Quenya 

róta

tube

róta noun "tube" (LT2:347)

rotelë

cave

rotelë noun "cave" (LT2:347)

rotto

cave, tunnel

rotto noun "cave, tunnel" (VT46:12), "a small grot or tunnel" (PM:365)

sulca

root

sulca ("k") noun "root" (especially as edible) (SÚLUK)

numbë

root, foundation

[numbë noun "root, foundation", also núvë (VT45:38)]

núvë

root, foundation

[núvë noun "root, foundation", also numbë (VT45:38)]

sundo

base, root, root-word

sundo (þ) noun "base, root, root-word" (SUD), sc. a Quendian consonantal "base". According to VT46:16, Tolkien changed the root to STUD, thereby implying that sundo was earlier þundo (compare Sindarin thond "root"). PE18:95 gives the pl. form as sundur, seemingly implying a stem-form sundu-. It is not, however, used in the compound sundocarmë "base-structure" (PE18:84 not **sunducarmë), a term used in the description of the structure of the various Quendian "bases" or roots.

talma

base, foundation, root

talma noun "base, foundation, root" (TALAM), also translated "bottom" in the expression "top to bottom", see below.% Talmar Ambaren (place-name, *"Foundations of the World" - this is pre-classical "Qenya" with genitive in -en instead of -o as in LotR-style Quenya) (TALAM). Allative talmanna in the phrase telmello talmanna** "from hood to base**, top to bottom" _(VT46:18; notice misreading "telmanna" in the Etymologies as printed in LR, entry TEL-, TELU-)_

sundo

noun. base, root, root-word, base, root, [ᴹQ.] root-word

Quenya [PE18/084; UT/166; WJ/319] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sundóma

noun. determinant vowel, root-vowel, determinant vowel, root-vowel, [ᴹQ.] vocalic determinant

Quenya [PE17/105; PE17/124; PE18/084; WJ/319] Group: Eldamo. Published by

talma

noun. basis, basis, [ᴹQ.] foundation, base, root; [ᴱQ.] end

tarmasundar

place name. Roots of the Pillar

A set of ridges extending from Meneltarma into each of the five regions (points of the “star”) of Númenor, translated “Roots of the Pillar” (UT/166). This name is a compound of tarma “pillar” and the plural form sundar, a variant sunda of sundo “base”.

Quenya [UT/166; UTI/Tarmasundar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

-stë

you

-stë "you", 2nd person dual pronominal ending (VT49:51, 53), e.g. caristë "the two of you do" (VT49:16). Tolkien first wrote carindë, but changed the ending (VT49:33). The ending -stë is derived from earlier -dde (VT49:46, 51). An archaic ending of similar form could also be the third person dual, "the two of them" (but see -ttë #1).

-ldë

you

-ldë (1) pronominal suffix "you", 2nd person pl. (VT49:51; carildë *"you do", VT49:16). This ending Tolkien revised from -llë in earlier sources (VT49:48, cf. PE17:69).

-llo

you

[-llo (2) "you", dual; abandoned pronominal ending. Also written -illo. (VT49:49)]

-llë

you

-llë (2) abandoned pronominal ending "you", 2nd person pl. (VT49:48); Tolkien later revised this ending to -ldë.

-lyë

you, thou

-l or -lyë (VT49:48, 51), pronominal endings for 2nd person sg. polite/formal "you, thou": caril or carilyë *"you do" (VT49:16), hamil "you judge" (VT42:33), anel "you were" (see #1); see -lyë for further examples. These endings may also be added to pronouns (etel/etelyë or mil, milyë; see et, mi). In one source, -l is rather used as a reduced affix denoting plural "you"; see heca! (WJ:364)

-ndë

you

[#-ndë (2) pronominal suffix for dual "you", as in carindë *"you (two) do". Tolkien changed the ending to -stë (VT49:33)]

-ntyë

you

[-ntyë "you", abandonded pronominal ending for 2nd person pl. familiar (VT49:49)]

-tyë

you

-t (3) reduced pronominal affix of the 2. person, "you" (sg.), the long form being -tyë (both endings are listed in VT49:48). See heca regarding the example hecat (WJ:364). However, in a later source, Tolkien denies that -tyë has any short form (VT49:51, 57). The status of the ending -t is therefore doubtful.

-tyë

you, thou

-tyë pronominal ending "you, thou" (VT49:48, 51), 2nd person familiar/intimate: carityë *"you do" (VT49:16; the corresponding formal/polite ending is -l, -lyë, cf. PE17:135 where Tolkien states that hiruvalyë "thou shalt find" from Namárië would be hiruvatyë if the polite pronoun were replaced by the familiar one). Compare the independent pronoun tye. In VT49:51, Tolkien denies that the ending -tyë has any short form (see, however, -t # 3). Cf. natyë "you are"; see #1. Compare tye, -tya.

alyë

you

alyë imperative particle with ending -lyë "you"; see a #3.

felco

cave, mine, underground dwelling

felco noun "cave, mine, underground dwelling" (PE17:118); also felca, felehta

felya

cave

felya noun "cave" (PHÉLEG), "mine, boring, tunnel, underground dwel[ling]" (PE17:118)

ilcë

you

ilcë ("k") (2) *"you", emphatic pronoun of the 2nd person pl. familiar, apparently a form abandoned by Tolkien. An alternative form incë was also listed; a query appears between the forms (VT49:48).

incë

you

incë ("k") *"you", emphatic pronoun for 2nd person pl. familiar, apparently a form abandoned by Tolkien. It is listed as an alternative to ilcë in the source, a query appearing between the forms (VT49:48, 49). The word could also be read as intë (VT49:49)

le

you

le, pronominal element "you", (originally) the "reverential 2nd person sing" (RGEO:73, VT49:56). However, singular le was apparently altered to lye (q.v.), and le took on a plural significance (le for pl. "you" is apparently derived from de, the ancient 2nd person pl. stem, VT49:50-51). Stressed (VT49:51), dual let "the two of you" (ibid.). At certain points in Tolkiens conception, le was still sg. "thou" rather than pl. "you". It is attested as an ending in the imperative form antalë "give thou" (VT43:17); see anta-. The form ólë in VT43:29 apparently means *"with thee"; according to Tolkiens later system, it would rather mean "with you" (pl.) Compare aselyë "with thee" (sg.) in a later source (see as).

sundo

noun. base

base

Quenya [PE 18:33, 60 PE 18:84, 95] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

tye

you, thou, thee

tye pron. "you, thou, thee", 2nd person intimate/familar (LR:61, 70, Arct, VT49:36, 55), corresponding to formal/polite lye. According to VT49:51, tye was used as an endearment especially between lovers, and (grand)parents and children also used it to address one another ("to use the adult lye was more stern"). Tyenya "my tye", used = "dear kinsman" (VT49:51). The pronoun tye is derived from kie, sc. an original stem ki with an added -e(VT49:50). Stressed tyé; dual tyet "the two of you" (VT49:51 another note reproduced on the same page however states that tye has no dual form, and VT49:52 likewise states that the 2nd person familiar "never deleloped" dual or plural forms). Compare the reflexive pronoun intyë "yourself". Possibly related to the pronominal stem KE (2nd person sg.), if tye represents earlier *kye.

Sindarin 

roth

noun. cave

n. cave. Q. rondo.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:117] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

groth

noun. cave, tunnel, large excavation

Sindarin [WJ/415, S/431, VT/46:12] Group: SINDICT. Published by

groth

noun. delving, underground dwelling

Sindarin [WJ/415, S/431, VT/46:12] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thond

noun. root, root, [N.] base; root-word

A noun in The Lord of the Rings Appendix E glossed “root”, given as an examples of how “nd remained at the end of fully accented monosyllables” (LotR/1115). It was an element in the river-name S. Morthond “Black Root” (LotR/770), so named “because its source was in the dark caverns of the Dead Men” (RC/766). As such this word refers to things that are the root or base of something, not just plant roots.

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. sunn and sonnas as cognates to ᴹQ. sundo “base, root, root-word” under ᴹ√SUD “base, ground” (Ety/SUD; EtyAC/SUD). These Noldorin forms were revised to N. thund/thonn and N. thonnas while the root was revised to ᴹ√STUD (EtyAC/SUD). The Etymologies also had N. dum “root, foundation” derived from {ᴹ√(N)DUM >>} ᴹ√(N)DUB “lay base, foundation, root; found”, but this entry was deleted (EtyAC/NDUB).

Possible Etymology: This words seems to be a counterexample to the general rule that short u was preserved before nasals]]: compare it to S. mund “bull” and N. lhunt “boat” where the u remained unchanged. The Quenya cognate of this word is typically Q. sundo, so a-affection]] cannot be used to explain the shift of u to o. However in one place Tolkien gave the Quenya form as sunda in Tarmasundar “Roots of the Pillar” (UT/166), so perhaps the Sindarin form was derived from a variant primitive form ✱stundā.

Neo-Sindarin: For purpose of Neo-Sindarin, I would assume thond refers only to an ordinary base or root, and more abstract [N.] thonnas refers to things like root-words or a “✱foundation”.

Sindarin [LotR/1115; PE17/096; PE17/121] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thond

noun. root

n. root.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:96:121] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

thond

noun. root

Sindarin [LotR/E, Letters/178] Group: SINDICT. Published by

roth

cave

(delving, large excavation), pl. ryth, 4) gathrod (i ’athrod), pl. gethryd (i ngethryd = i ñethryd)

groth

cave

(i ’roth) (delving, large excavation), pl. gryth (in gryth) (VT46:12)

thond

root

1) thond (construct thon; pl. thynd; coll. pl. thonnath), 2) thonnas, pl. thennais (archaic *thönnais) (VT46:16), 3) thund (construct thun; pl. thynd; coll. pl. thunnath) (VT46:16), 4) (esp. of edible roots) solch (i holch, o solch), pl. sylch (i sylch)

solch

root

(i holch, o solch), pl. sylch (i sylch)

thond

root

(construct thon; pl. thynd; coll. pl. thonnath)

thonnas

root

pl. thennais (archaic ✱thönnais) (VT46:16)

thund

root

(construct thun; pl. thynd; coll. pl. thunnath) (VT46:16)

grôd

cave

1) grôd (i **rôd, construct grod) (delving, excavation, underground dwelling), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414), 2) groth (i **roth) (delving, large excavation), pl. gryth (in gryth) (VT46:12), 3) rond (construct ron) (cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath, 4) roth (delving, large excavation), pl. ryth, 4) gathrod (i **athrod), pl. gethryd (i ngethryd = i ñethryd), 5) fela (pl. fili). In the Etymologies (LR:381 s.v. PHÉLEG) the name Felagund is said to include this word, but since Tolkien later re-explained this name as a borrowing from Dwarvish, some would consider fela** as a word for ”cave” conceptually obsolete.

-d

suffix. you

2nd du. pron. suff. #you (two). Q. -star.See paradigm PE17:132.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:132] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-dh

suffix. you

{ð} 2nd du. pron. suff. #you (two). Q. -star.See paradigm PE17:132.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:132] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-dh

suffix. you

{ð} 2nd sg. pron. suff. #you. Q. -tar.See paradigm PE17:132.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:132] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

-dhir

suffix. you

{ð} 2nd pl. pron. suff. #you. Q. -ltar.See paradigm PE17:132.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:132] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

de

pronoun. you

Sindarin [PE17/026] Group: Eldamo. Published by

feleg

noun. cave

n. cave, mine, underground dwelling. Q. felco. Q.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:118] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

rond

noun. cave roof

Sindarin [Ety/384, VT/46:12, S/437, WJ/414, X/RH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rond

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

Sindarin [Ety/384, VT/46:12, S/437, WJ/414, X/RH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

talan

flat space

pl1. telain** **_ n. _flat space, platform. Q. talan or talma. >> tâl

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:52] < C.E. _talam-_. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

tâl

flat space

_ n. _flat space, platform. Q. talan or talma. >> talan

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:52] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

fela

cave

(pl. fili). In the Etymologies (LR:381 s.v. PHÉLEG) the name Felagund is said to include this word, but since Tolkien later re-explained this name as a borrowing from Dwarvish, some would consider fela as a word for ”cave” conceptually obsolete.

grôd

cave

(i ’rôd, construct grod) (delving, excavation, underground dwelling), pl. grŷd (in grŷd) (WJ:414)

othronn

fortress in a cave/caves

(pl. ethrynn for archaic öthrynn) (underground stronghold). Cited in archaic form othrond in the source (WJ:414).

rhûd

artificial cave

(construct rhud, with article ?i thrûd or ?i rûd – *the lenition product of rh- is uncertain) (dwelling underground, rockhewn hall, mine), pl. rhuid (?idh ruid). (PM:365)*

rond

cave

(construct ron) (cavern, vault, vaulted ceiling, hall with vaulted roof), pl. rynd (idh rynd), coll. pl. ronnath

Adûnaic

kulbu

noun. root

A noun appearing only in its plural form kulbî “roots”, corresponding to the collective-noun kulub “roots, edible vegetables that are roots not fruits” (SD/431). As such, it most likely refers to root vegetables only, rather than other senses of the English word “root”.

kulub

collective noun. roots, edible vegetables that are roots not fruits

A collective-noun meaning “all edible root vegetables”, as opposed to kulbu used for an individual root (SD/431).

Noldorin 

solch

noun. root (especially as edible)

A noun in The Etymologies from around 1937 glossed “root (especially as edible)” and derived from ᴹ√SULUK (Ety/SÚLUK).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. tarc “root (especially edible roots)” and related G. tricthon {“slender fibrous root” >>} “(fibrous fine) root”, both derived from ᴱ√tṛk (GL/69, 71).

Noldorin [Ety/SÚLUK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dum

noun. root, foundation

Noldorin [EtyAC/NDUB] Group: Eldamo. Published by

thonn

noun. base, root, root-word

Noldorin [EtyAC/SUD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

solch

noun. root (especially as edible)

Noldorin [Ety/388] Group: SINDICT. Published by

thonnas

noun. base, root, root-word, root-word; *foundation; base, root

Noldorin [EtyAC/SUD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gathrod

noun. cave

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “cave”, apparently a combination of N. gath “cavern” and ᴹ√ROT “tunnel” (Ety/GAT(H)). Its initial element also appeared in the name N. Doriath “Land of the Cave”, but in later writings S. Doriath was redefined as “Land of the Fence” with final element S. iath “fence” (WJ/370), so N. gathrod “cave” was probably abandoned.

Noldorin [Ety/GAT(H)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

fela

noun. cave

Noldorin [Ety/381] Group: SINDICT. Published by

fela

noun. cave

Noldorin [Ety/PHÉLEG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gathrod

noun. cave

Noldorin [Ety/358] gath+grôd (GAT(H)). Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhond

noun. cave roof

Noldorin [Ety/384, VT/46:12, S/437, WJ/414, X/RH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhond

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

Noldorin [Ety/384, VT/46:12, S/437, WJ/414, X/RH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhonn

noun. cave roof

Noldorin [Ety/384, VT/46:12, S/437, WJ/414, X/RH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rhonn

noun. vaulted or arched roof, as seen from below (and usually not visible from outside), or a (large) hall of chamber so roofed

Noldorin [Ety/384, VT/46:12, S/437, WJ/414, X/RH, X/ND1] Group: SINDICT. Published by

rond

noun. cave

Primitive elvish

talam

root. flat space, flat space, [ᴹ√] floor, ground; base, root, foundation

Primitive elvish [PE17/052] Group: Eldamo. Published by

talmā

noun. basis

Primitive elvish [PE17/167; PE21/71; PE21/80] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Telerin 

de

pronoun. you


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!

Early Quenya

róta

noun. tube, hollow cylinder

Early Quenya [LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rótele

noun. cave

Early Quenya [LT2A/Rothwarin; QL/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

orot

noun. cave

Early Quenya [QL/071; QL/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

móle

noun. root

A word for “root” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/139). See ᴹQ. sulka and Q. sundo for a discussion of other words meaning “root”.

Early Quenya [PE16/139] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tarka

noun. root

Early Quenya [GL/69; QL/094] Group: Eldamo. Published by

nerqal

proper name. Root of Disease

Name of Melko’s poison in early notes (PE15/14), Tolkien suggested it was derived from (otherwise unattested) Nyerk.

Early Quenya [PE15/14] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tye

pronoun. you

Early Quenya [LFC/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

rôth

noun. cave

A Doriathrin noun for “cave”, also appearing as roth, derived from primitive ᴹ✶rǭda or ᴹ✶roda (Ety/ROD, EtyAC/ROD). The [[ilk|[d] spirantilized to [ð] (“dh”)]] as usual, then after the final vowel was lost the [[ilk|final [ð] became [θ]]] as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL-Doriathrin/roth). The original sound [ð] is preserved in the plural rodhin.

Doriathrin [Ety/ROD; EtyAC/ROD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

tṛkṛ

root. *root

An unglossed root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives ᴱQ. tarka “root” and ᴱQ. tarkele “great system of roots” (QL/94). It also had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. tarc “root” and G. tricthon “(fibrous fine) root” (GL/69, 71). There are no signs of this root in Tolkien’s later writing.

Early Primitive Elvish [GL/69; QL/094] Group: Eldamo. Published by

i

root. here it is, root of relatives

Early Primitive Elvish [GG/07; GL/50; QL/041] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ma

root. root of indef[inite]

Early Primitive Elvish [GL/55] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

sulka

noun. root (especially as edible)

A noun in The Etymologies from around 1937 glossed “root (especially as edible)” and derived from ᴹ√SULUK (Ety/SÚLUK).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. tarka “root” and ᴱQ. tarkele “great system of roots”, both derived from early ᴱ√TṚKṚ (QL/94). Their Gnomish cognate G. tarc was glossed “root (especially edible roots)” (GL/69). ᴹQ. turut (turuk-) “tree-stem” from the Declension of Nouns (DN) written in the early 1930s (PE21/35) might be a transitional form in between ᴱ√TṚKṚ and ᴹ√SULUK.

numbe

noun. root, foundation

sundo

noun. base, root, root-word

Qenya [Ety/SUD; PE18/033; PE18/060] Group: Eldamo. Published by

talma

noun. base, foundation, root

Qenya [Ety/TAL; Ety/TEL; EtyAC/TEL] Group: Eldamo. Published by

martalmar

place name. Roots of the Earth

The “veins of the world” in some cosmological notes from the 1930s (SM/241-2, 255), also appearing in The Etymologies as combination of mar “world” and the plural of talma “root” (Ety/TAL).

Qenya [Ety/TAL; SM/241; SMI/Martalmar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

talmar ambaren

place name. Roots of the Earth

Another name for Martalmar in cosmological notes from the 1930s (SM/241), a combination of the plural of talma “root” and the genitive of Ambar “world” (Ety/TAL).

Qenya [SM/241; SMI/Talmar Ambaren] Group: Eldamo. Published by

felya

noun. cave

Qenya [Ety/PHÉLEG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

le

pronoun. you

Qenya [PE22/106; PE22/118; PE22/119; PE22/120; PE22/123; PE22/124; PE22/127] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

suluk

root. *root (especially as edible)

An unglossed root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives ᴹQ. sulka/N. solch “root (especially as edible)” (Ety/SÚLUK).

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/SÚLUK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

i

root. that (deictic particle); [ᴱ√] here it is, root of relatives

A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “that (deictic particle)” (Ety/I¹). A similar root appeared in the Qenya and Gnomish Lexicons of the 1910s glossed “here it is” (QL/41) and “root of relatives” (GL/50). Given Tolkien’s long standing use of i for both “the” and the relative pronoun “that” in all his Elvish languages, this root was established very early and remained more or less fixed throughout Tolkien’s life.

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/I¹] Group: Eldamo. Published by

(n)dub

root. lay base, foundation, root; found

Middle Primitive Elvish [EtyAC/NDUB] Group: Eldamo. Published by

talam

root. base, root, foundation; floor, ground

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/TAL; PE21/56] Group: Eldamo. Published by

talmā

noun. foundation, basis, root

Middle Primitive Elvish [PE21/56] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pheleg

root. cave

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/PHÉLEG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rǭda

noun. cave

Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/ROD; EtyAC/ROD] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive adûnaic

kulub

root. *root (as a kind of plant)

One of the Primitive Adûnaic roots Tolkien used to illustrate the processes of Primitive Adûnaic word formation (SD/422-5). It also seems to be the root of words such as kulbu and kulub “root (as a kind of plant)” (SD/431), perhaps an deliberate pun by Tolkien.

Primitive adûnaic [SD/422; SD/423; SD/425] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

tarc

noun. root (especially edible roots)

Gnomish [GL/69; GL/71] Group: Eldamo. Published by

grûda

noun. cave

Old Noldorin 

sulkha

noun. root (especially as edible)

Old Noldorin [Ety/SÚLUK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

phelga

noun. cave

Old Noldorin [Ety/PHÉLEG] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

gorod

noun. cave

Middle Telerin

felga

noun. cave

Middle Telerin [Ety/PHÉLEG] Group: Eldamo. Published by