Oromë

the eldar now take the name to singify 'horn-blowing' or 'horn-blower', but to the valar it had no such meaning

Oromë noun name of a Vala, adopted and adapted from Valarin. Observes Pengolodh, "the Eldar now take the name to singify 'horn-blowing' or 'horn-blower', but to the Valar it had no such meaning" (WJ:400-401, cf. SA:rom and ROM, TÁWAR in Etym, VT14:5). Genitive Oromëo and possessive Oroméva in WJ:368. _._Loose compound Oromë róma "an Oromë horn", sc. "one of Orome's horns (if he had more than one)" (WJ:368). A deleted entry in the Etymologies cited the name as Orómë with a long middle vowel (VT45:15). Oromendil, masc. name *"Friend of Oromë" (UT:210)

nor-

verb. to run (or leap, of animals or men), to run (of animals or men); to leap

A verb translated “run (or leap: of animals, men etc.)” in notes from around 1965, derived from the root √NOR (PE17/94, 168). It also appeared in its past form norne “ran” in Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/58).

Conceptual Development: A similar verb ᴱQ. nyor(o)- “run” appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/132, 134). In earlier writings the root had a slightly different meaning: ᴱ√NORO “run, go smoothly, ride, spin” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/67), and ᴹ√NOR “run as of wheels, roll along” in a rejected page of verbal roots in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) of 1948 (PE22/127). The latter document had a distinct verb ᴹQ. rohta- based on the root ᴹ√ROK “run on foot”; in later writings from the 1950s and 60s this root was only used for “horse” words.

Earlier still, the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had several unrelated verbs for “run”: ᴱQ. loqo- “run (of human beings)” under the early root ᴱ√LOQO (QL/56), ᴱQ. pelte- “run” under the early root ᴱ√PELE having to do with revolving things (QL/73), and ᴱQ. yurin [yuru-] “runs” under the early root ᴱ√ẎURU “run” (QL/106). The last of these reappeared as a (Noldorin-only?) root ᴹ√YUR “run” in The Etymologies of the 1930s.

By the 1950s and 60s, the only surviving root for running on legs seems to be √NOR, as described above.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d use Q. nor- only to mean “run (of animals and men)”. For “leap” I would use [ᴹQ.] cap-.

Valinor

the land (or people) of the valar

Valinor place-name "the land (or people) of the Valar", *"Vali-land" (Vali = Valar), land of the Gods in the West (BAL, NDOR); cf. Valandor. Full form Valinórë (BAL; Vali-nórëunder NDOR).Said to be "the true Eldarin name of Aman", the latter name being explained as a borrowing from Valarin in some versions of the linguistic scenario (VT49:26). In the early "Qenya Lexicon", Valinor, Valinórë is glossed "Asgard", the name of the city of the gods in Norse mythology (LT1:272). It seems that in such more restricted use, Valinor is not the entire Blessed Realm but rather the specific region beyond the Pelóri where (most of) the Valar dwelt, with Val(i)mar as the chief city. Thus it is said of Eärendil that he "went into Valinor and to the halls of Valimar" only after he had already left his ship and ventured as far as Tirion (Silmarillion, chapter 24). Possessive Valinóreva in Nurtalë Valinóreva, the "Hiding of Valinor", the possessive case here assuming the function of object genitive (Silm); genitive Valinórëo in Yénië Valinórëo "Annals of Valinor" (MR:200; the last word was changed from Valinóren, Tolkien revising the genitive ending from -n to -o)

nor-

verb. run (or leap: of animals, men etc.)

nor- vb. "run (or leap: of animals, men etc.)", pa.t. nornë (PE17:58, 168); cf. nórima, nornoro-

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)

var

or

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

hya

conjunction. or

hú

noun. hound (or ?heart)

A Quenya word hú glossed as either “hound” or “heart” (according to Christopher Gilson) appearing in rough notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings (WPP) from the late 1950s or early 1960s exploring the possible origins of S. huorn (PE17/86). This was followed by an unglossed variant form Q. hó, apparently derived from khōgo. Tolkien seems to have vacillated between primitive roots √KHUG/KHOG (the former being the basis for “dog” words in The Etymologies) or √KHON (the basis for “heart” words in The Etymologies), connections that were also pointed out by Christopher Gilson.

Neo-Quenya: Giving the tenuous nature of this word, I’d stick to better defined ᴹQ. huo “dog” from The Etymologies for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

telpina

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth), like silver (in hue or worth), [ᴹQ.] of silver

An adjective implied by the name Q. Telpinquar “Silver-fist”, the Quenya equivalent of S. Celebrimbor in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/42). In other writings Tolkien gave this name as (archaic) Tyelpinquar (PM/318; VT47/8). It is conceivable that this adjective is t(y)elpin, but both The Etymologies of the 1930s and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. telpina (Ety/KYELEP) and ᴱQ. telpina “of silver” (QL/91), so I think the late form of this adjective is more likely telpina as a combination of telpë “silver” with the adjective suffix -ina “silver”.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon, ᴱQ. telpina was glossed “of silver” and had variants ᴱQ. telpea, telpia and {telpeksa}, the last of which was deleted (QL/91). In The Etymologies of the 1930s ᴹQ. telpina was equated to ᴹQ. telepsa “of silver”, but telepsa was deleted and no gloss was provided after these revisions (Ety/KYELEP). In the mid-1960s note mentioned above, Tolkien said of S. celebrin that it was “not implying ‘made of silver’ but ‘like silver’ in hue, or worth” (PE17/42), but it is not clear whether the same applies to Q. telpin[a].

Finally, there was a longer Quenya name Telperinquar for S. Celebrimbor in the mid-1960s note (PE17/42), implying a variant Quenya adjective telperin that was a more direct equivalent of S. celebrin. This alterate adjective form may be a loan for Telerin telperin since Quenya mostly uses -rin as a language suffix and not a general adjective suffix as in Telerin/Sindarin; hat-tip to Parmandil for this suggestion.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would assume telpina is a general adjective “silver” than can mean either “made of silver” or “like silver”, while longer telperin more specifically means “like silver in hue or worth”.

luppo

noun. clumsy piece or lump

A noun appearing in both the Outline of Phonetic Development from the 1940s (OP1: PE19/45) and the Outline of Phonology from the 1950s (OP2: PE19/92) with the gloss “a clumsy piece or lump” derived from primitive ✶lubbu and illustrating how combinations of voiced stops were unvoiced in (Ancient) Quenya: bb > pp.

maica

noun. blade of a cutting tool or weapon (especially sword-blade)

A noun appearing in notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, glossed “blade of a cutting tool or weapon, especially sword-blade” derived from the root √MAK “cut, hew” (VT39/11). The Elves were somewhat uncertain of the ancient origin of this noun and Tolkien said:

> By some loremasters it was brought into relation with a small group of supposed ancient “desiderative” formations with intruded i ... Maika would [in ancient Elvish] thus be interpretted as “eager, fit, ready to cut”, and it might well be brought into relation with the idea often found in ancient tales that swords were greedy and thirsty (VT39/11).

Conceptual Development: Earlier “blade” words in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s include ᴱQ. valke (valki-) “edge, sharp blade” under the early root ᴱ√VḶKḶ (QL/101) and ᴱQ. hyanda “blade, share” under the early root ᴱ√HYAŘA [HYAÐA] “plough through” (QL/41). Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s had ᴱQ. tále as a cognate to ᴱN. dail “axe-blade”, both derived from primitive ᴱ✶daglé (PE13/141). The Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s had the similar noun ᴱQ. taila “blade” derived from primitive ᴱ✶dagla (PE14/66).

nessa

feminine name. she that has manlike valour or strength

Spouse of Tulkas and one of the Valier (S/29). Her name was most likely an adaptation of her Valarin title (WJ/404), though some interpreted it as a development from ancient ✶Neresā meaning “she that has manlike valour or strength” (WJ/416).

Conceptual Development: Her name ᴱQ. Nessa had already appeared in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/75), though its derivation and meaning at this early stage is unclear. In The Etymologies, the name ᴹQ. Nessa appeared as a derivative of the root ᴹ√NETH “young” (Ety/NETH). The derivation above did not appeared until the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60.

saucarë

noun. doing or making a thing very badly

A word for “doing or making a thing very badly” appearing in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, illustrating the use of the prefix sau- “badly”. It can be contrasted with loikare “mistaken action” and uskare “doing wrong” from the same document. These probably all function as nouns, but likely originate as infinitives of the verb car- “do”.

-ā, -ă

suffix. common or inanimate

common or inanimate (neuter)

Arfanyaras

variant or close equivalent

Arfanyaras, Arfanyarassë place-name, a "variant or close equivalent" of Taniquetil (WJ:403)

Canafinwë

strong-voiced or ?commanding finwë

Canafinwë masc. name "strong-voiced or ?commanding Finwë"; his Sindarin name was Maglor (see Macalaurë). Short Quenya name Cáno. (PM:352)

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)

aian

holy thing or object or place

aian noun "a holy thing or object or place", later form of áyan (PE17:149)

anessë

given (or added) name

anessë noun "given (or added) name" (encompassing both epessi and amilessi) (MR:217)

attat

2 fathers or neighbours

-t (1) dual ending, on nouns denoting a _pair of something: attat "2 fathers or neighbours" (VT48:19; see _atto), máryat "her (pair of) hands" (Nam), siryat "two rivers" (VT47:11), ciriat "2 ships" (Letters:427 read ciryat as in the Plotz Letter?), maquat "group of ten" (from maqua, meaning among other things "group of five") (VT47:7), nápat "thumb and index as a pair" (VT48:5), also compare met "us two" as the dual form of me "us" (Nam, VT47:11). Other dual endings known from the Plotz letter: genitive -to, possessive -twa, dative -nt, locative -tsë, allative -nta, ablative -lto, instrumental -nten, plus -tes as a possible short locative. It may be that these endings only apply to nouns that would have nominative dual forms in -t, and that nouns preferring the alternative dual ending -u would simply add the otherwise "singular" case endings to this vowel, e.g. *Alduo rather than ?Alduto as the genitive form of "Two Trees" (Aldu). The ending -t is also used as a verbal inflection, corresponding to pl. -r (elen atta siluvat**, "two stars shall shine", VT49:45; the verb carit** "do" would also be used with a dual subject, VT49:16; cf. also the endings listed in VT49:48, 50).

avanyárima

not to be told or related

avanyárima adj. "not to be told or related" (WJ:370), "unspeakable, wahat one must not tell" (PE17:143)

camba

the whole hand, but as flexed, with fingers more or less closed, cupped, in the attitude of receiving or holding

camba noun "the whole hand, but as flexed, with fingers more or less closed, cupped, in the attitude of receiving or holding" (VT47:7)

carassë

built fort or dwelling surrounded by bulwarks

carassë noun "a built fort or dwelling surrounded by bulwarks" (PE17:84)

carcaras

row of spikes or teeth

carcaras, carcassë _("k")_noun "row of spikes or teeth" (LT2:344 - Tolkien's later Quenya has carcanë [read ?carcarë], but these words, especially carcassë, may still be valid)

cauma

protection or shelter natural or otherwise, sc. against sun, or rain, or wind or against darts; shield

cauma ("k")noun "protection or shelter natural or otherwise, sc. against sun, or rain, or wind or against darts; shield" (PE17:108)

hanu

male (of men or elves), male animal, man

hanu noun "a male (of Men or Elves), male animal, man" (3AN, VT45:16)

hecil

one lost or forsaken by friends, waif, outcast, outlaw

hecil ("k") (masc. hecilo, fem. hecilë) noun "one lost or forsaken by friends, waif, outcast, outlaw" (WJ:365)

hlapu-

blow; fly or stream in the wind

hlapu- verb "blow; fly or stream in the wind", participle hlápula "blowing" in Markirya

hrondo

corporeal form or body (especially of the elves)

hrondo noun "a corporeal form or body (especially of the Elves)" (PE17:183). Tolkien replaced this word by hroa, q.v.

lantalca

boundary post or mark

lantalca ("k")noun "boundary post or mark" (VT42:8, 28)

laustaner

not 'roared' or 'rushed' but made a windy noise

laustaner vb. in past tense 'lausted' ("not 'roared' or 'rushed' but made a windy noise" but in MC:220, Tolkien himself translated laustanéro as "rushed") (MC:216; this is "Qenya")

lepetas

first or index finger

lepetas noun "first or index finger" (VT47:10, VT48:5, 14). Stem lepetass- (pl. lepetassi, VT47:11) Also tassa.

loctë

blossom (of flowers in bunches or clusters)

loctë ("k")noun "blossom (of flowers in bunches or clusters)" (LT1:258; this would have to become *lohtë in LotR-style Quenya)

luppo

noun. clumsy piece or lump

clumsy piece or lump

maica

blade of a cutting tool or weapon, especially sword-blade

maica (2) ("k") noun "blade of a cutting tool or weapon, especially sword-blade" (VT39:11)

masta

cake or loaf

masta noun "cake or loaf" (PE17:52), in an earlier source defined as "bread" (MBAS, PM:404; later sources have massa or massë for this meaning). Mastamma "our bread" in Tolkiens translatation of the Lords Prayer (VT43:18). In the Etymologies, Tolkien emended the gloss of masta from "dough" to "bread" (VT45:33).

naica

bitterly painful or grievous

naica (1) adj. "bitterly painful or grievous" (PE17:151)

naiquet-

verb. to curse or blaspheme

naiquet- vb. "to curse or blaspheme" (PE17:151)

niquis

frost-patterns; ice-flake or snowflake also petal (loose) of a white flower

niquis noun "frost-patterns; ice-flake or snowflake also petal (loose) of a white flower" (stem niquits- or niquiss-), also niquessë by association with quessë "feather" (WJ:417, PE17:168). In early "Qenya", the gloss was simply "snow" (LT1:266).

opelë

walled house or village, 'town'

opelë noun "walled house or village, 'town' " (PEL(ES) )

osto

strong or fortified building or place, strong place, fortress

osto (1) noun "a strong or fortified building or place, strong place, fortress" (MR:350, 471; WJ:414); "city, town with wall round" (OS, VT46:8)

paimeta-

exact or inflict a penalty; punish

paimeta- "exact or inflict a penalty; punish" (QL:72)

raita-

verb. make network or lace

raita- 1) vb. "make network or lace" (also rëa-)(VT42:12)

raxa

drag of any large, flat vehicle on wheels or rollers for hauling stone or other weighty material

raxa noun "a drag of any large, flat vehicle on wheels or rollers for hauling stone or other weighty material" (PE17:28)

ringwë

cold pool or lake (in mountains)

ringwë (1) noun "cold pool or lake (in mountains)" (VT46:11). The misreading ringë appears in Etym as printed in LR, entry RINGI.

rondo

vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below

rondo noun "a vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below" (and usually not visible from outside); "a (large) hall or chamber so roofed", "vaulted hall" _(WJ:414; VT39:9; in the Etymologies, stem ROD, the gloss is simply "cave" or "roof"; see VT46:12 for the latter gloss)_. Cf. *Elerondo.

ruc-

verb. feel fear or horror

#ruc- (1) ("k")vb. "feel fear or horror" (1st pers. aorist rucin "I feel fear or horror"); the verb is said to be constructed with "from" (sc. the ablative case, or prepositions like ho or va?) of the object feared. _(WJ:415) _Hence e.g. *rucin i ulundollo* (or, rucin ho/va i ulundo**) for "I fear the monster"?

russë

(a head or pelt of) red hair

russë (1) noun "(a head or pelt of) red hair" (VT41:10)

saucarë

doing or making a thing very badly

saucarë noun "doing or making a thing very badly" (PE17:183)

tecco

stroke of pen or brush (´) when not used as long mark

tecco ("k")noun "stroke of pen or brush (´) when not used as long mark" (TEK)

tengwesta

system or code of signs

tengwesta ("ñ")noun "a system or code of signs", "Language", referring particularly to structure, including morphology and grammar (VT39:15). As a technical term for "language", this includes languages not made up of sounds (WJ:394), but usually it means "spoken language" when unqualified (WJ:395). In the Etymologies, tengwesta is glossed "grammar" (TEK).

valaina

of or belonging to the valar, divine

valaina adj. "of or belonging to the Valar, divine" (BAL)

valya

having (divine) authority or power

valya adj. "having (divine) authority or power" (BAL; this word is of course etymologically connected to the Valar and should not be used with reference to the divinity of Eru.)

vehtë

life - not life in general or as a principle, but (a period of) individual activity

vehtë noun "life - not Life in general or as a principle, but (a period of) individual activity", thus also "the place where a person, people &c. lived and had their business, i.e. habitat, haunt" (PE17:189)

wilwarindëa

like a wilwarin or butterfly

wilwarindëa adj. "like a wilwarin or butterfly", pl. wilwarindië (PE16:96)

áyan

holy thing or object or place

áyan (later form aian) noun "a holy thing or object or place" (PE17:149)

ó-

used in words describing the meeting, junction, or union of two things or persons, or of two groups thought of as units

ó- (usually reduced to o- when unstressed) a prefix "used in words describing the meeting, junction, or union of two things or persons, or of two groups thought of as units". In omentië, onóna, ónoni, q.v. _(WJ:367, PE17:191; in the Etymologies, stem WŌ, the prefix _o-, ó- is simply defined as "together".) In VT43:29 is found a table showing how pronominal endings can be added to the preposition ó-; the resulting forms are onyë or óni "with me", ómë "with us" [also in VT43:36, where "us" is said to be exclusive], ólyë or ólë "with you" (olyë only sg. "you", whereas ólë can be either sg. or pl.), ósë "with him/her", ótë *"with them" (of animates where "them" refers to non-persons, óta [or shortened ót] is used, though the conceptual validity of ta as a pl. pronoun is questionable), ósa (or shortened ós) "with it". (Two additional forms, ótar and ótari, presumably mean "with them" of inanimate things; see VT49:56 for a possible second attestation of tar as the word for plural inanimate "they".) However, Tolkien's later decision to the effect that ó- refers to two parties only may throw doubt upon the conceptual validity of some of these forms, where at least three persons would be implied (like ótë "with them", where one person is "with" two or more others though Tolkien indicates that two groups may also be involved where the preposition ó- is used). The explicit statement in WJ:367 that the prepostion o (variant of ó) did not exist independently in Quenya is however difficult to get around, so instead using the preposition ó/o (with or without endings) for "with", writers may rather use as, the form appearing in the last version of Tolkien's Quenya Hail Mary (also attested with a pronominal suffix: aselyë "with you").

úfanwa

not veiled or obscure, perspicuous

úfanwa adj. "not veiled or obscure, perspicuous" (PE17:176)

úmë

great collection or crowd of things of same sort

úmë (2) "great collection or crowd of things of same sort" (a struck-out note gave the rejected gloss "largeness") (VT48:32), "throng, great concourse of things without order" (PE17:115). Compare úvë.

únat

thing impossible to be or to be done

únat noun "a thing impossible to be or to be done" (VT39:26) Cf. ú- and nat.

-r Archaic

suffix. motion to or towards a point, motion to or towards a point, *archaic allative

A fossilized allative suffix derived from primitive ✶-da appearing a few adverbs like öar “away from” and tar(a) “thither” (WJ/366; PE19/104).

carassë

noun. built fort or dwelling surrounded by bulwarks

ava-

prefix. negation (refusing or forbidden)

lantalca

noun. boundary post or mark

larmo

noun. listener (spy or scout)

námië

noun. single judgment or desire

sahtië

noun. pressure or force (to do something against one’s will or conscience)

únat

noun. thing impossible to be or to be done

an

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

aian

noun. holy thing or object or place

naica

adjective. bitterly painful or grievous

russë

noun. head or pelt of red hair

vá caris i

he is not to do it (now or ever); in any case (whatever may be said, desired, or may occur to the contrary) he is not to do this

-ite

suffix. {habit or special association with the verbal action}

hó

noun. hound (or ?heart)

telperin

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth)

vá-

prefix. negation (refusing or forbidden)

ecar

conjunction. or

herca

conjunction. or

quëatarwa

noun. vegetable or kitchen garden

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo to replace ᴱQ. laukien of the same meaning, a combination of quëa “vegetable” and [ᴱQ.] tarwa “garden”.

-ula Reconstructed

suffix. likelihood or aptitude

calleva

adjective. fair (weather or complexion)

tompo-tompo

noun. noise of drums (or guns)