nai (2) prefix "ill, grievously, abominably" (PE17:151), cf. naiquet-. Earlier material also lists an interjection nai "alas" _(NAY; this may be obsoleted by # 1 above; _Namárië uses ai! in a similar sense)
Quenya
nai
be it that
nai
ill, grievously, abominably
nai
adverb. maybe; be it that, may it be that; perhaps, it may be, there is a chance or possibility, maybe; be it that, may it be that; perhaps, it may be, there is a chance or possibility; [ᴱQ.] remoter possibility
nainaina-
verb. nainaina-
nainaina-, see naina-
naiquë
naiquë
[naiquë, naiquelë, naiquelëa] ("q"), see naicë, naicelë, naicelëa
naira
proper name. Naira
Naira
vast, wide, empty
naira (2) adj. "vast, wide, empty" (PE17:27)
Naira
heart of flame
Naira (1) noun "Heart of Flame", a name of the Sun (MR:198)
Naira
dreadful, horrible, unendurable
naira (3) adj. "dreadful, horrible, unendurable" (PE17:151)
naica
bitterly painful or grievous
naica (1) adj. "bitterly painful or grievous" (PE17:151)
naica
dagger
naica (2) noun "dagger" (GL:37)
naicando
sinner
#naicando (and #naico, both attested as plural forms in -or) noun "sinner" (VT43:33; Tolkien may have abandoned these forms i favour of #úcarindo)
naicelë
sharp pain
naicelë ("k")noun, apparently "sharp pain" (NÁYAK); changed by Tolkien from naiquelë ("q")(VT45:37)
naicelëa
painful
naicelëa ("k")adj. "painful" (NÁYAK); changed by Tolkien from naiquelëa ("q")(VT45:37)
naico
sinner
naico (1) noun "sinner"; see naicando
naico
of hill(s)
naico (2) ("k") inflected noun?"of hill(s)" (???) (MC:221; this is "Qenya")
naicë
sharp pain
naicë ("k")noun "sharp pain" (NÁYAK); changed by Tolkien from naiquë ("q")(VT45:37)
naina-
lament
naina- vb. "lament" (NAY), also reduplicated nainaina- (VT45:37). Gerund nainië, "lament" as a noun (RGEO:66)
naiqua-
verb. *to sin
@@*i naiquear* “✱who sin”.@@ Alexander Zapragajev: this “verb” predates this present-tense formation
naiquet-
to curse or blaspheme
naiquet- vb. "to curse or blaspheme" (PE17:151)
nairë
lament
nairë noun "lament" (NAY)
naitya-
put to shame, abuse
naitya- vb. "put to shame, abuse" (the latter gloss presumably referring to verbal abuse) (QL:65)
naitë
true
naitë adj. "true" (VT49:28)
nai-
prefix. ill, grievously, abominably
nai amanya onnalya ter coivierya
*may your (sg.) child be blessed throughout his/her life
nai calambar onnalda ter coivierya
*may your (pl.) child be light-fated throughout his/her life
nai elen atta siluvat aurenna veryanwesto
*may two stars shine upon the day of your wedding
nai elyë hiruva. namárië!
maybe even thou shalt find it. farewell!
Seventeenth line @@@
nai elyë hiruva. namárië!
be-it-that even you will find [it]. farewell!
The 17th and final phrase in the prose Namárië, which is essentially the same as its poetic version, differing only in its more literal translation. This is nothing particularly notable about its word order.
nai eru tye mánata
God bless you
nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto
may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading
nai lye hiruva airëa amanar
may thee find a blessed Amanar [Yule]
naiquet-
verb. to curse or blaspheme
nai tiruvantes i hárar mahalmassen mi númen
in the keeping of those who sit upon thrones of the West
Third phrase @@@
naica
adjective. bitterly painful or grievous
naina
noun. upstream
nainië
noun. lament, lament, *lamentation
naira
adjective. vast, wide, empty
naira
adjective. dreadful, horrible, unendurable, dreadful, horrible, unendurable, [ᴱQ.] dire, grievous
naitië
adverb. indeed, truly, indeed, truly, *really
@@@ gloss “really” suggested by Tamas Ferencz
naitë
adjective. true
na
to be
na (1) form of the verb "to be", evidently the imperative (or subjunctive): Tolkien stated that na airë would mean "be holy" (VT43:14), and san na (q.v.) must mean "thus be" = "let it be so"; see ná #1 Cf. also the sentence alcar mi tarmenel na Erun "glory in high heaven be to God" (VT44:32/34). Inserted in front of a verb, na expresses a wish: aranielya na tuluva "may thy kingdom come" (ibid).
naicando
noun. *sinner
naicea
adjective. cruel
naico
noun. *sinner
nai elen siluva lyenna
*may a star shine upon you
nai elen siluva parma-restalyanna meldonya
*may a star shine upon your book-fair, my friend
nai hirinyes
it may well chance for me to find it
nai nin híres
it may well chance for me to find it
naire
noun. sorrow
nairea
adjective. sorrowful
naite
adjective. true
naitie
noun. [truth]
nailyë
interjection. go ahead, you are welcome to proceed
nairenyanna
adverb. unfortunately, (lit.) to my sadness
A neologism equivalent “unfortunately” coined by Ellanto on 2023-05-29 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), literally “to my sadness”, the first person possessive allative form of [ᴹQ.] naire “sorrow”.
nainaima
adjective. lamentable
nainala
adjective. lamenting
nainalindë
noun. dirge, (lit.) lament-song
@@@ Discord 2023-01-11
nainima
adjective. lamentable
naiquéto
noun. blasphemer
nairë
noun. space (as a physical dimension)
naitya-
verb. to put to shame, abuse, *rebuke; to damage, hurt
@@@ gloss “rebuke” from NQNT
naityalë
noun. shame
naityana
adjective. shamed, ashamed
naico
noun. goat
naifélula
adjective. sore, painfully sensitive
naildë
interjection. go ahead
nairihta-
verb. to sprain, (lit.) wrench painfully
naita-
verb. to oppress, cause great grief to
naityë
interjection. go ahead
nyelet
nail
nyelet noun "nail" (of the finger), pl. nyelexi (PE15:75)
taxë
nail
taxë ("ks")noun "nail" (TAK)
elen
star
elen noun "star" (SA:êl, elen, EL, VT49:39); pl. eleni (occasionally in verse: eldi) (WJ:362, PE17:127); partitive pl. elelli for elenli (PE17:127), gen. pl. elenion in the phrase Elenion Ancalima "brightest of stars" (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385 for translation); elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44), genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45), eleni neldë "three stars", archaic elenion neldë = "of stars three". Genitive "of 3 stars" = elenion neldë (for archaic elenion neldëo) (VT49:45). Allative elenna "starwards" used as name of Númenor _(Silm; see Elenna)_; ablative pl. elenillor "from stars" in Markirya. **Nai elen siluva ***"may a star shine", VT49:38.
laurë
gold
†laurë noun "gold", but of golden light and colour, not of the metal: "golden light" (according to PE17:61 a poetic word). Nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto "may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading" (VT49:47). In Etym defined as "light of the golden Tree Laurelin, gold", not properly used of the metal gold (LÁWAR/GLÁWAR, GLAW(-R), VT27:20, 27, PE17:159). In early "Qenya", however, laurë was defined as "(the mystic name of) gold" (LT1:255, 258) or simply "gold" (LT1:248, 268). In Laurelin and Laurefindil, q.v., Laurenandë "Gold-valley" = Lórien (the land, not the Vala) (UT:253) and laurinquë name of a tree, possibly *"Gold-full one" (UT:168). Laurendon "like gold" or "in gold fashion" (but after citing this form, Tolkien decided to abandon the similative ending -ndon, PE17:58).
lye
thou/thee, you
lye pron. "thou/thee, you", 2nd person sg. formal/polite (corresponding to familiar/intimate tye, q.v.) (VT49:36) It seems the original stem-form was le (VT49:50), distinct from de as a plural "you", but when initial d became l and the forms threatened to fall together, le was apparently altered to lye by analogy with the ending -lyë and the emphatic pronoun elyë. Stressed lyé (VT49:51). For lye as object, cf. nai Eru lye mánata "God bless you" (VT49:39). Allative lyenna "to you, upon you" (VT49:40-41). Compare the reflexive pronoun imlë "yourself, thyself", q.v. (it did not have to be *imlyë, for the corresponding pl. pronoun indë "yourselves" is distinct anyhow).
ná
is
ná (1) vb. "is" (am). (Nam, RGEO:67). This is the copula used to join adjectives, nouns or pronouns "in statements (or wishes) asserting (or desiring) a thing to have certain quality, or to be the same as another" (VT49:28). Also in impersonal constructions: ringa ná "it is cold" (VT49:23). The copula may however be omitted "where the meaning is clear" without it (VT49:9). Ná is also used as an interjection "yes" or "it is so" (VT49:28). Short na in airë [] na, "[] is holy" (VT43:14; some subject can evidently be inserted in the place of [].) Short na also functions as imperative: alcar mi tarmenel na Erun "glory in high heaven be to God" (VT44:32/34), also na airë "be holy" (VT43:14); also cf. nai "be it that" (see nai #1). The imperative participle á may be prefixed (á na, PE17:58). However, VT49:28 cites ná as the imperative form. Pl. nar or nár "are" (PE15:36, VT49:27, 9, 30); dual nát (VT49:30). With pronominal endings: nányë/nanyë "I am", nalyë or natyë "you (sg.) are" (polite and familiar, respectively), nás "it is", násë "(s)he is", nalmë "we are" (VT49:27, 30). Some forms listed in VT49:27 are perhaps to be taken as representing the aorist: nain, naityë, nailyë (1st person sg, and 2nd person familiar/polite, respectively); does a following na represent the aorist with no pronominal ending? However, the forms nanyë, nalyë, ná, nassë, nalme, nar (changed from nár) are elsewhere said to be "aorist", without the extra vowel i (e.g. nalyë rather than nailyë); also notice that *"(s)he is" is here nassë rather than násë (VT49:30).Pa.t. nánë or né "was", pl. náner/nér and dual nét "were" (VT49:6, 9, 10, 27, 28, 30, 36). According to VT49:31, né "was" cannot receive pronominal endings (though nésë "he was" is attested elsewhere, VT49:28-29), and such endings are rather added to the form ane-, e.g. anen "I was", anel "you were", anes "(s)he/it was" (VT49:28-29). Future tense nauva "will be" (VT42:34, VT49:19, 27; another version however gives the future tense as uva, VT49:30). Nauva with a pronominal ending occurs in tanomë nauvan "I will be there" (VT49:19), this example indicating that forms of the verb ná may also be used to indicate position. Perfect anaië "has been" (VT49:27, first written as anáyë). Infinitive (or gerund) návë "being", PE17:68. See also nai #1.
nëa
to be
nëa (2) an optative form of the verb na- "to be"? (nëa = LotR-style Quenya nai?): ya rato nëa "which soon may (it) be" = "which I hope will be soon" (Arct)
onna
creature
onna noun "creature" (ONO), "child" (PE17:170), also translated "child" in the plural compound Aulëonnar "Children of Aulë", a name of the Dwarves (PM:391), and apparently also used = "child" in the untranslated sentence nai amanya onnalya ter coivierya ("k") "be it that your child [will be] blessed thoughout his/her life" (VT49:41). The form onya (q.v.), used as a vocative "my child", is perhaps shortened from *onnanya.
savin elessar ar <u>i</u> nánë aran ondórëo
that
i (3) conj. "that". Savin Elessar ar i nánë aran Ondórëo "I believe that Elessar really existed and that [he] was a king of Gondor" (VT49:27), savin…i E[lesarno] quetië naitë *"I believe that Elessars speaking [is] true" (VT49:28) Also cf. nai, nái "be it that" (see nai #1), which may seem to incorporate this conjunction.
nyelet
noun. nail (of the finger)
nyéna-
lament
nyéna- vb. "lament" (LT1:262). Compare naina- in Tolkiens later Quenya.
elen
noun. star
The most common Quenya word for “star”, mentioned very frequently, derived from an extended form ✶elen of the root √EL “behold” (PE17/67; WJ/360, 362). Its usual plural form is eleni, but it has an archaic plural †eldi sometimes used in verse, the result of the Ancient Quenya sound whereby [[aq|[ln] became [ld]]] after the ancient plural underwent the Quenya syncope, ✶elenī > AQ. elni; its normal modern plural form eleni was actually a reformation from the singular (PE17/57, 151; WJ/362).
Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, though in the original entry for the root ᴹ√EL Tolkien said it was poetical and gave variants ellen and elena (Ety/EL).
ná-
verb. to be, to be, [ᴱQ.] exist
The basic Quenya verb for “to be”, based on the root √NĀ (PE17/93). It was typically used as the copula equating a noun to another noun or an adjective:
> √NA joining adjs./nouns/pronouns in statements (or wishes) asserting (or desiring) a thing to have a certain quality, or to be the same as another (PE22/147).
In many circumstances this verb was optional:
> As a copula “be, is” is not usually expressed in Quenya where the meaning is clear: sc. in such expressions as “A is good” where the adjective (contrary to the usual order in Quenya of a qualifying adjective) follows: the normal Quenya for this is A mára (PE17/93).
For further discussion see the entry on the Quenya copula.
Conceptual Development: This verb dates back all the way to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was given as the early root ᴱ√NĀ “be, exist” (QL/64). This verb and its root appeared regularly throughout Tolkien’s writings thereafter, but at times Tolkien considered alternative verbs for “to be”; see the entry ëa- for further discussion.
yánë
noun. space (as a physical dimension)
A neologism for “space (as a physical dimension)” based on yána “vast, wide”. For example: “space and time” = yáne ar lúme. Paul Strack coined this neologism specifically for Eldamo to replace [ᴺQ.] nairë from the NQW based on naira “vast, wide, empty”, since that adjective based on a probably-abandoned root √ÑGAY.
nehtë
noun. spearhead, gore, wedge, narrow promontory; angle
-ië
suffix. is
-ië (3) "is", -ier "are", stative verb suffix occurring in Fíriel's Song: númessier "they are in the west", meldielto "they are...beloved", talantië "he is fallen", márië "it is good" (< *númessë "in the west", melda "beloved", *talanta "fallen"); future tense -iéva in hostainiéva "will be gathered" (< *hostaina "gathered"). Compare ye "is", yéva "will be", verbs that also occur in Fíriel's Song. This suffix is probably not valid in LotR-style Quenya: -ië is an infinitival or gerundial ending in CO, for ye "is" Namárië has ná, and the phrase "lost is" is vanwa ná, not *vanwië.
-ndor
land
-ndor, final element in compounds: "land" (Letters:308, UT:253)
Illuin
blue
Illuin place-name, name of one of the Lamps of the Valar; apparently incorporating the element luin "blue" (Silm): hence *"all-blue"?
Lindissë
woman
Lindissë fem.name, perhaps lin- (root of words having to do with song/music) + (n)dissë "woman" (see nís). (UT:210)
Nando
valley, wide valley
nando (2) "valley, wide valley", variant of nandë #1, q.v. (PE17:80)
Tar-culu
gold
Tar-culu ("k"), name listed in the Etymologies but not elsewhere attested. The second element is apparently culu "gold" (a word Tolkien seems to have abandoned); Hostetter and Wynne suggest that this may be an alternative name of Tar-Calion (= Ar-Pharazôn "the Golden"); see VT45:24.
aica
sharp
aica (1) ("k") adj. "sharp" _(AYAK) or "fell, terrible, dire" (PM:347; according to PM:363 seldom applied to evil things)_. In Aicanáro, q.v.
angayanda
miserable
angayanda adj. "miserable" (QL:34)
angayassë
misery
angayassë noun "misery" (LT1:249, QL:34)
canya
adjective. wise
carca
tooth
carca noun "tooth" (KARAK) or "fang" (SA:carak-). In a deleted version of the entry in question, the glosses were "tooth, spike, peak" (VT45:19). When referring to a normal tooth, not necessarily sharp, the word nelet is probably to be preferred. Cf. also pl. carcar _("karkar") _in Markirya, there translated "rocks", evidently referring to sharp rocks. Already the early "Qenya Lexicon" has carca ("k")"fang, tooth, tusk" (LT2:344). Collective carcanë, q.v.
cendë
point
cendë noun "point" (PE16:96)
cendë
noun. point
culo
gold
[culo, culu ("k")noun "gold" (substance)] (KUL, VT49:47; the word culu_ also occurred in early "Qenya" [LT1:258], but in the Etymologies it was struck out; the regular Quenya word for "gold" is apparently _malta. In another version, culo meant "flame" [VT45:24], but this is apparently also a word Tolkien abandoned.)
ea-
verb. be, exist
ecya
sharp
#ecya adj. "sharp" in Ecyanáro ("k") "Sharp Flame", masc. name, Sindarin Aegnor(VT41:14, 19). The Quenya form of Aegnor is elsewhere given as Aicanáro instead.
ehtë
spear
ehtë (stem *ehti-, given the primitive form ekti) noun "spear" (EK/EKTE). Another word for "spear" is hatal.
engwë
thing
engwë noun "thing" (VT39:7, VT49:28). Extrapolation may also point to *engwë as an emphatic dual inclusive pronoun "we" (thou and I), corresponding to the ending -ngwë.
hatal
spear
hatal noun "spear" (VT49:14, 33). Another word for "spear" is ehtë.
hatal
noun. spear, spear, *javelin
i
pronoun. that
i, antevokaliskt in
conjunction. that
isqua
wise
isqua ("q") adj. "wise" (LT2:339).
istima
adjective. wise, knowledgeable, v.well informed
iswa
wise
iswa adj. "wise" (LT2:339); rather saila in Tolkiens later Quenya.
kwí
maybe, perhaps
kwí, kwíta, particle indicating uncertainty (evidently like English "maybe, perhaps"). We would expect the spelling quí, quíta (VT42:34). See cé (which form is perhaps to be preferred)
luinë
blue
luinë adj. "blue", pl. luini (PE17:66, VT48:23, 24, 28, Nam, RGEO:66). Common Eldarin luini- would also be the stem-form in Quenya (VT48:24). Compare luinincë. Apparently -luin in Illuin, the name of one of the Lamps of the Valar (q.v.), Helluin, name of the star Sirius, and Luinil, name of another blue-shining star (or planet). (SA; Luinil is tentatively identified with Neptune, MR:435). Cf. also menelluin "sky-blue", used as noun = "cornflower" (J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator p. 193).
luinë
adjective. blue
lúnë
blue
lúnë (stem *lúni-, given the primitive form ¤lugni) adj. "blue" (LUG2, LT1:262; later sources rather give luinë, with pl. form luini_ in Namárië)_. According to VT45:29, lúnë in the Etymologies was changed by Tolkien from lúna.
maica
sharp, piercing
maica (1) ("k")adj. "sharp, piercing" (SA:maeg), cf. hendumaica and the noun maica below.
malta
gold
malta noun "gold", also name of tengwa #18 (Appendix E). The Etymologies (entry SMAL) instead has malda, q.v. for discussion, but according to VT46:14, the form malta originally appeared in the Etymologies as well. Also compare the root MALAT listed in PM:366.
mentë
point, end
mentë noun "point, end" (MET)
metta
end
metta noun "end"; Ambar-metta "world-end, the end of the world" (EO); mettarë *"end-day" = New Years' Eve in the Númenórean calendar and the Steward's Reckoning, not belonging to any month (Appendix D). The word Mettanyë, heading the final part of the poem The Trees of Kortirion, would seem to be related (LT1:43)
mëar
gore
mëar noun "gore" (LT1:260)
nalda
valley
nalda adj. "valley" (used as an adjective), also "lowly" (LT1:261, QL:66)$
nandë
valley
nandë (1) noun "valley" in Laurenandë (UT:253), elided nand in the name Nand Ondoluncava (k") "Stonewain Valley" (PE17:28). Possibly the complete word is here meant to be the variant nando (PE17:80), as suggested by the alternative form Ondoluncanan(do) ("k") "Stonewain Valley". Also nan, nand- noun "valley" (Letters:308); Nan-Tasarion "Vale of Willows" (LotR2:III ch. 4) (Note that this and the next nandë would be spelt differently in Tengwar writing, and originally they were also pronounced differently, since nandë "harp" was ñandë in First Age Quenya.)
nandë
noun. valley
nat
thing
nat noun "thing" (NĀ2); compare únat. VT49:30 lists "năta, nat", but it is unclear whether năta is here a Quenya word or an etymological form underlying Quenya nat.
nat
noun. thing, thing, [ᴹQ.] object
The usual Quenya noun for “thing” derived from the root √NĀ “be, exist” (VT49/30, Ety/NĀ²), so perhaps prehistorically simply “a thing that is”. Its plural form nati is indirectly attested in the plural únati of its (strong) negation únat “a thing impossible to be or to be done” (VT39/26).
Conceptual Development: This word is well established in Tolkien’s writings, appearing all the way back in the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s (QL/64). In its earliest iteration, its stem form was natt- and its plural was natsi, where [[eq|[ti] became [tsi]]] as was the usual pattern in Early Qenya. The word reappear in texts and notes from the 1920s (PE14/43, 72; PE15/32, 68, 78). In one early dictionary entry it was glossed more generally as “affair, matter, thing”, but this entry was deleted (PE15/68); in other early writings the word for “affair” was given as ᴱQ. natto (QL/64). The word reappeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s with a simplified stem form nat- given its Noldorin equivalent N. nad (Ety/NĀ²). The word appeared again in the late 1960s in notes associated with Q. ná- “to be”, where it was given the primitive form ✶năta (VT49/30).
ne
that
ne (2) conj. "that" (as in "I know that you are here") (PE14:54), evidently replaced by i in Tolkiens later Quenya (see i #3).
neccë
angle
neccë ("k")noun "angle" (PE17:45). Variant of nehtë #1, q.v.
neccë
noun. angle
nehta
spearhead
nehta (1) noun "spearhead", isolated from nernehta, q.v.
nehtë
angle
nehtë (1) noun "angle" (PE17:55), any formation or projection tapering to a point: a spearhead, gore, wedge, narrow promontory (UT:282). Variant neccë.
nelcë
tooth
nelcë ("k")noun "tooth", also nelet (VT46:3)
neldëa
third
neldëa ordinal "third" (VT42:25); also nelya. Cf. neldë.
neldëa
ordinal. third
nelet
tooth
nelet, also nelcë ("k")noun "tooth", pl. nelci ("k") suggesting a stem-form nelc- (NÉL-EK)
nelya
third
nelya adj. "third" (VT42:25; also neldëa). Pl. Nelyar "Thirds", the original name of the Teleri (or rather the direct Quenya descendant of the original Primitive Quendian name) (WJ:380).
nelya
ordinal. third
nerca
sharp, angular
nerca adj. "sharp, angular" (PE17:55), variant nexa (reading uncertain).
nexa
sharp, angular
nexa adj. "sharp, angular" (PE17:55; the editor indicates that the reading is uncertain, so the variant nerca may be preferred.)
ninwa
blue
ninwa adj. "blue" (LT1:262)
nissë
woman
nissë noun "woman" (NDIS-SĒ/SĀ, NI1, NIS, VT47:33); see nís. Note: nissë could apparently also mean "in me", the locative form of the 1st person pronoun ni, q.v.
nissë
noun. woman
nixë
frost
nixë noun "frost" (WJ:417); previously described as a synonym of niquis "ice-flake or snowflake", q.v. (PE17:168)
noi
lament
noi noun "lament" (NAY)
nwalca
cruel
nwalca ("k")adj. "cruel" (ÑGWAL; this must represent earlier *ñwalca = *ngwalca; these forms are not given in Etym, but compare nwalmë_ below. In Tengwar writing, the initial NW would be represented by the letter nwalmë.)_
nwalma
pain
nwalma noun "pain" _(VT46:4. In Tengwar writing, the initial NW would be represented by the letter nwalmë.)_
nyarro
rat
nyarro noun "rat", the most likely reading of Tolkien's manuscript. Christopher Tolkien originally read the word as "nyano" (so in the published Etymologies, entry NYAD), but the "Noldorin"/Sindarin cognates nadhr, nadhor (VT46:7) indicate that the primitive form is meant to be *nyadrō, which form could hardly yield "nyano" in Quenya.
nyéni
she-goat
nyéni noun "she-goat" (LT1:262)
náma
noun. thing
A word for a “thing” in notes from 1969, likely a combination of ná- “be” and the instrumental suffix -ma, appearing in the phrase eleni námaron anírime “stars are the most beautiful of (created) things”. In the translation of the phrase Tolkien put a parenthetical “created” before the gloss “things”, but I don’t think he intended to imply that this was part of the meaning of the word, but rather a sense omitted from the Quenya phrase.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would stick to the better attested nat “thing”.
ní
woman, female
†ní (2) noun "woman, female" (NI1, INI (NĒR ) ). Not to be confused with ní as a stressed form of the pronoun ni "I".
nína
woman
#nína (gen.pl. nínaron attested) noun "woman" (VT43:31; this word, as well as some other experimental forms listed in the same source, seem ephemeral: several sources agree that the Quenya word for "woman" is nís, nis [q.v.])
nís
woman
nís (niss-, as in pl. nissi) noun "woman" _(MR:213. The Etymologies gives _nis (or nissë), pl. nissi: see the stems NDIS-SĒ/SĀ, NI1, NIS (NĒR), VT46:4; compare VT47:33. In Tolkien's Quenya rendering of Hail Mary, the plural nísi occurs instead of nissi; this form is curious, since nísi would be expected to turn into *nízi, *_níri** (VT43:31). VT47:33 suggests that Tolkien at one point considered _niþ- as the older form of the stem, which etymology would solve this problem (since s from older þ does not become z > r). Even so, the MR forms, nís with stem niss-, may be preferred. - Compare †ní, #nína, nisto, Lindissë.
nóla
wise, learned
nóla ("ñ") (1) adj. "wise, learned" (ÑGOL) (note that this and the next nóla would be spelt differently in Tengwar writing, and originally they were also pronounced differently, since nóla "wise, learned" was ñóla in First Age Quenya).
nór
land
nór noun "land" (stem nor-, PE17:106) this is land as opposed to water and sea (nor in Letters:308). Cf. nórë.
nór
noun. land
A term for “land” as in “(dry) land as opposed to the sea”, mentioned in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/413) and again in notes from around 1968 (PE17/106-107).
Possible Etymology: In the Quendi and Eldar essay this term was derived from primitive ✶ndōro, but in the aforementioned 1968 notes Tolkien clarified that its stem form was nŏr-. This means it was probably derived from ancient ✱ndŏr-, where the long vowel in the uninflected form was inherited from the Common Eldarin subjective form ✱ndōr, a phenomenon also seen in words like nér (ner-) “man”. I prefer this second derivation, as it makes the independent word more distinct from the suffixal form -ndor or -nóre used in the names of countries.
nóre
noun. land
nórë
land
nórë noun "land" (associated with a particular people) (WJ:413), "country, land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live, race, clan" (NŌ, NDOR, BAL), also used = "race, tribe, people" (SA:dôr, PE17:169; however, the normal word for "people" is lië). Early "Qenya" hasnórë "native land, nation, family, country" (in compounds -nor) (LT1:272)
sa
conjunction. that
saila
wise
#saila adj. "wise" (isolated from alasaila [q.v.] "unwise" in a late source)
saila
adjective. wise
saira
wise
saira adj. "wise" (SAY, VT46:12; a later source has the alternative formation #saila as above)
sana
that
sicil
dagger, knife
sicil ("k")noun "dagger, knife" (SIK)
ta
that, it
ta (1) pron. "that, it" (TA); compare antaróta** "he gave it" (FS); see anta-. The forms tar/tara/tanna "thither", talo/tó "thence" and tás/tassë* "there" are originally inflected forms of this pronoun: "to that", "from that" and "in that" (place), respectively. Compare "there" as one gloss of ta (see #4).
tana
that
tana (1) demonstrative "that" (said to be "anaphoric") (TA). According to VT49:11, tana is the adjective corresponding to ta, "that" as a pronoun.
tana
that
A word for “that” appearing in a list of demonstratives from 1968, an adjectival form of ta “that” (VT49/11). This adjective also appeared in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/135). Similarly formed ᴹQ. tana appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/85, 104-105) where it could also be used both adjectivally (“that”) and substantively (“that fact”). ᴹQ. tana “that” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s but in that document Tolkien said it was “anaphoric” (Ety/TA), as opposed to later when Q. sana was used for anaphoric that (PE16/97; PE23/104).
Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. táma was “this” rather than “that” (QL/87). The Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s had ᴱQ. {santa >>} sanda “that” (PE14/55), but drafts of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from around 1930 seem to have tanda for “that” (PE16/56-57, 60).
tanya
that
tanya demonstrative "that" (MC:215; this is "Qenya", perhaps corresponding to later tana)
tilma
noun. point
tyel
end
tyel (1) noun "end", stem tyeld- as in the pl. form tyeldi (FS, KYEL; the pl. form tyeldi_ was misread as "tyelde" in the Etymologies as printed in LR; cf. VT45:25 for this correction)_. Cf. tyelma.
tyel-
end, cease
tyel- (2) vb. "end, cease" (KYEL)
tára
wise
tára (2) ?"wise". (From tentative notes trying to explain Daur [unlenited *Taur] as Sindarin name of Frodo; the more normal word for "wise" seems to be saila/saira.)
tára
adjective. wise
ulcarindo
noun. *sinner
wenci
woman, maiden
wenci ("k") noun, apparently a diminutive form of the stem wēn- "woman, maiden". It is possible that this is meant to be Common Eldarin rather than Quenya; if so the Quenya form would be *wencë (compare nercë "little man") (VT48:18)
winca
corner, nook
winca noun "corner, nook" (QL:104, there written winka). Read *vinca if this early "Qenya" form is to be adapted to LotR-style Third Age Quenya.
yana
that
yana demonstrative "that" (the former) (YA)
ye
is
ye (2) copula "is" (FS, VT46:22); both earlier and later sources rather point to ná (q.v.) as the copula "is", so ye may have been an experiment Tolkien later abandoned. Future tense yéva, q.v.
yána
vast, huge; wide
yána (1) adj. "vast, huge; wide" (PE17:99, 115); also yanda, q.v.
é
indeed
é adverbial particle "indeed" that may be prefixed to a sentence (VT45:11). Short e in the sentence e man antaváro? "what will he give indeed?" (LR:63).
él
star
†él noun "star", pl. éli given (WJ:362, EL)
él
noun. star
An archaic or poetic word for star (WJ/362), somewhat common in compounds but in ordinary speech typically appearing as elen. It was derived directly from the primitive root √EL “behold”, the basis for other star words (PM/340; WJ/360).
Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as poetical ᴹQ. él “star” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above, though in this document the root ᴹ√EL meant “star” (Ety/EL), a common gloss for the root in later writings as well.
ílë
star
ílë noun "star" (LT1:269; rather elen, él in LotR-style Quenya.)
úcarindo
sinner
#úcarindo (pl. úcarindor, VT43:27) noun "sinner"; cf. úcar-. The form úlcarindor occurring in an older variant of the text in question seems abnormal, since Quenya rarely has a long vowel in front of a consonant cluster (VT43:33)
úcarindo
noun. *sinner
úyë
is
úyë vb., a form occurring in Fíriel's Song (cf. VT46:22), apparently ye "is" with the negative prefix ú-, hence "is not" (úyë sérë indo-ninya símen, translated "my hearth resteth not here", literally evidently *"[there] is not rest [for] my heart here")
mehar
noun. gore
neltë
noun. corner
tel
noun. end
vennassë
noun. angle
áldë
interjection. go ahead
ályë
interjection. go ahead
átyë
interjection. go ahead
nai (1) imperative verb "be it that", used with a verb (usually in the future tense) to express a wish. The translation "maybe" in Tolkien's rendering of Namárië is somewhat misleading; he used "be it that" in the interlinear translation in RGEO:67. Apparently this is na as the imperative "be!" with a suffix -i "that", cf. i #3. It can be used with the future tense as an "expression of wish" (VT49:39). Nai hiruvalyë Valimar! Nai elyë hiruva! "May thou find Valimar. May even thou find it!" (Nam, VT49:39). Nai tiruvantes "be it that they will guard it" > "may they guard it" (CO). Nai elen siluva parma-restalyanna "may a star shine upon your book-fair" (VT49:38), nai elen siluva lyenna "may a star shine upon you" (VT49:40), nai elen atta siluvat aurenna veryanwesto "may two stars shine upon the day of your wedding" (VT49:42-45), nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto "may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading" (VT49:47). Nai may also be used with a present continuative verb if an ongoing situation is wished for: Nai Eru lye mánata "God bless you" (VT49:39) or literally "be it that God is (already) blessing you". The phrase nai amanyaonnalya "be it that your child [will be] blessed" omits any copula; Tolkien noted that "imper[ative] of wishes precedes adj." (VT49:41). VT49:28 has the form nái for "let it be that"; Patrick Wynne theorizes that nái is actually an etymological form underlying nai (VT49:36)