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

sil

noun. Moon; Rose

Early Quenya [LRI/Sil; LT1/085; LT1/192; LT1A/Sil; LT1I/Sil; PE15/77; QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silqeléni

noun. silver birch, (lit.) long tresses

A word for a “silver-birch” in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, a combination of ᴱQ. silqe “tress of hair” and -léni “long”, hence more literally “[lady of] long tresses” (QL/53, 83; PME/83).

Early Quenya [PME/083; QL/053; QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silmerána

noun. gleaming moon, silver moon

A word glossed as either “silver moon” (MC/220) or “the gleaming moon” (PE16/75) appearing in the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from around 1930s and its earlier drafts, apparently a combination of ᴱQ. Rána “moon” with some (adjectival?) element ᴱQ. silme.

Early Quenya [MC/220; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/075; PE16/077] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silmeráno tindon

shining in the silver moon

The twelfth phrase of the first version of the Oilima Markirya poem (MC/220). Its first word is the genitive form of silmerána “gleaming moon” followed by the aorist 3rd-plural masculine form of the verb tini- “to shine, gleam”. The subject of this phrase is actually ondolin “rocks” appearing in the previous phrase, with the genitive silmeráno giving the context in which the rocks shine. A more literal translation would be “✱of the gleaming moon they shine”.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> silme-rán-o tin-don = “✱gleaming-moon-of shine-they”

Conceptual Development: This phrase appeared in the fourth draft of this poem as no silmerána tindon, with no “under” serving the same role as the genitive (OM1d: PE16/62), hence “✱under the gleaming moon they shine”. Tolkien switched to the final form of the phrase in the sixth draft (OM1f: PE16/74).

Early Quenya [MC/220; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silme

adjective. gleaming, silver

Early Quenya [QL/056] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silindrin

proper name. Moon-cauldron

A Qenya name for the moon in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/71). It was translated (or described) by Christopher Tolkien as “Moon-cauldron” (LT1A/Silindrin). Its first element is clearly Sil “Moon”, but the meaning of the rest of the name is unclear.

Conceptual Development: This name was first written as Telimpe (LT1/79), a name that was probably derived from the root ᴱ√TELEPE having to do with “silver”, as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Telimpë).

Early Quenya [LT1/079; LT1/130; LT1A/Silindrin; LT1I/Silindrin; LT1I/Telimpë] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silindo

proper name. Jupiter

A Qenya name for Jupiter in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa from the 1910s, actually glossed “Juppiter” (QL/83; PME/83). It was a derivative of the root ᴱ√SILI having to do with white and shining things.

Early Quenya [LT1A/Silindrin; PME/083; QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silmo

masculine name. the Moon

Guardian of Silpion, one of the Two Trees, in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/73). In the Qenya Lexicon his name was glossed “the Moon” and given as a derivative of the root ᴱ√SILI (QL/83).

Early Quenya [GL/67; LT1A/Silmo; LT1I/Silmo; PE14/013; PE15/75; PME/083; QL/083; SMI/Silmo] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sile

noun. glint (of white)

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “a glint (of white)” derived from the early root ᴱ√SILI (QL/83).

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silk(in)a

adjective. rich, fat, glossy

An adjective in Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with variants silka, silkina and glosses “rich, fat, glossy” derived from the early root ᴱ√SḶKḶ “rich, lush” (QL/86).

Early Quenya [QL/086] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silki-

verb. to mow, scythe, mow down

A verb appearing as ᴱQ. silki- “mow, scythe, mow down” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SḶKḶ that was also the basis for “grass” words (QL/84).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s updated this root to ᴹ√SALAK+ for “grass” words (Ety/SALÁK), so I think this Early Qenya word can be updated to ᴺQ. salca- “to mow, scythe, mow down”.

Early Quenya [QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silmarinko

proper name. the Orbéd Moon

A Qenya name for Moon in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa from the 1910s (QL/83; PME/83), a combination of silma “ray of moonlight” an rinko “orb”. It also appeared in the reduced form Silmarint, where after the loss of the final vowel the [[eq|final [k] became [t]]]. Another variant Silmarindo also appeared, of less clear origin.

Early Quenya [GL/67; PME/083; QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silmea

adjective. *of the moon

Apparently an adjective meaning “✱lunar” or “✱of the moon” from the Qenya Lexicon, appearing in the phrase ᴱQ. kūva lunde (silmea) “✱crescent phase (of the moon)” (QL/56).

Early Quenya [QL/056] Group: Eldamo. Published by

siloine

noun. swan

A word for “swan” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s appearing under the early root ᴱ√SILI (QL/83).

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silqe

noun. tress of hair; (glossy) hair

A word for “glossy hair” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√SḶKḶ (QL/86), also mentioned with the same gloss in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/86). The word also appeared under the root ᴱ√SILI with the gloss “tress of hair”, but there it was marked with a “?” indicating uncertainty on Tolkien’s on which root was the basis of the word (QL/83).

It appeared in a list of body parts from the 1920s as a general word for “hair” (PE14/117). It also appeared in a vocabulary list for drafts of the ᴱQ. Earendel poem towards the end of the 1920s, with the gloss “tress” (PE16/100). It appeared as an element in the word ᴱQ. silqelosseën “with blossom-white hair” in the final version of the poem (MC/216). There is no sign of this word after that point.

Early Quenya [PE14/117; PE16/100; PME/086; QL/031; QL/035; QL/053; QL/083; QL/086] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silqelossea

adjective. with hair like white flowers

A word glossed “with hair like white flowers” from a vocabulary list in drafts of the ᴱQ. Earendel poem written towards the end of the 1920s; it was a combination of ᴱQ. silqe “hair” and ᴱQ. losse “white-flower” (PE16/100). It appeared in the nominative plural form ᴱQ. silqelosseën “with blossom-white hair” in the final version of the poem (MC/216).

Early Quenya [MC/216; PE16/100; PE16/104] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silqeléna

adjective. having tresses

A word in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s for “having tresses”, an adjectival form of ᴱQ. silqeléni “long tresses” (QL/83).

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silda-ránar

in the moon gleaming

The sixteenth line of the Oilima Markirya poem (MC/213). The first word is the adjective silda “gleaming” followed by an inflected form ránar of Rána “Moon”. Gilson, Welden, and Hostetter suggest it might be an idiomatic use of the dative (PE16/85), but I think it might be a variant form of the locative: the r-locative.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> silda-rána-r = “✱gleaming-moon-in”

Early Quenya [MC/213] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silkesse

noun. harvest

A noun appearing as ᴱQ. silkesse “harvest” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SḶKḶ that was also the basis for “grass” words (QL/84).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s updated this root to ᴹ√SALAK+ for “grass” words (Ety/SALÁK), so I think this Early Qenya word can be updated to ᴺQ. salcessë “harvest”. I would assume this word refers to the product of a harvest = “✱produce”, as opposed to yávië which is the time or act of harvesting.

Early Quenya [QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silkima

adjective. ready for cutting

An adjective appearing as ᴱQ. silkima “ready for cutting” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SḶKḶ that was also the basis for “grass” words (QL/84).

Conceptual Development: The Etymologies of the 1930s updated this root to ᴹ√SALAK+ for grass words (Ety/SALÁK), so I think this Early Qenya word can be updated to ᴺQ. salcima “ready for cutting, ✱harvestable”.

Early Quenya [QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sili-

verb. to gleam, glint

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silína

adjective. shimmering

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silmaril

proper name. *Moon-pearl

Early Quenya [GL/67; LT1/128; LT1A/Silmarilli; LT1I/Silmarilli] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silpion

proper name. Cherry-moon

Early Quenya [GL/67; LT1A/Silpion; LT1I/Silpion; LT2/215; LT2A/Silpion; LT2I/Silpion; PE13/102; PE13/104; PE15/26; SM/080] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sild(r)a

adjective. slender

Early Quenya [QL/047; QL/073; QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silda

adjective. gleaming

Early Quenya [MC/213; MC/214; VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silik

noun. flint

Early Quenya [PME/083; QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

siliq(in)a

adjective. flinty

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silma

noun. ray of moonlight

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silt-

verb. to sift, sort out, winnow

Early Quenya [PE14/058; QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silta

noun. sieve

Early Quenya [QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silte-

verb. to filter (of light), flicker

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silwa

adjective. glossy

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silwin

noun. birch

Early Quenya [QL/083] Group: Eldamo. Published by

silaina

adjective. shimmering

sildapinqe

adjective. tapering

silde

noun. daughter

Early Quenya [PE16/135] Group: Eldamo. Published by

siltina

adjective. winnowed

Early Quenya [QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sintl

noun. crystal

Early Quenya [PME/085; QL/085] Group: Eldamo. Published by

pinqisil(da)

adjective. (slender and) tapering

Early Quenya [QL/073; QL/084] Group: Eldamo. Published by

samin

noun. silk

An isolated word with no clear derivation appearing in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s as ᴱQ. samin (samind-) “silk” (QL/81; PME/81).

Neo-Quenya: There is no evidence of this word in Tolkien’s later writings, but there are no other later Quenya “silk” words either, so I’d retain ᴺQ. samin “silk” for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

Early Quenya [PME/081; QL/081] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ilsalunte

proper name. Silver Boat, Moon

A name for the Ship of the Moon in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/192), a combination of ilsa “silver” and lunte “ship”, as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Ilsaluntë).

Early Quenya [LT1/192; LT1A/Ilsaluntë; LT1I/Ilsaluntë] Group: Eldamo. Published by

saminda

adjective. silken

A word appearing as ᴱQ. saminda or saminwa “silky” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, an adjective form of ᴱQ. samin “silk” (QL/81).

Neo-Quenya: Since I retain ᴺQ. samin “silk” (samind-) for purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d retain ᴺQ. saminda “silky” as well.

Early Quenya [QL/081] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telpingwe

noun. silverfish

A noun appearing as ᴱQ. telpingwe “silverfish” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s as a combination of ᴱQ. telpe “silver” and ᴱQ. ingwe “fish” (QL/91).

Neo-Quenya: I think ᴺQ. telpingwë “silverfish” can be retained in Neo-Quenya as a combination of the later words Q. telpë “silver” and Q. lingwë “fish”, where the initial li of “fish” was reduced by haplology.

Early Quenya [PME/091; QL/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

taltelepta

feminine name. Silver Feet

Early Quenya [LT2/216; LT2A/Talceleb; LT2I/Taltelepta; PE13/104; PE15/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telpe

noun. silver; money

Early Quenya [GL/25; LT1/100; LT1A/Ilsaluntë; LT1A/Telimpë; PE13/140; PE13/154; PE14/054; PME/091; QL/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telpea

adjective. silvern

Early Quenya [QL/047; QL/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

saminwa

adjective. silken

telempe

noun. silver

telpia

adjective. silvern

telpilin

noun. silver piece

Early Quenya [QL/091] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telqe

noun. silver

ilsa

noun. (the mystic name of) silver

Early Quenya [LT1/100; LT1A/Ilsaluntë; LT1A/Laurelin; LT1A/Tilkal; QL/042] Group: Eldamo. Published by

telpea kalka

proper name. *Silvern Sickle

Early Quenya [PME/047; QL/047] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ilvaran

place name. Hall of the Moon King

Qenya cognate of G. Gilthavran, a location only mentioned in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s (GL/38). Since the first element of its Gnomish equivalent is G. giltha “white metal”, the initial element of the Qenya name may be related to its cognate ᴱQ. ilsa “silver”. The etymology of its second element is less clear. The Qenya name was first written as Ilwaran with a w, which hints that its initial element may at first have been related to the root ᴱ√ẆAÐA “dwell” via the (rejected) primitive form ᴱ✶gu̯ara-. After the revision, it is possible Tolkien conceived of the second element being derived from primitive ᴱ√MBARA “dwell, live”.

Early Quenya [GL/38] Group: Eldamo. Published by

rána

noun. Moon

Early Quenya [GL/64; GL/65; LT1/192; LT1A/Rána; LT1I/Rána; MC/213; MC/214; MC/221; PE13/152; PE15/75; PE16/062; PE16/064; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/075; SM/097; SMI/Rána] Group: Eldamo. Published by

alqa

noun. swan

Early Quenya [GL/18; LT1A/Alqaluntë; LT2A/Alqarámë; PE13/136; PE13/159; QL/030] Group: Eldamo. Published by

alqe

noun. swan

aute

adjective. rich

Early Quenya [LT2A/Ausir; QL/033] Group: Eldamo. Published by

en(we)

noun. name

Early Quenya [QL/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kal-

verb. to shine

kala-

verb. to shine

Early Quenya [LT1A/Galmir; MC/220; PE14/046; PE16/057; PE16/060; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/075; PE16/077; PE16/143; QL/044] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lossa

adjective. white

Early Quenya [MC/213; MC/216; PE16/092] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lúme

noun. time

Early Quenya [PE14/051; PE14/084; PE15/68; PME/056; QL/056; QL/071] Group: Eldamo. Published by

malke

adjective. rich

Early Quenya [QL/062] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mella

noun. girl

A word for “girl” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√MELE “love”, but Tolkien marked it with a “?” (QL/60). The same word did appear in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa, however (PME/60).

Early Quenya [PME/060; QL/060] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ninqe

adjective. white

Early Quenya [GL/60; LT1A/Nielíqui; LT1A/Taniquetil; MC/213; MC/220; PE13/164; PE14/045; PE14/048; PE14/077; PE14/080; PE15/78; PE16/056; PE16/057; PE16/060; PE16/062; PE16/064; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/077; PE16/081; PE16/100; PE16/140; PME/066; QL/066] Group: Eldamo. Published by

oiqa

adjective. glossy

oiwa

adjective. glossy

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

sui

noun. daughter

Early Quenya [PME/087; QL/038; QL/087] Group: Eldamo. Published by

talqe

noun. glass

Early Quenya [GL/25; PME/088; QL/088] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tinda

noun. spike

Early Quenya [LT1A/Kortirion; QL/093] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tinwe

noun. star

Early Quenya [LT1A/Tinwë Linto; MC/213; MC/214; MC/220; PE16/056; PE16/057; PE16/060; PE16/062; PE16/072; PE16/074; PE16/077; PE16/142; PME/092; QL/052; QL/092] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tyá

adverb. now

Early Quenya [QL/049] Group: Eldamo. Published by

winwinoite

adjective. glittering

Early Quenya [QL/104] Group: Eldamo. Published by

íle

noun. star

Early Quenya [GL/37; LT1A/Tinwetári] Group: Eldamo. Published by