Quenya 

hela

or

hela conj. "or", apparently an ephemeral form, replaced by hya (VT49:14-15). The editor theorizes that hela literally meant "other than" (VT49:15)

hya

or

hya conj. "or" or noun "other thing" (VT49:14)

hya

conjunction. or

Derivations

Element in

Variations

  • hya ✧ VT49/14

or

over

or prep. "over" (CO); in early "Qenya", this preposition was also defined as "on, upon" (LT1:256, MC:216). Prefixed or- is translated "up" in ortil, q.v.

or

preposition. above, above, [ᴱQ.] upon; on

Cognates

  • N. or “above, above; [G.] onto, on top, on”

Element in

var

or

var (1) conj. "or" (QL:100). In Tolkiens later Quenya, the word hya appears for "or". A phrase involving a double varvar may mean "either…or" in one early (untranslated) text, according to Christopher Gilsons interpretation (PE15:32, 39)

an

for

an (1) _conj. and prep. _"for" (Nam, RGEO:66), an cé mo quernë… "for if one turned…" (VT49:8), also used adverbially in the formula an + a noun to express "one more" (of the thing concerned: an quetta "a word more", PE17:91). The an of the phrase es sorni heruion an! "the Eagles of the Lords are at hand" (SD:290) however seems to denote motion towards (the speaker): the Eagles are coming. Etym has an, ana "to, towards" (NĀ1). The phrase an i falmalī _(PE17:127) is not clearly translated but seems to be a paraphrase of the word falmalinnar "upon the foaming waves" (Nam)_, suggesting that an can be used as a paraphrase of the allative ending (and if falmalī is seen as a Book Quenya accusative form because of the long final vowel, this is evidence that an governs the accusative case). In the "Arctic" sentence, an is translated "until". Regarding an as used in Namárië, various sources indicate that it means an "moreover, further(more), to proceed" (VT49:18-19) or ("properly") "further, plus, in addition" (PE17:69, 90). According to one late source (ca. 1966 or later), an "is very frequently used after a full stop, when an account or description is confirmed after a pause. So in Galadriels Elvish lament […]: An sí Tintallë, etc. [= For now the Kindler, etc…] This is translated by me for, side an is (as here) often in fact used when the additional matter provides an explanation of or reason for what has already been said". Related is the use of an + noun to express "one more"; here an is presumably accented, something the word would not normally be when used as a conjunction or preposition.

ten

for

ten (2) conj. "for", in Fíriel's Song; apparently replaced by an in LotR-style Quenya.

olla

over

olla prep "over" (= beyond, of things passed over, as in "I went over a river" or "they went over the hill") (PE17:65)

oro-

rise

oro- (2) vb. "rise" (LT1:256; Tolkien's later Quenya has orta-, but cf. oro #1)

orta-

rise

orta- vb. "rise", also transitive "raise, lift up", pa.t. ortanë (Nam, RGEO:67, ORO; misreading "ortani" in Letters:426). According to PE17:63-64, this pa.t. form ortanë is only transitive ("raised"), whereas the intransitive pa.t. ("rose") is orontë. Cf. orya-.

orya-

rise

orya- vb. "rise" (intrasitive only, contrast orta-), pa.t. oronyë (PE17:64)

apa

on

apa (2) prep. denoting "on" with reference to contact of surfaces, especially vertical surface (in the sense in which a picture hangs on a wall). Apa is said to have this meaning in various Tolkien manuscripts (VT44:26), but apa is also used for "after" (see apa #1 above), and the two were probably never meant to coexist in a single variant of Quenya. The clash may be avoided by consistently using the variants , pa (q.v.) mentioned by Tolkien in the sense of apa #2. Another variant gives apa, "on (above but touching)" (VT49:18).

on

, pa (1) prep. "on" with reference to contact of surfaces, especially vertical surface (in the sense in which a picture hangs on a wall); also used = "touching, as regards, concerning" (VT44:26). Another variant gives (and apa) with the meaning "on (above but touching)". (2) Variants of apa "after" (VT44:36), which preposition is in one source also ascribed the first meaning here discussed. For Neo-Quenya purposes, and pa may be used for "on" or "concerning", whereas apa is used for "after" (see entries for apa #1 and #2), or pa may also be seen as a shorter form of apa "after", as in the phrase yéni pa yéni *"years upon years" (VT44:36)

-ro

he

-ro pronominal ending "he", in antaváro, q.v. In Tolkiens later Quenya, the ending -s covers both "he", "she" and "it".

orta/orya

verb. rise

Quenya [PE 22:104, 114, 117; PE 22:133; PE 22:157,159,163f] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

parma

noun. book

book, writing, composition

Quenya [PE 18:51 PE 18:101] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

parma

book

parma noun "book", also name of tengwa #2 (PAR, Appendix E). In early "Qenya", the gloss was "skin, bark, parchment, book, writings" (LT2:346); Tolkien later revisited the idea that parma basically is a noun "peel" and refers to bark or skin (as primitive writing materials, PE17:86): "peel, applied to bark or skin, hence "book", bark (literally skinning, peeling off), parchment, book; a book (or written document of some size")" (PE17:123). In the meantimeTolkien had associated the word with a root PAR meaning "compose, put together" (LR:380); the word loiparë "mistake in writing" (q.v.) may also suggest that the root PAR at one point was to mean "write", so that a parma was a "written thing". Instrumental form parmanen "with a book" or "by means of a book" (PE17:91, 180), parmastanna "on your book" (with the endings -sta dual "your", -nna allative) (VT49:47), parmahentië noun "book reading" (PE17:77). Other compounds: parmalambë noun "book-language" = Q[u]enya (PAR), #parma-resta noun "book-fair", attested with the endings -lya "thy" and the allative ending -nna (parma-restalyanna *"upon your book-fair") (VT49:38, 39). Parma as the name of the tengwa letter for P occurs compunded in parmatéma noun "p-series", labials, the second column of the Tengwar system (Appendix E).

tar-

affix. high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)

Cognates

  • S. -dor “*king, lord”

Derivations

  • TĀ/TAƷ “high, high, [ᴹ√] lofty; noble”

Element in

Variations

  • tar- ✧ PE22/148; SA/tar
Quenya [PE22/148; SA/tar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

amba

adverb. up(wards)

Cognates

  • S. am “up, up, [G.] upwards, towards head of, above”

Derivations

  • AMA “addition, increase, plus” ✧ PE17/091
  • AM “go up, go up, [ᴹ√] up” ✧ PE17/157

Element in

  • ᴺQ. ambahep- “to maintain, (lit.) upkeep”
  • ᴺQ. ambalasar “stalagmite, (lit.) up-growing stone”
  • Q. ambalotsë “uprising-flower”
  • Q. Ambaráto “*High Champion”
  • Q. Ambaróna “Eastern (Land)” ✧ PE17/082; PE17/091; RC/385
  • Q. ambarónë “dawn, dawn; [ᴹQ.] uprising, sunrise, Orient”
  • Q. Ambarto “*High and Lofty” ✧ PM/354
  • Q. Ambarussa “Top-russet” ✧ PM/354

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
AMA > amba[amba]✧ PE17/091
AM > amba-[amba]✧ PE17/157

Variations

  • amba- ✧ PE17/082; PE17/157
  • amba ✧ PE17/091; PM/354; RC/385; UT/255
Quenya [PE17/082; PE17/091; PE17/157; PM/354; RC/385; UT/255] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amba

up, upwards

amba 1) adv. "up, upwards" (AM2, PE17:157). Apparently also ama (UNU).

amu

up, upwards

amu adv. "up, upwards" (LT2:335; in Tolkien's later Quenya amba)

i eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa

(the one/they) who; (that) which

i (2) relative pronoun "(the one/they) who; (that) which" (both article and relative pronoun in CO: i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa: the One who is above all thrones", i hárar "(they) who are sitting"); cf. also the phrase i hamil mára "(that) which you deem good" (VT42:33). Notice that before a verb, i means "the one who", or, in the case of a plural verb, "those who"; e.g. i carir quettar ómainen "those who form words with voices" (WJ:391). According to VT47:21, i as a relative pronoun is the personal plural form (corresponding to the personal sg. ye and the impersonal sg. ya). This agrees with the example i carir..., but as is evident from the other examples listed above, Tolkien in certain texts also used i as a singular relative pronoun, both personal (Eru i...) and impersonal (i hamil). In the sense of a plural personal relative pronoun, i is also attested in the genitive (ion) and ablative (illon) cases, demonstrating that unlike the indeclinable article i, the relative pronoun i can receive case endings. Both are translated "from whom": ion / illon camnelyes "from whom you received it" (referring to several persons) (VT47:21).

am-

prefix. up, up, [ᴱQ.] upwards

Derivations

  • AM “go up, go up, [ᴹ√] up”

Element in

tána

high, lofty, noble

tána (meaning unclear, probably adj. "high, lofty, noble") (TĀ/TA3). Compare tára.

an

adverb/conjunction. for, but, then, or; moreover, furthermore

Derivations

  • and(ă) “moreover, to go on further, to say more” ✧ PE17/090
    • ANAD “long; far” ✧ PE17/090
  • am(a) “moreover, furthermore, to proceed” ✧ PE17/091
    • AMA “addition, increase, plus” ✧ PE17/091
  • NA/ANA “to, towards; at side of, alongside, besides; moreover, in addition, plus” ✧ PE17/146

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
and(ă) > an[anda] > [and] > [an]✧ PE17/090
am(a) > an[ama] > [am] > [an]✧ PE17/091
ANA/NĀ > an[an]✧ PE17/146

Variations

  • An ✧ LotR/0377; PE17/069; PE17/091; RGEO/58; RGEO/59
Quenya [LotR/0377; PE17/069; PE17/090; PE17/091; PE17/147; RGEO/58; RGEO/59; VT49/18; VT49/19] Group: Eldamo. Published by

entë

moreover, further, furthermore, what is more

entë (1) conj. "moreover, further, furthermore, what is more" (VT47:15, VT48:14). Compare yunquentë as a variant of yunquenta, q.v.

am-

up

am- (1) prefix "up" (AM2)

ama

up

ama adv.? element not glossed, evidently meaning "up" like the prefix am-, or an alternative form of amba (UNU)

amba

adverb. up

Quenya [PE 22:21] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

essë

he

essë (2) pron? "he" (and also "she, it"?), possible emphatic 3rd sg. emphatic pronoun, attested in the sentence essë úpa nas "he is dumb" (PE17:126)

halda

adjective. high, tall

Quenya [PE 22:103; PE 22:148] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

se

he, she, it

se (1) pron. "he, she, it" also object "him, her, it", 3rd person sg. Used "of living things including plants" (VT49:37; the corresponding inaimate pronoun is sa). The pronoun comes directly from se as the original stem-form (VT49:50). Stressed form , VT49:51, attested in object position in melin sé "I love him" (VT49:21). Ósë "with him/her", VT43:29; see ó-. Long dative/allative sena "[to/for] him" or "at him", VT49:14, allative senna "to him/her" (VT49:45, 46). Compare the reflexive pronoun insë *"himself, herself".

high

2) adj. "high" (LT1:264; there spelt . This is hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, but cf. tára "lofty".)

ecar

conjunction. or

Cognates

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

herca

conjunction. or

Cognates

Quenya Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

Sindarin 

egor

conjunction. or

Sindarin [SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

egor

conjunction. or

Cognates

Element in

Sindarin [AotM/062; SD/129] Group: Eldamo. Published by

or-

prefix. -day

Element in

  • S. Oraeron “Sea-day, *Thursday”
  • S. Oranor “*(lit.) Sun-day, Sunday”
  • S. Orbelain “*Day of the Valar, Friday”
  • S. Orgaladh “Day of the Tree, *Tuesday”
  • S. Orgaladhad “Day of the Two Trees, *Tuesday”
  • S. Orgilion “*Star-day, Saturday”
  • S. Orithil “*Moon-day, Monday”
  • S. Ormenel “*Heavens-day, Wednesday”

Variations

  • or ✧ PE17/120
  • Or- ✧ SA/ur
Sindarin [PE17/120; SA/ur] Group: Eldamo. Published by

bo

preposition. on

Sindarin [VT/44:21,26] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ar-

prefix. high, noble, royal

Sindarin [S/428] Reduced form of , element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Group: SINDICT. Published by

Ara-

prefix. high, noble, royal

Sindarin [S/428] Reduced form of , element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Group: SINDICT. Published by

erin

preposition. on the

Sindarin [SD/129-31] or+i, MS *œrin. Group: SINDICT. Published by

am

adverb. up, up, [G.] upwards, towards head of, above

Cognates

  • Q. amba “up(wards)”

Derivations

  • AM “go up, go up, [ᴹ√] up”

Element in

  • S. amdir “hope [based on reason], (lit.) looking up, hope [based on reason], *expectation, (lit.) looking up” ✧ MR/320
  • S. Amlaith
  • S. amloth “helm crest, (orig.) uprising flower”
  • ᴺS. amor “morning, early day”
  • S. Amras “Top-russet”
  • S. Amrod “*High and Lofty”
  • S. Amroth “Up-climber, High Climber”
  • S. amrûn “sunrise, east, (lit.) of the uprising”

Variations

  • Am ✧ MR/320 (Am)

duinen

high tide

(i dhuinen), pl. duinin (i nuinin). (VT48:26).

e

pronoun. he

The meaning "he" is deduced from the apparent function of this word in the so-called "King's Letter", but it also seems possible to interpret it as "indeed" (as in Q. e, LR/63, VT/45:11), used here in a way of formal address expressing the wishes or the will of the King

Sindarin [SD/129-31] Group: SINDICT. Published by

e

he

1) e (SD:128-31), 2) ho, hon, hono. (The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly ho is the nominative ”he”, whereas hon is the accusative ”him”. Hono could be an emphatic form. It may be that all of these pronouns, except e, are ”Noldorin” and were not maintained in Sindarin proper.)

e

pronoun. he

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. e “he, she, it”

Element in

Sindarin [AotM/062; SD/129] Group: Eldamo. Published by

e

he

(SD:128-31)

hall

tall

(exalted); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

egor

or

egor

egor

or

**

or

over

(adjectival prefix) or- (above, high)

or

over

(above, high)

or

on

(prep.) 1) or (above), with article erin ”on the” (followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salos reconstructions). Erin represents archaic örin. 2)

or

on

(above), with article erin ”on the” (followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salo’s reconstructions). Erin represents archaic örin.

or

high

(adjectival pref.) or- (above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

or

high

(above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

or

above

(adj. pref.) or- (over, high)

or

above

(prep.) or (om), with article erin ”above the” (followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salos reconstructions). Erin represents archaic örin.

or

above

(over, high)

an

for

(prep.) an (+ nasal mutation), with article ni ”for the” (+ nasal mutation in plural).

an

for

(adverbial prefix) an-

an

for

(+ nasal mutation), with article ’ni ”for the” (+ nasal mutation in plural).

thar

over

(adverbial prefix) thar- (across, athwart, beyond)

thar

over

(across, athwart, beyond)

ammen

for us

(to us).

ho

he

hon, hono. *(The distinctions between these forms are unclear. Possibly ho is the nominative ”he”, whereas hon is the accusative ”him”. Hono could be an emphatic form. It may be that all of these pronouns, except e, are ”Noldorin” and were not maintained in Sindarin proper.)*

po

on

po (lenited bo) (VT44:23)

po

on

(lenited bo) (VT44:23)

an

for the

(for) + i (the).

ened

adverb. moreover

Cognates

  • Q. entë “moreover, further(more), what is more, moreover, further(more), what is more; *next (of time or in a sequence)”

Derivations

  • ENET “*one more”
Sindarin Group: Eldamo - neologism/reconstructions. Published by

gondrath

highway

(i ’ondrath) (street of stone, causeway), pl. gendraith (i ngendraith = i ñendraith). Archaic pl. göndreith. (WJ:340). Possibly the pl. can also be gondraith, without umlaut of the first element.

eria

rise

eria- (arise) (i eria, in eriar), pa.t. erias (VT46:7)

eria

rise

(arise) (i eria, in eriar), pa.t. **erias **(VT46:7)

parf

book

parf (i barf, o pharf), pl. perf (i pherf), coll. pl. parvath

parf

book

(i barf, o pharf), pl. perf (i pherf), coll. pl. parvath

raud

tall

(eminent, noble), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed. Also used as noun ”champion, eminent man, [a] noble”.

taur

tall

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

brand

tall

(lofty, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind.

andrath

high pass

(literally "long climb"), pl. endraith.

telu

high roof

(i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely).

Telerin 

parma

noun. book

Cognates

  • Q. parma “book, writing, composition, written document of some size, book, writing, composition, written document of some size; [ᴱQ.] skin, bark; parchment”

Derivations

  • PAR “learn; arrange, [ᴹ√] compose, put together”

Adûnaic

u

pronoun. he

A well-attested pronominal prefix, the masculine singular pronoun “he” (SD/433). See the entry on pronominal-prefixes for more discussion. Tolkien said that it had another variant hu- (SD/433), but this variant was only appears in the early and rejected hunekkū, which was changed to unekkū (see nakh-). Tolkien further indicated that the form u- primitively had an initial consonant [ɣ] or [ʔ] that was lost (SD/433).

Derivations

  • √Ad. ƷU “he”

Variations

  • u-/hu- ✧ SD/433

-nud Reconstructed

preposition. on

A preposition attested only in the phrase “on us” in the Lament of Akallabêth, changing through the drafts as nēnum >> nēnu >> nēnud (SD/247, 312). Most authors identify -nud as the prepositional element (AAD/20, LGtAG, NBA/14), perhaps related to Q. nu “under”. If so, it may be a derivative of the Elvish roots √NŪ/UNU “under” or √NDU “down”, with a semantic shift to the meaning “on”.

Cognates

  • Q. nu “under, beneath”

Derivations

  • NDU “down, under, below; sink, descend, go down, down, under, below; sink, descend, go down, [ᴹ√] set (of Sun)”

Element in

Variations

  • -num ✧ SD/312
  • -nu ✧ SD/312
Adûnaic [SD/247; SD/312] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive elvish

oro

root. up(wards); rise (up), go high, mount

orlā

preposition. over

Derivatives

  • Q. olla “over [beyond]” ✧ PE17/065

Variations

  • or-lā ✧ PE17/065 (or-lā)
Primitive elvish [PE17/065] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rō/oro

root. up(wards); rise (up), go high, mount, up(wards); rise (up), go high, mount; [ᴹ√] high, [ᴱ√] steepness, rising

This invertible root had a long history in Tolkien’s writings. Its earliest iteration was in a pair of roots in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s: ᴱ√OŘO [OÐO] with derivatives having to do with the “dawn”, and ᴱ√ORO “steepness, rising” with which it was much confused (QL/70). The latter had derivatives like ᴱQ. orme “summit, crest, hilltop” and ᴱQ. orto- “raise” (QL/70), and Tolkien mentioned an inverted variant ᴱ√ or ᴱ√ROHO with derivatives like ᴱQ. róna- “arise, rise, ascend” (QL/80). The contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon also gave it as in an invertible root ᴱ√rō-, oro with derivatives like G. oros “rising” and G. ront “high, steep” (GL/63, 66).

The root reappeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√ORO “up, rise, high” and ᴹ√ “rise” (Ety/ORO, RŌ). The root was mentioned very frequently in his writings from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s, generally glossed “rise” or “up(wards)”. Thus the root was very well established in Tolkien’s mind.

Derivatives

  • ōre “arising”
  • ornā “uprising, tall” ✧ PE17/112
    • Q. orwa “high, lofty”
  • ornē “(straight) tree” ✧ Let/426
    • Q. ornë “(tall) tree, (tall) tree, [ᴹQ.] high isolated tree” ✧ Let/426
    • S. eryn “wood, forest (of trees)” ✧ PE17/033; PE17/119
    • S. orn “(tall straight) tree” ✧ Let/426; NM/349; UT/266
  • orta- “to rise, ascend” ✧ PE18/106; PE22/134
  • ortā- “to raise” ✧ PE18/089; PE18/106
    • Q. orta- “to raise, cause to rise, lift (up)” ✧ PE22/159
  • orya- “to rise” ✧ PE22/134
    • Q. orya- “to rise” ✧ PE22/157
  • ᴺQ. oricon “heather”
  • Q. oro “mount, mountain, hill” ✧ PE17/063
  • ᴺQ. orosta “ascension”
  • ᴺQ. orsa “upper, above”
  • Q. orta- “to raise, cause to rise, lift (up)” ✧ Let/426; PE17/063; PE22/156
  • Q. orta- “to rise” ✧ PE17/063
  • Q. orto “mount, mountain, hill, [ᴹQ.] mountain-top; [Q.] mount, mountain” ✧ PE17/063
  • Q. orya- “to rise” ✧ PE17/063; PE22/156; PE22/163
  • S. orod “mountain” ✧ PE17/063
  • ᴺS. orth “upper”

Element in

  • orta- “to rise, ascend” ✧ PE22/129
  • (S)RŌ “east”
  • Q. oromar “lofty hall, high-mansion, high (lofty) dwelling” ✧ PE17/063
  • ᴺQ. oroparmen “high school, university”
  • ᴺQ. orpano “ridgepole”
  • Q. rómen “east, uprising, sunrise” ✧ PE17/063

Variations

  • OR/RO ✧ Let/426; NM/176; PE22/134
  • OR/ORO ✧ PE17/063
  • ✧ PE17/063; PE17/182
  • OR/RŌ ✧ PE17/064; PE17/112; PE22/133
  • OR/ORO/RŌ ✧ PE17/171
  • or/ro ✧ PE18/088; VT48/25
  • OR ✧ PE18/089; PE18/106; PE22/129; PE22/156; VT41/11; VT48/31 (OR)
  • oro/ro ✧ PE22/163
  • or- ✧ VT41/13
Primitive elvish [Let/426; NM/176; PE17/063; PE17/064; PE17/112; PE17/171; PE17/182; PE18/088; PE18/089; PE18/106; PE22/129; PE22/133; PE22/134; PE22/156; PE22/163; VT41/11; VT41/13; VT48/25; VT48/31] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tā/taʒ

root. high, high, [ᴹ√] lofty; noble

This root and ones like it were used for “high” things for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as unglossed ᴱ√TAHA in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. “high; high above, high up”, ᴱQ. tahōra or tayóra “lofty”, and ᴱQ. tāri “queen”; it had a variant form ᴱ√TAʕA where the ʕ might be a malformed Y (QL/87). The corresponding forms in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon were G. “high” and G. dara “lofty” (GL/29), indicating the true form of the root was ᴱ√DAHA, since initial voiced stops were unvoiced (d- > t-) in Early Qenya (PE12/17). Primitive forms like ᴱ✶dagá > ᴱN. /ᴱQ. “high” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s indicates the root continued to begin with D for the following decade (PE13/141, 161).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√TĀ/TAƷ “high, lofty; noble” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tára “lofty, high”, ᴹQ. tári “queen” and N. taen “height, summit of high mountain” (Ety/TĀ). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien gave the root as √TAG or Tā- “high”, and in notes from around 1967 Tolkien gave √TAƷ as the explanation of the initial element of Q. Taniquetil and contrasted it with √TĂR “stand” (PE17/186). In 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2), Tolkien wrote a marginal note giving √TAƷ > “high”, but this note was rejected with a statement “transfer to Gen. Structure. No [ʒ] existed in Eldarin” (PE19/72-73 note #22).

This last rejection seems to be part of Tolkien’s general vacillation on the nature and phonetic evolution of velar spirants in Primitive Elvish in 1968-70. For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume the root form was √TAH or √TAƷ > √ as the basis for “high” words, much like √MAH or √MAƷ > ✶ was the basis for “hand” words.

Derivatives

  • tagra ✧ PE17/186
    • Q. tára “lofty, tall, high” ✧ PE17/186
    • S. taer “lofty, lofty, *high” ✧ PE17/186
  • tāra “high”
  • Q. -tar “honorific”
  • Q. tar “honorific, sir, madam”
  • Q. tar- “high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)”
  • Q. tára “lofty, tall, high” ✧ PE17/186
  • S. taer “lofty, lofty, *high” ✧ PE17/186

Variations

  • TAG/Tā- ✧ PE17/186
  • TAƷ ✧ PE17/186; PE17/186; PE19/073 (TAƷ)
  • ✧ PE19/073 ()
Primitive elvish [PE17/186; PE19/073] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tāra

adjective. high

Derivations

  • TĀ/TAƷ “high, high, [ᴹ√] lofty; noble”

Element in

Variations

  • tār(a) ✧ PE17/186
Primitive elvish [PE17/067; PE17/186] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

or

preposition. above, over

Noldorin [Ety/379] Group: SINDICT. Published by

or

preposition. above, above; [G.] onto, on top, on

Cognates

  • Q. or “above, above, [ᴱQ.] upon; on”

Derivations

  • ᴹ√RŌ/ORO “rise, up, high” ✧ Ety/ORO

Element in

  • S. orchal “tall, tall; [N.] superior, eminent, lofty”
  • N. orchal “superior, eminent, lofty” ✧ Ety/ORO
  • N. Orfalas
  • S. Orfalch Echor “*High Cleft of the Outer Circle”
  • N. orthel- “to roof, screen above”
  • ᴺS. orvel- “to favour, *(lit.) love above”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√ORO > or[oro] > [or]✧ Ety/ORO

or-

prefix. above, over

Noldorin [Ety/379] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ho

pronoun. he

Noldorin [Ety/385, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ho

pronoun. he

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶sū̆/sō̆ “masc., he” ✧ Ety/S
    • ᴹ√S “demonstrative stem” ✧ Ety/S

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶sū̆/sō̆ > ho[so] > [ho]✧ Ety/S

Variations

  • hon ✧ Ety/S
  • hono ✧ Ety/S

eria-

verb. to rise

Noldorin [Ety/379, VT/46:7] Group: SINDICT. Published by

hon

pronoun. he

Noldorin [Ety/385, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

hono

pronoun. he

Noldorin [Ety/385, X/Z] Group: SINDICT. Published by

parf

noun. book

Noldorin [Ety/380] Group: SINDICT. Published by

parf

noun. book

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivations

  • On. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
    • ᴹ✶parmā “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
    • ᴹ√PAR “compose, put together, arrange” ✧ Ety/PAR

Element in

  • ᴺS. parlas “parchment, document”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
On. parma > parf[parma] > [parm] > [parv]✧ Ety/PAR
On. parma > perf[parmi] > [permi] > [perm] > [perv]✧ Ety/PAR
Noldorin [Ety/PAR; EtyAC/PAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hon(o)

pronoun. he

am

preposition. up, upwards, upon

Noldorin [Ety/348] Group: SINDICT. Published by

am

adverb. up

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. amba “up(wards)” ✧ Ety/AM²

Derivations

  • ᴹ√AM “up” ✧ Ety/AM²

Element in

  • N. amben “uphill, uphill; [ᴱN.] arduous, difficult, tiresome” ✧ Ety/AM²
  • N. Amroth
  • N. Ammalas
  • N. amrûn “uprising, sunrise, Orient, east” ✧ Ety/AM²; PE22/035

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√AM² > am[amba] > [amb] > [amb] > [amm] > [am]✧ Ety/AM²

Variations

  • amb ✧ PE22/035 (amb)
Noldorin [Ety/AM²; PE22/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Primitive adûnaic

ʒu Reconstructed

root. he

A Primitive Adûnaic form attested as u “he” (SD/435), but given the later Adûnaic pronoun Ad. u or hu “he”, the actual primitive pronoun may have been ✱ƷU [ɣu], ✱ʔU or ✱HU [xu], as Tolkien indicated in a footnote (SD/433, note #7). The suffix -u was also a common feature of Classical Adûnaic masculine-nouns.

Derivatives

  • Ad. u “he”

Variations

  • u ✧ SD/435
Primitive adûnaic [SD/435] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

ten

conjunction. for

Element in

parma

noun. book

Cognates

  • On. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
  • N. parf “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶parmā “book” ✧ Ety/PAR; PE18/051; PE21/61
    • ᴹ√PAR “compose, put together, arrange” ✧ Ety/PAR

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶parmā > parma[parmā] > [parma]✧ Ety/PAR
ᴹ✶parmā > parma[parmā] > [parma]✧ PE18/051
ᴹ✶parmānĕ > parmān > parman[parmāne] > [parmān] > [parman]✧ PE21/61
Qenya [Ety/PAR; EtyAC/PAR; PE18/051; PE21/08; PE21/58; PE21/59; PE21/60; PE21/61; PE22/018; PE22/019; PE22/022; PE22/046; PE22/050; PE22/061; PE22/063] Group: Eldamo. Published by

amba

adverb. up(wards)

Cognates

  • N. am “up” ✧ Ety/AM²

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶amba- ✧ Ety/AM²
    • ᴹ√AM “up” ✧ Ety/AM²
  • ᴹ√AM “up” ✧ Ety/UNU

Element in

  • ᴹQ. amatikse “dot or point placed above the line of writing” ✧ Ety/UNU (amatekse)
  • ᴹQ. am(ba)penda “uphill, uphill, *sloping up; [ᴱQ.] arduous, difficult, tiresome” ✧ Ety/AM²
  • ᴹQ. ambaróne “uprising, sunrise, Orient” ✧ Ety/AM²

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶amba- > amba[amba]✧ Ety/AM²
ᴹ√AM² > ama[ama]✧ Ety/UNU

Variations

  • ama ✧ Ety/UNU
Qenya [Ety/AM²; Ety/UNU; PE22/021] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am-

prefix. up

Derivations

  • ᴹ√AM “up” ✧ Ety/AM²

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√AM² > am-[am-]✧ Ety/AM²

ama

adverb. up

Old Noldorin 

or

preposition. above

Derivations

Element in

  • On. orkhalla “superior” ✧ Ety/KHAL²
Old Noldorin [Ety/KHAL²] Group: Eldamo. Published by

parma

noun. book

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶parmā “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
    • ᴹ√PAR “compose, put together, arrange” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivatives

  • N. parf “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶parmā > parma[parmā] > [parma]✧ Ety/PAR
Old Noldorin [Ety/PAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

oro

root. rise, up, high

Middle Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

rō/oro

root. rise, up, high

Changes

  • ORORO ✧ Ety/ORO

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶ornē “(high) tree” ✧ Ety/ORO
    • Ilk. orn “tree” ✧ Ety/ÓR-NI
    • ᴹQ. orne “(high isolated) tree” ✧ Ety/ÓR-NI; SD/302
    • N. orn “tree” ✧ Ety/ÓR-NI; SD/302
  • ᴹ✶orta- “to rise” ✧ PE22/098
    • ᴹQ. orta- “to rise”
  • ᴹ✶ortā- “to raise” ✧ PE18/039; PE22/098
    • ᴹQ. orta- “to raise, lift”
  • ᴹQ. róna “east” ✧ Ety/RŌ
  • ᴹQ. óre “rising, rising, *rise; [ᴱQ.] dawn, Sunrise, East” ✧ Ety/ORO
  • ᴹQ. orta- “to raise, lift” ✧ Ety/ORO
  • ᴹQ. orta- “to rise” ✧ Ety/ORO
  • N. or “above, above; [G.] onto, on top, on” ✧ Ety/ORO
  • N. rhufen “east” ✧ Ety/RŌ
  • On. or “above”
  • On. or- “to rise” ✧ Ety/ORO
    • N. eria- “to rise” ✧ Ety/ORO
  • On. orta- “to raise” ✧ Ety/ORO
    • N. ortha- “to raise” ✧ Ety/ORO
  • On. rōna “east” ✧ Ety/RŌ
    • N. rhûn “east, eastern; †rising” ✧ Ety/RŌ

Element in

  • ᴹ√OROT “height, mountain” ✧ Ety/ORO
  • ᴹQ. rómen “east” ✧ Ety/RŌ

Variations

  • ORO ✧ Ety/ORO; Ety/RŌ
  • ✧ Ety/ORO; Ety/RŌ; EtyAC/RŌ
  • OR ✧ EtyAC/ORO (OR); PE18/039
  • OR/RŌ ✧ PE22/098
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ORO; Ety/RŌ; EtyAC/ORO; EtyAC/RŌ; PE18/039; PE22/098] Group: Eldamo. Published by

parmā

noun. book

Derivations

  • ᴹ√PAR “compose, put together, arrange” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR; PE18/051; PE21/61
  • On. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
    • N. parf “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Variations

  • parmă ✧ PE21/64
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/PAR; PE18/051; PE21/58; PE21/61; PE21/64] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am

root. up

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶amba- ✧ Ety/AM²
    • ᴹQ. amba “up(wards)” ✧ Ety/AM²
    • ᴹQ. ambon “upward slope, hill-side” ✧ Ety/AM²
  • ᴹQ. am- “up” ✧ Ety/AM²
  • ᴹQ. amba “up(wards)” ✧ Ety/UNU
  • ᴹQ. ambo “hill” ✧ Ety/AM²
  • N. am “up” ✧ Ety/AM²
  • N. amon “hill” ✧ Ety/AM²

Element in

  • ᴹQ. ampende “upward slope” ✧ Ety/PEN
  • N. amben “uphill, uphill; [ᴱN.] arduous, difficult, tiresome” ✧ Ety/PEN
  • N. amrûn “uprising, sunrise, Orient, east” ✧ Ety/NDŪ

Variations

  • AM ✧ Ety/NDŪ
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/AM²; Ety/NDŪ; Ety/PEN; Ety/UNU] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

el

conjunction. or

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ELE “?wonder”

Element in

  • G. eleg “other, else” ✧ GL/32
  • G. elfel “different, like something else” ✧ GL/32

or

preposition and adverb. (av.) on, on top; (prep.) on, onto

Cognates

  • Eq. or “on; above, upon” ✧ LT1A/Kalormë

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ORO “steepness, rising” ✧ LT1A/Kalormë
Gnomish [GL/63; LT1A/Kalormë] Group: Eldamo. Published by

orthi

adverb. up

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ORO “steepness, rising”

o-

conjunction. he

Element in

  • G. o·gwath lemp nin “he beckons, (lit.) he wags a finger at me” ✧ GL/53 (o·gwath lemp nin*)

Variations

  • ✧ GL/53 ()

on

pronoun. he

Element in

Gnomish [GL/51; GL/62] Group: Eldamo. Published by

eltha

adverb. or, otherwise

Changes

  • elga/elthaeltha¹ “only; (av.) once only” ✧ GL/32

Elements

WordGloss
ELE“?wonder”
-tha“noun or adjective suffix”

Variations

  • eltha¹ ✧ GL/32
  • elga/eltha ✧ GL/32 (elga/eltha)

adjective. high

Cognates

  • Eq. “high; high above, high up” ✧ LT1A/Qalmë-Tári

Derivations

  • ᴱ√DAHA “*high” ✧ LT1A/Qalmë-Tári; LT1A/Taniquetil
  • ᴱ✶dagá ✧ PE13/112; PE13/112
    • ᴱ√DAHA “*high”

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TAHA > [daxā] > [daxa] > [dā]✧ LT1A/Qalmë-Tári
ᴱ✶daga- > da[dagā] > [daga] > [daɣa] > [dā]✧ PE13/112
ᴱ✶dagain > dagīn > dain[dagain] > [dagīn] > [daɣīn] > [dain]✧ PE13/112

Variations

  • da ✧ PE13/112
Gnomish [GL/29; LT1A/Qalmë-Tári; LT1A/Taniquetil; PE13/112] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Ilkorin

tök

adjective. high

Cognates

  • En. “high” ✧ PE13/141; PE13/161

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶dagá ✧ PE13/141; PE13/161
    • ᴱ√DAHA “*high”

Variations

  • ta[k] ✧ PE13/141
Early Ilkorin [PE13/141; PE13/161] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tak

adjective. high

Early Noldorin

han

noun. above

Element in

Early Noldorin [MC/217] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am

adverb. up

Cognates

  • Eq. amba “up” ✧ PE13/137; PE13/159
  • Et. amba ✧ PE13/159

Element in

  • En. amvenn “uphill; arduous, difficult, tiresome”
  • En. amvinn “slope, incline, hillside”
Early Noldorin [PE13/137; PE13/159] Group: Eldamo. Published by

adjective. high

Changes

  • da ✧ PE13/141

Cognates

  • Eilk. tök “high” ✧ PE13/141; PE13/161
  • Eq. “high; high above, high up” ✧ PE13/141; PE13/161
  • Et. daga “high” ✧ PE13/141; PE13/161

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶dagá ✧ PE13/141; PE13/161
    • ᴱ√DAHA “*high”

Variations

  • ✧ PE13/141
  • da ✧ PE13/141 (da)
Early Noldorin [PE13/141; PE13/161] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Solosimpi

daga

adjective. high

Cognates

  • En. “high” ✧ PE13/141; PE13/161

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶dagá ✧ PE13/141; PE13/161
    • ᴱ√DAHA “*high”
Solosimpi [PE13/141; PE13/161] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

am(u)

root. up(wards)

Derivatives

  • Eq. am(u)- “up(wards)” ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth; QL/030
  • Eq. amu “up(wards)” ✧ QL/030
  • Eq. amunte “sun-rise, (lit.) lifting” ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth; QL/030
  • Eq. amun “hill” ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth; QL/030
  • Eq. amunta “up, risen (of the sun)” ✧ QL/030
  • Eq. anwa “high up, place high” ✧ QL/030
  • Eq. amu- “to raise” ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth; QL/030
  • G. am “up, upwards, towards head of, above” ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth; PE13/109
  • G. amon “hill, mount, steep slope” ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth
  • En. amra-to rise, to rise; [G.] to go up and down, live in the mountains, wander”
  • G. antha “upper”

Variations

  • amū ✧ PE13/109
Early Primitive Elvish [LT2A/Amon Gwareth; PE13/109; QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

or

preposition. on; above, upon

Cognates

  • G. or “(av.) on, on top; (prep.) on, onto” ✧ LT1A/Kalormë

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ORO “steepness, rising” ✧ LT1A/Kalormë; QL/070

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ORO¹ > or[or]✧ QL/070

Variations

  • ro ✧ PE16/146
Early Quenya [LT1A/Kalormë; MC/216; PE15/68; PE16/100; PE16/104; PE16/146; PE16/147; QL/070] Group: Eldamo. Published by

var

conjunction. or

Derivations

  • ᴱ√VARA “*separate” ✧ QL/100

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√VARA > var[βar] > [var]✧ QL/100
Early Quenya [PE15/32; QL/100] Group: Eldamo. Published by

na

preposition. for

Element in

  • Eq. na voru “for always” ✧ PE15/69 (na voru)
Early Quenya [PE15/69] Group: Eldamo. Published by

orta

preposition. above

Cognates

Derivations

  • ᴱ√ORO “steepness, rising” ✧ QL/070

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√ORO¹ > orta[ortā] > [orta]✧ QL/070

Variations

  • atta ✧ PE15/67 (atta)
Early Quenya [PE15/67; QL/070] Group: Eldamo. Published by

o-

prefix. he; 3rd sg. masc. pronoun

tekka

noun. book

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TEKE “make marks” ✧ QL/090

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TEKE > tekka[tekkā] > [tekka]✧ QL/090
Early Quenya [QL/090] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tekte

noun. book

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TEKE “make marks” ✧ QL/090

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TEKE > tekte[tekti] > [tekte]✧ QL/090
Early Quenya [QL/090] Group: Eldamo. Published by

atta

preposition. above

kasse

preposition. above

Elements

WordGloss
kas“head, top, summit”
Early Quenya [PE15/68] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am(u)-

prefix. up(wards)

Cognates

  • G. am “up, upwards, towards head of, above” ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth

Derivations

  • ᴱ√AM(U) “up(wards)” ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth; QL/030

Element in

  • Eq. Ambalar “the East” ✧ PE16/075
  • Eq. ankasse(a) “lofty, tall, (lit.) up-headed, high-headed” ✧ QL/030

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√AM(U) > am-[am-]✧ QL/030

Variations

  • am(u) ✧ LT2A/Amon Gwareth
  • am- ✧ PE16/075; QL/030
  • amu- ✧ QL/030
Early Quenya [LT2A/Amon Gwareth; PE16/075; QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

am-

prefix. up(wards)

amu

adverb. up(wards)

Cognates

  • G. am “up, upwards, towards head of, above”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√AM(U) “up(wards)” ✧ QL/030

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√AM(U) > amu[amū] > [amu]✧ QL/030
Early Quenya [QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

hu

pronoun. he; 3rd sg. masc. pronoun

Element in

  • Eq. (h)úva “*his; 3rd sg. masc. possessive emphatic” ✧ PE14/052
  • Eq. hu·karne ha min “he did it first (i.e. either before anyone else did so, or before he did anything else)” ✧ PE14/084
  • Eq. hu·mate “he eats” ✧ PE14/085
  • Eq. húyo “he (emphatic); 3rd sg. masc. pronoun” ✧ PE14/052
  • Eq. hwa- “his; 3rd sg. masc. possessive” ✧ PE14/052
  • Eq. tára·kasse Taniqetildo, tára·kasisse hu·sórie “on the high top of Taniqetil, on the high peaks he sat” ✧ PE14/078
  • Eq. wingildin o silqelosseën “the foam-maidens with blossom-white hair” ✧ MC/216; PE16/100; PE16/104

Variations

  • o ✧ MC/216; PE16/100; PE16/100; PE16/104
  • hu- ✧ PE14/052; PE14/085
  • u- ✧ PE14/052
Early Quenya [MC/216; PE14/052; PE14/053; PE14/054; PE14/078; PE14/084; PE14/085; PE16/100; PE16/104] Group: Eldamo. Published by

u-

prefix. he; 3rd sg. masc. pronoun

amba

adverb. up

Cognates

  • En. am “up” ✧ PE13/137; PE13/159

Element in

Early Quenya [PE13/137; PE13/159; PE16/062] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tu

pronoun. he

Changes

  • tuhu “he” ✧ PE14/078

Element in

Variations

  • tu ✧ PE14/046; PE14/079 (tu)
Early Quenya [PE14/046; PE14/079] Group: Eldamo. Published by