ped

root. slope, slant down

This root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as unglossed ᴹ√PEN with extended form ᴹ√PÉNED from which the main words in its entry were derived: ᴹQ. penda “sloping down, inclined”, ᴹQ. pende “slope, downslope, declivity” and N. penn “declivity” (Ety/PEN). The last of these has a precursor in Early Noldorin Word-lists from the 1920s: ᴱN. benn “inclined, sloping” or “slanting, sloping, up or down hill”, along with a noun form ᴱN. binn “slope”, apparently derived from the adjective plural (PE13/138, 160). This earlier form is reflected on several rejected roots in The Etymologies, with ᴹ√BEND >> ᴹ√DEN >> ᴹ√PEN (EtyAC/DAT, DEN).

In later writings, Tolkien generally gave the base root as √PED, a change Tolkien seems to have introduced to avoid conflict with a new root √PEN “lack, not have” (PE17/171, 173). The root √PED was variously glossed “incline, slope” (PE17/171), “fall in steep slant, incline, slope” (PE17/173) or “slope, slant down” (WJ/375); all these notes date to 1959-60. Tolkien went to say that “strong forms [were] lost in Quenya owing to similarity to √PER half” (PE17/173). Indeed, in this period like in the 1930s, all the actual derivatives (in both Quenya and Sindarin) seem to be based on √PEND-, so it may be easier to assume that this was the true form of the root.

peñ

root. *lip, mouth

The word Q. pé was the main Quenya word for “lip(s)” for all of Tolkien’s life, but its derivation evolved over time. The root first appeared as unglossed ᴱ√PĒ in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with the derivative ᴱQ. pé “the two lips, the (closed) mouth” (QL/72). The contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon compared this Qenya word to G. beg “chin” or “beard” (GL/22), hinting that the actual root might have been ✱ᴱ√BĒ. In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, the primitive form was given as PĒ “lips, mouth” (PE21/1, 38). In The Etymologies of the 1930s the root became ᴹ√PEG “(?outer) mouth” with derivative ᴹQ. pé “mouth” (Ety/PEG; EtyAC/PEG).

In Common Eldarin: Noun Structure from the early 1950s the root is given as unglossed √PEÑ (PE21/71), and in notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 the primitive form is given as peñe (VT39/11). In both cases it was an example of a primitive form that resulted in ancient monosyllabic nouns from weak consonant loss: √PEÑ > ✶pē. In notes from the late 1960s Tolkien again gave ✶pē in a list of primitive monosyllabic nouns, but said “of these all except pe, su had probably lost a consonant in Common Eldarin”, implying the original form was actually √PĒ. But in green-note revisions made in 1970 to Outline of Phonology Tolkien had:

> ñ disappeared prehistorically, so that words such as peñ were for Quenya long monosyllabic nouns with only an initial consonant: pē (PE19/102 and note #168).

Thus it seems the lost ñ in √PEÑ was restored, though it could also be a remnant of the earlier version of this sentence from the 1950s that gave both peñ and maʒ as examples of consonant-loss.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think it is best to assume the root is √PEÑ.

pel

root. fence, border, edge; bound, limit; go round, encircle, fence, border, edge; bound, limit; go round, encircle; [ᴹ√] revolve on fixed point

This root was connected to fences, encirclement and rotation for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as two distinct roots in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. The first was ᴱ√PELE “fence in” with derivatives like ᴱQ. pelin “fenced in, pent”, ᴱQ. pelto “hedge, hedged field”, and ᴱQ. pelle “town” (QL/73). It had some clear derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. pel “village”, G. pelu- “fence, enclose”, and G. pless “hedge, fence” (GL/64). The second root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s was unglossed ᴱ√PELE with derivatives like ᴱQ. pelko “leg”, ᴱQ. pelte- “run”, and ᴱQ. peltas “pivot” (QL/73), but the “leg” word in the Gnomish Lexicon was unrelated: G. bactha “a leg” (GL/21).

Indeed, in Quenya the “leg” word was also shifted to a new root by The Etymologies of the 1930s: ᴹ√TELEK > ᴹQ. telko “leg” (Ety/TÉLEK). As for the root ᴹ√PEL, it was given the gloss “revolve on fixed point” in The Etymologies and seems to be a blending of 1910s ᴱ√PELE and ᴱ√PELE, with derivatives like ᴹQ. pel- “go round, revolve, return” and ᴹQ. peltas/N. pelthaes “pivot” (Ety/PEL) but also ᴹQ. peler/N. pêl “fenced field” and ᴹQ. opele/N. gobel “walled house or village, town” by way of extended root ᴹ√PEL(ES) (Ety/PEL(ES)).

The root √PEL appeared a number of times in Tolkien’s later writings with glosses like “edge, bound, fence, limit” (PE17/65), “fence, border” (PE17/90) and “go round, encircle” (SA/pel). Tolkien declared that:

> The basic sense should not be “revolve”; but “edge, bound, fence, limit”. Thus [S.] pelennor = fenced land; ephel, Sindarin < eppel < et­pel = “outer wall or fence”; [Q.] peltakse- (peltas) should mean a fence of fixed stakes etc., or a “pale” and fencing stakes; and pelma a border, fringe, edge, limiting device (PE17/65).

Tolkien reassigned the sense “revolve” to the root √KWER. The most notable derivative of the new sense “boundary” for √PEL was Q. pella “beyond”, more literally “beyond the boundary” (PE17/65, 80); this word was likely Tolkien’s motivation for removing the sense “revolve” from √PEL.

pen

root. lack, be without, have not

A root appearing in various notes from around 1959-60 with glosses like “lack” (PE17/144), “lack, have not” (PE17/173), and “lack, be without” (WJ/375). The root clearly entered the Eldarin languages to explain the name S. Iarwain Ben-adar “Oldest and Fatherless” of Tom Bombadil (LotR/265), but Tolkien expanded its use from there.

per

root. half, half; [ᴹ√] divide in middle, halve

This root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as ᴹ√PER “divide in middle, halve” with derivatives like ᴹQ. perya- “halve” and N. perin “half” (Ety/PER). It reappeared in notes from around 1959-60 as √PER “half” (PE17/171, 173). In Tolkien’s earliest writings, the sense “half” was assigned to the root ᴱ√LEHE or ᴱ√LEFE² instead (QL/52; GL/53).

peñ

noun. lip, mouth

peles

noun. fence, enclosure

peles-

verb. to fence round

pelo

noun. a bound

pelola

preposition and adverb. beyond (the boundary)

peltakse

noun. fence of fixed stakes, a ‘pale’

pendā

adjective. sloping

pey

root. *little

peles-, pelsa-

verb. fences round

pelsa-

verb. to fence round

pē̆pe

noun. pē̆pe

pek(w)

root. comb

pelek

root. axe

wē/ewe

root. person, being, individual

A root mentioned in notes from the late 1950s having to do with “persons” serving as the basis for the suffix Q. -wë common in ancient Quenya names (PE17/189-90). In The Etymologies of the 1930s this suffix had two variants: masculine ᴹQ. -we derived from root ᴹ√WEG “(manly) vigour”, but also abstract ᴹQ. -we derived from unrelated ᴹ✶-wē (Ety/WEG). The suffix was masculine in some later notes as well, where Tolkien said “√WEG, WEƷ, √NES, NETH- referred to masculinity and femininity apart from sex and so could refer to the Valar and Maiar” (PE17/190), but this etymology was rejected and in its place Tolkien wrote: “√WE ? WEƷ ‘person’, individual (only used of Elves and Men), thus origin of -we in Quenya names as Manwe, Voronwe” (PE17/189). In Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 Tolkien wrote:

> -we in Quenya names (Manwe, etc.). This is in origin a separate word √WĒ (WE’E ?), from its form an ancient element of Eldarin vocabulary. Probably related to Q ve “as, like”; vëa “seeming, apparent”; vávea, ovéa “(con)similar, alike”. In Sindarin adoption of Quenya names (as Voronwe > Bronweg) -we was sometimes used to represent -we, which historically had become w or u (as in Elu = Elwe). But this S -we is of distinct origin, √WEG- “live, be active”. Hence ✱wego(n) “living creature”: Q weo, vëo, S gwê (PE17/189).

In these Quenya Notes, √WĒ as a name element was distinct from √WEG “active”, and neither were distinctly masculine. The initial version of this note glossed √WE as “a person or being” (PE17/190), but in revision Tolkien connected it to Q. ve “as, like” (PE17/189). The interpretation of the suffix -we as gender-neutral was mentioned again in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 where Tolkien said it was derived from √EWE “person” (PM/340). However, the only feminine name where this element appeared was Q. Elenwë the wife of Turgon (S/90, PM/345), and most of the names with this element were both masculine and ancient.

See the entry on √WEG for more on the evolution of earlier, largely masculine, forms.

-iyē

suffix. perfect suffix

par

root. peel, peel, *bare

raitē

noun. peculiar hue, (special) fashion

tekma

noun. pen

tilte

noun. peak

-wē

suffix. person; male suffix

kwēn

noun. person, one, (some)body

mō

noun. person

ken

root. see, perceive, note, see, perceive, note, [ᴹ√] look at, observe, direct gaze

Tolkien first introduced this root in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a variant of ᴹ√KHEN “look at, see, observe, direct gaze” along with ᴹ√KYEN (EtyAC/KHEN). In The Etymologies it had no derivatives, but in the Quenya Verbal System it appeared with the gloss “see, perceive” as the basis for the verb ᴹQ. ken- of the same meaning (PE22/103). √KEN “see, perceive” appeared regularly in Tolkien’s writing thereafter (PE17/156, 187; PE22/155; VT41/5).

kwel

root. fade, die away, grow faint, fade, die away, grow faint, [ᴹ√] fade away; wither, [ᴱ√] decay, perish, die

In Tolkien’s later writings this root primarily meant “fade”, but its earliest precursor ᴱ√QELE from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s was glossed “perish, die, decay, fade”, with derivatives like ᴱQ. qele- of the same meaning, ᴱQ. qelet “corpse”, and ᴱQ. qelme “ruin, utter end, perdition, end, death” (GL/76). Derivatives from the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon had a similar semantic scope, such as G. cwel- “fade, wither”, G. cweleg “corpse”, and G. cweloth “fading”, most notably as an element in G. lasgweloth “leaf-fading, autumn” (GL/28); the connection between this root and words for “autumn” survived in Tolkien’s later conception of the languages.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s, the meaning of the root ᴹ√KWEL seems to have softened somewhat to “fade (away), wither” with more of a sense of waning rather than outright death, though ᴹQ. qelet “corpse” remained among its derivatives (Ety/KEL, KWEL). In the 1930s it still was related to words for “autumn”, notably N. lhasbelin (Ety/LAS¹) “leaf-fall, autumn” and ᴹQ. Narqelion “Fire-fading, Autumn” (Ety/NAR¹). The latter seems to have been modified to Q. Narquelië (and S. Narbeleth) as the Elvish word for October, literally “Sun-fading”, in the Lord of the Ring appendixes (LotR/1107). The root was also the basis for Q. quellë “autumn” (LotR/1111), though its Sindarin equivalent (firith) was based on a different root.

Starting in the 1930s Tolkien indicated this root had an etymological relationship with √KEL “flow (down)”; see that entry for details.

rek

root. recover, get out/away, save from ruin/peril/loss

A root glossed “recover, get out/away, save from ruin/peril/loss” in notes on the words from The Lord of the Rings, serving as an explanation for S. edraith “rescue, saving” (PE17/38).

lek

root. loose, unbind, let, permit, loose, unbind, let, permit, [ᴹ√] let loose, release

This root was the basis for the word S. leithia- “release” as in the Lay of Leithian “Release from Bondage” (S/162). This word dates back to Tolkien’s first version of this poem from the 1920s, where the primitive base seems to be ᴱ√LETH “set free” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LB/154), though the note where this etymology appears is undated and might be a contemporary of The Etymologies of the 1930s instead (Ety/LEK). In The Etymologies itself this root became ᴹ√LEK “loose, let loose, release” with derivatives like ᴹQ. lehta- “loose, slacken”, N. lheithia- “to release” and Ilk. legol “nimble, active, running free” (Ety/LEK). The root √LEK “loose, unbind, let, permit” reappeared in a list of roots from 1959-60 (VT41/6), and Tolkien’s continued use of Q. lehta and S. leithian indicates its ongoing validity (VT39/17; S/162).

ek

root. sharp point, (sharp) point, [ᴹ√] spear, thorn

The root √EK was associated with pointed things for all of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as the root ᴱ√EKE with variant ᴱ√EHE [eχe] in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/35), and as eke and eχe in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon where Tolkien made it clear it was the blending of two roots of similar meaning (GL/31). In the Gnomish Lexicon it had a third variant aχe, but Tolkien seemed less certain of that variant. In the 1910s and 1920s it was the basis for words meaning “sword”, “spear” and “thorn”.

By the 1930s, the sword-words had fallen away, transferred to ᴹ√MAK. The root ᴹ√EK appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “spear”, but I believe that gloss applied only to its extended form ᴹ√EKTE/EKTI; in rough notes from the 1940s ᴹ√EK was glossed “point, sharp point, thorn” (PE22/127). The primitive form eke appeared in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-1960 with the gloss “sharp point”, and √EK appeared again in etymological notes from 1968 with this same gloss (VT48/25). Thus this root seems to have been very well established in Tolkien’s mind as the basis for pointy things.

sad

root. strip, flay, peel off

A root glossed “strip, flay, peel off” in notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from 1967-69 given to explain the second element of S. Calenhad as S. sâdh, with Tolkien stating that “dh” is generally represented as “d” in his maps (VT42/20). The root is mentioned nowhere else.

auri

noun. heat, period of sun

khimīti

adjective. clinging, sticking, persistent, chronic

nōse

noun. race, tribe, people

kenásĭta

adverb. if it be so, may be, perhaps

maikā

adjective. sharp, penetrating, going deep in

sarniye

noun. shingle, pebble bank

irit

root. peck, prick

tuntu

root. *see, notice, perceive

itith

root. annoy, *itch, irritate; peck, bite (of flies)

kit

root. *small

Tolkien gave the roots √KIN and √KIT with the gloss “small” in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957; given Sindarin derivative S. cidinn, √KIT is the likelier of the two possibilities (PE17/157).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I recommend against using the Quenya derivative of this root, as there are other better-known Quenya words for “small”. In Sindarin, however, we have fewer options, and I think it is worth retaining this root for that branch of the Eldarin languages.

las

root. leaf

This root was connected to leaves throughout Tolkien’s life. It did not appear directly in the Qenya or Gnomish lexicons of the 1910s, but ✱ᴱ√LASA “leaf” is implied by ᴱQ. lasse and G. lass “leaf” (QL/51; GL/52). ᴹ√LAS appeared directly in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the derivatives ᴹQ. lasse and N. lhass (Ety/LAS¹), and the root √LAS “leaf” was also mentioned in Tolkien’s later writings (PE17/77; VT39/9).

ras

root. horn, horn; [ᴹ√] stick up

This root first appeared as ᴹ√RAS “stick up (intr.)” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. rasse and N. rhas or rhasg “horn (especially on living animal, but also applied to mountains)” (Ety/RAS; EtyAC/RAS). It reappeared as ᴹ√RASA “stick up” on an rejected page of roots in the Quenya Verbal System from the 1940s (PE22/127). Finally, √RAS “horn” appeared in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure of the early 1950s, but that was merely the last appearance of the root in Tolkien’s published writings. Q. rassë and S. rass “horn” continued to appear regularly as an element in mountain names in the 1950s and 60s.

sal

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

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

sed

root. rest

This root first appeared as ᴹ√SED “rest” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. sére “rest, repose, peace” and N. sîdh “peace”, along with the name of the Valië ᴹQ. Este < ᴹ✶ezdē (Ety/SED). The root √SED “rest” along with the etymology of Este reappeared in both the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from the 1930s (PE19/45) and the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s (PE19/92), and again in revisions to the OP2 page annotated in green ink and thus probably from 1970 (PE19/91 and note #110).

The root √SED “rest” was mentioned a couple times in the Quenya Verbal System of the 1940s as the basis for the verb ᴹQ. ser- “rest, repose” (PE22/102, 125) and again (unglossed) in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 as the basis for Este (WJ/403). In the sense “peace” this root had some competition, however. In the first version of the Gloria in Excelsis Deo prayer from the mid-1960s, Tolkien used Q. sívë for “peace”, revised to Q. sérë in the second version and then Q. rainë (VT44/32). The word Q. sívë “peace” reappeared in unpublished etymological notes from 1969 derived from the root √SIB “rest, quiet” (VT44/35).

Neo-Eldarin: For purpose of Neo-Eldarin, I would use √SED for the act of resting and so Q. sérë “peace” = “restfulness (personal peace)”, and would use √SIB = “quiet, ✱stillness, absence of activity” and so Q. sívë “peace” = “absence of activity or violence (environmental peace)”. I would use Q. rainë as “good will” in connection to √RAY “smile”.

stuk

root. [unglossed]

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

tig

root. [unglossed]

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

yod

root. fence, enclose

This root appears in a discussion of the possible origin of Sindarin -ion “-land”, blended with the root √YON “wide, extensive” (PE17/43). A more common variation of the latter root was √YAN, making the status of √YOD uncertain. The derivatives of √YOD are similar to those of √(G)LAN from the late 1960s, which presents a more complete paradigm.

lemek

root. [unglossed]

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

phut

root. [unglossed]

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

nik

root. small

One of various roots for “small” Tolkien used in his later writings. The root √NIK “small” first appeared in notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s (VT47/26; VT48/18), but was connected to the diminutive suffix ✶-i(n)ki which had a much longer conceptual history. One of the earliest known diminutive suffix was ᴱQ. -íne(a) in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s from the root ᴱ√INI “small” (QL/42), which might be a precursor to √NIK; these suffixes reappeared in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/49, 81). In the Gnomish Grammar of the 1910s, the word G. inc “small” was used as the basis for the “diminutive superlative” -inci (PE11/16).

In the Qenya Lexicon, Tolkien connected ᴱ√INI “small” to the root ᴱ√MINI of similar meaning (QL/42, 61). There are no signs of ᴱ√MINI “small” in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon, but the word G. migin “little” (GL/57) hints at a (hypothetical) variant root ✱ᴱ√MIKI. Further support for ✱ᴱ√MIKI can be found in other diminutive forms in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s such as prefixal diminutive ᴱQ. mike- along adverbial ᴱQ. mike “little” (QL/48, 81), the latter appearing with the gloss “a bit” in the English-Qenya Dictionary from this period (PE15/70) along with other similar words in both the dictionary and the grammar. This ✱ᴱ√MIKI might be another precursor to √NIK. An early hint at √NIK itself might appear in the word ᴹQ. nikse “minnow, little fish” from the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/27).

In Noldorin and Sindarin, the primary diminutive suffix became -eg, which was connected to the Common Eldarin suffix -iki elsewhere in notes on hands and fingers (VT47/14 note #21). In the notes where √NIK “small” appeared in the late 1960s, Tolkien gave the primitive diminutive as -inkĭ along with variants ikki, -iksi, -si, -ensi, -ki.

One of the main competing roots for “small” was ᴹ√PIK [see the entry for √PI(N)], itself with a lengthy conceptual history. The shift of pitya >> nitya “little” in the father name of Amrod from the late 1960s may represent a replacement of √PIK by √NIK (PM/365), but I think it is likelier the two roots coexisted with slightly different meanings, as was the case for their earlier precursors. In the notes from the late 1960s, √NIK was also contrasted with √NIP “small (usually with connotation of weakness)” (VT48/18), from which the word S. niben “petty” was derived, as in S. Nogoth Niben (WJ/388).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume √NIK meant “small” in a neutral sense, √PIK “tiny” (along with variants √PĪ and √PIN) and √NIP “small and weak”. I would use these as the major Eldarin roots for “small” words, along with a number of other more specialized roots.

graw Reconstructed

root. [unglossed], [ᴹ√] dark, swart

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

ekka

noun. hole

ezdē

noun. rest

ista-

verb. to know

kalinā

adjective. bright

lassē

noun. leaf

lā̆

preposition/adverb. beyond

ndorē

noun. land

ndē̆r

noun. man

nelek

root. tooth

orlā

preposition. over

spindilā

noun. head of hair

kwilid

root. quiet

imin

masculine name. One

imte

pronoun. themselves

kegyā

noun. hedge

kin

root. *small

min

cardinal. one

ndōro

noun. land

nimpĭ

adjective. small

ninkĭ

adjective. small

pū

noun. ‽

raika

adjective. crooked

rass

noun. horn

skā

noun. ‽

skū

noun. ‽

te

pronoun. they

khes

root. wither

nom Reconstructed

root. place

A hypothetical root serving as the basis for Q. nómë “place”.

sisti

root. ‽

swar

root. crooked

tad

root. enclosure