ned

noun. first, *one more; first; *during

This word replaced the preposition uin “of the” in the third version of the King’s Letter, appearing in the phrase nelchaenen ned Echuir “the thirty-first day of Stirring”. Both Carl Hostetter (VT31/30) and David Salo (SG/229) theorized that this replacement has a similar prepositional function, from either √NOT “count” or √NED “middle”. Fiona Jallings suggested it might be a temporal preposition, with sense “during” (FJNS/349).

On VT47/40, note 67, Patrick Wynne suggested that this word might be a cognate of the newly published Quenya word net(ë) “one more”. This theory is supported by the most likely interpretation of nelchaenen. This word seems to mean “thirtieth” rather than “thirty-first”, and Patrick Wynne suggested that nelchaenen ned means “thirtieth and one more” = “thirty-first”. I find this theory the most compelling, and use it here.

ned

preposition. (uncertain meaning) in, of (about time, e.g. giving a date)

[Another possible interpretation: "another, one more" (related to Q. net(e)), VT/47:40]

enedh

noun. centre, middle, centre, middle; [N.] core

The usual Sindarin/Noldorin word for “middle” is enedh derived from the root √ENED (UT/264; VT48/25; Ety/ÉNED). This is complicated by the fact that Tolkien wrote Enedwaith “Middle-region” on The Lord of the Rings map (LotR/1089; Let/224). It is my opinion that this use of d for dh originally reflected Tolkien’s normal representation of this letter Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s, for example 1940s N. Caradras and N. Fanuidol vs. later S. Caradhras and S. Fanuidhol.

Unlike those other representations of dh, Tolkien never corrected Enedwaith in the published texts, and in notes from the late 1960s he considered revising the “middle” to ened derived from √HENET (VT41/16). In other notes from this period he said Enedhwaith was misspelt ened (VT42/20), so I think ened < √HENET was likely a transient idea.

In compounds enedh is generally used as an adjective, such a lebenedh “middle finger” and Lond Daer Enedh “Great Middle Haven”. In The Etymologies this word was glossed “middle, centre” (Ety/ÉNED) and “core, centre” (Ety/NÉD), which makes me think it was a noun.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would treat enedh as a noun when used independently, and use [ᴺS.] enaidh as the adjective for “central, middle”.

a pherhael ar am meril suilad uin aran o minas tirith nelchaenen ned echuir

to Samwise and Rose the King’s greeting from Minas Tirith, the thirty-first day of Stirring

ened

noun. centre

ne

in

ned (used of time in the source), possibly followed by hard mutation (SD:129)

ne

in, inside

(prefix) (mid-)

vi

in

(prep.) 1) vi (VT44:23), with article vin; 2) ne, ned (used of time in the source), possibly followed by hard mutation (SD:129); 3) dî, unstressed di (beneath, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

erui

first

(single, alone). No distinct pl. form. Some would argue that Tolkien abandoned erui as a word for ”first”.

minui

first

1. minui (lenited vinui; no distinct pl. form), 2) mîn (lenited vîn; no distinct pl. form) (isolated, towering). Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the number ”one”; 3) erui (single, alone). No distinct pl. form. Some would argue that Tolkien abandoned erui as a word for ”first”.

main

ordinal. first, (only in the sense of) prime, chief, pre-eminent

mein

ordinal. first, (only in the sense of) prime, chief, pre-eminent

mein

ordinal. first

mi

preposition. in

The Sindarin word for “in” (PE23/133; VT50/5), equivalent to Q. mi of the same meaning. This preposition frequently appears in its mutated form vi (PE22/165; VT44/21; VT50/5), since Sindarin prepositions are typically mutated when appearing anywhere other than the beginning of a phrase.

min-

preposition. (in) between (referring to a gap, space, barrier or anything intervening between two other things)

minui

ordinal. first

minui

ordinal. first

mîn

preposition. (in) between (referring to a gap, space, barrier or anything intervening between two other things)

vi

preposition. in

vi

preposition. in

dî

in

unstressed di (beneath, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.

minui

first

(lenited vinui; no distinct pl. form)

mîn

first

(lenited vîn; no distinct pl. form) (isolated, towering). Note: homophones include the noun ”peak” and the number ”one”

vi

in

(VT44:23), with article vin

nedh-

prefix. in, inside, mid-

See also the preposition ned , and the noun ened for a discussion of this form

di

preposition. in

edhen

adjective. first

ereg

place name. First

Earlier name for the river S. Erui from Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, apparently a Noldorin word meaning ereg “first” (TI/312, WR/436).

ereg

adjective. first

ne-

prefix. in

A prefix for “in” implied by the verb N. nestag- “insert” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/STAK). It was probably derived from primitive ᴹ✶ndē̆- “in, inside” based on the root ᴹ√NĒ̆, but this root and its derivatives were deleted (EtyAC/NĒ̆).

Neo-Sindarin: Despite the deletion of its root, I think it is worth retaining ne- “in” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

endë

noun. centre, middle, centre, middle; [ᴹQ.] core

The word ᴹQ. ende first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, glossed either “middle, centre” (Ety/ÉNED) or “core, centre” (Ety/NÉD), and derived from the root ᴹ√ENED “middle” (Ety/ÉNED). In notes from late 1960s Tolkien had {ened >>} ente “centre”, which he clarified was “not used of emotions or thought only physical” (VT41/12). In this context it was derived from √HENET “middle” (VT41/16). But in other writings from the late 1960s, the word as again ende from √ENED “middle” (VT48/25), and I believe √HENET > ente was a transient idea.

Neo-Quenya: Base on its 1930s glosses and the meaning of 1960s ente, I believe ende is a noun referring to a physical centre.

mi

preposition. in, in, [ᴹQ.] within

The Quenya preposition for “in”, very well attested. It was derived from the root √MI of the same meaning (PE17/92; VT43/30; VT47/30). In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. mi was glossed “in, within” under the root ᴹ√MI “inside” (Ety/MI).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, the preposition mi appeared (untranslated) in the phrase ᴱQ. Uole·mi·Kūme “Moon King” = “✱Uole in the Moon” (QL/48). The main dictionary had the adverb ᴱQ. imi “in, inside” under the early root ᴱ√IMI (QL/42). In one place in Tolkien’s later writings from the 1950s, the preposition mi “in” had the variant form imi as well (VT43/30).

enna

first

[enna adj. "first" (VT45:12)]

entë

noun. centre

esta

first

esta (2) adj. "first" (ESE/ESET); this entry was marked with a query. The word Yestarë (q.v.) "Beginning-day" in LotR suggests that Tolkien decided to change the stem in question to _YESE/YESET_. We could then read *yesta for esta (but later this became a noun "beginning" rather than an adj. "first", PE17:120) and also prefix a y to the other words derived from ESE/ESET (essë* > yessë, essëa > yessëa). Estanossë noun "the firstborn", read likewise Yestanossë** (*Yestanessi?) but in a later text, Tolkien used Minnónar (q.v.) for "the Firstborn" as a name of the Elves, and this form may be preferred. _(In the Etymologies as printed in LR, the word _Estanossë is cited as "Estanesse", but according to VT45:12, the second-to-last vowel is actually o in Tolkien's manuscript.)

imi

in

imi prep. "in"; see mi (VT43:30)

imi

preposition. in, in, [ᴱQ.] inside

inga

first

inga (2) adj. "first" (ING)

mi

in, within

mi prep. "in, within" (MI, VT27:20, VT44:18, 34, VT43:30; the latter source also mentions the variant imi); mí "in the" (Nam, RGEO:66; CO gives mi; the correct forms should evidently be mi = "in" and mí = mi i "in the"; VT49:35 also has mí with a long vowel, though the gloss is simply "in"). Used in PE17:71 (cf. 70) of people clad "in" various colours, e.g. mi mísë "in grey". Allative minna "to the inside, into" (MI), also mina (VT43:30). The forms mimmë and mingwë seem to incorporate pronominal suffixes for "us", hence ?"in us", inclusive and exclusive respectively. The pronoun -mmë denoted plural inclusive "we" when this was written, though Tolkien would later make it dual instead (see -mmë). Second person forms are also given: mil or milyë *"in you" (sg.), millë "in you" (pl.) (VT43:36). A special use of mi appears in the phrase Wendë mi Wenderon "Virgin of Virgins" (VT44:18); here mi appears superfluous to achieve the desired meaning, but this combination of singular noun + mi + plural genitive noun may be seen as a fixed idiom expressing that the initial noun represents the most prominent member of a class.

minya

first

minya adj. "first" (MINI) (cf. Minyatur, Minyon); "eminent, prominent" (VT42:24, 25). Minyar "Firsts", the original name of the Vanyar (or rather the direct Quenya descendant of the original Primitive Quendian name) (WJ:380)

setta

first

[setta, setya adj. "first" (possibly also "primary", but Tolkien's gloss was not certainly legible) (VT46:13)]

tólë

centre

tólë noun "centre" (LT1:269; the word endë is to be preferred in Tolkien's later Quenya)

imi

root. in

minya

ordinal. first

minya

ordinal. first

ishi

preposition. in, inside

Usually placed after the noun in Black Speech, c.f. burzum-ishi (darkness-inside).