taina

sign

#taina (2) noun "sign", isolated from Tainacolli *"Sign-bearer" MR:385

tengwa

noun. sign

sign, indicator, letter

tehta

mark, sign

tehta noun "mark, sign" (TEK, VT39:17, Appendix E), especially diacritics denoting vowels in Fëanorian writing (pl. tehtar is attested); these diacritics are explicitly called ómatehtar "vowel-marks", q.v.

narwë

sign, token

[narwë (and short nar, unless this is an incomplete form) noun "sign, token"] (VT45:37)

tanna

sign, token

tanna (1) noun "sign, token" (MR:385, PE17:186), also tanwa (PE17:186)

tanna

noun. sign, token

Derivations

• √TAN “indicate, show” ✧ MR/385; PE17/186
• ✶tanma “sign, token” ✧ PE17/186
  • √TAN “indicate, show” ✧ PE17/186

Element in

• ᴺQ. lantanna “banner, standard”
• Q. Tannacolli “Signifer” ✧ MR/385

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√tana > tanna	[tanna]	✧ MR/385
√TAN > tanna	[tanna]	✧ PE17/186
✶tanma > tanwa	[tanma] > [tanwa]	✧ PE17/186

Variations

• tanna ✧ MR/385; MR/471; PE17/186
• tanwa ✧ PE17/186 (tanwa)

tanwa

sign, token

tanwa noun "sign, token" (Tolkien marked this word with a query, but it is not clearly rejected). Also tanna (#1). (PE17:186)

tengwë

indication, sign, token

tengwë (pl. tengwi attested) noun "indication, sign, token", in linguistics used for phonemes(VT39:7, WJ:394); hloníti tengwi "phonetic signs" (WJ:395). The term tengwë was particularly associated with consonants (VT39:16). In the Etymologies, stem TEK, tengwë is glossed "writing"; this gloss would seem to be obsolete (for this meaning the word sarmë occurs in Tolkien's later material).

tana-

to show, indicate

tana- (2) vb. "to show, indicate" (MR:350, 385, 471) (cf. the demonstrative tana "that")

elen

star

elen noun "star" (SA:êl, elen, EL, VT49:39); pl. eleni (occasionally in verse: eldi) (WJ:362, PE17:127); partitive pl. elelli for elenli (PE17:127), gen. pl. elenion in the phrase Elenion Ancalima "brightest of stars" (LotR2:IV ch. 9; see Letters:385 for translation); elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44), genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45), eleni neldë "three stars", archaic elenion neldë = "of stars three". Genitive "of 3 stars" = elenion neldë (for archaic elenion neldëo) (VT49:45). Allative elenna "starwards" used as name of Númenor _(Silm; see Elenna)_; ablative pl. elenillor "from stars" in Markirya. **Nai elen siluva ***"may a star shine", VT49:38.

elen

noun. star

The most common Quenya word for “star”, mentioned very frequently, derived from an extended form ✶elen of the root √EL “behold” (PE17/67; WJ/360, 362). Its usual plural form is eleni, but it has an archaic plural †eldi sometimes used in verse, the result of the Ancient Quenya sound whereby [[aq|[ln] became [ld]]] after the ancient plural underwent the Quenya syncope, ✶elenī > AQ. elni; its normal modern plural form eleni was actually a reformation from the singular (PE17/57, 151; WJ/362).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, though in the original entry for the root ᴹ√EL Tolkien said it was poetical and gave variants ellen and elena (Ety/EL).

Cognates

• S. êl “star” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/024; PE17/067; PE17/127; PE17/151; SA/êl; WJ/362
• T. él “star” ✧ WJ/367
• T. elen “star” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

• ✶elen “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/151; WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360
• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ PE17/151; PM/340; RGEO/65; SA/êl

Element in

• Q. aiya Eärendil elenion ancalima “hail Eärendil, brightest of stars” ✧ LotR/0720; LotR/0915; PE17/090; PE17/101
• Q. ancalima ep’ eleni “brighter than stars” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. ancalima imbi eleni “brightest among stars” ✧ PE17/091
• Q. arcalima ar eleni “A is brightest of all” ✧ PE17/056
• Q. arcalima ep’ eleni “far and away brighter than stars” ✧ PE17/056 (arcalima ep’ eleni)
• Q. elenion ancalima “brightest of stars” ✧ PE17/056; PE17/056; PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/091
• Q. Elemmacil “*Star Sword”
• Q. Elemmírë “Elven-gem, Star-gem” ✧ PE19/096
• Q. elen atto “of 2 stars” ✧ VT49/45
• Q. Elendil “Elf-friend, Star-lover”
• Q. Elendur “*Star-servant”
• ᴺQ. elengolmë “astronomy”
• Q. elenillor pella talta-taltala “beyond the stars falling” ✧ MC/222
• Q. eleni neldë “*3 stars” ✧ VT49/45
• Q. elenion neldë “of 3 stars” ✧ VT49/45; VT49/45
• Q. Elenna “Starwards”
• Q. elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo “a star shines on the hour of our meeting” ✧ Let/265; LotR/0081; PE17/012; WJ/367
• Q. Elentári “Queen of the Stars, Star-queen”
• Q. Elentir “*Star-gazer”
• Q. Elentirmo “Star-watcher” ✧ UT/213
• Q. Elenwë
• Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/362
• Q. Elerondo “Elrond, (lit.) Star-dome”
• Q. Elerossë “Star Foam”
• Q. Elerrína “Crowned with Stars”
• Q. Elessar “Elfstone”
• Q. Elestirnë “Star-brow”
• Q. nai elen atta siluvat aurenna veryanwesto “*may two stars shine upon the day of your wedding” ✧ VT49/44; VT49/44
• Q. nai elen siluva lyenna “*may a star shine upon you” ✧ VT49/39
• Q. nai elen siluva parma-restalyanna meldonya “*may a star shine upon your book-fair, my friend” ✧ VT49/39
• Q. yassen tintilar i eleni “wherein the stars tremble” ✧ LotR/0377; RGEO/58
• Q. yassen tintilar i eleni “in which twinkle the stars” ✧ RGEO/59

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶elen > elen	[elen]	✧ PE17/067
✶elni > eldi	[eleni] > [elni] > [eldi]	✧ PE17/151

Variations

• Elen ✧ LotR/0081; WJ/367

él

star

†él noun "star", pl. éli given (WJ:362, EL)

él

noun. star

An archaic or poetic word for star (WJ/362), somewhat common in compounds but in ordinary speech typically appearing as elen. It was derived directly from the primitive root √EL “behold”, the basis for other star words (PM/340; WJ/360).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as poetical ᴹQ. él “star” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, already with the derivation given above, though in this document the root ᴹ√EL meant “star” (Ety/EL), a common gloss for the root in later writings as well.

Cognates

• T. él “star” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ PM/340
• ✶ēl “star” ✧ WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ WJ/360

Element in

• Q. Carnil “*Red Star”
• ᴺQ. ëarel “starfish, (lit.) sea-star”
• Q. Elatan “*Star Man”
• ᴺQ. élicombë “galaxy, collection of stars”
• Q. Elostirion “*Star Fort”
• Q. elvëa “starlike”
• Q. Elwë
• Q. Luinil “*Blue Star”
• Q. Undómiel “Evenstar”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√el- > el	[el]	✧ PM/340
✶ēl > él	[ēl]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• el ✧ PM/340

ílë

star

ílë noun "star" (LT1:269; rather elen, él in LotR-style Quenya.)

nótë

number

nótë noun "number" (NOT)

sarat

letter

sarat (pl. sarati given) noun "letter", any individual significant mark, used of the letters of Rúmil after the invention of Fëanor's tengwar (WJ:396). Cf. sarmë.

tenna

noun. letter (epistola)

Changes

• tenna → tenna “a letter, sign” ✧ PE19/086

Derivations

• ✶teknā “a letter (epistola)” ✧ PE19/086
  • √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE19/086

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶teknā > tenna	[teknā] > [tegnā] > [teŋnā] > [teŋna] > [tenna]	✧ PE19/086

Variations

• tenna ✧ PE19/086 (tenna); PE19/086 (tenna)

tengwë

noun. sign, token, indication; writing, sign, token, indication; writing; [ᴱQ.] knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought

Derivations

• ✶tekmē “writing, grammar” ✧ PE19/086
  • √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE19/086
• ✶teñwe “sign, token, indication” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/17; WJ/394
  • √TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/15; WJ/394

Element in

• ᴺQ. calatengwë “photograph, (lit.) light-writing”
• Q. lambetengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/16
• Q. náva-tengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/08
• Q. pávatengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/08
• ᴺQ. nwátengwë “irony, (lit.) disguise-token”
• Q. óma-tengwë “vowel-sign” ✧ VT39/08; VT39/16
• ᴺQ. tengwelanga “transcription”
• Q. tengwelë “language (general term), language (general term); [ᴱQ.] sense” ✧ VT39/16
• Q. tengwesta “grammar, morphology, system or code of signs, collection of matter concerning writing, *language structure” ✧ PE21/82; VT39/16; WJ/394

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶tekmē > tengwe	[tekmē] > [tegmē] > [teŋmē] > [teŋgwē] > [teŋgwe]	✧ PE19/086
✶teñgwe > tengwe	[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]	✧ VT39/04
✶teñ-we > teñgwe	[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]	✧ VT39/17
✶tenwe > tengwe	[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]	✧ WJ/394

Variations

• tengwe ✧ PE19/086 (tengwe); VT39/04; VT39/05; VT39/07; WJ/394; WJ/396
• teñgwe ✧ PE21/82; VT39/16; VT39/17

tengwa

letter

tengwa (pl. tengwar is attested) (1) noun "letter" Tengwa (ñ) is defined as "any one visible sign representing (theoretically) any one audible teñgwe" (phoneme) (VT39:17). In non-technical usage tengwa was equivalent to "consonant", since only the consonants were full signs (WJ:396, TEK). In the Etymologies, tengwa was apparently emended from tengwë (VT46:17).

tengwa

noun. (written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar

Cognates

• S. têw “letter” ✧ LotR/1117; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/122; PE17/122; WJ/396

Derivations

• ✶tekmā “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE18/104
  • √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044
• ✶teñwā “letter, sign, token” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149
  • √TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149

Element in

• Q. óma-tengwë “vowel-sign”
• Q. tengwa- “to read written matter” ✧ VT49/48
• Q. tengwacilmë “spelling” ✧ PE22/149
• ᴺQ. tengwalóra “unlettered”
• Q. tengwassë “alphabet”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶tekmā > tegmā > teñma > tengwa	[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa]	✧ PE17/043
✶tek-mā > tengwa	[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa]	✧ PE17/044
✶teñwa > tengwa	[teŋwa] > [teŋgwa]	✧ PE17/044
✶teñma > tengwa	[teŋwa] > [teŋgwa]	✧ PE17/044
✶teñwa > tengwa	[teŋwa] > [teŋgwa]	✧ PE17/044
✶tekma > tengwa	[tekma] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋgwa] > [teŋgwa]	✧ PE18/104
✶teñ-wā > teñgwa	[teŋwā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa]	✧ PE19/097
✶teŋmā > tengwa	[teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa]	✧ PE22/149

Variations

• teñgwa ✧ PE19/097; VT39/17

tehta

noun. (written) mark, sign, symbol, †written letter, (written) mark, sign, symbol, [ᴹQ.] diacritic, [Q.] †written letter

Cognates

• S. taith “sign, symbol, mark, sign, symbol; mark, [N.] stroke; [G.] letter” ✧ PE17/043

Derivations

• ✶tektā “sign, symbol, mark” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE22/149
  • √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE22/149

Element in

• Q. andatehta “long-mark”
• Q. ómatehta “vowel-sign”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶tek-tā > tehta	[tektā] > [textā] > [texta]	✧ PE17/043
✶tekda > tekta	[tekda] > [tekta] > [texta]	✧ PE22/149

Variations

• tekta ✧ PE22/149 (tekta)

tanwa

noun. sign, token

tenca

noun. letter (epistola)

Cognates

• ᴺS. tain “letter, epistle, missive”

Derivations

• ✶teknā “a letter (epistola)”
  • √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE19/086

taen

noun. sign

taith

noun. a sign

_ n. _a sign, symbol, mark. Q. tehta. >> teith, teithant

teith

noun. a sign

_ n. _a sign, symbol, mark. Q. tehta. >> taith, teithant

taith

noun. sign, symbol, mark, sign, symbol; mark, [N.] stroke; [G.] letter

Cognates

• Q. tehta “(written) mark, sign, symbol, †written letter, (written) mark, sign, symbol, [ᴹQ.] diacritic, [Q.] †written letter” ✧ PE17/043

Derivations

• ✶tektā “sign, symbol, mark” ✧ PE17/043
  • √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE22/149

Element in

• S. andaith “long-mark”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶tek-tā > teith > taith	[tektā] > [tekta] > [tektʰa] > [texθa] > [teiθa] > [teiθ] > [taiθ]	✧ PE17/043

têw

noun. letter, written sign

glandagol

noun. boundary mark

gil

noun. star, bright spark

In The Etymologies (Ety/358, corrected by VT/45:15), this word was given as geil , plural gîl. However, later in LotR/E and RGEO/73, Tolkien seems to consider gil as a singular (with no hints in the sources of what the plural would be, besides the collective plural giliath )

el

star

n. star.

elen

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath _n._star. Its collective plural (pl2.) designates 'the (host of all the) stars, (all) the (visible) stars of the firmament'. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni. o menel aglar elenath ! lit. 'from Firmament glory of the stars !'. >> êl

elen

noun. star

gail

silver spark

pl1. gîl, pl2. giliath _ n. _silver spark. >> gail, geil

gail

noun. silver spark, silver spark, [ᴱN.] star; sign, token, heavenly body

geil

silver spark

pl1. gîl, pl2. giliath _ n. _silver spark. >> gail

gil-

noun. star

gill

noun. star

lae

noun. great number

êl

star

pl1. elin, pl2. elenath** ** n. star. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni, pl2. elelli. >> elen

êl

noun. star

A Sindarin word for “star” that is largely archaic and poetic, and is mainly used as element in names like Elrond (Let/281; WJ/363; Ety/EL); the more usual word for “star” in ordinary speech was gil (RGEO/65). However, the collective form elenath is still used in common speech to refer to the entire host of stars (WJ/363). The plural of êl is elin, as this word was derived from ancient ✶elen, and the final n that was lost in the singular was preserved in the plural. In some cases Tolkien posited a restored analogical singular elen from the plural form (PE17/24, 67, 139), but this isn’t in keeping with the notion that the word was archaic, so I would ignore this for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

Conceptual Development: This word and its root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. el “star” was derived from the root ᴹ√EL of similar meaning, but was “only [used] in names” (Ety/EL). It seems Tolkien introduced the root to give a new etymology for names like N. Elrond and N. Elwing, which initially appeared under the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” (Ety/ƷEL).

Cognates

• Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/024; PE17/067; PE17/127; PE17/151; SA/êl; WJ/362

Derivations

• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; RGEO/65; SA/êl
• ✶elen “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/139; PE22/150; WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

Element in

• S. Anglachel “*Iron-of-the-flaming-star”
• S. Anguirel “*Iron-of-the-fiery-star”
• S. Eladar “Starfather”
• S. elanor “pimpernel, small golden star-shaped flower, (lit.) sun-star” ✧ PE17/055
• S. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen” ✧ PE17/022; RGEO/65
• S. Elrond “Star-dome”
• S. Elros “Star-foam”
• S. Elu ✧ PM/369
• ᴺS. elui “starry”
• S. Elwing “Star-spray” ✧ PM/369
• S. Nan Elmoth “*Valley of Starry Dusk”
• S. Narn en·Êl “*Tale of the Star” ✧ MR/373
• S. Narn e·Dant Gondolin ar Orthad en·Êl “*Tale of the Fall of Gondolin and the Raising of the Star” ✧ MR/373
• S. o menel aglar elenath “from heaven on high the glory of the starry host” ✧ LotR/0238; PE17/024; RGEO/63; RGEO/64

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√EL > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ Let/281
✶elen > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ PE17/067
✶ELEN > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ PE17/139
✶elenī > elin	[elenī] > [eleni] > [elini] > [elin]	✧ PE22/150
√EL > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ RGEO/65
√ele > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ SA/êl
✶elen > êl	[elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl]	✧ WJ/360

Variations

• Êl ✧ MR/373
• el- ✧ PE17/022
• elen ✧ PE17/024; PE17/067; PE17/139
• el(en) ✧ PE17/025
• el ✧ PE17/055; PM/369

taith

noun. mark

andaith

noun. long-mark, sign used in writing alphabetic tengwar over a vowel, to indicate that it is lengthened.

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

êl

noun. star (little used except in verses)

tew

letter

(dew), pl1. tiw _ n. _letter. tew << têw; tiw << tîw. >> téw

têw

letter

têw (i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (sign, tengwa), pl. tîw (i **thîw), coll. pl. téwath**

têw

noun. letter

Changes

• têw → tew ✧ PE17/044
• tîw → tiw ✧ PE17/044
• tēw → tew ✧ PE17/044

Cognates

• Q. tengwa “(written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar” ✧ LotR/1117; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/122; PE17/122; WJ/396

Derivations

• ✶tekmā “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044
  • √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044
• ✶teñwā “letter, sign, token” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE22/149
  • √TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149

Element in

• S. Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant i thiw hin “Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs” ✧ LotR/0305; PE17/044

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶tekmā > tegmā > teŋw > tēw	[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]	✧ PE17/043
✶tekmāi > tekmī > tiŋw > tīw	[tekmāi] > [tekmī] > [tegmī] > [tegmi] > [teŋmi] > [tiŋmi] > [tiŋwi] > [tīwi] > [tīw]	✧ PE17/043
✶tek-mā > tew	[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]	✧ PE17/044
✶teñwa > teiw > tew	[teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]	✧ PE17/044
✶tekma > teŋ̃ma > tēw	[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]	✧ PE17/044
✶teñmi > tiñm(i) > tîw	[tekmī] > [tegmī] > [tegmi] > [teŋmi] > [tiŋmi] > [tiŋwi] > [tīwi] > [tīw]	✧ PE17/044
✶teñwa > tēwa > tēw	[teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]	✧ PE17/044
✶teŋmā > teŋwā > tēwa > tîw	[teŋmā] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tīwa] > [tīw]	✧ PE22/149

Variations

• tēw ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044 (tēw); PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/122
• tew ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044
• tîw ✧ PE17/044 (tîw); PE22/149

têw

letter

(i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (sign, tengwa), pl. tîw (i thîw), coll. pl. téwath

tann

sign

1) (etymologically ”something shown/indicated”) tann (i dann), construct tan, pl. tain (i thain) (MR:185); 2) têw (i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (letter, tengwa), pl. tîw (i **thîw), coll. pl. téwath**;

tann

sign

(i dann), construct tan, pl. tain (i thain)** **(MR:185)

têw

sign

(i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (letter, tengwa), pl. tîw (i thîw), coll. pl. téwath

gildin

silver spark

gildin (i ngildin = i ñildin, o n**gildin = o ñgildin), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gildin** = i ñgildin). ”

gilion

of stars

(lenited ngilion; pl. gilioen). Archaic ✱giliaun.

gwanod

number

(noun) gwanod (i **wanod) (tale), pl. gwenyd (in gwenyd**),

gwanod

number

(i ’wanod) (tale), pl. gwenyd (in gwenyd)

gasdil

stopgap

_(in writing, a sign indicating where G had been lenited to zero, represented by _ in transcription) gasdil (i **asdil), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngasdil = i ñasdil), coll. pl. gasdiliath**

gasdil

stopgap

(i ’asdil), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngasdil = i ñasdil), coll. pl. gasdiliath

rim

great number

(crowd, host), no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim), coll. pl. rimmath. Note: a homophone means ”cold pool or lake”.

gîl

star

gîl (i ngîl = i ñîl, o n**gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath** (RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

gîl

star

(i ngîl = i ñîl, o n’gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath **(RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. **elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).

noth

noun. number

Derivations

• √NOT “count, reckon”

nedia

number

(verb) *nedia- (reckon, count) (i nedia, in nediar). Cited in archaic form ”noedia” = nödia- (LR:378 s.v. NOT).

nedia

number

(reckon, count) (i nedia, in nediar). Cited in archaic form ”noedia” = nödia- (LR:378 s.v. NOT).

taith

mark

(noun) taith (i daith, o thaith), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaith). Archaic teith.

taith

mark

(i daith, o thaith), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaith). Archaic teith.

elen

noun. star

Cognates

• Q. elen “star” ✧ WJ/362

Derivations

• ✶elen “star” ✧ WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

él

noun. star

Cognates

• Q. él “star” ✧ WJ/362
• Q. elen “star” ✧ WJ/367

Derivations

• ✶ēl “star” ✧ WJ/360
  • √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ WJ/360

Element in

• T. él síla lúmena vomentienguo “A star shines upon the hour of the meeting of our ways” ✧ WJ/407

Variations

• ēl ✧ WJ/362; WJ/407

tanma

noun. sign, token

Derivations

• √TAN “indicate, show” ✧ PE17/186

Derivatives

• Q. tanna “sign, token” ✧ PE17/186

Element in

• ᴺQ. artanwa “award”

tektā

noun. sign, symbol, mark

Derivations

• √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE22/149

Derivatives

• Q. tehta “(written) mark, sign, symbol, †written letter, (written) mark, sign, symbol, [ᴹQ.] diacritic, [Q.] †written letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE22/149
• S. taith “sign, symbol, mark, sign, symbol; mark, [N.] stroke; [G.] letter” ✧ PE17/043

Elements

Word	Gloss
TEK	“make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)”
-ta	“noun suffix, single product of an action”

Variations

• tek-tā ✧ PE17/043
• tekda ✧ PE22/149

teñwā

noun. letter, sign, token

Derivations

• √TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149

Derivatives

• Q. tengwa “(written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149
• S. têw “letter” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE22/149

Variations

• teñwa ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044
• teñma ✧ PE17/044
• teñ-wā ✧ PE19/097
• teŋmā ✧ PE22/149

tew

root. show, sign, indicate

teñwe

noun. sign, token, indication

Derivations

• √TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/15; WJ/394

Derivatives

• Q. tengwë “sign, token, indication; writing, sign, token, indication; writing; [ᴱQ.] knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/17; WJ/394

Variations

• teñgwe ✧ VT39/04
• teñ-we ✧ VT39/17
• tenwe ✧ WJ/394

elen

noun. star

Derivations

• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ Let/281; PE17/067; VT42/11; WJ/360

Derivatives

• ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ PE17/139
  • Q. Elda “Elf, (lit.) one of the Star-folk” ✧ PE17/139; PE17/152
  • S. Ell “Elf” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Elleth “Elf-maid” ✧ PE17/141
    • S. Ellon “Elf-man” ✧ PE17/141
  • Q. elenya “adjective referring to the stars, *of the stars, stellar” ✧ WJ/360
  • S. Eledh “Elf” ✧ PE17/139; WJ/360
• Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/151; WJ/360
• S. êl “star” ✧ PE17/067; PE17/139; PE22/150; WJ/360
• T. elen “star” ✧ WJ/360

Element in

• ✶elenā “connected with or concerning the stars” ✧ WJ/360
• ✶elen-barathī “star-queen” ✧ MR/387
• Q. Elentári “Queen of the Stars, Star-queen” ✧ PE17/022
• S. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen” ✧ PE17/022; PE17/023

Variations

• ĕlĕn ✧ Let/281
• ELEN ✧ PE17/022; PE17/139; PE17/152
• el-en ✧ PE17/023
• elen- ✧ VT42/11

gilyā

noun. silver spark

Derivations

• √(Ñ)GIL “shine (white); silver glint; white or silver light” ✧ PE17/152

Derivatives

• S. gil “star; (bright) spark, silver glint, twinkle of light” ✧ PE17/152

ēl

noun. star

Derivations

• √EL “lo, behold; star, lo, behold; star, [ᴹ√] starry sky” ✧ WJ/360

Derivatives

• Q. él “star” ✧ WJ/360
• T. él “star” ✧ WJ/360

Element in

• ✶eledā “star-folk, of the stars” ✧ WJ/360
• ✶elen-barathī “star-queen” ✧ PE17/066

Variations

• el ✧ PE17/066

tek

root. make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)

The root √TEK was the basis for Elvish words for writing for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as ᴱ√TEKE “make marks” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. teket “letter” and ᴱQ. tekta- “to write” (QL/90). It also had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as G. taith “letter” and G. tectha- “write” (GL/68-69). In The Etymologies of the 1930s it was ᴹ√TEK “make a mark, write or draw (signs or letters)” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tek-/N. teitha- “write” and ᴹQ. tengwa/N. tîw “letter” (Ety/TEK).

The root √TEK continued to appear in Tolkien’s writings of the 1950s and 60s with glosses like “make a written mark” (PE17/43), “sign” (PE17/44) or “write” (PE22/149). However, one of its major derivatives, Q. tengwa “letter” (originally < ᴹ✶tekmā), was transfered to the root √TEÑ after Tolkien decide that km &gt; kw rather than ngw in Quenya phonology, as noted by Christopher Gilson (PE17/44; PE19/85-86 note #79); see the entry on √TEÑ for further discussion.

Derivatives

• ✶teknā “a letter (epistola)” ✧ PE19/086
  • ᴺQ. tenca “letter (epistola)”
  • Q. tenna “letter (epistola)” ✧ PE19/086
  • ᴺS. tain “letter, epistle, missive”
• ✶tekta “drew, wrote” ✧ PE17/043
  • S. teitha- “to write, draw, inscribe, make marks or signs” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043
• ✶tektā “sign, symbol, mark” ✧ PE22/149
  • Q. tehta “(written) mark, sign, symbol, †written letter, (written) mark, sign, symbol, [ᴹQ.] diacritic, [Q.] †written letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE22/149
  • S. taith “sign, symbol, mark, sign, symbol; mark, [N.] stroke; [G.] letter” ✧ PE17/043
• ✶tekmā “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044
  • Q. tengwa “(written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE18/104
  • S. têw “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044
• ✶tekmē “writing, grammar” ✧ PE19/086
  • Q. tengwë “sign, token, indication; writing, sign, token, indication; writing; [ᴱQ.] knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought” ✧ PE19/086
• ᴺQ. tecindo “writer”
• ᴺQ. tengwo “writer”
• ᴺQ. tehtalë “art of writing, script; writings, documents, papers, scriptures”
• ᴺS. taith “note, jot, scribbling, (lit.) a little writing”

Element in

• ✶tektā “sign, symbol, mark”
• ᴺQ. ostec- “to describe”

tekmā

noun. letter

Changes

• tek-mā → teñwa ✧ PE17/044

Derivations

• √TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044

Derivatives

• Q. tengwa “(written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE18/104
• S. têw “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044

Variations

• tek-mā ✧ PE17/044 (tek-mā)
• tekma ✧ PE17/044; PE18/104

gildin

noun. silver spark

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “silver spark”, a combination of the root ᴹ√GIL and ᴹ√TIN (Ety/TIN). Presumably this refers to stars, since both roots also have derivatives referring to stars.

gasdil

noun. stopgap

Elements

Word	Gloss
gas	“hole, gap”
dîl	“stopper, stopping, stuffing”

Variations

• gas-dil ✧ PE22/034

geil

noun. star, bright spark

el

noun. star

Cognates

• ᴹQ. él “star” ✧ Ety/EL
• ᴹQ. elen “star” ✧ Ety/EL; Ety/EL

Derivations

• ᴹ√EL “star, starry sky” ✧ Ety/EL; Ety/EL

Element in

• N. elanor “sun-star”
• N. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star Queen” ✧ Ety/EL
• N. Elrond “Starry-dome, Sky” ✧ Ety/EL
• N. Elros “Star-foam”
• N. Eldûn “*West-star”
• N. Elrûn “*East-star”
• N. Elwing “Star-spray” ✧ Ety/EL; Ety/EL

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√EL > el	[elen] > [ele] > [el]	✧ Ety/EL

geil

noun. star

Derivations

• ᴹ✶gilya “star” ✧ Ety/GIL
  • ᴹ√GIL “shine (white or pale)” ✧ Ety/GIL

Element in

• N. Dagor nuin Giliath “Battle-under-Stars”
• N. Dagor-os-Giliath “Battle under Stars”
• N. Edegil “Seven Stars” ✧ Ety/OT
• N. Gilbrennil “Varda” ✧ Ety/GIL
• N. Gildor
• N. Gil-galad “Starlight” ✧ Ety/GIL
• N. gilhof “dew, *(lit.) star-juice”
• N. gilith “starlight, *region of the stars” ✧ Ety/GIL
• N. Gilthoniel “Star-maker, Lady of the Stars” ✧ Ety/GIL
• N. Argilion “*Star-day”
• N. Osgiliath “Fortress of the Stars”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶gilya > gíl	[gilji] > [gilī] > [gil] > [gīl]	✧ Ety/GIL
ᴹ✶gilya > geil	[gilja] > [gelja] > [gelia] > [geli] > [geil]	✧ Ety/GIL

Variations

• gîl ✧ EtyAC/GIL

lhae

noun. great number

teith

noun. mark

tîw

noun. letter

gammas

noun. s-sign (special sign used to mark a final -s in Tengwar)

gasdil

noun. "stopgap", name of a diacritic sign used to indicate that g had been lenited to zero

andeith

noun. long-mark, sign used in writing alphabetic tengwar over a vowel, to indicate that it is lengthened.

giliath

noun. all the host of stars

tew

noun. letter

@@@ tîw (Ety/TEK) appears to be plural, but is clearly glossed as singular “letter” with primitive form tekmē

Cognates

• ᴹQ. tengwa “letter; writing, grammar” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE22/031
• On. tegma “letter” ✧ PE22/031

Derivations

• ᴹ✶tekmē “letter, symbol, writing” ✧ Ety/TEK
  • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK
• On. tegma “letter” ✧ PE22/031
  • ᴹ✶tekmā “writing, grammar”
  • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE19/043

Element in

• N. Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant i thíw thin “Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs” ✧ TI/182
• N. tiwdi “alphabet”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶tekmē > tîw	[tekmē] > [tegmē] > [tegme] > [teŋme] > [teime] > [tīme] > [tīm] > [tīv] > [tīw]	✧ Ety/TEK
On. tegma > teiw > tew	[tegma] > [teŋma] > [teima] > [teim] > [teiv] > [teiw] > [tew]	✧ PE22/031

Variations

• tîw ✧ Ety/TEK