nan

but

nan conj. "but" (FS); the Etymologies also gives ná, nán (NDAN), but these words may be confused with forms of the verb "to be", so nan should perhaps be preferred, unless for "but" one uses the wholly distinct word mal. In Tolkien's later Quenya, it may be that he introduced new words for "but" to free up nan for another meaning (perhaps the adverb "back", compare the prefix nan-).

nan

woodland

nan (nand-) noun "woodland" (LT1:261)

nan

adverb. again

nandorin

proper name. Nandorin

An adjective describing the Silvan Elves, the Nandor, as well as a name for their language (WJ/390, 407), a combination of their tribal name with the language/adjective suffix -rin.

nan-

backwards

nan- (prefix) "backwards" (NDAN) or "back", as in nanwen- "return" (go/come back, PE17:166), cf. also nanquernë *"turned back", the pl. form of nanquerna _(VT49:17-18). _Apparently assimilated nal- in nalláma "echo" (if this represents nan-láma "back-sound", sound coming back).

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.)

nanwen-

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.

Nanar

green-elves, *danians

Nanar pl. noun "Green-elves, *Danians", sg. *Nana (DAN)

Nando

valley, wide valley

nando (2) "valley, wide valley", variant of nandë #1, q.v. (PE17:80)

Nando

one who goes back on his word or decision

#Nando (1) pl. Nandor noun name of the Green-elves (Laiquendi). The primitive word ¤ndandō, whence Quenya Nando, implied "one who goes back on his word or decision", since the Nandor left the March from Cuiviénen to Aman. Adj. Nandorin. (WJ:412, VT48:32)

nanca

slain

nanca adj. *"slain" (PE17:68); see -na

nancar-

undo

#nancar- vb. "undo" (destroy). Cited in the form nancari- ("k"), apparently including the connecting vowel of the aorist (PE17:166)

nanda

vale (wide)

nanda noun "vale (wide)" (PE17:80), "water-mead, watered plain" (NAD)

nanda-

to harp

nanda- ("ñ")vb. "to harp" (ÑGAN/ÑGÁNAD)

nandaro

harper

nandaro ("ñ")noun "harper" (ÑGAN/ÑGÁNAD)

nandellë

little harp

nandellë ("ñ")noun "little harp" (ÑGAN/ÑGÁNAD)

nandelë

harping

nandelë ("ñ")noun "harping" (ÑGAN/ÑGÁNAD)

nandin

fay of the country

nandin noun "fay of the country" (LT1:261)

nandë

harp

nandë (2) ("ñ")noun "harp" (ÑGAN/ÑGÁNAD; according to VT46:3, Tolkien changed the final vowel from -a to -ë)

nangwa

jaw

nangwa noun "jaw" (NAK)

nanwa

existing, actual (true)

nanwa adj. "existing, actual (true)" (VT49:30). Compare the near-synonym anwa.

nanwë

ebb, lowtide

nanwë noun "ebb, lowtide" (VT48:26). Compare lanwë.

nanwa

adjective. existing, actual (true), existing, actual (true), *real; [️ᴱQ.] being

nanwë

noun. ebb, lowtide

Nandor

noun. Danian Elves

Danian Elves

nanda

noun. vale (wide)

nandë

noun. valley

Noirinan

valley of the tombs

Noirinan noun the "Valley of the Tombs" in Númenor (evidently *noirë*, noiri- "tomb" + nan** "valley") (UT:166)

Tasarinan

willow-vale

Tasarinan(þ) place-name *"Willow-vale", also Nan-Tasarion (LotR2:III ch. 4)

Nandor

Nandor

Nandor is a Quenya name, meaning "Those who go back", apparently containing the element nan-.

nangwesa

noun. answer

nanwera

noun. ransom

nanwerë

noun. ransom

nangwë

noun. victory

nanwenda

noun. ransom

-on

name

-on gen.pl. ending (3O), in aldaron, aranion, elenion, Eldaron, #esseron, Ingweron, Istarion, Númevalion, Quendion, Silmarillion, Sindaron, tasarion (see Nan-Tasarion), Valion, wenderon, yénion. Normally the ending -on is added to the nominative plural, whether it ends in -i or -r, but some nouns in -ë that would have nominative plurals in -i seem to prefer the ending -ron in the genitive (hence #esseron as the gen. pl. of essë "name", though the nominative pl. is attested as essi and we might have expected the gen. pl. *ession; similarly wenderon, Ingweron).

men-

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.

nalláma

echo

nalláma, nallama noun "echo" (LAM). The initial element may be nan- "back", hence "back-sound", sound that comes back (cf. láma).

ná

but, on the contrary, on the other hand

ná (2), also nán, conj. "but, on the contrary, on the other hand" (NDAN; the form nan, q.v., is probably to be preferred to avoid confusion with ná "is", *nán "I am").

tasar

willow-tree

tasar, tasarë (þ) noun "willow-tree" (TATHAR). In Tasarinan "Willow-valley", Nan-tasarion "Valley of willows" (SA:tathar)

-na

no longer part of verbal conjugation

-na (4), ending used to form passive participles as well as some adjectives and nouns; see -ina. According to PE17:68, the ending -na was "no longer part of verbal conjugation"; the derived words are thus considered independent adjectives (sometimes nouns) rather than regularly derived passive participles, the obvious etymological connection to certain verbal stems notwithstanding. Where adding the ending to a root would produce the combinations tn, pn, kn (cn), metathesis occurs to produce nt, (np >) mp, nc, as in nanca *"slain" for older ¤ndakna, or hampa "restrained, delayed, kept" vs. the root KHAP "retain, keep, detain". Following -l, the suffix -na turns into -da, as in yulda "draught, the amount drunk" for older yulna (this being an example of a noun being derived with this ending, though Tolkien might also explain yulda as containing a distinct ending -da [q.v.] denoting the result of a verbal action). The word *turúna "mastered" (q.v., only attested in elided form turún) would seem to be a passive participle formed from the verb turu- "master" (PE17:113), suggesting that in the case of U-stem verbs, their final -u is lengthened to ú when -na is added.

lanwë

ebb-tide

lanwë (stem *lanwi-, given primitive form ¤danmi) noun "ebb-tide" (VT48:32). Compare nanwë.

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.

ondo

stone

ondo noun "stone" as a material, also "rock" (UT:459, GOND). Pl. ondor in an earlier variant of Markirya; partitive pl. locative ondolissë "on rocks" in the final version. Compounded in ondomaitar "sculptor in stone" (PE17:163), Ondoher masc.name, *"Stone-lord" (ondo alluding to Ondonórë = Sindarin Gondor, "stone-land") (Appendix A), #ondolunca ("k") "stonewain", possessive form in the place-name Nand Ondoluncava "Stonewain Valley" (PE17:28, also Ondoluncanan(do) as a compound). Ondolindë place-name "Gondolin" (SA:gond, J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator p. 193); see Ondo. Earlier "Qenya" has Ondolinda _(changed from Ondolin) "singing stone, Gondolin" (LT1:254)_

quer-

turn

#quer- vb. "turn" (transitive), attested as pa.t. quernë (VT49:18-20). Compare kuere (kwere) as one variant of a stem meaning "turn" (PE14:65). English intransitive "to turn" requires a reflexive pronoun in Quenya: mo quernë immo "one turned oneself" (VT49:6), in idiomatic English simply "one turned". Passive participle #querna "turned", isolated from nuquerna (q.v.) "under-turned" = reversed, turned upside down. Also in númenquerna "turned westward" (VT49:18), nanquernë "turned back", pl. form of *nanquerna (VT49:17-18, 20)

salmë

harp-playing

salmë noun "harp-playing" (LT1:265; rather nandelë in Tolkien's later Quenya)

tomba

noun. [unglossed]

tompë

noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat

@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20

-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.

-na

suffix. slain

A shorter ending -na also occurs, e.g. nahtana "slain" (VT49:24); the example hastaina "marred" would suggest that *nahtaina is equally possible. In the example aistana "blessed" (VT43:30), -na may be preferred to -ina for euphonic reasons, to avoid creating a second diphthong ai where one already occurs in the previous syllable (*aistaina). In PE17:68, the ending -ina is said to be "aorist" (unmarked as regards time and aspect); the same source states that the shorter ending -na is "no longer part of verbal conjugation", though it obviously survives in many words that are maybe now to be considered independent adjectives. See -na #4.

-ndor

land

-ndor, final element in compounds: "land" (Letters:308, UT:253)

Laiquendi

green-elves

Laiquendi noun "Green-elves", not much used (translated from Sindarin Laegil, Laegelrim) (WJ:385, SA:quen-/quet-, LÁYAK; spelt "Laiqendi" in the latter source)

amal

mother

amal noun "mother"; also emel (VT48:22, 49:22); the form amil (emil) seems more usual.

amil

mother

amil noun "mother" (AM1), also emil (q.v.) Longer variant amillë (VT44:18-19), compounded Eruamillë "Mother of God" in Tolkien's translation of the Hail Mary (VT43:32). If amil is a shortened form of amillë, it should probably have the stem-form amill-. Also compare amilyë, amya, emya. Compounded amil- in amilessë noun "mothername" (cf. essë "name"), name given to a child by its mother, sometimes with prophetic implications (amilessi tercenyë "mother-names of insight"). (MR:217).

amil(lë)

noun. mother

Tolkien used a number of similar forms for “mother” for most of his life. The earliest of these are ᴱQ. amis (amits-) “mother” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s along with variants ᴱQ. ambi, âmi, amaimi under the root ᴱ√AMA (QL/30). An additional variant ammi appeared in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/30). In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱQ. ambe or mambe “mother” (PE16/135). This became ᴹQ. amil “mother” in The Etymologies under the root ᴹ√AM “mother” (Ety/AM¹).

This 1930s form amil appears to have survived for some time. It appeared in a longer form Amille in Quenya Prayers of the 1950s (VT43/26; VT44/12, 18), and as an element in the term amilessi “mother-names” in a late essay on Elvish naming (MR/217). In the initial drafts of Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s Tolkien used the form amilye or amye as an affectionate word for “mother”, and amaltil as the finger name for the second finger (VT47/26-27 note #34 and #35).

However, in those documents Tolkien seems to have revised the root for “mother” from √AM to √EM and the affectionate forms from amye to emya or emme (VT47/10; VT48/6, 19). The revised word for “mother” appears to be emil based on the 1st person possessive form emil(inya) (VT47/26).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I prefer to retain the root √AM for “mother”, since that is what Tolkien used for 50 years, and ignore the very late change to √EM. As such, I would recommend amil(le) for “mother” and affectionate forms amme “mommy” and amya. However, if you prefer to use Tolkien’s “final” forms, then emil(le), emme and emya seem to be what Tolkien adopted in the late 1960s.

ammë

mother

ammë noun "mother" (AM1)

amya-

verb. [unglossed]

anat

but

anat conj. "but" (VT43:23; possibly an ephemeral form)

anta

noun. jaw

A noun appearing as ᴹQ. anta “face” in The Etymologies written around 1937 under the root ᴹ√ANA “to, towards” (Ety/ANA¹), based on an extension of this root: ᴹ√ANAT (EtyAC/ANA¹).

Conceptual Development: The earliest appearance of this word was as ᴱQ. anta “jaw” in The Qenya Phonology of the 1910s, where it was derived from ᴱ✶mtā, related to ᴱ√MATA “eat” (PE12/26). It was mentioned again in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon as a cognate to G. ant “cheek” (GL/19), but in the contemporaneous Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it was ᴱQ. anto “jaw” (QL/31; PME/31). ᴱQ. anta reappeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, but there it had the gloss “cheek” and its Gnomish cognate G. ant was “face” (PE13/137, 160). In Early Qenya Word-lists from the 1920s, however, anta retained the gloss “jaw” (PE16/136).

As noted above, in The Etymologies ᴹQ. anta had the gloss “face” and a new derivation from ᴹ√ANA “to, towards” (Ety/ANA¹), perhaps meaning “✱front of the head”. In that document Tolkien introduced ᴹQ. anka for “jaw” based on ᴹ√NAK “bite” (Ety/NAK). In notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from around this time, he revised the gloss of ᴹQ. anta from “jaw” to “face” (PE22/21 note #64), which was followed by a chart that had both anta “face” and anka “jaw” (PE22/22). However, he then wrote “jaw” faintly above anta and marked through the gloss of anka (PE22/22 note #67).

In version of these notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s, Tolkien had anta “jaws”, but there it was revised to ᴹQ. anto “mouth” (PE22/50 and note #185). In the version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa from around 1950 (TQ2) Tolkien again had Q. anta “jaw” < ✶amtā based on the root √MAT, but he revised the primitive form to ✶ankā and then marked through the entire paragraph (PE18/85 note #72). In the tengwar charts from Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien had Q. anca “jaw” and Q. anto “mouth” (LotR/1123).

To summarize, it seems Tolkien revised the meaning of word anta from “jaw” >> “cheek” >> “face” in the 1910s through 1930s; then in the 1940s and 50s he considered restoring anta “jaw” but ultimately settled on Q. anca “jaw” and Q. anto “mouth”.

Neo-Quenya: Given the ultimate result above, I think it is possible that the sense ᴹQ. anta “face” < √ANA “to(wards)” from The Etymologies remains viable, and I would use the word anta with that meaning for purposes of Neo-Quenya. I would also let it retain its ᴱQ. meaning “cheek”, as we have no other Quenya words with this sense.

apa

but

apa (3) conj. "but": melinyes apa la hé "I love him but not him" (another) (VT49:15)

apa

conjunction. but

apairë

victory

apairë noun "victory" (GL:17)

aquet

answer

[aquet noun? vb? "answer" (PE17:166)]

arra

adjective. [unglossed]

as

with

as prep. "with" (together with), also attested with a pronominal suffix: aselyë "with thee" (VT47:31, VT43:29). The conjunction ar "and" may also appear in assimilated form as before s; see ar #1.

as

with

o (2) prep. "with" (MC:216; this is "Qenya"; WJ:367 states that no independent preposition o was used in Quenya. Writers may rather use as.) See ó- below.

as

preposition. with

ata

again

ata adv. "again", also prefix ata-, at- "back, again, re-; second time, double" (AT(AT), PE17:166, cf. ataquanta-, ataquetië) or "two" (PE17:166), also "ambi-" as in ataformaitë, q.v.

cairë

?. [unglossed]

car-

with

#car- (2) prep. "with" (carelyë "with thee"), prepositional element (evidently an ephemeral form abandoned by Tolkien) (VT43:29)

conta-

verb. [unglossed]

cúma

noun. [unglossed]

ea

existing, being

emel

mother

emel noun "mother"; also amal (VT48:22, 49:22); the form amil (emil) seems more usual.

emil

mother

emil noun "mother", emilinya "my mother" (also reduced to emya) the terms a child would use in addressing his or her mother (VT47:26). Emil would seem to be a variant of amil. Also compare emel.

emil

noun. mother

endaquet-

answer

endaquet- vb. "answer" (gloss uncertain) (PE17:167)

entulessë

return

entulessë noun "return" (UT:171)

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.

entulessë

noun. return

esse

noun. name

essë

name

essë (1) noun "name", also later name of Tengwa #31, originally (MET) called árë (ázë). (Appendix E). With a pronominal ending esselya "thy name" (VT43:14). Pl. #essi in PM:339 and MR:470, gen.pl. #esseron "of names" in the compound Nómesseron (q.v.); we would rather have expected *ession, given the nom.pl. essi; perhaps #esser is a valid alternative plural form. Essecarmë noun "name-making" (MR:214, 470), Eldarin ceremony where the father announces the name of his child. Essecenta *("k") noun "Name-essay" (see centa) (MR:415); Essecilmë noun "name-choosing", an Eldarin ceremony where a child named him- or herself according to personal lámatyávë (q.v.) (MR:214, 471). The meaning Tolkien originally assigned to the word essë** in the Etymologies was "place" rather than "name" (VT45:12).

essë

noun. name

esta-

verb. name

felca

adjective. [unglossed]

felehta-

verb. [unglossed], *to excavate, tunnel, mine

An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from ✱phelektā- or ✱phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “✱to excavate, tunnel, mine”.

finca

noun. [unglossed]

hanquenta

answer

hanquenta vb.? noun? "answer" (PE17:176)

hanquenta

noun. answer, answer, *response

@@@ gloss “response” suggested by Tamas Ferencz

hendas

?. [unglossed]

hindo

noun. [unglossed]

hindë

noun. [unglossed]

holdë

noun. [unglossed]

háro

?. [unglossed]

lanwë

noun. ebb-tide

lelya-

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-

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.

lingi-

verb. [unglossed]

lé

with

lé (2) prep. "with" (PE17:95)

lé

preposition. with, with, [ᴹQ.] by, [ᴱQ.] with (accompaniment)

maitya

?. [unglossed]

mal

but

mal conj. "but" (VT43:23)

mal

conjunction. but

malsa

?. [unglossed]

mamil

mother, mummy

mamil noun *"mother, mummy" (UT:191)

melya-

verb. [unglossed], *to be in love

nahta

bite

nahta (2) noun "a bite" (NAK)

naite

adjective. true

naitë

true

naitë adj. "true" (VT49:28)

naitë

adjective. true

nal

dale, dell

nal, nallë noun "dale, dell" (LT1:261)

nalda

valley

nalda adj. "valley" (used as an adjective), also "lowly" (LT1:261, QL:66)$

nattirë

look back

[nattirë vb. "look back" (PE17:166)]

naue

?. [unglossed]

návë

being

návë "being", *"to be", infinitive (or gerund) of ná; see ná #1. (PE17:68)

návë

noun. being

nó

but

nó (2) conj. "but" (VT41:13)

nó

conjunction. but

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)

on

stone

on, ondo noun "stone" (LT2:342, LT1:254 probably only ondo in LotR-style Quenya, see below). Various "Qenya" forms: ondoli "rocks" (MC:213; this would be a partitive plural in LotR-style Quenya), ondolin "rocks" (MC:220), ondoisen "upon rocks" (MC:221), ondolissen "rocks-on" (MC:214; the latter form, partitive plural locative, is still valid in LotR-style Quenya).

ono

but

ono conj. "but" (VT43:23, VT44:5/9)

ono

conjunction. but

ontari

mother

ontari noun "mother" or etymologically "begetter, parent" (fem.); clashing with the plural ontari "parents", this was apparently an emphemeral form (see ontarë, ontaril, ontarië for other feminine forms of "begetter, parent") (VT44:7)

ontaril

mother

ontaril noun "mother", female *"begetter" (cf. onta-). Variant of ontarë. (VT43:32)

onë

but

onë conj. "but" (VT43:23)

onë

conjunction. but

sal-

verb. [unglossed]

sanda

name

[sanda, sandë] (þ) (2) noun "name" (VT46:16)

sanya

name

[sanya] (þ) (2) noun ?"name" (reading of gloss uncertain, VT46:16)

sanya

truth, fact

[sanya] (þ) (3) noun "truth, fact" (VT46:16)

sélo

?. [unglossed]

sóla

?. [unglossed]

tant(il)a

noun. harp

tanta

harp

tanta (1) noun "harp", also as verb tanta- "to play a harp" (VT41:10)

tantila

harp

tantila noun "harp" (VT41:10)

tavaril

dryad, spirit of woods

tavaril noun "dryad, spirit of woods" (evidently fem.) (TÁWAR)

tavaro

dryad, spirit of woods

tavaro, tavaron noun "dryad, spirit of woods" (evidently masc.) (TÁWAR)

tavas

woodland

tavas noun "woodland" (LT1:267)

thar-

verb. [unglossed]

tóquet-

answer

[tóquet- vb. "answer" (PE17:166)]

um(ba)-

prefix. [unglossed]

umbacarin

noun. [unglossed]

vanya-

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.

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.

éna

?. [unglossed]

ére

gerund noun. existing, existence

ëala

being, spirit

ëala noun "being, spirit" (pl. ëalar is attested), spirits whose natural state it is to exist without a physical body, like Balrogs (MR:165). The word apparently originates from the participle of ëa, q.v.

ó

with, accompanying

ó

preposition. with

úpa-

verb. [unglossed]

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")

þúna

?. [unglossed]

ʼondō

noun. stone

PQ. stone

anta

noun. jaw, [ᴹQ.] face, *front of the head, [ᴱQ.] cheek; [Q.] jaw

tavas

noun. woodland

nan

vale

_ n. _vale. >> nand, Nanduhirion

nan

noun. wide grassland, land at foot of hills with many streams

nan

noun. valley

nan

preposition. of

nan

'with'

prep. 'with', possessing, provided with, esp. of characteristic feature. Form of na before vowels. >> na 2b/c/d/e

nan dungortheb

place name. Valley of Dreadful Death

The valley in Beleriand where the spider-children of Ungoliant dwelled, translated “Valley of Dreadful Death” (S/81). The initial word of the name is nan(d) “valley” (SA/nan(d)), but the second word is difficult to analyze. Its second element gortheb could be a variant of gorthob “horrible” or it could contain a variant of gurth “death”. The first element Dun- is hard to reconcile, however, as there are no attested Sindarin words of this form meaning anything like “dread” or “death”. Based on its earlier definitions, it might be a variant of [N.] donn “shadowy”; see below.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this name was G. Nan Dumgorthin “Land of the Dark Idols” (LT2/35). In the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s, the form Dungorthin emerged (LB/148), and in the Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this valled was named Ilk. Nan Dungorthin (LR/261), which was designated an Ilkorin name in The Etymologies and translated “Vale of Black Horror” (Ety/DUN, NAD, ÑGOROTH). At this stage its initial element was dunn “black” (Ety/DUN), whose Noldorin form was N. donn “shady, shadowy” (EtyAC/DUN).

In Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, the name was revised to Nan Dungortheb (MR/127) and given its new translation “Valley of Dreadful Death” (MR/297, footnote), but none of the published material explains how the new name and translation correspond. Absent further evidence, N. donn is my best guess for the element Dun- in this name.

Nan Dongoroth

noun. valley of dreadful death

nan (“vally, grassland”), don (“swart, swarthy”) + goroth (“death”); Dor. Dungorthin - dunn (Dor. “black”) + (n-)gorthin (Dor. “horrible”); Dor. Dungortheb - dunn (Dor. “black”) + ngorth (Dor. “horror”) + eb (adjective suffix); the suffix -in in Dungorthin Ardalambion interprets as Dor. plural ending.

Nan Tathren

noun. willow-vale

nan (“vally, grassland”), tathar (“willow”) + en (adjective suffix) #The lack of lenition could probably be explained by dialectal differences.

Nanduhirion

noun. valley of dim streams

nan (“vally, grassland”) + dú (“nightfall, dimness”) + sîr (“river”) + ion (pl. genitive suffix)

na

'with'

d prep. 'with', possessing, provided with, esp. of characteristic feature. nan before vowels. Orod na Thôn 'Mount of the Pines Tree(s)'. >> nan 2

nand

vale

_ n. _vale. >> nan, Nanduhirion

Nan Gondresgion

'Stonewain Valley'

topon. 'Stonewain Valley', so named because of the great road for heavy drags (plateforms on wheels) and wains, used in the quarries of Min-Rimmon that ran through it. Q. Nand' Ondoluncava, Ondoluncavand(do), Ondolunquanan(do), O.E. Stānwægna Dæl.

Nanduhirion

'Vale of Dim Streams'

topon. 'Vale of Dim Streams', Dimrill Dale. Dw. Azanul-bizar.

na

preposition. with, by (also used as a genitive sign)

na

preposition. to, towards, at

nand

noun. wide grassland, land at foot of hills with many streams

nand

noun. valley

Nan-tathren

Nan-tathren

Nan-tathren is a Sindarin name, meaning "vale of willows" or "land of willows".

Nan Curunír

Nan Curunír

Nan Curunír is Sindarin for "Saruman's Vale", consisting of nan and Curunír. An early form of this name was Nan Gurunír.

Nan Dungortheb

Nan Dungortheb

The name Nan Dungortheb is translated as "Valley of Dreadful Death", containing the word nan ("valley").

Nan Elmoth

Nan Elmoth

Nan means "valley" in Sindarin. Robert Foster translates the whole name as "Valley of star-dusk" (el + moth "stardusk").

Nanduhirion

Nanduhirion

Nanduhirion contains the elements nan(d) ("vale"), dû ("dimness"), sîr ("stream") and the ending -(i)on.

dan-

prefix. nan-

_ pref. _Q. nan-. >> damen, dangar

na

with

(in instrumental sense?) na (followed by lenition), with article nan (followed by ”mixed mutation”, according to David Salos reconstruction). The preposition has various meanings: ”with, by, near” and also ”to, toward, at; of”

na

with

(followed by lenition), with article nan (followed by ”mixed mutation”, according to David Salo’s reconstruction). The preposition has various meanings: ”with, by, near” and also ”to, toward, at; of”

nand

wide grassland

(construct nan) (valley), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36);

nand

valley

1) nand (construct nan) (wide grassland, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. nannath (VT45:36), 2) lâd (lowland, plain), construct lad, pl. laid, 3) (long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise) imrath (pl. imraith).

nand

valley

(construct nan) (wide grassland, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36)

nand

grassland

(construct nan) (valley, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath** (VT45:36)

nand

wide grassland

(land at the foot of hills with many streams) nand (construct nan) (valley), pl. naind, coll. pl. nannath (VT45:36);

naneth

mother

naneth (pl. nenith). Hypocoristic form (”mom”) nana, pl. nenai (but this word is probably rarely pluralized). In a higher style also †emil. No distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emillath. Variant form emel (pl. emil), also spelt emmel (pl. emmil). (VT48:17)

naneth

mother

(pl. nenith). Hypocoristic form (”mom”) nana, pl. nenai (but this word is probably rarely pluralized). In a higher style also †emil. No distinct pl. form; coll. pl. emillath. Variant form emel (pl. emil), also spelt emmel (pl. emmil). (VT48:17)

nanu

noun. truth

nanwen

adjective. true

nanc

noun. bite

danwaith

nandor

(a tribe of Elves) Danwaith ("Dan-folk"), lenited Nanwaith (WJ:385). Also called, by confusion with the name of their leader Denwe, Denwaith (”People of Denwe”) (WJ:385)

dadwen

verb. return

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

damen

verb. return

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

emel

noun. mother

A word for “mother” in notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, along with a diminutive form emelig (VT48/17 note #13). These forms were struck through and replaced by emig as the proper diminutive form from the root √EM (VT48/6), but that doesn’t necessarily invalidate emel = “mother”, which appeared elsewhere as (probably primitive) emel, emer in rough versions of these notes (VT48/19 note #16). These Sindarin forms are unusual in that the medial m did not become v, which means the primitive form was likely based on ✱emm- as suggested by Patrick Wynne (VT48/17 note #14).

Conceptual Development: G. amil “mother” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s along with rejected forms {anwin, amril} and an archaic variant †amaith (GL/19). The forms {emaith >>} amaith appeared unglossed in Gnomish Lexicon Slips revising that document (PE13/109). In The Etymologies of the 1930s there was a form N. †emil for “mother” under the root ᴹ√AM of the same meaning, but Tolkien said this word was archaic, apparently replaced by N. naneth (Ety/AM¹; EtyAC/AM¹). With N. emil, the a became e via i-affection, but the medial m failing to become v requires an explanation similar to that of 1960s S. emel.

Neo-Sindarin: I generally prefer derivatives of the earlier root √AM for “mother” words in Quenya, but in the case of Sindarin, I find emel and emig from √EM to be better and more widely accepted.

o

from

(od), followed by hard mutation; with article uin ”from the, of the” (followed by mixed mutation according to David Salo’s reconstuctuons). (WJ:366) Not to be confused with o ”about, concerning” (q.v. for this meaning of ”of”). 2) na (followed by lenition), with article nan (followed by ”mixed mutation”, according to David Salo’s reconstruction). The preposition has various meanings: ”with, by, near” and also ”to, toward, at; of” 3)

parth

grassland

: 1) (enclosed grassland) parth (i barth, o pharth) (field, sward), pl. perth (i pherth), 2) (wide grassland) nand (construct nan) (valley, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. nannath (VT45:36)

dag

slain

(passive participle of dag- "slay", but treated almost like a derived noun) dangen (i nangen, o ndangen), pl. dengin (i ndengin; the spelling "in-ndengin" occurs in the Silmarillion). Compare SLAY.

dag

slain

"slay", but treated almost like a derived noun) dangen (i nangen, o ndangen), pl. dengin* (i ndengin*; the spelling "in-ndengin" occurs in the Silmarillion). Compare

dangweth

answer

(noun) 1) dangweth (i nangweth, o ndangweth) (reply giving new information), pl. dengwith (i ndengwith) (PM:395), 2) dambeth (i nambeth, o ndambeth) (response), pl. dembith (i ndembith)

dangweth

answer

(i nangweth, o ndangweth) (reply giving new information), pl. dengwith (i ndengwith) (PM:395)

dannen

ebb

dannen (i nannen, o ndannen) (low tide), pl. dennin (i ndennin). (VT48:26) Notice the homophone dannen ”fallen” (but this past participle has different mutations). (VT48:26)

danwedh

ransom

danwedh (i nanwedh, o ndanwedh), pl. nenwidh (i ndenwidh)

danwedh

ransom

(i nanwedh, o ndanwedh), pl. nenwidh (i ndenwidh)

dannen

noun. ebb, lowtide

danwedh

noun. ransom

dôr

noun. land, land, [N.] region where certain people live, [ᴱN.] country; [G.] people of the land

aphred

answer

_ n. _answer. Q. aquet. . This gloss was rejected.

carach

noun. jaw, row of teeth

cidinn

?. [unglossed]

cinnog

?. [unglossed]

dambeth

noun. answer, response

In Tolkien's manuscript, this form was rejected in favor of dangweth , with a slightly different meaning. However, it may possibly be assumed that the word is valid per se (although it may be argued that this compound word does not show the regular mutation that one would have expected)

dangen

adjective. slain

An adjective for “slain” derived from primitive ✶dankĭna (PE17/133), best known from its (mutated plural) appearance in the name Haudh-en-Ndengin “Hill of Slain” (S/197). N. dangen “slain” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√NDAK “slay” (Ety/NDAK). This adjective is likely the passive participle of the verb dag- “to slay”.

Conceptual Development: A similar adjective ᴱN. danc “killed in battle” appeared in the Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s, also related to ᴱN. dag- “slay” (PE14/66).

dangweth

noun. answer, reply giving new information

dannen

noun. ebb, low tide

danwedh

noun. ransom

di

preposition. with

_ prep. _with. Q. lé.

di

preposition. with

dor

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

dôr

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

emel

noun. mother

emig

noun. "litte mother"

emig

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

emmel

noun. mother

eneth

noun. name

esta-

verb. to name

gond

noun. great stone, rock

gond

stone

_n. _stone, rock. Archaic S. gond > gonn. Q. ondo. >> Gondor

gondren

adjective. (made) of stone

im

noun. valley, valley; [N.] dell, deep vale

An archaic element meaning “valley” that survived only in compounds, a derivation of ✶imbi “between” (VT47/14). The basic sense “valley” was transferred to its more elaborate form imlad as in Imladris “Rivendell”, and †im “valley” fell out of use due to its conflicted with other words like the reflexive pronoun im.

Conceptual Development: N. imm “dell, deep vale” was mentioned in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√IMBE, alongside its elaboration N. imlad of the same meaning (Ety/IMBE).

imlad

noun. deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides (but a flat habitable bottom)

imloth

noun. flower-valley, flowery vale

This word only occurs in the place name Imloth Melui, a vale where roses grew

imrad

noun. a path or pass (between mountains, hills or trackless forest)

imrath

noun. long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise

lam

noun. echo

madu

?. [unglossed]

maud

?. [unglossed]

parth

noun. field, enclosed grassland, sward

sarn

noun. stone (as a material)

Sern in UT/463 is a misprint, see VT/42:11

sarn

noun. small stone

Sern in UT/463 is a misprint, see VT/42:11

talagan

noun. harper

talf

noun. flat field, flat land

tum

noun. deep valley, under or among hills

uin

preposition. of the

ach

conjunction. but

[it] appears that ach is the contrastive coordinating conjunction 'but'.

ach

conjunction. but

[it] appears that ach is the contrastive coordinating conjunction 'but'.

ad

again

(as prefix) ad-, also meaning "back, second, re-", e.g. aderthad "reunion".

ad

again

also meaning "back, second, re-", e.g. aderthad "reunion".

anc

jaw

anc (row of teeth), pl. ainc, coll. pl. angath.

anc

jaw

(row of teeth), pl. ainc, coll. pl. angath.

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”.

bâr

land

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

carach

jaws

(i garach, o charach), pl. ceraich (i cheraich)

dambeth

answer

(i nambeth, o ndambeth) (response), pl. dembith (i ndembith)

dôr

land

1) dôr (i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr), coll. pl. dorath (WJ:413), 2) bâr (dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

dôr

land

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

eden

begun again

(new), pl. edin

emig

little mother

(no distinct pl. form except with article: in emig). Also used (in children’s play) as a name for the index finger (VT48:6, 17)

en

of the

e- (sg. genitival article)

eneth

name

(noun) eneth (pl. enith)

eneth

name

(pl. enith)

ess

noun. name

esta

name

(verb.) esta- (call) (i esta, in estar)

esta

name

(call) (i esta, in estar)

ganna

harp

(i nganna = i ñanna, in gannar = i ñgannar); also gannada (i ngannada = i ñannada, in gannadar = i ñgannadar).

ganna

harp

(verb, play a harp) ganna- (i nganna = i ñanna, in gannar = i ñgannar); also gannada (i ngannada = i ñannada, in gannadar = i ñgannadar).

gannel

harp

(i ngannel = i ñannel, o n’gannel = o ñgannel), pl. gennil (in gennil = i ñgennil), coll. pl. gannellath. Archaic †gandel.

gannel

harp

(noun) gannel (i ngannel = i ñannel, o n**gannel = o ñgannel), pl. gennil (in gennil = i ñgennil), coll. pl. gannellath. Archaic †gandel**.

glamor

echo

(noun) glamor (i **lamor), banalogical pl. glemyr (in glemyr**). Archaic *glamr, glambr. ECHO (or, sound of voices) lammad, pl. lemmad. May also be spelt with a single m.

glamor

echo

(i ’lamor), banalogical pl. glemyr (in glemyr). Archaic ✱glamr, glambr.

gond

stone

(i ’ond, construct gon) (great stone or rock), pl. gynd (i ngynd = i ñynd), coll. pl. gonnath (Letters:410).

gondrath

street of stone

(i ’ondrath) (causeway, raised stone highway), pl. gendraith (i ngendraith = i ñendraith). Archaic pl. göndreith. (WJ:340)

gondren

made of stone, stony

(stony), lenited ’ondren, pl. gendrin. Archaic pl. göndrin (TI:270).

gonhir

master of stone

(i ’Onhir), no distinct pl. form except with article (i Ngonhir = i Ñonhir), maybe primarily used as a coll. pl. Gonhirrim  (WJ:205, there spelt ”Gonnhirrim”)

gôn

stone

(i ’ôn, construct gon); pl. gŷn, coll. pl. #gonath as in Argonath.

im

vale

(deep vale) im (dell), no distinct pl. form (though the pl. article in will mark the word as pl. when definite). The word typically occurs, not by itself, but in compounds like imlad, imloth, imrath, imrad (VT45:18, VT47:19)

im

vale

(dell), no distinct pl. form (though the pl. article in will mark the word as pl. when definite). The word typically occurs, not by itself, but in compounds like imlad, imloth, imrath, imrad *(VT45:18, VT47:19)***

imloth

flowering valley

(pl. imlyth) (VT42:18).

imrath

valley

(long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise) imrath (pl. imraith)

lam

echoing voice

pl. laim, coll. pl. lammath.

lammad

echo

pl. lemmad. May also be spelt with a single m.

lâd

valley

(lowland, plain), construct lad, pl. laid

naeth

biting

(gnashing of teeth in grief; woe); no distinct pl. form.

naew

jaw

naew; no distinct pl. form;

naew

jaw

; no distinct pl. form;

nag

bite

(verb) nag- (i nâg, in negir);

nag

bite

(i nâg, in negir);

narch

biting

(pl. nerch) (RC:601)

parth

enclosed grassland

(i barth, o pharth) (field, sward), pl. perth (i pherth);

parth

grassland

(i barth, o pharth) (field, sward), pl. perth (i pherth)

parth

field

1) parth (i barth, o pharth) (sward, enclosed grassland), pl. perth (i pherth), 2) (low, flat field, or wetland) talf (i dalf, o thalf), pl. telf (i thelf), coll. pl. talvath. _(Names:195). Note: a homophone means ”palm”. 3) sant (i hant, o sant) (garden, yard, or other privately owned place), pl. saint (i saint) (VT42:20)_

parth

field

(i barth, o pharth) (sward, enclosed grassland), pl. perth (i pherth)

rîdh

sown field

(acre);  no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (idh rîdh)

sant

field

(i hant, o sant) (garden, yard, or other privately owned place), pl. saint (i saint) (VT42:20) 

sarn

stone

1) (small stone, or stone as material) sarn (i harn, o sarn), pl. sern (i sern); also used as adj. ”stony, made of stone”. 2) gôn (i **ôn, construct gon); pl. gŷn, coll. pl. #**gonath as in Argonath. 3) (larger stone) gond (i **ond, construct gon) (great stone or rock), pl. gynd (i ngynd = i ñynd), coll. pl. gonnath** (Letters:410).

sarn

stone

(i harn, o sarn), pl. sern (i sern); also used as adj. ”stony, made of stone”.

sarn

made of stone, stony

(lenited harn; pl. sern); also used as noun ”small stone, pebble, stone [as material]”; as adj. also = ”stony”.

talagan

harper

talagan (i dalagan, o thalagan), pl. telegain (i thelegain), coll. pl. talagannath. _The exact form listed in LR:377 s.v. Ñ

talagan

noun. harper

talagan

harper

(i dalagan, o thalagan), pl. telegain (i thelegain), coll. pl. talagannath. The exact form listed in LR:377 s.v.

talath

wide valley

(i** dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, plain), pl. telaith (i** thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v.*

talath

dal

Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the Silmarillion.

talf

field

(i dalf, o thalf), pl. telf (i thelf), coll. pl. talvath. (Names:195). Note: a homophone means ”palm”.

tawarwaith

silvan elves

Tawarwaith (lit. ”Forest-people”)

tawarwaith

silvan elves

(lit. ”Forest-people”)

nan

preposition. of

naneth

noun. mother

A noun for “mother” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the (Noldorin-only?) root ᴹ√NAN (Ety/NAN). It apparently replaced archaic/poetic N. †emil (Ety/AM¹; EtyAC/AM¹).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon had a similar set of words for “mother”: G. maba, mabir, baba, and mavwin from the early root ᴱ√maƀ “something nice” (GL/57). The last of these appeared as G. mavwen “ancestress” in the Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying that document, with an archaic meaning of “mother” and variant forms mafwyn and mavuin (PE13/115). In these slips, it seems the normal “mother” word was G. nân (originally glossed “father”) with variant nanwin (PE13/115). This last word is likely the direct precursor of N. naneth.

Neo-Sindarin: I would use S. emel from the late 1960s as the normal word for “mother” in Neo-Sindarin, but would retain N. naneth as a dialectical or more formal variant.

nann

noun. wide grassland

an

preposition. of

na

preposition. with, by (also used as a genitive sign)

na

preposition. to, towards, at

nana

noun. mother, mummy

nand

noun. wide grassland, land at foot of hills with many streams

nand

noun. valley

naneth

noun. mother

nann

noun. wide grassland, land at foot of hills with many streams

nann

noun. valley

gannel

noun. harp

talagand

noun. harper

naew

noun. jaw

A noun for “jaw” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶nakma (✱“bite-thing”) under the root ᴹ√NAK “bite” (NAK). This word remains phonologically plausible in Sindarin, with ancient k vocalizing to i and the resulting diphthong ai become ae, after which the m became v &gt; w; see VT42/26 for a description of the basic phonetic changes. However, naew might have been displaced conceptually by anc “jaw”, which appeared in a number of later Sindarin names and whose Quenya cognate Q. anca appeared in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E.

an-

prefix. with, by

anc

noun. jaw, row of teeth

borth

?. [unglossed]

clei

?. [unglossed]

coen

?. [unglossed]

dangen

noun. slain

dangen

adjective. slain

diragas

?. [unglossed]

dor

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

emil

noun. mother

emil

noun. mother

gandel

noun. harp

gannel

noun. harp

glambr

noun. echo

glamor

noun. echo

glamor

noun. echo

gondrafn

noun. hewn stone

gondram

noun. hewn stone

gonn

noun. great stone, rock

imlad

noun. deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides (but a flat habitable bottom)

mauth

?. [unglossed]

menwed

?. [unglossed]

naew

noun. jaw

nag-

verb. to bite

nith

?. [unglossed]

nithrad

?. [unglossed]

níth

?. [unglossed]

pel

noun. fenced field (= Old English tún)

porennin

?. [unglossed]

rîdh

noun. sown field, acre

sarn

noun. stone (as a material)

Sern in UT/463 is a misprint, see VT/42:11

sarn

noun. small stone

Sern in UT/463 is a misprint, see VT/42:11

talagand

noun. harper

talagand

masculine name. Harper

A name appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/ÑGAN, TYAL), it is simply talagand “harper” used as a name.

tathor

noun. willow-tree

tum

noun. deep valley, under or among hills

nanmen-

verb. return

ndan-

prefix. back-

nak

root. bite

This root was the basis for Elvish words for “bite” from all of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√NAKA “bite” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. naka- “bite” and ᴱQ. naksa “sour” (QL/64). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. nactha- “bite” and G. naith “tooth” (GL/59). The root reappeared as ᴹ√NAK “bite” in The Etymologies of the 1930s along with augmented variant ᴹ√ÁNAK and derivatives like ᴹQ. anka/N. anc “jaw, row of teeth” (Ety/ÁNAK, NAK); in this same document Tolkien considered the possibility that the roots ᴹ√NAYAK “pain” and ᴹ√NDAK “slay” might be related to ᴹ√NAK, though he did not commit to either idea (Ety/NÁYAK; EtyAC/NDAK).

One interesting derivative of this root from the 1930s was N. naeth “biting, gnashing of teeth” from which N. nírnaeth “lamentation = ✱tear[ful]-gnashing” was derived, serving as an element in N. Nírnaeth Arnediad “[Battle of] Unnumbered Tears” (Ety/NAY; LR/310), replacing earlier Nirnaith of unclear etymology. In later writings Tolkien said S. naeth simply meant “woe” in the name S. Sigil Elu-naeth “Necklace of the Woe of Thingol” (WJ/258), but this may just be a generalization of its 1930s meaning “gnashing of teeth”. As for the root √NAK “bite”, it reappeared in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2), serving again as example of an abnormal vocalization leading to the derivative ✶ankā “jaws” (PE18/87).

ndandō

noun. one who goes back on his word or decision

am

root. mother

For most of Tolkien’s life, the Primitive Elvish root for “mother” was √AM. This began with the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where Tolkien gave the root as ᴱ√AMA (QL/30). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹ√AM with derivatives ᴹQ. amil and (archaic) N. emil “mother” (Ety/AM¹). In Quenya prayers of the 1950s, the word for mother was Q. Amille. In the last few years of his life, however, Tolkien toyed with the notion of changing this root to √EM. In notes associated with Eldarinwe Leperi are Notessi written in the late 1960s, Tolkien first gave the root as am, but then wrote em next to it with a question mark, along with several new em-derivatives (VT48/19 note #16). The Q. affectionate word emme for “mommy” appeared in the main article, indicating Tolkien did, in fact, adopt this new root, at least for some period of time.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Quenya writing, I personally prefer to ignore this late change to the root for “mother” and stick with the √AM-forms Tolkien used for most of his life. However, the √AM-forms were less stable in the Sindarin branch of the languages, so I’d use √EM-forms like S. emel and emig, and would assume √AM and √EM were variants of the root, as they were on VT48/19 (see above).

amal

noun. mother

amas

noun. mother

amma

noun. mother

amme

noun. mother

at-kwet

verb. answer

dankĭna

adjective. slain

dē

preposition. with

em

root. mother

emel

noun. mother

emer

noun. mother

lemek

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in the Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s illustrating certain phonetic combinations (PE19/98), and therefore possibly not a “real” root.

ndorē

noun. land

ndōro

noun. land

phut

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root appearing in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2) as an etymological variation of √PUT (PE18/90).

sal

root. [unglossed], *harp(ing), lyre

The unglossed root ᴱ√SALA appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. salma “lyre, small harp” and ᴱQ. salumbe “harping, music” (QL/81). The root √SAL appeared again Common Eldarin: Verb Structure from the early 1950s to illustrate the reformed perfect form of its verb Q. asálie (PE22/132), but since these later forms are unglossed it is unclear whether they have the same meaning (“✱harp(ing)”) as the earlier version of the root.

stuk

root. [unglossed]

An unglossed root in a rejected section of the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, serving to illustration certain phonetic developments: ✶stuknā > Q. thúna (PE19/86).

tig

root. [unglossed]

A root appearing in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 as the basis for the verb Q. tinga- “go (for a long while)” (PE22/157). The etymology was marked with an “X” and so was probably a transient idea (PE22/157 note #70).

en

root. name

graw Reconstructed

root. [unglossed], [ᴹ√] dark, swart

This root appeared as a primitive form grawa serving as the basis of the word Q. roa “bear” >> “dog” in notes on monosyllabic roots from 1968 (VT47/35); a Sindarin derivative S. graw “bear” appeared in other notes written around the same time (VT47/12). Patrick Wynne suggested that in the sense “bear” grawa might be connected to the root ᴹ√GRAWA “dark, swart” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (EtyAC/GRAWA).

tanat Reconstructed

root. harp

nand

noun. valley

Isolated from Lindórinand, Lórinand (q.v. for reference). While this word is not given in the Etymologies, it is clearly derived from the stem NAD (LR:374) and hence a close cognate of the similar Doriathrin word nand "field, valley". The Quenya cognate nanda (meaning "water-mead, watered plain") indicates a primitive form *nandâ; as in most cases, the final -â is lost in Nandorin.

Lindi

noun. Nandor

This is what the Nandor called themselves, a cognate of Quenya Lindar (Teleri) (WJ:385). The sg. is probably *lind, perhaps attested in the name Lindórinan. This form is stated to descend from the older clan-name Lindai (WJ:385), or at the oldest stage Lindâi (WJ:378). Lindâ was originally the name of a member of the Third Clan of the Elves, among the Eldar also called the Teleri; the Nandor came from this branch of the Eldarin peoples. In WJ:382, Lindâ is stated to be derived from a stem LIN, the primary reference of which is to "melodious or pleasing sound"; Lindâ, derived by medial fortification and adjectival -â, would seem to be in its origin an adjective, but later applied to the third clan of the Elves and eventually used as a noun. The reference was to their love of song (notice that Tolkien translated the name Lindórinan as "Vale of the Land of the Singers"; UT:253).

The Nandorin word Lindi alone in our small Green-elven corpus shows a direct descendant of the Primitive Quendian ending -î, while the sole other attested Nandorin plural is formed by umlaut: urc "Orc" pl. yrc. Perhaps the ending -i persisted in the case of words that had the stem-vowel i, since this vowel could not be changed by umlaut (being already identical to the vowel causing the umlaut so that no assimilation was possible); therefore, singular and plural would become identical if the plural ending -i had been dropped as in yrc. (It may not be necessary to invoke the simple "real-world" explanation that Tolkien's ideas about Nandorin had changed during the thirty years that separate the source that has yrc from the source that provides the word Lindi.)

dóri-

noun. land

Isolated from Lindórinan. The independent form of the word may differ; it is unclear where the i of the compound Lindórinan comes from. In the Etymologies, the Eldarin words for "land" are derived from a stem NDOR "dwell, stay, rest, abide" (LR:376).

No Nandorin word is there listed, but Sindarin dor is derived from primitive ndorê. Notice, however, that Tolkien many years later derived the Eldarin words for "land" from a stem DORO "dried up, hard, unyielding" (WJ:413). However, this later source does confirm that the Primitive Quendian form was ndorê, now thought to be formed by initial enrichment d > nd. This is defined as "the hard, dry land as opposed to water or bog", later developing the meaning "land in general as opposed to sea", and finally also "a land" as a particular region, "with more or less defined bounds".

Whether dóri- actually comes from ndorê is highly doubtful (this would rather yield *dora in Nandorin), but it must be derived from the same set of stems.

dammë

noun. ebb, lowtide

-o

suffix. of

emmë

noun. mother

sha

preposition. with

-mâ

preposition. with

A prepositional suffix translated “with” (SD/247, 429).

Conceptual Development: At an earlier conceptual stage, it was the grammatical inflection -ma used for the draft-instrumental (SD/438).

ammê

noun. mother

A noun for “mother” (SD/434). Tolkien gave two forms of this word, ammî and ammê, with no indication as to which would be preferred. However, ammî resembles a plural word, and Tolkien elsewhere stated that such forms tended to change their final vowel to -ê (SD/438), so my guess is that ammî is an archaic form. This word is probably related to the Elvish root √AM “mother”. Some authors have suggested it is directly related to ᴹQ. amme (AAD/10, AL/Adûnaic), but as Andreas Moehn points out (EotAL/MAM) such basic words are rarely borrowed from other languages, so the relationship is more likely from the Primitive Elvish root.

asdi

?. [unglossed]

A word Tolkien used to illustrate Adûnaic pronunciation (pronounced [azdi]) without giving its meaning (SD/421).

sapda

?. [unglossed]

A word Tolkien used to illustrate Adûnaic pronunciation without giving its meaning (SD/421).

thâni

noun. land

A noun translated “land” (SD/435) appearing in the Adûnaic names for the Blessed Realm: Amatthâni and thâni’nAmân. Its Primitive Adûnaic form was also ✶thāni, though its primitive was glossed “realm" (SD/420).

zâyan

noun. land

An Adûnaic word for “land” (SD/423). It has an irregular plural form zâin which is the result of the phonetic change (SD/423): [[pad|medial [w] and [j] vanished before [u] and [i]]]. Thus, the archaic plural changed from †zâyîn > zâîn > zâin.

Conceptual Development: In earlier names this word appeared as zen (SD/378, 385).

-ul

suffix. of

duban

noun. valley