The longer dative ending -na is also attested in connection with some pronouns, such as sena, téna, véna (q.v.), also in the noun mariéna from márië "goodness" (PE17:59). Pl. -in (as in hínin, see hína), partitive pl. -lin, dual -nt (Plotz). The preposition ana (#1) is said to be used "when purely dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that it can replace the dative ending, e.g. *ana Eru instead of Erun for "to God". In some of Tolkiens earlier material, the ending -n (or -en) expressed genitive rather than dative, but he later decided that the genitive ending was to be -o (cf. such a revision as Yénië Valinóren becoming Yénië Valinórëo, MR:200).

-nna

to, at, upon

-nna "to, at, upon", allative ending, originating from -na "to" with fortified n, VT49:14. Attested in cilyanna, coraryanna, Endorenna, Elendilenna, númenórenna, parma-restalyanna, rénna, senna, tielyanna, q.v. If a noun ends in -n already, the ending -nna merges with it, as in Amanna, formenna, Elenna, númenna, rómenna as the allative forms of Aman, formen, elen, númen, rómen (q.v.). Plural -nnar in mannar, valannar, q.v.

-xë

oneself, myself, themselves

-xë ("ks") reflextive pronominal ending, presumably meaning *"oneself, myself, themselves" etc.; plural -xer, dual -xet (VT49:48). Presumably it can be used in constructions like *i nér tirnexë *"the man watched himself" (tirnesexë "he watched himself"), plural i neri tirnexer "the men watched themselves" (tirneltexer "they watched themselves"), dual e.g. i ontaru tirnexet "the parents watched themselves" (tirnettexet** "they [dual] watched themselves").

Atan

the second folk

Atan pl. Atani noun "the Second Folk", an Elvish name of Mortal Men, the Second-born of Ilúvatar. Cf. also Núnatani (WJ:386), Hróatani (PE17:18), q.v. Atanalcar masc. name, "Man-glory" (UT:210, cf. alcar). Atanamir masc.name, "Edain-jewel"? (Appendix A). Atanatar masc. name, "Father of Men" (Appendix A), also common noun atanatar, pl. Atanatári, "Fathers of Men", a title that "properly belonged only to the leaders and chieftains of the peoples at the time of their entry into Beleriand" (PM:324, SA:atar)

Tarcil

high-man

Tarcil ("k") (#Tarcild-, as in pl. Tarcildi) masc. name, "high-Man", also used as a term for Númenórean (Appendix A, TUR, KHIL, VT46:17, PE17:101; the latter source provides the gloss "Great Man of Numenor"; tarcil(di) = "high-men = Elf-friends of Númenor"). Cf. the variant tarhildi, q.v.

apsene-

verb. remit, release, forgive

apsene- vb. "remit, release, forgive" (VT43:18, 20; it is unclear whether the final -e is somehow part of the verbal stem or is just the final form of the ending -i associated with the aorist, so that "I forgive" would be *apsenin). Where Tolkien used apsene-, he cited the person(s) forgiven in the dative (ámen apsenë "forgive us", literally "for us"), whereas the matter that is forgiven appears as a direct object (VT43:12). Compare avatyar-.

atar

father

atar noun "father" (SA; WJ:402, UT:193, LT1:255, VT43:37, VT44:12). According to the Etymologies (ATA) the pl. is atari, but contrast #atári in Atanatári "Fathers of Men" (q.v.); possibly the word behaves differently when compounded. Atarinya "my father" (LR:70), atar(inya) the form a child would use addressing his or her father, also reduced to atya (VT47:26). Diminutive masc. name Atarincë ("k") "Little father", amilessë (never used in narrative) of Curufinwë = Curufin (PM:353). Átaremma, Ataremma "our Father" as the first word of the Quenya translation of the Lord's Prayer, written before Tolkien changed -mm- as the marker of 1st person pl. exclusive to -lm-; notice -e- as a connecting vowel before the ending -mma "our". In some versions of the Lord's Prayer, including the final version, the initial a of atar "father" is lengthened, producing #átar. This may be a contraction of *a atar "o Father", or the vowel may be lengthened to give special emphasis to #Átar "Father" as a religious title (VT43:13). However, in VT44:12 Atar is also a vocative form referring to God, and yet the initial vowel remains short.

atarmë

for us

atarmë dative (?) pron. "for us" (VT44:18; Tolkien apparently considered dropping this curious form, which in another text was replaced by rá men, rámen; see rá #1)

fírima

mortal

fírima adj. "mortal" (PHIR; firima with a short i in VT46:4); also used as noun: Fírima pl. Fírimar "those apt to die", "mortals", an Elvish name of Mortal Men (WJ:387). This adj. is also the source of an explicit noun, personalized #Fírimo = mortal, mortal man. Pl. Fírimor (VT49:10-11), dative pl. fírimoin "for men" in Fíriel's Song; cf. also the pl. allative fírimonnar in VT44:35.

heru

lord, master

heru (also hér) noun "lord, master" (PM:210, KHER, LT1:272, VT44:12); Letters:283 gives hér (heru); the form Héru with a long vowel refers to God in the source where it appears (i Héru "the Lord", VT43:29). In names like Herumor "Black Lord" and Herunúmen "Lord of the West" (SA:heru). The form heruion is evidently a gen.pl. of heru "lord": "of the lords" (SD:290); herunúmen "Lord-of-West" (LR:47), title of Manwë. Pl. númeheruvi "Lords-of-West" (*"West-lords") in SD:246, a title of the Valar; does this form suggest that #heruvi is the regular plural of heru?

hildi

followers

hildi, -hildi noun "followers" (used = mortal men, the Second-born of Ilúvatar) (KHIL) (also Hildor, q.v.). Dat. pl. hildin "for men", a dative pl. occurring in Fíriel's Song. Cf. hildinyar "my heirs", evidently *hildë, hildo "follower, heir" + -inya "my" + -r plural ending (EO)

hravan

wild beast

hravan noun "wild beast"; pl.Hravani "the Wild", used as a name of non-Edain Men (PE17:78, WJ:219). PE17:18 has Hrávani with a long á, glossed "Wild-men, Savages".

intë

themselves

intë *"themselves", 3rd person pl. reflexive pronoun, e.g. *i neri tirir intë, "the men watch themselves". Intë is derived from earlier imte(VT47:37). Conceivably intë* is only used for "themselves" with reference to persons; impersonal "themselves" ought to be inta or intai, compare ta #3, tai #2. A form intai might however have evolved into intë by the Third Age (like pl. adjectives in -ai later came to end in -ë), thus converging with the "personal" form.% In an earlier source, Tolkien listed intë as an emphatic pronoun "they", 3rd person plural (VT49:48, 49); compare the pronominal ending -ntë. The word intë** (derived from inde via inze, an unusual development in Quenya) also appears as a candidate 2nd person singular polite form (VT49:49).

mar

earth

mar (1) noun "earth" (world), also "home, dwelling, mansion". Stem mard- (VT46:13, PE17:64), also seen in the ablative Mardello "from earth" (FS); the word is used with a more limited sense in oromardi "high halls" (sg. oromar, PM17:64), referring to the dwellings of Manwë and Varda on Mt. Taniquetil (Nam, RGEO:66). The initial element of Mardorunando (q.v.) may be the genitive mardo (distinguish mardo "dweller"). May be more or less identical to már "home, house, dwelling" (of persons or peoples; in names like Val(i)mar, Vinyamar, Mar-nu-Falmar, Mardil) (SA:bar, VT45:33, VT47:6). Már is however unlikely to have the stem-form mard-; a "Qenya" genitive maren appears in the phrase hon-maren, q.v., suggesting that its stem is mar-. A possible convention could therefore be to use már (mar-) for "home, house" (also when = household, family as in Mardil, q.v.), whereas mar (mard-) is used for for "earth, world". Early "Qenya" has mar (mas-) "dwelling of men, the Earth, -land" (LT1:251); notice that in LotR-style Quenya, a word in -r cannot have a stem-form in -s-.

nanwen-

verb. return

nanwen- vb. "return" (go/come back) (PE17:166). The etymological form nan-men- indicates that the second element is #men- "go", changed to -wen- following nan- "back"; hence the perfect should perhaps be *naneménië.

nómë

noun. place

A word for “place” appearing as an element in names like Ondonórë Nómesseron Minasurië “Enquiry into the Place-names of Gondor” (VT42/17) and Quentalë Ardanómion “✱History of the Places of Arda” (WJ/206). It is also an element in correlative combinations like sinomë “here, in this place” (LotR/967; PE17/67, 103), where it has a short o as the second element in a compound; compare lúmë “time” vs. silumë “now, at this time”.

Conceptual Development: ᴹQ. nome (or ✱nóme) first appeared in correlative combinations in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 as a derivative of ᴹ√NOM “spot, place” (PE23/112), this root replacing ᴹ√MEN of the same meaning (PE23/112 note #141). The rejected root refers back to ᴹQ. men “place, spot” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/MEN), which in turn had replaced ᴹQ. esse “place” under the root ᴹ√ES when that root was revised to have derivatives like esse “name” instead (EtyAC/ES). The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. lar “region, place” under the early root ᴱ√LAŘA [LAÐA] (QL/51).

rá

on behalf of

rá (1) [changed by Tolkien from hrá], prep. "on behalf of", followed by dative: rá men or contracted rámen "for us, on our behalf" (VT43:27, 28, 33). As these examples indicate, independent dative pronouns may be (but do not have to be) directly suffixed to rá. Nouns would presumably not be suffixed like this, e.g. *rá Eldan "for an Elf, on behalf of an Elf".

vanima

beautiful, fair

vanima adj. "beautiful, fair" (BAN, VT39:14) (glossed "proper, right, fair" in early "Qenya", LT1:272, though a later source says the word is used "only of living things, especially Elves and Men", PE17:150); nominal pl. vanimar "beautiful ones", partitive pl. genitive vanimálion, translated "of beautiful children", but literally meaning *"of [some] beautiful ones") (LotR3:VI ch. 6, translated in Letters:308). Arwen vanimalda "Beautiful Arwen", literally "Arwen your beauty" (see -lda for reference; changed to Arwen vanimelda in the second edition of LotR; see vanimelda).

vanwa

gone, lost, no longer to be had, vanished, departed, dead, past, past and over, gone on the road, over

vanwa adj. "gone, lost, no longer to be had, vanished, departed, dead, past, past and over, gone on the road, over" (WJ:366, Nam, RGEO:67, WAN, LT1:264; older wanwa, PE17:143). The word was "not applied to _dead persons _except those who would not return, either because of a special doom (as [in the case of] Men) or because of a special will of their own (as Felagund or Míriel) or a special ban of Mandos (as Feanor)" (PE17:143). Also see avanwa.

atar

noun. father

The Quenya word for “father”, derived from the root √AT(AR) (PM/324; WJ/402; VT48/19).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. atar “father” dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, though in that document it was “a more solemn word ... usually to 1st Person of the Blessed Trinity”, as opposed to more ordinary ᴱQ. attu “father” (QL/33). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s, ᴱQ. atar was the ordinary word for “father”, but with variant archaic form †attar (PE15/72). ᴹQ. atar “father” reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√ATA of the same meaning (Ety/ATA). It appeared again in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948 in various inflected forms (PE22/118-119). It continued to appear regularly in Tolkien’s later writings. Thus this word was established early and retained its form throughout Tolkien’s life with only minor variations.

man

pronoun. who, who; [ᴹQ.] what

The most common Quenya word for “who”, most notably appearing in the Namárië poem in the phrase sí man i yulma nin enquantuva? “who now shall refill the cup for me?” (LotR/377). It is based on the interrogative element ma (PE17/68). Man might be a general interrogative element “who, what, which”; at one point Tolkien said man was a reduction of mana before vowels (PE23/135). However, in the Markirya, man was used for “who” before consonants, such as man tiruva fána cirya “Who shall heed a white ship?” (MC/222).

In writings from the 1930s and 40s, man was used for “what” (LR/59, 72) or as a general interrogative marker (PE23/99). However, it was used for “who” in the versions of the Oilima Markirya from around 1930 (MC/213-214).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mostly use man in the sense “who”, before both consonants and vowels. For “what” I would use mana, and as a general interrogative marker I’d use ma. In cases where you want an unambiguous word for “who = what person”, I would use mamo.

firya

proper name. Mortal

A shorter variant of Fírima (WJ/219, 387). It is the adjectival form of the root √PHIR produced by the suffix -ya.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies, the word ᴹQ. firya is glossed “human” and is derived from the same root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR).

-lma

our

-lma pronominal ending "our", 1st person pl. exclusive (VT49:16), also attested (with the genitive ending -o that displaces final -a) in the word omentielmo "of our meeting" (nominative omentielma, PE17:58). Tolkien emended omentielmo to omentielvo in the Second Edition of LotR, reflecting a revision of the Quenya pronominal system (cf. VT49:38, 49, Letters:447). The cluster -lm- in the endings for inclusive "we/our" was altered to -lv- (VT43:14). In the revised system, -lma should apparently signify exclusive "our".

-lwa

our

-lwa, possessive pronominal ending, 1st person pl. inclusive "our" (VT49:16), later (in exilic Quenya) used in the form #-lva, genitive -lvo in omentielvo (see -lv-).

Malantur

lord, ruler

Malantur, masc. name. Apparently includes -(n)tur "lord, ruler". The initial element is unlikely to connect with the early "Qenya" element mala- "hurt, pain", and may rather reflect the root MALAT "gold" (PM:366): Malat-ntur > Malantur "Gold-ruler"? (UT:210)

Návatar

father

Návatar noun a title of Aulë referring to his position as the immediate author of the Dwarvish race, apparently including atar "father", but the first element cannot be related to any known term for "Dwarf" (PM:391 cf. 381)

Vala

power, god, angelic power

Vala (1) noun "Power, God, angelic power", pl. Valar or Vali (BAL, Appendix E, LT2:348), described as "angelic governors" or "angelic guardians" (Letters:354, 407). The Valar are a group of immensely powerful spirits guarding the world on behalf of its Creator; they are sometimes called Gods (as when Valacirca, q.v., is translated "Sickle of the Gods"), but this is strictly wrong according to Christian terminology: the Valar were created beings. The noun vala is also the name of tengwa #22 (Appendix E). Genitive plural Valion "of the Valar" (FS, MR:18); this form shows the pl. Vali, (irregular) alternative to Valar (the straightforward gen. pl. Valaron is also attested, PE17:175). Pl. allative valannar *"to/on the Valar" (LR:47, 56; SD:246). Feminine form Valië (Silm), in Tolkiens earlier material also Valdë; his early writings also list Valon or Valmo (q.v.) as specifically masc. forms. The gender-specific forms are not obligatory; thus in PE17:22 Varda is called a Vala (not a Valië), likewise Yavanna in PE17:93. Vala is properly or originally a verb "has power" (sc. over the matter of Eä, the universe), also used as a noun "a Power" _(WJ:403). The verb vala- "rule, order", exclusively used with reference to the Valar, is only attested in the sentences á vala Manwë! "may Manwë order it!" and Valar valuvar "the will of the Valar will be done" (WJ:404). However, Tolkien did not originally intend the word Valar to signify "powers"; in his early conception it apparently meant "the happy ones", cf. valto, vald- (LT2:348)_. For various compounds including the word Vala(r), see below.

cemi

earth, soil, land

cemi noun "earth, soil, land"; Cémi ("k")"Mother Earth" (LT1:257; the "Qenya" word cemi would correspond to cemen in LotR-style Quenya)

emmë

we

emmë (2) pron. "we", emphatic pronoun; dative emmen (VT43:12, 20). In the source this pronoun is intended as the 1st person plural exclusive; later Tolkien changed the corresponding pronominal ending from -mmë to -lmë, and the plural emphatic pronoun would likewise change from emmë to *elmë. Since the ending -mmë was redefined as a dualexclusive pronoun, the form emmë may still be valid as such, as a dual emphatic pronoun "we" = "(s)he and I".

entulessë

proper name. Return

The name of the Númerórean ship that was the first to return to Middle-earth, six centuries after Númenor was settled (UT/171). It is the noun entulessë “return” used as a name.

hriz-

verb. to snow

#hriz- vb. "to snow", impersonal, given in the form hríza "it is snowing". Normally z would turn to r in Exilic Quenya, but since two r's close to one another were disliked, it may be that hriz- became *hris- instead (compare razë "sticks out" becoming rasë instead of **rarë, PE19:73) Past tense hrinsë (with s from the original root SRIS) and another form which the editor tentatively reads as hrissë (the development ns > ss is regular). (PE17:168)

lórë

noun. dream, [ᴹQ.] slumber, *sleep; [Q.] dream

A word for “dream” in Tolkien’s later writings, most notably as an element in Lórien “✱Dream Lands” (Let/308; PE17/80). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, ᴹQ. lóre was glossed “slumber” under the root {ᴹ√LOR >>} ᴹ√LOS “sleep” (Ety/LOS).

Neo-Quenya: I generally use √LOR for “sleep” and √OLOS for “dream” for purposes of Neo-Eldarin. As such, I would use lóre for both “slumber, ✱sleep” and “dream” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, likely a blending of primitive ✱lōre and ✱lōse. But I would use it more for a “(dreamful) sleep”, with olor as the proper word for “dream” or “vision”.

man

who

man pron. "who" (Nam, RGEO:67, FS, LR:59, Markirya, MC:213, 214); cf. PM:357 note 18, where a reference is made to the Eldarin interrogative element ma, man). However, man is translated "what" in LR:59: man-ië? "what is it?" (LR:59; the stative-verb suffix -ië_ is hardly valid in LotR-style Quenya) _Either Tolkien later adjusted the meaning of the word, or man covers both "who" and "what". Cf. also mana, manen.

ngwin

for us

ngwin dative pronoun ?"for us" _(VT21:6-7, 10, VT44:36). _Apparently belonging to the 1st person pl. It would be pronounced *nwin* at the end of the Third Age, but since Tolkien in another source implies that the 1st pl. exclusive base ñwe had the "independent" stem we- in Quenya (VT48:10), we must assume that the dative pronoun should rather be wen**, or in Exilic Quenya *ven. The form ngwin may reflect another conceptual phase when Tolkien meant the nasal element of ñwe to be preserved in Quenya as well. The vowel i rather than e is difficult to account for if the base is to be (ñ)we. In VT49:55, Carl F. Hosttetter suggests that ngwen rather than ngwin may actually be the correct reading of Tolkiens manuscript.

hravan

noun. wild beast

A word for a “wild beast” in notes from the mid-1960s, derived from the root √S-RAB “wild, in senses not tamed, domesticated” (PE17/78), hence meaning “wild animal” vs. a “tamed animal”, which would probably be Q. laman.

-ttë

suffix. themselves

intë

pronoun. themselves

-lmë

we

-lmë 1st person pl. pronominal ending: "we" (VT49:38; 51 carilmë *"we do", VT49:16). It was originally intended to be inclusive "we" (VT49:48), including the person(s) spoken to, but by 1965 Tolkien made this the ending for exclusive "we" instead (cf. the changed definition of the corresponding possessive ending -lma, see above). _(VT49:38) Exemplified in laituvalmet "we shall bless them" (lait-uva-lme-t "bless-shall-we-them") (the meaning apparently changed from inclusive to exclusive "we", VT49:55), see also nalmë under ná# 1. (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308_)

-lwë

we

-lwë, later -lvë, pronominal ending "we" (VT49:51), 1st person pl. inclusive ending, occurring in the verbs carilwë "we do" (VT49:16) and navilwë (see #nav-). The ending became -lvë in later, Exilic Quenya (VT49:51). See -lv-.

-mma

our

-mma "our", 1st person dual exlusive possessive ending: *"my and one others" (VT49:16). At an earlier conceptual phase, Tolkien apparently intended the same ending to be plural inclusive "our" (VT49:55, RS:324), cf. Mélamarimma "Our Home" (q.v.) In the latter word, Tolkien slips in i as a connecting vowel before this ending; elsewhere he used e, as in Átaremma "our Father" (see atar).

-mmë

we

-mmë "we", 1st person dual exclusive pronominal ending: "I and one other" (compare the inclusive dual form -ngwë or -nquë). First written -immë in one source (VT49:57). Carimmë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16, cf. VT43:6). At an earlier conceptual stage, the ending was already exclusive, but plural rather than dual: vammë "we won't" (WJ:371), firuvammë "we will die" (VT43:34), etemmë ?"out of us" (VT43:36); see also VT49:48, 49, 55. Also compare the corresponding emphatic pronoun emmë (q.v.). The ending -lmë replaced -mmë in its former (plural exclusive) sense. In some early material, -mmë was apparently used as an ending for plural inclusive "we" (VT49:55).

-ngwa

our

-ngwa "our", 1st person dual inclusive possessive pronominal ending: *"thy and my", corresponding to the ending -ngwë for dual inclusive "we" (VT49:16)

-ngwë

we

-ngwë "we", 1st person dual inclusive pronominal ending: "thou and I" (compare the exclusive dual form -mmë). Caringwë, "the two of us do" (VT49:16). One source lists the ending as "-inke > -inque" instead (VT49:51, 53, 57; "inke" was apparently Old Quenya). In an earlier pronoun table reproduced in VT49:48, the ending -ngwë is listed as an alternative to -lmë, which Tolkien at the time used as the plural inclusive ending (a later revision made it plural exclusive).

Fírimo

mortal

#Fírimo noun "mortal", see fírima

Yón

region, any (fairly extensive) region between obstacles such as rivers or mountains

yón (2), variant of yondë, q.v. Defined as "a region, any (fairly extensive) region _between obstacles such as rivers or mountains" (PE17:43)_

aicalë

peak

aicalë ("k")noun "a peak" (AYAK)

ana

to

ana (1) prep. "to" (VT49:35), "as preposition _ana _is used when purely _dative formula is required" (PE17:147), perhaps meaning that the preposition ana can be used instead of the dative ending -n (#1, q.v.) Also as prefix: ana- "to, towards" (NĀ1); an (q.v.) is used with this meaning in one source (PE17:127)_

atar

noun. father

atto

father, daddy

atto noun "father, daddy" (hypocoristic)(ATA, LR:49), supposedly a word in "actual 'family' use" (VT47:26), also used in children's play for "thumb" and "big toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6). The dual form attat listed in VT48:19 seems to be formed from the alternative form atta, though attat was changed by Tolkien from attot. - Compare atya.

calwa

beautiful

calwa ("k") adj. "beautiful" (LT1:254)

condo

noun. lord

entulessë

return

entulessë noun "return" (UT:171)

entulessë

noun. return

A noun for “return” attested as the name of a ship: Entulessë (UT/171). It seems to be an abstract noun based on the verb entul- “return, come again”.

farnë

dwelling

#farnë (2) noun "dwelling", in orofarnë (as translated in Letters:224, but in other notes of Tolkiens the word was interpreted "any growing thing or plant", PE17:83)

fauta-

verb. to snow

fauta- vb. *"to snow" (actually glossed fauta = "it snows") (GL:35)

firë

mortal man

firë noun "mortal man" (PHIR), pl. firi given (the latter is not clearly glossed and may also be the archaic form from which firë is derived, since word-final short i became e in Quenya but since we would rather expect the spelling phiri if it were an archaic form, it is best taken as the pl. of firë.)

hanuvoitë

male

hanuvoitë adj.? "male" (prob. adj. rather than noun; the word as such is not clearly glossed, but connects with hanu "a male") (INI)

hanwa

male

hanwa noun "male" (INI)

harma

wolf

[harma (2) noun "wolf" (3ARAM). The gloss "hound" was inserted, but then deleted (VT45:17)]

hér

lord

hér noun "lord" (VT41:9), also heru, q.v.

hér

noun. lord

indo

house

indo (2) noun "house" (LT2:343), probably obsoleted by #1 above (in Tolkiens later Quenya, the word for "house" appears as coa).

lango

passage

lango (2) noun "passage", especially across or over an obstacle, also "neck" (PE17:92)

lelya-

verb. 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-

verb. 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.

lie

noun. people

lië

people

lië noun "people" (LI, Narqelion, VT39:6), in Eldalië, losselië, Ornelië (q.v.); possessive #liéva in Mindon Eldaliéva (q.v.); maybe also compounded in #rohtalië, #ruhtalië (q.v.)

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).

mairëa

beautiful

mairëa adj. "beautiful" (of things made by art) (PE17:163). An alternative (and peculiar) form "mairia" is also implied in the source.

marda

dwelling

marda noun "dwelling" (PE17:107)

maur

dream, vision

maur noun "dream, vision" (LT1:261)

mírya

beautiful

mírya adj. "beautiful" (of work of art only) (PE17:165)

na

to, towards

na (2) prep. "to, towards", possibly obsoleted by #1 above; for clarity writers may use the synonym ana instead (NĀ1). Originally, Tolkien glossed na as "at, by, near"; the new meaning entered together with the synonyms an, ana (VT45:36).

narmo

wolf

narmo ("ñ")noun "wolf" (ÑGAR(A)M; both the old form ñarmo = *ngarmo and the Third Age form narmo are given). Another word for "wolf" is ráca.

nauro

noun. wolf

wolf, werewolf of Morgoth

neuro

follower, successor

neuro noun "follower, successor" (NDEW)

nómë

place

#nómë noun "place", isolated from Nómesseron, q.v. Cf. also sinomë.

númë

noun. west

olor

dream

olor noun "dream" (LOS, ÓLOS, LT1:259 [the latter source also gives olórë]); perhaps changed by Tolkien to olos, q.v.

olos

dream, vision

olos (1) noun "dream, vision" (olor-, as in pl. olori from earlier olozi) _(UT:396). _Cf. olor and see lár #2.

os

house, cottage

os (ost-) noun "house, cottage" (LT2:336; hardly valid in LotR-style Quenya writers may use coa or már)

ráca

wolf

ráca ("k") noun "wolf" (DARÁK). Another word for "wolf" is narmo.

rú

proper name. Wose

Given as the Quenya word for “Wose” (UT/385), most likely an adaptation of its Sindarin cognate S. Drû.

túrin

noun. lord

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)

vanima

adjective. beautiful

vanya-

verb. 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.

ve

we

ve (2) pron. "we", 1st person pl. inclusive (corresponding to exclusive me), derived from an original stem-form we (VT49:50, PE17:130). Variant vi, q.v. Stressed wé, later vé (VT49:51). Dative (*wéna >) véna, VT49:14. Dual wet*, later vet "the two of us" (inclusive; cf. exclusive met) (VT49:51). Also compare the dative form ngwin or ngwen (q.v.), but this would apparently be wen > ven** according to Tolkiens later ideas.

vi

we

vi pron. "we", 1st person inclusive (PE17:130), variant of ve #2.

vië

manhood, vigour

vië noun "manhood, vigour" (WEG)

véna

for us

véna pron. "for us", (long) dative form of ve # 2, q.v.

we

we

we, wé, see ve #2

ye

who

ye (1) singular personal relative pronoun "who", maybe also object "whom" (plural form i). Compare the impersonal form ya. Also attested in the genitive and the ablative cases: yëo and yello, both translated "from whom" (though the former would also mean *"whose, of whom"). (VT47:21)

ye

pronoun. who

yón

noun. region

herunauco

9V7J5.DaH noun. dwarf-lord, dwarven lord

ñúr

noun. wolf

A neologism for “wolf” coined by Elaran posted on 2025-03-07 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from primitive ✶ñgūr in notes from the early 1950s (PE21/82). This derivation is perfectly viable, but I personally think we already have enough “wolf” words from Tolkien, and would stick with existing words like [ᴹQ.] nauro.

men

2nd pl

_ 2nd pl. pron. _us. >> ammen

men

pronoun. us

men

pronoun. us

men

noun. way, road

men-

verb. to go

The basic Sindarin verb for “go”, derived from the root √MEN (PE17/143). Its archaic past form emēnē was discussed in notes from around 1965 (PE17/93); its modern past would be ✱evín. It also appeared in its gerund form in the sentence niðin mened “I have a mind to go, I intend to go” in notes from 1969 (PE22/165).

Men-i-naugrim

noun. way of dwarves

men (“way, road”) + in (pl. gen. article) + naug (“a dwarf”) + rim (class plural suffix)

-men

suffix. our

_1st pl. poss. suff. our.Maybe the excl. form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -em_. >> -em, -main

ammen

pronoun. of us, for us, toward us

damen

verb. return

_ v. _return. Q. nanwen-. >> dan-

men

we

men (accusative mín ”us”, presumably usually lenited vín, which is also the genitive ”our”).

men

we

(accusative mín ”us”, presumably usually lenited vín, which is also the genitive ”our”).

adanath

noun. men

adan (“man”) + ath (collective plural suffix)

adanath

noun. men

gaurwaith

proper name. Wolf-men

Name of the band of outlaws that Túrin joined, translated “Wolf-men” (UT/85), a combination of gaur “werewolf” and gwaith “people”.

Rhovain

noun. 'Wild-Men

_ pl1. n. _lit. 'Wild-Men, Savages'. Q. pl1. Hrávani.

Rhûnedain

noun. 'Men of the East'

_ pl1. n. _lit. #'Men of the East', Men other than the Atani. Q. pl1. Hrónatani. >> rhûn

nor-

verb. run (of men and animals using legs : not of fluids

_v. _run (of men and animals using legs : not of fluids, etc.). Pret. onur. >> noro, northa-

terchil

noun. 'high-Men'

pl1. n. 'high-Men', ancient name of the Edain. A S. form not used. Q. tarcildi, prob. Orkish tark. >> Adan

mên

way

1) mên (i vên, construct men, in compounds -ven) (road), pl. mîn (i mîn), 2) lend (journey), pl. lind, coll. pl. lennath. Note: a homophone means ”tuneful, sweet”, 3) #pâd (construct pad), i bâd, pl. paid (i phaid). Isolated from Tharbad ”Crossroad”. 4) tê (i dê, o thê) (line), pl. tî (i thî), coll. pl. ?teath.

mên

way

(i vên, construct men, in compounds -ven) (road), pl. mîn (i mîn)

mên

road

mên (i vên, construct men, in compounds -ven) (way), pl. mîn (i mîn). Cf. also:

mên

road

(i vên, construct men, in compounds -ven) (way), pl. mîn (i mîn). Cf. also:

gaurwaith

noun. wolf-men

(n-)gaur (“werewolves”) + gwaith (“people, folk”)

Dúnadan

noun. Man of the west, Númenórean

adan

noun. man, one of the Second People (elvish name for men)

adanadar

noun. man, one of the Fathers of Men

aphadon

noun. man (elvish name for men)

aphadrim

noun. followers, men (elvish name for men)

gaurwaith

noun. wolf-men

gwaith

noun. man power, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people

ammen

for us

ammen (to us).

dîr

noun. man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix

A word for “man” as a male person, attested only as an element in compounds or as (archaic?) ndir (PE17/60). This word likely refers to male individuals of all races including Elves, Men, Dwarves and so forth, much like its Quenya cognate Q. nér. This word must have been derived from the primitive subjective form ✶ndēr of the root √N(D)ER “male person”, where the ancient long ē became ī, and the initial cluster nd- became d-, though the ancient cluster would still be reflected in mutated forms, such as in i nîr “the man” rather than ✱✱i dhîr.

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest precursor to this word is (archaic) G. †drio “hero, warrior” with variants driw, driodweg and driothweg, a cognate of ᴱQ. nēr (GL/22). This Gnomish word was derived from primitive ᴱ✶n’reu̯, where the initial nr- became dr-. At this early stage, the root was unstrengthened ᴱ√NERE (QL/65), as reflected in (archaic) ᴱN. nîr “hero, prince, warrior-elf” in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s (PE13/164).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s the root became ᴹ√DER “adult male, man” of any speaking race and the derived form was N. dîr (Ety/DER). However, in this document Tolkien said:

> EN †dîr surviving chiefly in proper names (as Diriel older Dirghel [GYEL], Haldir, Brandir) and as agental ending (as ceredir “doer, maker”) ... In ordinary use EN has benn [for “man”] (properly = “husband”).

Thus in the scenario described in The Etymologies, dîr “man” was archaic and used only as an element in names or as a suffix. In ordinary speech it was replaced by N. benn, which used to mean “husband” but now meant “man”, while the word for “husband” became N. hervenn (Ety/BES). It is unlikely Tolkien imagined this exact scenario in later Sindarin, however, since the 1930s root for benn was ᴹ√BES “wed”, but by the 1960s the root for husband/wife/marry words had become √BER.

Neo-Sindarin: Since the status of N. benn is questionable given ᴹ√BES >> √BER, many Neo-Sindarin writers prefer to use S. ✱dîr as the Sindarin word for man. I am of the opinion that both dîr and benn are acceptable for “man, male person”. This is because I prefer to retain ᴹ√BES as the root for “marry, wed”, since it is the best basis for attested husband/wife words in (Neo) Sindarin.

ammen

for us, to us, of us

adanadar

father of men

Adanadar, normally pl. Edenedair "Fathers of Men", the early Edain.

adanadar

father of men

Adanadar, normally pl. Edenedair "Fathers of Men", term used of the early Edain. For other terms for ”Men” as opposed to Elves, see FOLLOWER.

adanadar

father of men

normally pl. Edenedair "Fathers of Men", the early Edain.

gwaith

able-bodied men, troop of

gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, host, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith**)

gwaith

troop of able-bodied men

gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, host, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith**).

gwaith

troop of able-bodied men

gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, host, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith**)

dúnadan

proper name. Man of the West

Sindarin term for a “Man of the West”, the descendants of the Elf-friends of Beleriand and Númenor (LotR/233). This name is a combination of dûn “west” and Adan “Man” (SA/andúnë, adan; PE17/18).

Conceptual Development: In an early version of Glorfindel’s greeting to Aragon, this term was N. Torfir (TI/61), and throughout the Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the most common term for “High Men” was ᴹQ. Tarkil (TI/84, WR/310). It was not until very late in the drafts that the terms Dúnadan/Dúnedain appeared (WR/363 note #6).

echil

collective name. Followers

Sindarin equivalent of Q. Hildor “Followers” as a name for Men (WJ/219). It is clearly derived from the same root √KHIL, but otherwise its etymology is unclear. Another Sindarin term with a similar meaning is Aphadon.

Lossoth

snow-men

(a northern people living near the bay of Forochel) Lossoth (a coll. pl.)

lossoth

snow-men

(a coll. pl.)

feir

noun. Mortal, Mortal, [N.] mortal man

A term used for Men meaning “Mortal”, appearing in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, cognate to Q. Firya of the same meaning, both derived from √PHIR which was the basis of words for natural death (WJ/387). According to Tolkien this word was borrowed from Quenya, since the Noldor had pre-knowledge of the nature of Men having learned of them from the Valar. The plural form of Feir was Fîr and its class plural Firiath, the latter also appearing in contemporaneous Silmarillion drafts (WJ/219 footnote). It is unclear why this word did not become ✱Fair, since ei became ai in Sindarin monosyllables. Perhaps it remained Feir because it was an adaptation from Quenya, or it could be a conceptual remnant of its Noldorin form (see below).

Conceptual Development: Probably the first precursor to this word was ᴱN. fion “man, human being” from Index of Names for The Lay of the Children of Húrin compiled in the early 1920s (PE15/62), also appearing with the gloss “mortal man” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the same period (PE13/143). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gaven N. {fîr “man, mortal” >>} feir pl. fîr “mortals” under the root ᴹ√PHIR (Ety/PHIR; EtyAC/PHIR), hence with basically the same form, meaning and etymology as it had in later Sindarin.

fíreb

adjective. mortal

An adjective meaning “mortal”, more literally “those apt to die”, a Sindarin adaptation of Q. fírima of the same meaning, both based on the root √PHIR having to do with natural death (WJ/387). It was also used as Fíreb to refer to Mortal Men, a variant of Feir of similar meaning. Tolkien said “Fíreb as compared with Fírima shows the use of a different suffix, since the S equivalent of Q -ima (✱-ef) was not current” (WJ/387).

-main

suffix. our

_1st pl. poss. suff. our.Maybe the excl. form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46. Earlier -em_. >> -em, -men

drû

noun. wild man, Wose, Púkel-Man

In PE/11:31, an older Gnomish word drû, drui meant "wood, forest", and in PE/13:142, the early Noldorin word drú was assigned the meaning "dark". Drû pl. Drúin later came to be used for the name of the Woses, with other derivatives (Drúadan, etc.). "Wose" is actually the modernization of an Anglo-Saxon word wasa only found in the compound wudu-wasa "wild man of the woods", cf. UT/385 sq. In the drafts of the "Ride of the Rohirrim" in WR/343-346, the Woses first appeared as "the dark men of Eilenach". Though internally said to derive from drughu in their own tongue, Tolkien's choice for the Sindarin name of the Woses was apparently influenced by earlier meanings assigned to this word

echil

noun. follower

A word for “follower” given as one of the names of Men in Silmarillion drafts of the 1950s (WJ/219), likely based on √KHIL “follow”.

adan

man

(pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.

dîr

man

1) (adult male of any speaking race) dîr (dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”. 2) (mortal human as opposed to Elf) Adan (pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.

dîr

man

(dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”.

adar

noun. father

The Sindarin word for “father”, derived from the root √AT(AR) (PM/324; VT44/21-22; VT48/19).

Conceptual Development: N. adar “father” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√ATA of the same meaning (Ety/ATA). In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, however, G. †ador “father” was marked as archaic, and it seems {athon >>} G. nathon was the ordinary word for ”father” (GL/17, 59).

ardhon

place name. The World

A Sindarin name for the world appearing only in the name Mîr n’Ardhon “Jewel of the World” (PM/348). Since this name is the translation of Q. Ardamírë, it follows that Ardhon may be a cognate of Q. Arda: “The World, (lit.) Realm”. As such, it may be a combination of some form of S. gardh “region” (in early writings, N. ardh) with a suffixal element -on, possibly the augmentative suffix -on. It is also possible that this form is lenited, and the proper form is gardhon.

drû

proper name. Wose

A Sindarin word for “Wose”, a loan word from the Wose’s name for themselves: Drughu (UT/385).

Conceptual Development: In his Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien considered making this word a native Sindarin adjective “savage, wild” derived from the root √DROB, a variant of √SROB from which rhaw “wild” was derived (PE17/99). These roots would produce the Q. cognate (h)róva instead of better established Q. (h)ráva “wild”, so I personally prefer the later derivation of Drû as a loan word from Wos. Drughu.

loss

noun. snow

The usual Sindarin word for “snow” (Let/278; PE17/161; RGEO/62), especially fallen and long-lying snow (VT42/18), derived from primitive ✶lossē (PE17/161) based on the root √(G)LOS (PE17/26; RGEO/62). It sometimes appeared in a shorter form los (PE17/26, 161). See the entry on [s] for a discussion of these long vs. short variations; for purposes of Neo-Sindarin loss is probably preferable.

Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest iteration of this word was G. glui “snow” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, likely related to nearby words like G. gloss “white” (GL/40). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. gloss from the root ᴹ√GOLOS was both noun “snow” and adjective “snow-white” (Ety/GOLÓS), but in later writing Tolkien split these into S loss “snow” (see above) and S. gloss “(dazzling) white” (RGEO/62; VT42/18).

an

to

_ prep. _to, for. naur an edraith ammen! 'fire [be] for rescue/saving for us'. aglar an|i Pheriannath  'glory to all the Halflings'.

bâd

noun. road, road, [N.] beaten track, pathway, [ᴱN.] way, [G.] path

This word appeared in its mutated form vâd “road” in notes from 1969 (PE23/136). The Etymologies of the 1930s had bâd “beaten track, pathway” derived from ON. bata < ᴹ✶batā̆ under the root ᴹ√BAT “tread” (Ety/BAT).

Conceptual Development: A deleted noun G. {bad “way, path”} appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, apparently replaced by bad “building, outhouse, shed”; a similar word bad- “travel” was mentioned but not deleted (GL/21). The word bad also appeared (undeleted) in the name G. Bad Uthwen or Uswen “Way of Escape” in contemporaneous narratives and name lists of the 1910s (LT2/203; PE13/102; PE15/21). In this early period it was likely derived from the early root ᴱ√VAHA having to do with departure and travel (QL/99).

ᴱN. bad “way” reappeared in the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s (PE13/120) and Early Noldorin Word-lists from the same period (PE13/137, 160). A possible later variant can be seen in S. pâd “road, track” mentioned in an explanation of the name Tharbad (PE17/34); see that entry for discussion.

dadwen

verb. return

_v. _return, going/coming back. Q. nanwen-. >> damen

draug

noun. wolf

A noun for “wolf”, most notably appearing as an element in the name of the great werewolf S. Draugluin. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. draug “wolf” was derived from the root ᴹ√DARAK (Ety/DARÁK).

Dúnadan

man of the west

(Númenórean) Dúnadan (i Núnadan), pl. Dúnedain (i Ndúnedain) (WJ:378, 386).

Dúnadan

man of the west

(Númenórean) Dúnadan (i Núnadan), pl. Dúnedain (i Ndúnedain) (WJ:378, 386)

ardh

region

1) ardh (realm), pl. erdh, also in augmented form ardhon (great region, great province, world), pl. erdhyn, coll. pl. ardhonnath. 2) dôr (i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, land), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr) (WJ:413), 3) gardh (i **ardh) (bounded or defined place), pl. gerdh (i ngerdh = i ñerdh), 4) gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people, wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith).

gwaith

region

(i ’waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people, wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith).

gwaith

people

gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith**).

gwaith

people

(i ’waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith).

gwaith

manhood

gwaith (i **waith) (manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith**)

gwaith

manhood

(i ’waith) (manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people, region; wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith)

rhavan

wild man

(?i thravan or ?i ravan – the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhevain (?idh revain) (WJ:219). – The following terms apparently apply to ”men” of any speaking race:

aphadon

noun. follower

dûn

noun. west

ell

noun. Elf

ardh

region

(realm), pl. erdh, also in augmented form ardhon (great region, great province, world), pl. erdhyn, coll. pl. ardhonnath.

bannen

adjective. gone

A neologism for “gone” derived from ᴹ√BAT proposed by David Salo as part of his theory for the derivation of govannen “met” (GS/241, 260). While I think this theory is correct for the 1940s, I think the relevant forms were abandoned by the late 1950s, and I would recommend attested gwanwen instead for “departed, ✱gone”.

fair

mortal man

(human) fair (fír-), pl. fîr, coll. pl. firiath. Archaic sg. feir (WJ:387). Wheareas the above-mentioned terms are apparently gender-neutral, the following are gender-specific:

fair

mortal man

(fír-), pl. fîr, coll. pl. firiath. Archaic sg. feir (WJ:387). Wheareas the above-mentioned terms are apparently gender-neutral, the following are gender-specific:

gilwen

region of stars

(Quenya Ilmen), also Gilith. In the Etymologies, this word is derived from a root GIL (LR:358) and would then have the form ’Ilwen (’Ilwith) when lenited. But in a later source, Tolkien cited the relevant root as ÑGIL (MR:388), and the lenited form would then be Ngilwen (Ngilwith).

edhel

noun. Elf

eledh

noun. Elf

gardh

noun. region

mín

pronoun. our

penedh

noun. Elf

sad

noun. place, spot

A word meaning “place, spot” appearing in The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69, more precisely “a limited area naturally or artificially defined” (VT42/19-20). It was derived from √SAT “divide, mark off”.

drúadan

noun. Drúadan

one of the drû; drû (S adaptation of their native word drughu) + adan (“man”)

region

noun. holly-tree area

[HKF] reg (Dor. regorn “holly tree”) + ion (Dor. gen. pl. suffix) = Dor. Regornion [Etym. ERÉK-]

-enc

suffix. our

_1st pl. poss. suff. _our.Maybe the incl. form of this suff. See also the paradigm of poss. suff. in PE17:46.

-gir

2nd pl

2nd pl. pron. suff. #you. Q. -lle.See paradigm PE17:132.

-m

suffix. we

1st du. pron. suff. #we (you and me). Q. -mmo.See paradigm PE17:132.

-nc

suffix. we

1st du. pron. suff. #we (you and me). Q. -lmo.See paradigm PE17:132. >> -ngid

Druadan

noun. wose

n. wose, wild man.

Fíriel

noun. mortal maid

adar

noun. father

ai

pronoun. for those who

alae

interjection. (?) behold!

Uncertain meaning, but compare with Quenya ela! "imperative exclamation directing sight to an actually visible object" (WJ/362)

an

preposition. to, towards, for

With suffixed article and elision in aglar'ni Pheriannath

annûn

noun. west, sunset

anu

adjective. male

A literal interpretation of the Etymologies would class this word as a noun, but David Salo notes that the punctuation in The Etymologies is not always reliable. Noldorin anw cannot be cognate to the Quenya noun hanu (3anû) because the final -u would drop. It must rather be cognate to the Quenya adjective hanwa (3anwâ) attested under the stem INI, where it is also stated that inw, corresponding to Quenya inya "female", has been remodelled after anw. The combination of these two entries, along with the phonological evidences, clearly indicates that anw is actually an adjective

aphadon

noun. follower

ardhon

noun. great region, province

ardhon

noun. world

atheg

noun. "litte father"

atheg

noun. thumb (Elvish play-name used by and taught to children)

bain

adjective. beautiful, fair

bain

beautiful

_ adj. _beautiful. Q. vanya.

balan

noun. Vala, divine power, divinity

bar

noun. dwelling, home

bar

noun. inhabited land

bŷr

noun. follower, vassal

cae

noun. earth

This word is indeclinable, according to the Etymologies

ceven

noun. Earth

draug

noun. wolf

drúadan

noun. wild man, one of the Woses

drúath

noun. the people of the Drû, the Woses

dûn

noun. west

dûn

noun. west

_n. _west. Q. nū-. >> annûn

echil

noun. follower

echil

noun. human being

elen

noun. Elf

ennorath

noun. central lands, middle-earth

fair

noun. mortal

feir

noun. mortal

firiath

noun. mortals, human beings

firieth

noun. mortal woman

firin

adjective. mortal

adj. mortal. >> firen

firion

noun. mortal man

fíreb

adjective. mortal

fíreb

noun. Mortal

gardh

noun. bounded or defined region

gardh

noun. world

gwaith

noun. manhood

gwaith

noun. region, wilderness

los

noun. snow

min

adjective. our

min

noun. peak

A word glossed “peak” appearing in the name S. Min-Rimmon “Peak of the Rimmon” from the Unfinished Index to The Lord of the Rings (RC/511). It is probably a derivative of √MIN.

mín

pronoun. us

mín

adjective. our

na

to

e _ prep. _to, towards (of spacetime). n' before vowels. >> nan 2

na

preposition. to

prep. to Na-chaered palan-díriel lit. "To-distance (remote) after-gazing" >> na-chaered, nan 2

othlonn

noun. paved way

pâd

noun. way

sennas

noun. guesthouse

tharbad

noun. cross-way

ada

father

(pl. edai)

adab

house

(building), pl. edaib. In ”Noldorin”, the plural was edeb.

adar

father

adar (pl. edair);

adar

father

(pl. edair);

aeg

horn

(point, thorn). No distinct pl. form. (but aeglir can be used for a range of mountain peaks). Note: aeg is also used as adj. "sharp, pointed, piercing". 2) mîn (i vîn), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mîn), coll. pl. míniath. Note: homophones include the numeral ”one” and the adjective ”isolated, first, towering”. 3) egnas (sharp point; literally "thorn-point"), pl. egnais, coll. pl. egnassath.

amar

earth

(archaic Ambar), pl. Emair

an

to

(prep.) an (+ nasal mutation), with article ni "to the" (+ nasal mutation in plural).

an

to

(adverbial prefix) an-. 3)

annûn

west

1) annûn; 2) Dúven (na Núven, o Ndúven). Christopher Tolkien tentatively read the illegible gloss as ”southern” (LR:376 s.v. NDŪ), but the etymology seems to demand the meaning ”west”: dú-ven with the same ending as in Forven ”North” and Harven ”South”. The ending means ”way”, so Dúven may be ”west” considered as a direction. WEST-ELF (Elf of Beleriand, including Noldor and Sindar) Dúnedhel (i Núnedhel), pl. Dúnedhil (i Ndúnedhil). (WJ:378, 386)

annûn

west

anu

male

(adj.) *anu, analogical pl. eny. (Archaic anw, pl. ?einw)

anu

male

analogical pl. eny. (Archaic anw, pl. ?einw)

anu

noun/adjective. male (person or animal)

aran

king of a region

(pl. erain)

bad

go

#bad- (i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.

bad

go

(i vâd, i medir), pa.t. bant. Isolated from trevad- ”traverse”.

bain

beautiful

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

bain

beautiful

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

bannen

gone

#bannen (pl. bennin). Isolated from govannen ”met”, based on the assumption that this past participle includes a form of the verb #bad- ”go”.

bannen

gone

(pl. bennin). Isolated from govannen ”met”, based on the assumption that this past participle includes a form of the verb #bad- ”go”.

brannon

lord

(i** vrannon), pl. brennyn (i** mrennyn), coll. pl. brannonnath

bâl

divine power

construct bal, pl. bail (divinity). Note: the word can also be used as an adj. "divine".

bâr

dwelling

bâr (house, home, family; land, earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds

bâr

dwelling

(house, home, family; land, earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds

bâr

house

bâr (dwelling, home, family; land, earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

bâr

house

(dwelling, home, family; land, earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

bâr

earth

(dwelling, house, home, family; land) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

bôr

trusty man

(boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (steadfast man, faithful vassal), pl. *b**ŷr* for older beryn, i meryn (archaic böryn, i möryn). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.

bŷr

follower

*bŷr (vassal; construct byr). No distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷr). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” bior, beor. FOLLOWER (used as a term for Mortal Man, the "follower" of the Elves): Aphadon (pl. Ephedyn, coll. pl. Aphadrim) (WJ:387). Also echil (no distinct pl. form); coll. pl. ?echillath

cae

noun. earth

cae

earth

(i gae, o chae). No distinct pl. form even if there is a pl., except with article (i chae). For ”earth” as a substance, see also

caew

resting place

(i gaew, o chaew) (lair). No distinct pl. form except with article (i chaew).

car

house

(building, dwelling-place) 1) car or cardh (i gar[dh], o char[dh]) (building), pl. cerdh (i cherdh) or cair (i chair). Note: cardh also means "deed, feat". Therefore, the form car may be preferred for clarity. 2) adab (building), pl. edaib. In ”Noldorin”, the plural was edeb. 3)

car

house

or cardh (i gar[dh], o char[dh]) (building), pl. cerdh (i cherdh) or cair (i chair). Note: cardh also means "deed, feat". Therefore, the form car may be preferred for clarity.

ceven

earth

1) ceven (i geven, o cheven), pl. cevin (i chevin) (VT48:23), 2) (world) Amar (archaic Ambar), pl. Emair; 3) bâr (dwelling, house, home, family; land) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds. 4) (maybe ”earth” as substance) cae (i gae, o chae). No distinct pl. form even if there is a pl., except with article (i chae). For ”earth” as a substance, see also SOIL.

ceven

earth

(i geven, o cheven), pl. cevin (i chevin) (VT48:23)

curunír

man of craft

(i gurunír, o churunír) (wizard), no distinct pl. form except with article (i churunír), coll. pl. ?curuníriath.

denwaith

people of denwe

(WJ:385);

draug

wolf

1) draug (i dhraug), pl. droeg (in droeg), coll. pl. drogath; 2) garaf (i ngaraf = i ñaraf, o n**garaf = o ñgaraf), pl. geraif (in geraif = i ñgeraif), coll. pl. garavath**, 3)

draug

wolf

(i dhraug), pl. droeg (in droeg), coll. pl. drogath

dôr

dwelling place

(i nôr, construct dor) (land, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr) (WJ:413).

dôr

region

(i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, land), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr) (WJ:413)

dúnadan

man of the west

(i Núnadan), pl. Dúnedain (i Ndúnedain) (WJ:378, 386).

dúnadan

man of the west

(i Núnadan), pl. Dúnedain (i Ndúnedain) (WJ:378, 386)

dúnedhel

west-elf

(i Núnedhel), pl. *Dúnedhil*** (i Ndúnedhil*). (WJ:378, 386)*

dúven

west

(na Núven, o Ndúven). Christopher Tolkien tentatively read the illegible gloss as ”southern” (LR:376 s.v. NDŪ), but the etymology seems to demand the meaning ”west”: dú-ven with the same ending as in Forven ”North” and Harven ”South”. The ending means ”way”, so Dúven may be ”west” considered as a direction.

ennor

place name. central land, middle-earth

firieth

mortal woman

(pl. firith).

firin

mortal

?firin. No distinct pl. form.

firin

mortal

. No distinct pl. form.

firion

mortal man

firion (pl. firyn).

firion

mortal man

firion (pl. firyn) and

firion

mortal man

(pl. firyn).

fíreb

mortal

(adj. and noun) fíreb (pl. fírib), coll. pl. firebrim. The literal meaning is "apt to die" (WJ:387).

fíreb

mortal

(pl. fírib), coll. pl. firebrim. The literal meaning is "apt to die" (WJ:387).

galadhrim

people of the trees

(Elves of Lórien)

garaf

wolf

(i ngaraf = i ñaraf, o n’garaf = o ñgaraf), pl. geraif (in geraif = i ñgeraif), coll. pl. garavath

gardh

bounded or defined place

(i ’ardh) (region), pl. gerdh (i ngerdh = i ñerdh);

gardh

region

(i ’ardh) (bounded or defined place), pl. gerdh (i ngerdh = i ñerdh)

gaur

wolf

(i ngaur = i ñaur), pl. goer (in goer = i ñgoer), coll. pl. gaurhoth (attested in lenited form: i ngaurhoth = i ñaurhoth).

gloss

white as snow, dazzling white

(in compounds -los), lenited ’loss; pl. glyss.  

gobel

enclosed dwelling

(i ’obel) (walled house or village, ”town”), pl. gebil (i ngebil = i ñebil). Archaic pl. göbil.

gobel

village

(i ’obel) (enclosed dwelling, ”town”), pl. gebil (i ngebil = i ñebil). Archaic pl. ✱göbil.

grôd

underground dwelling

(i ’rôd, construct grod) (cave, delving, excavation), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414)

gwathuirim

people of dunland

(”shadowy people”) (PM:330);

gûr

noun. wolf

A neologism for “wolf” coined by Elaran posted on 2025-03-07 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), derived from primitive ✶ñgūr in notes from the early 1950s (PE21/82). This derivation is perfectly viable, but I personally think we already have enough “wolf” words from Tolkien, and would stick with existing words like draug.

haradrim

people of the south

(southerners, southrons);

heron

lord

(i cheron, o cheron) (master), pl. heryn (i cheryn), coll. pl. heronnath** (VT45:22). Since the pl. heryn clashes with the fem. sg. heryn** ”lady”, other words for ”lord” may be preferred.

hîr

lord

1) hîr (i chîr, o chîr; also hir-, her- at the beginning of compounds) (master), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i chîr), coll. pl. híriath (Letters:282, 386; VT41:9); 2) heron (i cheron, o cheron) (master), pl. heryn (i cheryn), coll. pl. heronnath (VT45:22)._ _Since the pl. heryn clashes with the fem. sg. heryn ”lady”, other words for ”lord” may be preferred. 3) brannon (i vrannon), pl. brennyn (i mrennyn), coll. pl. brannonnath; 4) tûr (i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (mastery, power, control; master, victor), pl. tuir (i thuir), coll. pl. túrath.

hîr

lord

(i chîr, o chîr; also hir-, her- at the beginning of compounds) (master), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i chîr), coll. pl. híriath (Letters:282, 386; VT41:9)

iathrim

people of doriath

(”Fence-people”) (WJ:378);

ilphen

 noun. everyone

il- (every/all) + pen (someone/somebody).

imrath

valley

(pl. imraith)

land

open space

(construct lan, pl. laind) (level), also used as adjective ”wide, plain”.

lend

way

(journey), pl. lind, coll. pl. lennath. Note: a homophone means ”tuneful, sweet”

loss

snow

(construct los; pl. lyss if there is a pl.) (RGEO:61-62, Letters:278, VT42:18) (Note: homophones mean ”flower” [more commonly loth] and ”wilderness”.).

lossen

snowy

(pl. lessin, for archaic lössin). Adj.

mín

us

mín, presumably usually lenited vín (which is also the genitive ”our”); see WE.

mín

us

presumably usually lenited vín (which is also the genitive ”our”); see

noss

house

(family) 1) noss (construct nos, pl. nyss) (family, clan), 2) nost (pl. nyst) (family) (PM:360), 3) nothrim (family); no distinct pl. form (PM:360)

noss

house

(construct nos, pl. nyss) (family, clan)

nost

house

(pl. nyst) (family) (PM:360)

nothrim

house

(family); no distinct pl. form (PM:360)

nínim

snowdrop

(”white tear”), no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nínimmath. – The niphredil seems to be a flower similar to the snowdrop (no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. niphrediliath)

oltha

dream

(verb) oltha- (i oltha, in olthar)

oltha

dream

(i oltha, in olthar)

olui

な^hJ adjective. dreamy

Ol (dream) + -ui (full, having that quality)

pathu

level place

(i bathu) (sward), analogical pl. pethy (i phethy). Cited in archaic form pathw in the source (LR:380 s.v. PATH); hence the coll. pl. is likely pathwath. In the Etymologies as printed in

pâd

way

(construct pad), i bâd, pl. paid (i phaid). Isolated from Tharbad ”Crossroad”.

rhûd

dwelling underground

(construct rhud, with article ?i thrûd or ?i rûd – *the lenition product of rh- is uncertain) (artificial cave, rockhewn hall, mine), pl. rhuid (?idh ruid) (PM:365)*.

rohirrim

people of rohan

(Gondorian pronunciation of Rochirrim; see

sant

privately owned place

(i hant, o sant) (field, garden, yard), pl. saint (i saint) (VT42:20)

sennas

guesthouse

(i hennas), pl. sennais (i sennais), coll. pl. sennassath (RC:523)

sâd

place

sâd (-had; i hâd, o sâd, construct sad) (spot, limited area naturally or artificially defined), pl. said (i said) (UT:314, VT42:20)

sâd

place

(-had; i hâd, o sâd, construct sad) (spot, limited area naturally or artificially defined), pl. said (i said) (UT:314, VT42:20)  

thalion

dauntless man

(hero), pl. thelyn. Also used as an adj. ”dauntless, steadfast, strong”. 

till

sharp-pointed peak

(i** dill, o thill, construct til; also -dil, -thil at the end of compounds)  (tine, point, sharp horn), no distinct pl. form except with article (i** thill). Archaic †tild.  

tê

way

(i dê, o thê) (line), pl. tî (i thî), coll. pl. ?teath.

tûr

lord

(i** dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (mastery, power, control; master, victor), pl. tuir (i** thuir), coll. pl. túrath.

tûr

power

tûr (i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. tuir (i thuir), coll. pl. túrath.

tûr

power

(i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. t**uir (i th**uir), coll. pl. túrath.

vín

our

vín; see WE

vín

our

; see

ôl

dream

(noun) ôl (in compounds olo-; pl. ely for archaic öly). The pl. ely is the suggested Sindarin equivalent of ”Noldorin” elei (LR:379 s.v. OLOS)

ôl

dream

(in compounds olo-; pl. ely for archaic öly). – The pl. ely is the suggested Sindarin equivalent of ”Noldorin” elei (LR:379 s.v. OLOS)

men

pronoun. us

gwaith

noun. man power, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people

gweith

noun. man power, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people

forodrim

noun. Northmen

forodwaith

noun. Northmen

forodweith

noun. Northmen

anw

noun/adjective. male (person or animal)

A word appearing as N. anw in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ON. anu under the root ᴹ√ƷAN “male”, where its positioning makes it appear as if it was a cognate of ᴹQ. hanu “a male (man or animal)” (Ety/ƷAN). In the original version of this entry, it was simply glossed “male”, and was initially given as (deleted) {ganw} (EtyAC/ƷAN).

Conceptual Development: Precursors to this word include G. an “person” and G. anos “man” from the Gnomish Lexicon (GL/19).

Neo-Sindarin: Most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. anu to better fit Sindarin’s phonology. In HSD (HSD), Didier Willis suggested (as originally proposed by David Salo) that this word is most likely an adjective, the cognate of adjective ᴹQ. hanwa “male” rather than the noun ᴹQ. hanu “a male (man or animal)”. This is because it is generally believed that final -u (as in ✶ʒanu) vanishes in Noldorin/Sindarin, while the final -wa (as in ✶ʒanwa) would have developed into -u (Noldorin -w). However, I think the evidence of the loss of final -u in Noldorin is ambiguous and in fact N. anw might be a counterexample, especially since the Old Noldorin form was anu; see the entry on how [[s|final [i], [u] generally vanished]] for further discussion.

In any case, I think anu “male” can be used as a both a noun and an adjective for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

coe

noun. earth

An indeclinable word given as {cíw >>} coe “earth” in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√KEM (Ety/KEM; EtyAC/KEM).

Possible Etymology: The primitive form of rejected cíw is given as ᴹ✶kēm and its derivation is clear: the long ē became ī and then the final m reduced to w after i as usual. The derivation of coe is more obscure, however. The likeliest explanation is that Tolkien imagined its ancient form with a slightly lowered vowel which he generally represented as ǣ in this period (in later writings as ę̄). According to the first version of the Tengwesta Qenderinwa and Comparative Vowel Tables from the 1930s (PE18/46; PE19/25), ǣ &gt; ei &gt; ai &gt; ae, and in The Etymologies itself, it seems ai often became oe instead of ae.

Neo-Sindarin: Updating the derivation of hypothetical ✱kę̄m would produced ᴺS. cae in Sindarin phonology. But given the obscurity of its derivation, I recommend using 1950s S. ceven for “earth” instead.

garaf

noun. wolf

A noun for “wolf” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√ÑGARAM (Ety/ÑGAR(A)M).

Conceptual Development: This word seems to have replaced N. araf or aram derived from the rejected root ᴹ√ƷARAM with various glosses like “wolf” or (small or swift) “dog” (Ety/ƷARAM; EtyAC/ƷARAM). This in turn may be a later iteration of G. harog or harw “wolf” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s with feminine variant G. harach “a she-wolf” (GL/48).

ôl

noun. dream

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “dream” derived from the root ᴹ√OLOS of the same meaning (Ety/LOS, ÓLOS). It replaced a deleted form oll (EtyAC/LOS). It had an abnormal plural form elei “dreams”, derived from primitive olosī, where the intervocalic s was lost resulting in a diphthong. Following Sindarin plural patterns, the result is more likely to be ely “dreams”; see thely < ✱tholosī the (archaic) plural of S. thôl (PE17/188).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had some similar words: G. oloth or olor “a dream, apparition, vision” and G. olm “a dream” (GL/62), all based on the early root ᴱ√OLO (QL/69).

annûn

noun. west

dûn

noun. west

adar

noun. father

amar

noun. Earth

car(dh)

noun. house, house, *construction, structure

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s appearing as car or carð with the gloss “house” under the root ᴹ√KAR “make, build, construct” (Ety/KAR). Its Quenya cognate ᴹQ. kar (kard-) was glossed “building, house”.

Neo-Sindarin: Given the meaning of its root, I would use cardh for any kind of building-like construction or structure for purposes of Neo-Sindarin. For an ordinary “house” where people live, I would use S. bâr.

draug

noun. wolf

penedh

noun. Elf

ada

noun. father, daddy

adar

noun. father

amar

noun. earth

ambar

noun. earth

annûn

noun. west, sunset

anw

adjective. male

A literal interpretation of the Etymologies would class this word as a noun, but David Salo notes that the punctuation in The Etymologies is not always reliable. Noldorin anw cannot be cognate to the Quenya noun hanu (3anû) because the final -u would drop. It must rather be cognate to the Quenya adjective hanwa (3anwâ) attested under the stem INI, where it is also stated that inw, corresponding to Quenya inya "female", has been remodelled after anw. The combination of these two entries, along with the phonological evidences, clearly indicates that anw is actually an adjective

balan

noun. Vala, divine power, divinity

bein

adjective. beautiful, fair

benn

noun. man, male

beor

noun. follower, vassal

bior

noun. follower, vassal

brannon

noun. lord

brannon

noun. lord

car

noun. house, building

cardh

noun. house, building

coe

noun. earth

This word is indeclinable, according to the Etymologies

draug

noun. wolf

dîr

noun. man, referring to an adult male (elf, mortal, or of any other speaking race)

dûn

noun. west

feir

noun. mortal

firiel

noun. mortal maid

forodwaith

noun. the lands of the North

forodweith

noun. the lands of the North

garaf

noun. wolf

gaul

noun. wolf-howl

gobel

noun. walled house or village, town

gwaith

noun. manhood

gwaith

noun. region, wilderness

gweith

noun. manhood

gweith

noun. region, wilderness

heltha-

verb. to strip

The form helta- in the Etymologies is a misreading according to VT/46:14

oltha-

verb. to dream

othlon

noun. paved way

othlond

noun. paved way

pendrad

noun. passage up or down slope, stairway

pendrath

noun. passage up or down slope, stairway

penn

noun. Elf

rada-

verb. to make a way, find a way

ôl

noun. dream

mēn-

noun. a way, a going, a mov[ement]

nanmen-

verb. return

kemen

noun. earth

nor

root. run (or leap) of animals or men, run (or leap) of animals or men; [ᴹ√] run as of wheels, roll along, [ᴱ√] go smoothly, ride, spin

This root was the basis for Elvish words having to do with “running” and (in earlier notes) “rolling” for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√NORO “run, go smoothly, ride, spin” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/67), and it had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. nor- “run, roll” (GL/61) and dronn “race, course, track” < ✱n’rond- (GL/31). ᴹ√NORO “run as of wheels, roll along” reappeared in a page of roots in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948, though this page was deleted (PE22/127 note #152). √NOR “run (or leap: of animals, men etc.)” also appeared in some etymological notes associated with The Lord of the Rings, probably from the late 1950s (PE17/168).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I’d retain both senses “run” and “roll” for this root, but limit the latter to the rolling of wheels as an extrapolation from the movement of legs.

ndē̆r

noun. man

at(ar)

root. father

As the basis for “father” words, √AT and its extended form √ATAR date all the way back to Tolkien’s earliest ideas. The root itself did not explicitly appear in the Qenya or Gnomish Lexicons of the 1910s, but forms like ᴱQ. atar, G. †ador “father” indicate its presence (QL/33; GL/17). The root ᴹ√ATA “father” did appear in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. atar, N. adar (Ety/ATA) and the base √AT(AR) “father” was mentioned again in late 1960s notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals (VT48/19). In this late period, the Elvish words for “father” remained Q. atar and S. adar (PM/324).

an

preposition. to

atar

noun. father

banya

adjective. beautiful

gardā

noun. region

imte

pronoun. themselves

keme

noun. earth

lossē

noun. snow

n-uĕg

suffix. male

sris

root. snow

An apparently verbal root as √SRIS “snow” appearing in etymological notes from around 1959 with derivatives like Q. hrisse “fall of snow” and Q. hríza “it is snowing”; it replaced a deleted root √SRITH “snow” (PE17/168).

srith

root. snow

srāban

noun. wild beast

The primitive form of S. rhovan is attested in two different forms: ✶srāban < √SRAB (PE17/78) and ✶roban < √DROB or √SROB (PE17/99). Only the first of these could be the primitive of the attested Quenya cognate hravan.

srābā

noun. wild beast

tilde

noun. peak

Correction from: discord.com

wonā

adjective. male

¤kurwē

noun. power, ability

árātō

noun. lord

ñgūr

noun. wolf

arûn

masculine name. Lord

An Adûnaic name for Morgoth, perhaps coined by Sauron when he introduced the worship of the dark god to the Númenóreans, translated as “Lord” (SD/376). It is derived from the word ârû “king” and was sometimes used in a compound together with Morgoth’s true Adûnaic name: Arûn-Mulkhêr (SD/367). In other writings (SD/357) it was the original Adûnaic name of Morgoth before he fell to evil, but that hardly makes sense in the conceptual scenario of the later Silmarillion, in which Morgoth had already become evil before men awoke.

bâr

noun. lord

A noun translated as “lord” (SD/311, 428). This nouns wins the prize for “most inflected Adûnaic noun”, since we have declensions for this noun in both the draft Adûnaic grammar and the later grammar of Lowdham’s Report. As such, it is very helpful for comparing how the noun declensions changed as Tolkien developed Adûnaic grammar. For example, comparing its draft plurals bāri/bārim to its later plural bârî/bârîm indicate the draft plural was originally formed with a short rather than long i. There are a few lingering examples of this short-i plural in later writings (SD/247, 251).

Conceptual Development: In earlier writings the rejected name Kherû “Lord” (SD/376) indicates a possible earlier form of this noun; Kherû itself was changed to Arûn. A similar form reappears in later writings in the name Adûnakhôr “Lord of the West”: either akhôr or khôr “lord”. Whether or not this later word replaced bâr is unknown.

dâira

noun. Earth

A noun translated as “Earth” in the final version of the Lament of Akallabêth (SD/247). It may be related to S. dôr “land”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynn (AAD/13).

Conceptual Development: In the Lament of Akallabêth (first draft), this noun appeared as kamāt (SD/311).

kherû

masculine name. Lord

A rejected draft version of the Adûnaic name for Morgoth translated “Lord”, replaced by Arûn of the same meaning (SD/376). It is transparently a derivative of the Elvish root ᴹ√KHER, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynn (AAD/18). A later form of this word, ✱khôr “lord”, may appears as an element in the name Adûnakhôr “Lord of the West”.

yad-

verb. to go

A verb appearing in the Lament of Akallabêth in the form ayadda “(it) went” (SD/247, VT24/12). Its initial element is the 3rd persons neuter plural suffix a- “it”. This leaves the basic verb form yadda, which is the past tense according to the theories used here.

Conceptual Development: It appeared in the form yadda in the first draft version of the Lament, and this form was also briefly considered as a replacement for unakkha “he-came” in the first sentence of the Lament (SD/312).

khôr Reconstructed

noun. lord

An element meaning “lord” appearing only in the name Adûnakhôr “Lord of the West”, though a similar form appears in the earlier names Kherû “Lord” and Mulkhêr “Lord of Darkness”. It isn’t clear whether this element is ✱akhôr or ✱khôr, but khôr resembles the Primitive Elvish root √KHER “rule, govern, possess”, to which it may be related.

This possible relationship has been suggested by various authors (AL/Adûnaic, EotAL/KHUR). Andreas Moehn rejected the relationship, pointing out that Primitive Elvish ✶khēru “lord” would have developed phonetically into Ad. ✱✱khîru (EotAL). However, khôr may be derived from some more ancient Avari loan word, which underwent different phonetic developments than those of the Eldarin languages, perhaps ✶kher- > khar > khaur > Ad. khôr.

nê Reconstructed

pronoun. us

A first person plural object pronoun “us” attested only in the prepositional phrase “on us” in the Lament of Akallabêth, developing though the various drafts as nēnum >> nēnu >> nēnud (SD/247, 312). Most authors identify the element nê as the pronoun (AAD/20, LGtAG, NBA/14), which seems likely since the prepositional element is probably -num/nu/nud related to Q. nu “under”. It is not clear whether this pronoun can also be used as a subject pronoun “we”, or if it must always be an object “us”.

anâ

noun. human being

A noun translated “human being” (SD/426) given as an example of a noun ending in a long vowel that (archaically) uses the declension for a strong-noun (SD/437), an example of the extremely rare class of Strong-IIb nouns. By the time of Classical Adûnaic, it could be declined as an ordinary weak-noun instead. It also had masculine and feminine variants anû “(human) man” and anî “(human) woman” (SD/434) but in ordinary speech it seems likely that more specific words would be used: narû “man, male”, zinî “female”, kali “woman”.

attô

noun. father

A noun for “father” (SD/434). Tolkien gave two forms of this word, attû and attô, with no indication as to which would be preferred. For reasons similar to those given in the entry for ammê “mother”, my guess is that attû is an archaic form, and attô was preferred by the time of Classical Adûnaic. This word is probably related to the Elvish root √AT(AR) “father”, perhaps from Primitive Elvish ᴹ✶atū.

zadan

noun. house

A noun translated “house” and fully declined as an example of a Strong I noun (SD/430).

beorn

noun. man

The shift of e to eo is strange and has no direct parallels, but compare eo from i in meord "fine rain" (< primitive mizdê). Normally final -ô becomes -â in Nandorin (see golda), but here it is simply lost instead of producing *beorna. C.f. meord the other word where we might have expected to see a final -a (in that case from -ê); it may be that final vowels are lost in words that would otherwise come to have more than two syllables. - The shift of primitive s to r in besnô > beorn may be ascribed primarily to the blending with ber(n)ô, but r from z is seen in meord < mizdê; perhaps the s of besnô first became z and then r. Such developments are common in Quenya.

u

preposition. to

uzbad

noun. lord

atta

noun. father

cava

noun. house

rhába

noun. wild beast