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.
Primitive elvish
stin
root. grey
thow
root. stink
thaw
root. cruel; stink
lemek
root. [unglossed]
mith
root. grey
Tolkien introduced the root ᴹ√MITH in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a blending of ᴹ√MIS “✱wet” and ᴹ√KHITH “mist, fog”, with the derivative N. mith “white fog, wet mist” as in N. Mithrim “✱Mist Lake” (Ety/MITH, RINGI; EtyAC/MITH). As a later addition to this entry Tolkien wrote the adjective N. mith “grey”, and that was the more common use of this word in Tolkien’s later writings. In a 1955 letter to David Masson Tolkien specified that “usage suggests that MIÞ- is paler and whiter, a luminous grey” (PE17/72).
phut
root. [unglossed]
An unglossed root appearing in the second version of Tengwesta Qenderinwa (TQ2) as an etymological variation of √PUT (PE18/90).
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.
stenna
adjective. short
stuk
root. [unglossed]
thindi
adjective. grey
thindā
adjective. grey
thini
adjective. grey
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).
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).
Tolkien conceived of a number of roots for the names of Sauron, both Q. Sauron itself as well as S. Thû and S. Gorthaur, and the roots were sometimes related and sometimes not, but often had to do with stench or other disgusting things. In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave the unglossed root ᴹ√THUS derivatives like ᴹQ. saura “foul, evil-smelling, putrid”, N. thaw “corrupt, rotten”, and N. thost “smell”, also serving as the basis for both ᴹQ. Sauron and N. Thû (Ety/THUS; EtyAC/THUS).
In 1957 Tolkien considered some less negatitive connations for √THUS and its derivatives. In various notes exploring the derivation of words for “spirit”, Tolkien considered using S. Thû as a name for Manwë (PE17/124; NM/236), and in other notes on this topic √THUS was given as variant of √THŪ “blow, cause an air movement” with derivatives like Q. sussë/S. thos “puff (of air)” and the verbs Q. susta-/surya- “blow”, transitive and intrasative respectively (NM/237, 239).
In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959, however, the root √THUS was given the gloss “evil mist, fog, darkness”, still the basis for S. Thû as well as S. Gorthaur “Mist of Fear”, but in this note Q. Sauron was based on √SAW “disgusting, foul, vile” (PE17/183); Tolkien then rejected this derivation of Sauron, saying instead it came from √THAW “cruel”, as did Gorthaur (PE17/184).
The root √SAWA also appeared in the first page of DLN with the gloss “bad, unhealthy, ill, wretched”, but that page was rejected (PE17/172). √SAW appeared again in notes from March of 1967, but there {√SAW >>} √ÞAW “stink”, again as the basis for Q. Sauron, and it apparently had an even earlier form √ÞOWO that was the basis for S. Thû (PE17/68). The primitive form ✶thowō was also mentioned in earlier notes as the basis for S. Thû on a page accompanying Notes on Galdriel’s Song (NGS) written between the 1st and 2nd edition of The Lord of the Rings (PE17/99).
Probably the best known of the etymologies for the name of Sauron appeared in a draft letter to Mr. Rang from August of 1967, where Tolkien gave √THAW > ✶θaurā “detestable” (Let/380), which is essentially the etymology Christopher Tolkien gave in The Silmarillion appendix, where both Q. Sauron and S. Gorthaur were connected to Sindarin element S. thaur “abominable, horrible” (SA/thaur).
To summarize, the main conceptuals shifts seem to be:
1930s ᴹ√THUS “✱smell, stench” > both ᴹQ. Sauron and N. Thû (Ety/THUS; EtyAC/THUS).
1957 √THUS “blow, cause an air movement” > S. Thû as a name for Manwë rather than Sauron (NM/236-237).
1959 √THUS “evil mist, fog, darkness” > S. Thû/S. Gorthaur “Mist of Fear” but √SAW “disgusting, foul, vile” > Q. Sauron (PE17/183).
1959 [revised] √THAW “cruel” > both Q. Sauron and S. Gorthaur (PE17/184).
March 1967 {√SAW >>} √ÞAW “stink” > Q. Sauron but more ancient √ÞOWO (same meaning) > S. Thû (PE17/68).
August 1967 √THAW > ✶θaurā “detestable” > Q. Sauron (Let/380).
The last of these is the best match for the base forms used by Christopher Tolkien in the published version of The Silmarillion, though the exact source of Christopher’s etymology remains unpublished.
Neo-Eldarin: The result of all this vacillation is a confusing muddle that makes it hard to know which roots to use in Neo-Eldarin. For √THAW I would stick with the sense “cruel” but I would assume some blending with √SAW “disgusting, foul, vile” to preserve words from this root. I would assume √THUS has a sense similar to that of The Etymologies and the 1957 notes on spirit (“blow, ✱smell”) with more neutral meanings in Sindarin, but more unpleasant meanings in Quenya due to the influence of √SAW. Retaining √THAW “cruel”, √SAW “foul” and √THUS “blow, ✱smell” would let us keep most of the interesting derivatives of these roots.