†ní (2) noun "woman, female" (NI1, INI (NĒR ) ). Not to be confused with ní as a stressed form of the pronoun ni "I".
Quenya
ni
me
ní
woman, female
ní
beneath, not touching, under
ní (3) prep. "beneath, not touching, under" (PE17:95)
ni
pronoun. me, I
ní
preposition. beneath, not touching, under
nís
noun. woman (of any kindred: elf, human or dwarf)
The usual Quenya word for “woman” or more exactly a “female person” of any kindred (PE23/87), in later writings appearing as both nís (MR/213, 226, 229) and nisse (VT47/18, 33). Even in the cases where its singular was nís, its plural form was given as nissi, indicating a stem form of niss-. In rough notes from 1968 Tolkien said “The monosyllabic nouns (especially those with only one stem-consonant) were a small dwindling class often replaced by strengthened forms (as nis- was [by] nisse)” (VT47/18).
Thus it seems the ancient form was ✱nis- from the root √NIS, which like its male counterpart Q. nér “man” inherited a long vowel from the ancient subjective form ✱nīs. But the voiceless s was felt to be intrinsic to word, and it was thus strengthened to niss- in inflected forms to avoid the sound changes associated with an isolated s. From this a longer form nisse was generalized. In practice I think either form can be used, with singular nís being preserved by analogy with nér. However, I think inflected forms are probably all based on nisse, such as genitive nisseo “of a woman” rather than ✱✱nisso.
Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had both ᴹQ. nis and nisse “woman” derived from the root ᴹ√NIS, with plural nissi in both cases (Ety/NIS, NDIS). He explained this variation as follows: “nis was a blend of old nīs (nisen) and the elab[orated] form ✱nis-sē” (EtyAC/NĪ¹). Hence it is was essentially the same as the scenario described above, but in the 1930s the long vowel in ancient nīs did not survive in the later short form nis. Quenya Personal Pronouns (QPP1) from the late 1940s had nís “woman” with a long í (PE23/85).
In Quenya prayers of the 1950s, Tolkien experimented with some alternate plural forms nínaron [genitive plural] >> nísi [ordinary plural] (VT43/26-29, 31), the former apparently representing a variant singular form ✱nína, but in later writings plural nissi was restored.
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.
nírítë
adjective. forceful, exerting great thrust or pressure, driving
An adjective glossed “forceful, exerting great thrust or pressure, driving” based on Q. nírë “force” and appearing in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 (PE22/165).
nísinen
place name. *Fragrant Water
A lake near Eldalondë “so named from the abundance of sweet-smelling shrubs and flowers that grew upon its banks” (UT/168). This name might be a compound of the verbal element nis- (“to smell sweetly”?) seen in nísima “fragrant” and the noun nén “water”, therefore meaning something like “✱Fragrant Water” (as suggested by Helge Fauskanger, QQ/Nísinen).
nisto
noun. large woman
An augmentative form of nís “woman” given as nisto “large woman” in notes from 1968 (VT47/33).
nísimaldar
place name. Fragrant Trees
Niélë
tear
Niélë fem. name (meaning unclear, cf. nië "tear"?), diminutive Nieliccilis ("k") noun "little Niéle" (MC:215; PE16:96). This may suggest that Niélë has the stem-form *Niéli-.
Nísimaldar
fragrant trees
Nísimaldar noun "Fragrant trees", a region in Númenor (UT:167; evidently #nísima "fragrant", attested here only, + aldar "trees").
Nísinen
fragrance-water
Nísinen noun *"Fragrance-water", a lake in Númenor (UT:168)
nicu-
be chill, cold (of weather); to snow, it is cold, it freezes
nicu- ("k")vb. "be chill, cold (of weather); to snow, it is cold, it freezes" (WJ:417, PE17:168): 3rd sg. aorist niquë (q.v.) "it snows or freezes", present níqua "it is freezing", pa.t. nicunë "it snowed, froze" (PE17:168)
nimpë
small; small & frail
*nimpë (nimpi*-) adj. "small; small & frail". The form is given as "nimpi" with the last vowel marked as short; this is probably the etymological form that would underlie Quenya nimpë. The word is said to mean "small" with "connotation of weakness". Also nípa** (VT48:18)
nincë
small
*nincë (ninci*-) ("k")adj. "small". The form is given as "ninki" with the last vowel marked as short; this is probably the etymological form that would underlie Quenya nincë. The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa**, *nimpë. (VT48:18)
niquetil
snowcap
niquetil ("q")noun "snowcap" (LT1:266). Compare níquetil in much later material.
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.
nisto
large woman
nisto noun "large woman" (compare nís) (VT45:33)
nityë
little finger
[nityë noun, ephemeral word for "little finger", changed to nícë (VT48:15)
nië
tear
nië noun "tear" (NEI, VT45:38, LT1:262, LT2:346); apparently níe in MC:221
níca
small
níca ("k")adj. "small". The word is said to mean "small" with "good senses"; contrast nípa, *nimpë. (VT47:26, VT48:18)
nícë
little finger
nícë "little finger" (VT48:5, 15), also lepincë
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.])
nípa
small; small & frail
nípa adj. "small; small & frail". The word is said to mean "small" with "connotation of weakness". Also *nimpë (VT48:18)
níquetil
snow peak
níquetil noun "snow peak" (PE17:168), stem probably *níquetild-, cf. Taniquetil, q.v.
níra
will
níra noun "will" (as a potential or faculty) (VT39:30, VT41:6, 17, PE17:168)
nírë
tear
nírë noun "tear" (NEI)
nísima
fragrant
#nísima adj. "fragrant", isolated from Nísimaldar, q.v.
nítë
moist, dewy
nítë (stem *níti-, given the primitive form ¤neiti) adj. "moist, dewy" (NEI, VT45:38)
nívë
pale
nívë adj."pale" (MC:213; this is "Qenya" Tolkien's later Quenya has néca)
nírë
noun. force
A general word for “force” [physical, social and mental] derived from √NID “force, press(ure), thrust” and appearing in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 (PE22/165).
nieninquë
noun. snowdrop, snowdrop, [ᴹQ.] (lit.) white tear
A word for “snowdrop”, perhaps a reference to that species of flower, appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a combination of ᴹQ. nie “tear” and ᴹQ. ninqe “white”, so literally “white tear” (Ety/NEI, NIK-W). ᴱQ. nieninqe also appeared with the same form, meaning and etymology in the Qenya Lexicon and the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s (QL/68; PME/68). In later writings, it appeared in adjectival form nieninquëa “like a snowdrop” in the 1950s version of the Nieninquë poem (PE16/96); the same form appeared in the version of the poem written around 1930, and its drafts (MC/215; PE16/90, 92). The word nieninquë likewise served as the title of that poem.
nieninquë
snowdrop
nieninquë ("q") noun "snowdrop", etymologically "white tear" (NIK-W, LT1:262, 266)
nierwes
hive
nierwes noun "hive" (LT1:262)
nihtil
little finger
[nihtil noun "little finger" (VT47:26)]
ninya
my
ninya _possessive pron _occurring in Fíriel's Song, evidently meaning "my"; see indo-ninya. It may be derived from the dative form nin "for me" by adding the adjectival ending -ya. Compare menya, q.v.
nion
bee
nion noun "bee" (GL:60)
nirwa
scarred
[nirwa (2) adj. "scarred" (VT46:4)]
nitya
small
#nitya adj. "small" (VT48:15, PM:365)
nimulë
noun. phantom, a seeming
níca
adjective. little, small
nícë
noun. little finger
nílë
noun. a special concern with or love for
nípa
adjective. small (usually with connotation of weakness)
nísima
adjective. fragrant
nitya
adjective. little
níra
noun. will (as a potential or faculty), individual will (in potential)
ninda
adjective. wet
nissë
noun. woman
níma
noun. phantom, a seeming
níre
noun. force
níríte
adjective. forceful, exerting thrust or pressure, driving
níva
?. [unglossed]
taniquetil
place name. High White Peak
Tallest mountain in the world, where Manwë and Varda made their home (S/26). The name was adapted from its Valarin name of unknown meaning (PE17/168, 186), perhaps Val. Dahanigwishtilgūn (WJ/417). The Valarin name was altered to give it meaning as Quenya word. In Ancient Quenya, the name became ✶tār(a)-ninqui-tilde “High White Peak” (PE17/186). Taniquetil was thereafter interpreted as a compound of tar- (ta-) “high”, ninquë “white” (or niquë “cold, snow”) and tildë “point”, once its true origin was obscured.
Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/58), and ᴱQ. Taniqetil “Lofty Snowcap” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon, where it was a compound of ᴱQ. tá “high” and ᴱQ. niqetil “snow cap” (QL/66, 86; LT1A/Taniquetil). ᴹQ. Taniqetil “High White Horn” appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as a compound of ᴹ✶tāna “✱high” (Ety/TĀ), ᴹQ. ninqe “white” (Ety/NIK-W) and ᴹQ. tilde “horn” (Ety/TIL). The concept of the Valarin origin of this name did not emerge until the 1950-60s (PE17/168, 186; WJ/416-7).
In The Etymologies, Tolkien indicated that its (ᴹQ) genitive form was Taniqetilden (Ety/TIL, EtyAC/TIL), so that its stem form would be Taniqetild-, which was also its stem form in the Qenya Lexicon (QL/87). In the 1950s, Tolkien gave its ancient form as ✶tār(a)-ninqui-tilte (PE17/186), perhaps indicating a stem form of Taniquetilt-. Since the later stem form of this name is unclear, I have omitted it in this entry.
Nénimë
february
Nénimë noun second month of the year, "February" (Appendix D)
pinilya
small
pinilya adj. "small" (MC:220; this is "Qenya")
Nísimaldar
Nísimaldar
The name means 'Fragrant Trees', and it was so called because of the great variety of rare and beautiful trees that grew there.
nílanta-
verb. to become devoted, dedicated, or strongly attached
A neologism coined by Valerie posted on 2024-05-21 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a transitive weak verb based on [ᴺQ.] níla “devoted”, with a weak past nílantane. Since this verb is based on the root √N(D)IL, it does not imply a romantic attachment which would fall under √MEL instead. It also does not imply devotion to a social superior, which would be √(N)DUR. It would be devotion or dedication to a person, group, subject of study or a cause, but from a position of an equal, not an inferior or subordinate.
níta-
verb. to weep, cry [tears]
@@@ NQNT uses níta-
nívë
noun. face
nihta-
verb. to reduce, make small
nihtana
adjective. reduced, minor
níla
adjective. devoted
nienaitë
adjective. tearful
nieres
noun. hive
-n(yë)
suffix. I
-n
suffix. I
Lindissë
woman
Lindissë fem.name, perhaps lin- (root of words having to do with song/music) + (n)dissë "woman" (see nís). (UT:210)
lepincë
noun. little finger
A word for the “little finger” in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, a combination of ✶lepe “finger” and the diminutive suffix ✶-inki, appearing first as lepinka and later as lepinke (VT47/10-11; VT48/5). The short form Q. {nitye >>} níke was also used for the “little finger” (VT48/5, 15).
Conceptual Development: In drafts of these notes, the word first appeared as Q. nihtil, a combination of √NIK “small” and Q. -til “point” (VT47/26).
nes-
sweet smelling
nes- ?verb/?root "sweet smelling" (PE17:100); cf. Nísimaldar
nessa
young
nessa adj. "young" (NETH), alsoNessa as name of a Valië, the spouse of Tulkas (adopted and adapted from Valarin, or an archaic Elvish formation: WJ:404 vs. 416). Also called Indis, "bride" (NETH, NI1). The fem. name Nessanië (UT:210) would seem to incorporate Nessa's name; the second element could mean "tear" (nië), but since Nessa is not normally associated with sorrow, this #nië is perhaps rather a variant of ní "female" (compare Tintanië as a variant of Tintallë).
nén
noun. water, water, [ᴱQ.] river
The word for “water”, a derivative of the root √NEN of the same meaning (PE17/52; Ety/NEN). Its stem form was nen- (Ety/NEN) and its primitive form was given as ✶nē̆n, the vowel length variation due to distinct subjective nēn versus objective/inflected nĕn- in ancient monosyllables (PE21/64).
Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with two senses: “river” and (archaic) “†water”. Tolkien indicated the two senses were based on distinct roots: ᴱ√NEŘE [NEÐE] and ᴱ√NENE respectively, with two distinct stem forms nend- and nēn (QL/64-65). The Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa also mentions the forms nen (nēn-) “water” versus nen(d-) “river” (PME/64-65). In the English-Qenya Dictionary of the mid-1920s Tolkien had both nēn “river” (PE15/76) and nēn “water” (PE15/78), but in the Early Qenya Grammar he had only nēn “water” (PE14/43, 72), also appearing as nen “water” in documents on The Valmaric Script from this period (PE14/110).
In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. nēn “water”, but in this document it had nēn- with long ē in its inflected forms as well (PE21/23). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, however, uninflected nén “water” had a stem form of nen- with short e (Ety/NEN), and the reasons for this variation was discussed in Primitive Quendian Structure: Final Consonants from 1936, the nominative/objective distinction noted above (PE21/64). This seems to be the paradigm Tolkien stuck with thereafter, as evidenced by S. nen “water” rather than ✱✱nîn.
-stir
suffix. face
An element meaning “face” in the name Carnistir “Red-Face” (S. Caranthir), derived from primitive ✶stīrē (PM/353; VT41/10). Its form as an independent word would mostly likely be ✱síre (Classical Quenya þíre), but that would conflict with sírë “river” in spoken Quenya (Tarquesta). There are a number of other Quenya “face” words attested, such as cendelë, so it is probably safer to use one of these for purposes of Neo-Quenya.
nésa
noun. sister
A word for “sister” coined by Tolkien in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, based on the root √NETH of similar meaning (VT47/12, 14). It had a diminutive/affectionate variant nettë used as a play name for the fourth finger in several places in these notes (VT47/12; VT48/6), but I prefer to mainly use nettë for “(little) girl” in Neo-Quenya (VT47/10, 15, 33).
Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. seler “sister” from the root ᴹ√THEL or THELES (Ety/THEL), and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. heresse “sister” from the early root ᴱ√HESE (QL/40). See those entries for discussion.
Amillion
february
Amillion noun "February" (LT1:249; LotR-style Quenya has Nénimë)
canwa
noun. face
A word appearing as kanwarya in one of the drafts of the Ambidexters Sentence, apparently a 3rd-sg possessive form meaning “✱his face” (VT49/6, 21). Patrick Wynne suggested it might be derived from √KAT “shape” as in katmā > kanwa, patterned after Latin “faciēs” which also originally meant “shape”. It seems the n in this word was revised, but what the change was intended to be is unclear. Tolkien eventually revised this word to cendelë, so canwa was probably abandoned.
cendelë
noun. face, face, *visage
A word for “face” in the Ambidexters Sentence of the late 1960s (VT49/8). Patrick Wynne suggested it is likely an abstract noun formation from the verb cenda- “watch, observe”, and hence similar in origin to English/French “visage” which likewise originated from a Latin verb meaning “to see” (VT49/21). Earlier “face” words ᴱQ. alma and ᴱQ. yéma have similar derivations, as pointed out by Patrick Wynne.
lér
man
**lér noun "man" (NI1; hypothetical Q form of PQ dēr; the form actually used in Quenya was nér)
lís
noun. honey, honey, *sugar, sweetener
A word for “honey” in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 given as lîs and derived from the root √(G)LIS (PE17/154); the usual representation of a long vowel in Quenya would be ✱lís. In DLN Tolkien said that it sometimes appeared as līr- in inflections with the usual change of intervocalic s to r, but that its usual stem form was liss-. Indeed, in The Etymologies of the 1930s this word was ᴹQ. lis “honey” under the root ᴹ√LIS of the same meaning, and its stem form was also liss- as indicated by its [ᴹQ.] genitive lissen (Ety/LIS). Tolkien originally gave the base noun as lisse in The Etymologies, but this was deleted and replaced by lis (EtyAC/LIS). In The Etymologies its Noldorin cognate was N. glî.
Conceptual Development: A likely precursor to this word was ᴱQ. ile “honey” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, cognate to ᴱN. glí “honey” (GL/59).
Neo-Quenya: Since there are other honey-words in Quenya like Q. nehtë, I would use lís (liss-) for sweeteners in general, including both honey and sugar.
nectë
honey
nectë noun "honey" (LT1:262; Tolkien's later Quenya has lis; otherwise, nectë would have had to become nehtë_, a form appearing in the Etymologies with the meaning "honeycomb" [VT45:38]. However, this word clashes with _nehtë "angle" or "spearhead, gore, wedge, narrow promontory" from later sources [PE17:55, UT:282].)
nendë
noun. lake, lake, [ᴹQ.] pool
A word for “lake” (PE17/52) or “pool” (Ety/NEN), derived from the root √NEN “water”.
Conceptual Development: This word appeared in both The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/NEN) and notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/37) with the same basic meaning and derivation.
né
was
né vb. "was"; see ná #1. Also used as interjection "yes" when the meaning is "it was so, it was as you say/ask" (VT49:31). Pl. nér "were", dual nét (VT49:30). Nésë "he was" (VT49:29), though Tolkien elsewhere stated that né did not "take any inflection of person" (VT49:31), pronominal endings rather being added to ane- (the form anes *he was" is attested). Anda né "long ago" (VT49:31).
nér
man
nér (1) (ner-, as in pl. neri) noun "man" (adult male elf, mortal, or of other speaking race) (MR:213, VT49:17, DER, NDER, NI1, VT45:9; see also WJ:393)
onórë
sister
onórë noun "sister" (of blood-kin) (THEL/THELES, NŌ; both of these entries in the Etymologies as reproduced in LR have the reading "onóne", but the "Old Noldorin" cognate wanúre listed in the entry THEL/THELES seems to indicate that the Quenya word should be onórë; the letters n and r are easily confused in Tolkien's handwriting. There is no clear evidence for a feminine ending -në in Quenya, but -rë is relatively well attested; cf. for instance ontarë.) A later source gives the word for "sister" as nésa instead.
tompë
noun. [unglossed], *pulse, beat
@@@ Neo-meaning “✱pulse, beat” suggested by Röandil on 2023-04-20
cúma
noun. [unglossed]
finca
noun. [unglossed]
nehtë
noun. honey, honey; [ᴹQ.] honeycomb
A noun for “honey” appearing in 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from ✶negdē “exudation” based on the root √NEG “ooze, drip” (PE19/91). It was a later iteration of ᴹQ. nehte “honeycomb” in The Etymologies of the 1930s which had essentially the same derivation (EtyAC/NEG). This in turn was a later form of ᴱQ. nekte “honey” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√NEHE having to do with bees and honey (QL/65).
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d use this word only for “honey”. For “honeycomb” I’d use ᴺQ. nehtelë inspired by ᴱQ. nektele “honeycomb” (QL/65)
nenda
adjective. wet
um(ba)-
prefix. [unglossed]
vínë
noun. youth, youth, *childhood
-nya
my
-nya pronominal suffix, 1st person sg. possessive, "my" (VT49:16, 38, 48), e.g. tatanya "my daddy" (UT:191, VT48:17), meldonya "my [male] friend" (VT49:38), meldenya "my [female] friend" (Elaine inscription), omentienya "my meeting" (PE17:68), tyenya "my tye" (tye being an intimate form of "you"), used = "dear kinsman" (VT49:51, 56). This ending seems to prefer i as its connecting vowel where one is needed, cf. Anarinya "my sun" in LR:72, so also in hildinyar "my heirs". It was previously theorized by some that a final -ë would also be changed to -i- before -nya, but the example órenya "my heart [órë]" indicates that this is not the case (VT41:11).
-nya
suffix. my
Nénar
water
Nénar noun name of a star (or planet), evidently derived from nén "water" (Silm), tentatively identified with Uranus (MR:435)
Uinen
water
Uinen (Uinend-, as in dative Uinenden) fem. name, used of a Maia, spouse of Ossë (UY, NEN). Adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:404), though it is also said that it contains -nen "water" (SA:nen); the latter explanation may be folk etymology. In the Etymologies, the name is derived from the same stem (UY) as uilë "long trailing plant, especially seaweed".
ailo
lake, pool
ailo noun "lake, pool" (LT2:339; Tolkien's later Quenya has ailin)
amya-
verb. [unglossed]
ane-
was
#ane-, form of copula "was" when pronominal endings follow: anen "I was", anel "you were", anes "(s)he/it was" (VT49:28, 29); see ná #1.
anta
face
anta (2) noun "face" (ANA1, VT45:5). Cf. cendelë.
arra
adjective. [unglossed]
cairë
?. [unglossed]
canwa
face
#canwa (2) noun "face", isolated from canwarya ("k") *"his face", evidently an ephemeral form Tolkien abandoned in favour of cendelë, q.v. (VT49:21; see VT49:34 regarding uncertainties as to the manuscript reading)
celu
stream
celu _("k")_noun "stream" (LT1:257; rather celumë in LotR-style Quenya)
celumë
stream, flow
celumë ("k")noun "stream, flow" (KEL, LT1:257); locative pl. celumessen ("k") in Markirya (ëar-celumessen is translated "in the flowing sea", lit. *"in sea-streams").
cendelë
face
cendelë noun "face" (VT49:21)
cinta
small
cinta adj. "small" (PE17:157)
cinta
adjective. small
conta-
verb. [unglossed]
engë
was
engë vb. "was", "existed", past tense of ëa, q.v. (VT43:38, VT49:29)
fauta-
to snow
fauta- vb. *"to snow" (actually glossed fauta = "it snows") (GL:35)
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”.
hendas
?. [unglossed]
hindo
noun. [unglossed]
hindë
noun. [unglossed]
holdë
noun. [unglossed]
hriz-
to snow
#hriz- vb. "to snow", impersonal, given in the form hríza "it is snowing". Normally z would turn to r in Exilic Quenya, but since two r's close to one another were disliked, it may be that hriz- became *hris- instead (compare razë "sticks out" becoming rasë instead of **rarë, PE19:73) Past tense hrinsë (with s from the original root SRIS) and another form which the editor tentatively reads as hrissë (the development ns > ss is regular). (PE17:168)
hriz-
verb. to snow
In notes written around 1959, Tolkien experimented with various roots for impersonal “snow” verbs, first giving the aorist form of a derived verb Q. hrisya “it snows” < hriþya from the root √SRITH, then the present tense form of a basic verb Q. hríza “it is snowing” from the root √SRIS (PE17/168).
Neo-Quenya: The basic verb form †hriz- is likely archaic, since z usually became r in Quenya’s phonetic development. In this case, though, I suspect the medial z dissimilated back to s after the hr, since Quenya disliked repeated r’s (PE19/73-74). This occurred, for example, with the verb ras- “stick out” < †raz- < √RAS.
Thus, I would use modern Quenya hrise “[it] snows”, hrinse “[it] snowed”, ihrísie “[it] has snowed”. Since this is an impersonal verb, no explicit subject is required.
hríva
place name. [unglossed]
háro
?. [unglossed]
indu-
verb. will, do on purpose
inya
small
inya (2) adj. "small" (LT1:256; this "Qenya" word may be obsoleted by # 1 above)
inyë
i, too
inyë emphatic independent 1st person sg. pronoun, "I" with emphasis, translated "I, too" in LR:61 (and, according to one reading of Tolkiens manuscript, in VT49:49).
inyë
pronoun. I (emphatic)
isca
pale
isca ("k") adj."pale" (LT1:256)
laisi
youth, vigour, new life
laisi, laito noun "youth, vigour, new life" (LT1:267; rather vië or nésë, nessë in Tolkien's later Quenya)
lepinca
little finger
lepinca ("k")noun "little finger" (VT47:10); variant lepincë (VT47:26, VT48:5)
lepinca
noun. little finger
lepincë
little finger
lepincë ("k")noun "little finger" (VT47:26, VT48:5); variant lepinca (VT47:10). According to VT48:15, 18, lepincë is derived from older lepinki; if so the Quenya form should have the stem lepinci-.
lingi-
verb. [unglossed]
linqui
wet
linqui ("q")adj. "wet" (MC:216; Tolkien's later Quenya has linquë.)
linquë
wet
linquë ("q") (1) adj. "wet" _(LINKWI). In early "Qenya", this word was glossed "water" (LT1:262)_, and "wet" was linqui or liquin, q.v.
linya
pool
linya noun "pool" (LIN1)
liquin
wet
liquin ("q")adj. "wet" (LT1:262; Tolkien's later Quenya has linquë.)
luina
pale
[luina] adj. "pale" (VT45:30)
lélë
noun. will
lóna
pool, mere
lóna (1) noun "pool, mere" (VT42:10). Variant of lón, lónë above?
maitya
?. [unglossed]
malsa
?. [unglossed]
marya
pale, fallow, fawn
marya adj. "pale, fallow, fawn" (MAD)
melu
honey
#melu noun "honey", isolated from melumatya, q.v. (PE17:68)
melu
noun. honey
melya-
verb. [unglossed], *to be in love
mendë
will
#mendë noun "will", only attested in mendelya "thy will" (VT43:15)
mintë
small
mintë adj. "small" (VT45:35)
missë
wet, damp, rain
[missë] adj.ornoun "wet, damp, rain" (VT45:35)
mitsa
small
mitsa adj. "small" (VT45:35) Another synonym from the same source, mitra, looks unusual for a Quenya word (because of the medial cluster tr)
mixa
wet
mixa ("ks")adj. "wet" (MISK); later sources have néna, nenya
máriel
feminine name. [unglossed]
naue
?. [unglossed]
nehte
noun. honey
honey
nehtë
honeycomb
nehtë (2) noun "honeycomb" (VT45:38)
nendë
pool
nendë (1) noun "pool" (NEN), "lake" (PE17:52)
nengwë
nose
nengwë (stem *nengwi-, given the primitive form ¤neñ-wi) noun "nose", pl. nengwi given (NEÑ-WI)
nenya
wet
nenya adj. "wet" (PE17:52), also néna, q.v. Nenya as the name of a Ring of Power seems to imply *"(thing) related to water", since this Ring was associated with that element (SA:nen).
nenya
adjective. wet
nessë
youth
nessë noun "youth"; also nésë (NETH)
nyenyë
weeping
nyenyë noun "weeping" (LT1:262)
nyérë
grief
nyérë noun "grief" (LT1:261), "sorrow" (GL:60)
nánë
was
nánë vb. "was", náner "were"; see ná #1
né
verb. was
was
né
was
né vb. in pa.t. "was"; see ná #1.
néca
pale, vague, faint, dim to see
néca ("k") adj "pale, vague, faint, dim to see", pl. nécë ("k") in Markirya
nén
water
nén (nen-) noun "water" (NEN).
néna
wet
néna adj. "wet" (PE17:167). Cf. nenya, mixa.
néna
adjective. wet
nér
noun. man
nésa
sister
nésa (Þ) noun "sister" (VT47:14); this form from a late source possibly replaces earlier seler and onórë, q.v.
nésë
youth
nésë (Þ) noun "youth", also nessë (NETH). Not to be confused with nésë "he was"; see ná #1.
nëa
once, at one time
nëa (1) "once, at one time" (in the past) (VT49:31). Also néya.
osellë
sister, [female] associate
osellë (þ) noun "sister, [female] associate" (THEL/THELES, WŌ). Cf. otorno.
pia
little
pia adj. "little" (PE17:115); variants picina ("k"), pincë ("k"), pitya
pia
adjective. little
picina
adjective. little
pincë
adjective. little
pirya
juice, syrup
pirya noun "juice, syrup" (PIS)
pitya
little
#pitya adj. "little" in Pityafinwë, Pitya-naucor
sal-
verb. [unglossed]
seler
sister
seler (þ) (sell-, as in pl. selli) noun "sister" (THEL/THELES). In a later source, the word nésa (q.v.) appears instead, leaving the conceptual status of seler uncertain.
sáva
juice
sáva noun "juice" (SAB)
sélo
?. [unglossed]
sóla
?. [unglossed]
thar-
verb. [unglossed]
titta
little, tiny
titta adj. "little, tiny" (TIT)
tomba
noun. [unglossed]
umbacarin
noun. [unglossed]
vinya
young
vinya (1) adj. "young" (VT46:22, VT47:26, PE17:191) or "new" (cf. compounds Vinyamar, Vinyarië below; cf. also winya "new, fresh, young" in a deleted entry in the Etymologies, VT45:16; there the word was first written as vinya.) Vinya "the Young", original name of the isle of Númenor among its own people (SD:332).
vinyarë
noun. youth, youth, *young adulthood
vëo
man
†vëo noun "man" (WEG; etymologically connected to vëa "manly, vigorous"; the more neutral word for "man" is nér. According to VT46:21, Tolkien indicated that vëo is an archaic or poetic word.) Tolkien at a later point defined the word as "living creature" (PE17:189). Cf. variant wëo, q.v.
vínë
youth
vínë noun "youth" (probably as abstract) (VT47:26, PE17:191)
vírië
youth
vírië noun "youth" (as abstract) (VT46:22)
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)
wet
wet
wet, see we #2
éna
?. [unglossed]
úpa-
verb. [unglossed]
þúna
?. [unglossed]
hris-
verb. to snow
hyámen
noun. front
lemba
adjective. sad
nehtelë
noun. honeycomb
nyenyë
noun. weeping
nyérë
noun. grief
pentë
noun. front
ni (1) 1st person sg. pron. "I" (according to PE17:68 also "me" as object), with long vowel (ní) when stressed (VT49:51), cf. ní nauva next to nauvan for "I will be" (VT49:19), the former wording emphasizing the pronoun. The pronoun ni represents the original stem-form (VT49:50). Dative nin "for me, to me" (Arct, Nam, RGEO:67, VT41:11/15). Compare the reflexive pronoun imni, imnë "myself" and the emphatic pronoun inyë, q.v. The ancient element ni is said to have implied, originally, "this by me, of my [?concern]" (VT49:37)