tel

roof

tel noun "roof" (LT1:268). Rather tópa in Tolkiens later Quenya.

telperien

feminine name. Telperien

Tar-Telperien was the 10th ruler of Númenor and the second ruling queen (LotR/1035, UT/220). The first element of her name is likely to be telpë “silver”. The second element is less clear: it could be a variant of the feminine suffix -ien, or some later iteration of ᴹ✶rīʒende “queen = crowned lady” (hat-tip to Vyacheslav Stepanov for the second suggestion).

Telellië

teler-folk

Telellië noun "Teler-folk" (TELES); this is Teler + lië

Telerin

telerian

Telerin adj. "Telerian" (TELES). Also telerinwa.

telella

telella

telella adj. corresponding to Telellë (LT1:267)

telep-

verb. telep-

telep- see telpë

telerëa

telerëa

telerëa adj. corresponding to Teler (LT1:267; perhaps rather Telerin, telerinwa in Tolkien's later Quenya)

telqui

telqui

telqui ("q")noun (analogical) pl. of telco (TÉLEK)

telperinquar

masculine name. Telperinquar

tyel

end

tyel (1) noun "end", stem tyeld- as in the pl. form tyeldi (FS, KYEL; the pl. form tyeldi_ was misread as "tyelde" in the Etymologies as printed in LR; cf. VT45:25 for this correction)_. Cf. tyelma.

Teler

sea-elf

Teler noun "sea-elf", pl. Teleri, general (partitive) pl. Telelli, the third tribe of the Eldar (TELES (MIS) ), also called Lindar.Teleri means "those at the end of the line, the hindmost", (WJ:382 cf. 371), derived from the stem tel- "finish, end, be last" (SA:tel-). The Lindar were so called because they lagged behind on the march from Cuiviénen. In early "Qenya", Teler, also Telellë, was defined "little elf" (LT1:267), but this is hardly a valid gloss in Tolkien's later Quenya.

telma

conclusion, anything used to finish off a work or affair

telma noun "a conclusion, anything used to finish off a work or affair", often applied to the last item in a structure, such as a coping-stone, or a topmost pinnacle (WJ:411). Notice that the form telmanna in the entry TEL/TELU in the Etymologies is a misreading for talmanna (VT46:18) and therefore not the same word as telma.

telmë

hood, covering

telmë noun "hood, covering" (apparently emended from telma, VT46:18); ablative in the phrase telmello talmanna "from hood to base, from crown to foot, top to bottom" (TEL/TELU; the form _telmello t__e_lmanna_ occurring in the Etymologies as printed in LR is a typo, VT46:18)_

telta-

to canopy, overshadow, screen

telta- vb. "to canopy, overshadow, screen" (TEL/TELU)

telumë

dome, roof, canopy

telumë noun "dome, roof, canopy" (TEL/TELU, WJ:411 cf. 399; see also telluma); "firmament" (MC:214), inflected telumen in MC:221 (the latter is "Qenya"). Telumehtar "warrior of the sky", older name of Menelmacar = Orion (Appendix E, TEL/TELU, WJ:411); Telumendil *"Sky-friend", name of a constellation (Silm)

telë-

finish, end

telë- vb. "finish, end" (intransitive), also "be the last thing or person in a series or sequence of events" (WJ:411; telë may be taken as the 3rd person aorist of a stem tel-, though it may also be interpreted as an example of an E-stem verb, as suggested by the final hyphen)soleted by # 1 above)

telu

adjective. last, last; end (fate), close

An apparently adjectival element in the name Telufinwë meaning “last”.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. telu was a noun meaning “end, close” (QL/91). In the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it was glossed “end (fate)” (PME/91).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use this element only in compounds since it is not clear what its independent singular or plural forms would be (telo, telwi?). For the ordinary adjective, I’d use métima or telda.

telepta

adjective. silver, silver, *silver-coloured

An adjective for “silver” appearing in the phrase Sanome tarne Olórin, Arakorno, Eomer, Imrahil, mi mīse, mi telepta yo morna, mi laiqua yo ninque, mi luini, ta Gimli mi losseä “There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil in grey, in silver and black, in green and white, and in blue, and also Gimli in white” in notes from the mid-1960s (PE17/71).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had unglossed ᴱQ. telepta under the early root ᴱ√TELEPE whose derivatives had to do with silver (QL/91). A similar form ᴹQ. telepsa “of silver” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver”, which Tolkien equated to ᴹQ. telpina (Ety/KYELEP). This form telepsa may reflect the 1930s sound change whereby pt became ps; compare ᴹQ. lepse “finger” from ᴹ√LEPET (Ety/LEPET). Tolkien revised the entry for ᴹ√KYELEP, replacing telepsa with (unglossed) ᴹQ. telemna (Ety/KYELEP). The adjective telepta “silver” was restored in the 1960s (see above) after Tolkien abandoned the ps > pt sound change.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I would use this word primarily for silver as a color.

telpë

noun. silver, silver; [ᴱQ.] money

This was the Quenya word for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The word was derived from the root √KYELEP, which became †tyelpë in Quenya and S. celeb in Sindarin. However, the Quenya form of the word was influenced by Telerin telpë “because the Teleri in their lands, to the north of the Noldor, found a great wealth of silver, and became the chief silversmiths among the Eldar” (Let/426). The archaic Quenya form †tyelpë was retained for the name of the palatal series of tengwar consonants, the tyelpetéma (LotR/1120), but in ordinary use (and most names) the forms telpë or telep- (in compounds) were used.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. telpe based on the early root ᴱ√TELEPE, but its Gnomish cognate was G. celeb (QL/91). Tolkien did not explain this difference in these early documents from the 1910s. In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s he had ᴱQ. telqe and ᴱN. celeb “silver” derived from primitive ᴱ✶kelekwé, explaining initial t in the Qenya form as the result of dissimilation away the kw (PE13/140).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien introduced a root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver” as an alternate to ᴹ√TELEP, with derivatives ᴹQ. telpe or tyelpe, N. celeb and ᴹT. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). He then said “Q telpe may be Telerin form (Teleri specially fond of silver, as Lindar of gold), in which case all forms may refer to KYELEP”. It seems that he stuck with this idea thereafter and abandoned ᴹ√TELEP.

Note that in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s Tolkien used ᴱQ. telpe for “money” (PE14/54), and I would give telpë this meaning for purposes of Neo-Quenya as well, much like the French word argent means both “silver” and “money”.

Telcontar

strider

Telcontar masc. name "Strider" (MR:216). This word may suggest a verb *telconta- "to stride".

Telellë

little elf

Telellë noun "little elf" (also Teler); the Telelli are said to be "young Elves of all clans who dwelt in Kôr to perfect their arts of singing and poetry" (LT1:267; see Teler)

Telemmaitë

silver-handed

Telemmaitë masc. name, *"Silver-handed" (Appendix A)

Telemnar

silver-flame

Telemnar masc.name, "Silver-flame" (Appendix A; for *Telep-nar)

Telimbectar

orion

Telimbectar ("k") noun,name of constellation:"Orion", lit. "Swordsman of Heaven". Also Telimectar ("k"). (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya Telumehtar, q.v. The combination ct is not found in LotR-style Quenya.)

Telimectar

orion

Telimectar ("k")noun, name of constellation,"Orion", lit. "Swordsman of Heaven". Also Telimbectar ("k"). (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya Telumehtar)

Telufinwë

last finwë

Telufinwë noun "Last Finwë", masc. name; he was called Amras in Sindarin. Short Quenya name Telvo. (PM:353)

telar

brick

telar noun "brick" (PE13:153, PE16:138)

telco

stem

telco noun "stem" of a Tengwa symbol (Appendix E). The Etymologies gives telco ("k") pl. telqui ("q") "leg" (the pl. form is said to be analogical) (TÉLEK). It seems, then, that the word can refer to a "stem" or "leg" in general as well as the stem of a Tengwa. In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, telco is used to refer to a carrier symbol (VT46:18, 33)

telda

last, final

telda (1) adj. "last, final" (WJ:407)

telda

having a roof

telda (2) adj. "having a roof" (LT1:268, LT2:348; this "Qenya" word is perhaps obsoleted by #1 above)

telemna

of silver

telemna adj. "of silver" (KYELEP/TELEP). Possibly this (like telpina and perhaps telepsa) describes something actually made of the metal silver, whereas telepta (q.v.) only refers to silver colour.%

telempë

silver

telempë noun "silver" (LT1:268; in Tolkien's later Quenya telpë, which is actually also found in early "Qenya")

telepsa

of silver

telepsa adj. "of silver" (KYELEP/TELEP).

telepta

silver

telepta adj. "silver" (as adj.: silvery) (LT2:347), used as noun in the phrase mi telepta of someone clad "in silver", where the context (involving other colour-words) shows that this adj. describes something of silver colour(PE17:71). Compare telemna, telepsa, telpina.

telerinwa

of the shores of elfland

telerinwa adj. Telerin (paraphrased "of the Shores of Elfland" in MC:215, since the Teleri dwelt on the shores of the Blessed Realm.) (PE16:96, MC:216)

telimbo

canopy, sky

telimbo noun "canopy, sky" (LT1:268)

tella

hindmost, last

tella adj. "hindmost, last" (TELES)

telluma

dome, copula

telluma noun "dome, copula", especially the "Dome of Varda" over Valinor, but also applied to the domes of the mansion of Manwë and Varda upon Taniquetil. Adopted from Valarin _delgūmā under the influence of pure Quenya telumë (WJ:399, 411). Pl. tellumar is attested (Nam, RGEO:66)_.

tellë

rear

tellë noun "rear" (TELES)

telpina

of silver

telpina adj. "of silver" (KYELEP/TELEP). Compare telemna, telepta.

telpë

silver

telpë noun "silver" (in one example with generalized meaning "money", PE14:54), telep- in some compounds like Teleporno; assimilated telem- in Telemnar and the adj. telemna (KYELEP/TELEP, SA:celeb, LT1:255, 268; also tyelpë, telep-, UT:266). The true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē is tyelpë, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In various names: Telperion the White Tree of Valinor; Telperien ("Telperiën"), fem. name including telp- "silver" (Appendix A); Telperinquar "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (SA:celeb - also Tyelperinquar); Telporno, Teleporno "Silver-high" = Sindarin _Celeborn(Letters:347, UT:266). _It seems that Teleporno is properly Telerin, Quenyarized as Telporno. Compare adjectives telemna, telpina, telepsa, telepta (q.v.)

teltassë

awning

teltassë noun "awning" (GL:70)

telya-

finish, wind up, conclude

telya- vb. "finish, wind up, conclude" (transitive) (WJ:411)

telda

adjective. last, final

telma

noun. conclusion, anything used to finish off a work or affair, conclusion, anything used to finish off a work or affair; [ᴹQ.] ending

Teleri

noun. Last-comers

Last-comers, Enders

tele

verb. mean, intend

tyel-

end, cease

tyel- (2) vb. "end, cease" (KYEL)

tel

noun. end

Teleri

Teleri

Teleri is the plural of Teler which means "last", root TEL. In The Silmarillion the word Teleri refers both to the Third Clan in general, and that branch that made it to Aman, taken from the Vanyar and Noldor point of view; particularly the Teleri of Aman were called Falmari.

telperion

Telperion

Telperion comes from telepi "silver". The exact etymology of the ending -rion is not entirely clear, but it can mean something like "great wreathed one" (Cf. ría, rielle). The Quenya form was actually Tyelperion but Quenya adopted telpë from Telerin.

telima

adjective. final

telwina

adjective. later

nyar-

to tell

nyar- vb. "to tell" (1st pers. aorist nyarin "I tell") (NAR2, VT45:36). Compare nyárë, nyarië, nyarna.

Quende#

noun. Elf

Elf

quendë

elf

quendë noun "Elf", the little-used analogical sg. of Quendi, q.v. (KWEN(ED), WJ:361)

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-)_

linda

proper name. Singer

The name that the Teleri used to refer to themselves, usually appearing in the plural form Lindar and glossed “The Singers” (SI/Teleri, UT/286). They were so called because in legend, they sang before they could speak with words (WJ/382). The name was derived from the root √LIN “sing” (SA/lin, WJ/382).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name was used for the first tribe, with the gloss “The Fair” (LR/168). It usually appeared as a collective noun, but sometimes appeared in the singular (PE22/51). In The Etymologies, it is given as ᴹQ. linda “fair, beautiful (of sound)” used as a name (Ety/LIND). In later writings, the name of the first tribe became the Vanyar, and Tolkien repurposed this name as another name of the third tribe with a slightly different derivation and meaning.

Ambarussa

top-russet

Ambarussa masc. name "top-russet", alternation of Umbarto, mother-name (never used in narrative) of Telufinwë = Amras (PM:353-354)

Taimavar

shepherd of the sky

Taimavar masc. name "Shepherd of the Sky", Orion (LT1:268; Orion is called Telumehtar or Menelmacar in Tolkien's later Quenya)

Taimondo

orion

Taimondo, also Taimordo masc. name "Orion" (LT1:268; Orion is rather called Telumehtar or Menelmacar in Tolkien's later Quenya)

Tyelperinquar

silver-fist, celebrimbor

Tyelperinquar masc. name, "Silver-fist, Celebrimbor" (PM:318; also Telperinqar, q.v.)

Tyelperion

tyelperion

Tyelperion less common name of Telperion (UT:266).

Umbarto

fated

Umbarto masc. name, "Fated", mother-name (never used in narrative) of Telufinwë = Amras. The ominous name was altered to Ambarto by Fëanor. (PM:353-354)

caita-

lie

caita- vb. "lie" (= lie down, not "tell something untrue"), aorist tense "lies" in the sentences sindanóriello caita mornië "out of a grey land darkness lies" (Nam, RGEO:67), caitas lá/palla i sír "it is [lit. lies] (far) beyond the river" (PE17:65); the latter example demonstrates that caita can also be used of a geographical feature that "lies" in a certain place. According to PE17:72 and VT48:12-13, the pa.t. is cainë or cëantë rather than **caitanë. The "Qenya" form kakainen, translated "were lying", may seem to be related (VT27:7, 21)

maitë

handed

maitë (stem *maiti-, given the primitive form ¤ma3iti) adj. "handed" or "handy, skillful" (VT49:32, 42) in Angamaitë, hyarmaitë, lungumaitë, morimaitë, Telemmaitë, q.v. Etym gives maitë pl. maisi "handy, skilled" (MA3), but Tolkien later eliminated the variation t/s (compare ataformaitë "ambidextrous", pl. ataformaiti).

mectar

swordsman

mectar _("k")_noun"Swordsman". In Telimectar ("k"). (LT1:268; in LotR-style Quenya mehtar, also macar)

quet-

say, speak

quet- vb. "say, speak" (SA:quen-/quet-, LT2:348), sg. aorist quetë in VT41:11 and VT49:19 (spelt "qete" in the latter source), not to be confused with the infinitival aorist stem in the example polin quetë "I can speak" (VT41:6); pl. aorist quetir in VT49:10-11, present tense quéta in VT41:13, pa.t. quentë in PM:401, 404, apparent gerund quetië in VT49:28 (by Tolkien translated as "words", but more literally evidently *"speaking"). Imperative in the command queta Quenya! "speak Quenya!" (PE17:138), see Quenya regarding the meaning of this phrase. The same verb is translated "tell" in the sentence órenya quetë nin "my heart tells me" (VT41:15). Cf. also #maquet-

tyelpë

silver

tyelpë noun "silver" (KYELEP/TELEP), etymology also in Letters:426 and UT:266. Tyelpë is the true Quenya descendant of primitive ¤kyelepē, but the Telerin form telpë was more common, "for the Teleri prized silver above gold, and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor" (UT:266). In the Etymologies, tyelpë is also the name of Tengwa #1 with overposed dots, this symbol having the value ty (VT45:25). Cf. tyelpetéma as the name of the entire palatal series of the Tengwar system.

tyelpë

noun. silver

Nando

valley, wide valley

nando (2) "valley, wide valley", variant of nandë #1, q.v. (PE17:80)

ambarussa

masculine name. Top-russet

The mother-name of both of the twins Amrod and Amras, though at Fëanor’s insistence, she gave one of them a new mother-name: Umbarto, which Fëanor changed to the less ominous Ambarto (PM/353-4). The name is a compound of amba “up” and russa “red-haired”, and refers to the red hair of the twins.

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

calca

glass

calca noun "glass" (VT47:35); compare hyellë, cilin.

calca

noun. glass

A word for “glass” appearing in notes from around 1968 as a derivative of √KALAK (VT47/35).

Conceptual Development: There was a similar form ᴱQ. talqe (talqi-) “glass” in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s (PME/88; QL/88). It also appeared in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon with a Gnomish cognate G. celc, both words being based on variant early roots ᴱ√kail(i)k and ᴱ√tail(i)k (GL/25).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s, the word for “glass” was ᴹQ. hyelle from the root ᴹ√KHYEL(ES) “glass” with Noldorin cognate N. hele (Ety/KHYEL(ES)). In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages in the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien instead said that “there was no common Eldarin word for glass”, and that the Sindarin word for “glass” was borrowed from Khuzdul while the Quenya word was cilin (PE17/37). Tolkien’s last published word for “glass” was calca as noted above (VT47/35), which seems to be a restoration of the early root ᴱ√kail(i)k.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use calca as the main Quenya for “[clear] glass”, but would retain cilin as another word for transluscent or reflective glass.

cilin

glass

cilin noun "glass" ("often used as in English ("often used as in English for any thing or implement made of glass") (PE17:37). Compare calca, hyellë.

cilin

noun. glass, glass [transluscent or reflective]

erúmëa

outer, outermost

erúmëa adj. "outer, outermost" (LT1:262)

furu

lie

furu noun "a lie" _(LT2:340, GL:36) _Read perhaps *huru in a LotR-compatible form of Quenya, since Tolkien decided that fu- tended to become hu-.

halda

adjective. high, tall

hellë

sky

hellë noun "sky" (3EL; a distinct word hellë "frost" was struck out, see KHEL.)

hyellë

glass

hyellë noun "glass" (KHYEL(ES), VT45:23; the later source also provides the unglossed form hyelma, which may be a synonym of hyellë; alternatively hyellë could be "glass" as a substance, whereas hyelma_ rather refers to "a glass" as a drinking vessel). _In later sources, cilin or calca is given as the word for "glass".

ilwë

sky, heavens

ilwë noun "sky, heavens" (LT1:255), "the middle air among the stars" (LT1:273). VT49:51, 53 also mentions an obscure prononominal element ilwë.

lantë

falling

lantë (2) adj.? participle? "falling" (MC:214; this is "Qenya" - in Tolkien's later Quenya lantala)

lindo

singer, singing bird

lindo noun "singer, singing bird" (LIN2)

londa

path

[londa noun "path"], changed by Tolkien to londë noun "road (in sea)" (VT45:28)

lára

flat

lára (1) adj. "flat" (DAL, VT45:25)

macar

swordsman

macar ("k") (1) noun "swordsman" (VT39:11). In Menelmacar (see menel). According to VT41:10, macar is literally "forger" (derived from maca-, q.v.), "often used in later use of a warrior".

maril

glass, crystal

maril noun "glass, crystal" (VT46:13; if this is to be the same word as the second element of Silmaril, the stem-form would be marill-, cf. pl. Silmarilli)

metta

end

metta noun "end"; Ambar-metta "world-end, the end of the world" (EO); mettarë *"end-day" = New Years' Eve in the Númenórean calendar and the Steward's Reckoning, not belonging to any month (Appendix D). The word Mettanyë, heading the final part of the poem The Trees of Kortirion, would seem to be related (LT1:43)

métima

last

métima adj. "last" (Markirya), in Markirya also twice métim', since the following words (auressë, andúnë) begin in an a.

nalda

valley

nalda adj. "valley" (used as an adjective), also "lowly" (LT1:261, QL:66)$

nandaro

harper

nandaro ("ñ")noun "harper" (ÑGAN/ÑGÁNAD)

nandë

valley

nandë (1) noun "valley" in Laurenandë (UT:253), elided nand in the name Nand Ondoluncava (k") "Stonewain Valley" (PE17:28). Possibly the complete word is here meant to be the variant nando (PE17:80), as suggested by the alternative form Ondoluncanan(do) ("k") "Stonewain Valley". Also nan, nand- noun "valley" (Letters:308); Nan-Tasarion "Vale of Willows" (LotR2:III ch. 4) (Note that this and the next nandë would be spelt differently in Tengwar writing, and originally they were also pronounced differently, since nandë "harp" was ñandë in First Age Quenya.)

nandë

noun. valley

nyar-

verb. relate

relate

nyello

singer

nyello noun "singer" (NYEL). Compare the final element of Falanyel, #Solonyel, q.v

oilima

last

oilima adj."last" (MC:213, 214; this is "Qenya"), inflected or lengthened form oilimain "last (pl.)" (MC:221), oilimaisen "(MC:221), oilimaite "last" (MC:214, 221)

palmë

surface

palmë noun "surface" (PAL)

palúrë

surface, bosom, bosom of earth

palúrë noun "surface, bosom, bosom of Earth" (= Old English folde) (PAL); cf. Palúrien.

sac-

verb. close

sac-

verb. to close

A verb for “close” in the phrase á þak’ i fende, mekin “close the door, please” in Late Notes on Verb Structure (LVS) from 1969 (PE22/166). It might be a later iteration of √PAK “close, shut” from 1959-60 (VT41/5; PE17/159).

silma

silver, shining white

silma adj. "silver, shining white" (SIL), "crystal (white)" (PE17:23)

sirpë

stem, stalk

sirpë noun "stem, stalk" (QL:84)

sundo

noun. base

base

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.

talan

floor, base, ground

talan (talam-, e.g. pl. talami) noun "floor, base, ground" (TALAM)

talas

sole

talas noun "sole" (LT2:347; Tolkien's later Quenya has tallunë)

talat-

slipping, sliding, falling down

talat- vb. a stem used for "slipping, sliding, falling down" (Letters:347), cf. atalta-, talta- and talantië

tallunë

sole of foot

tallunë noun "sole of foot", stem probably talluni- given primitive form ¤talrunya(TALAM, RUN)

taltea

adjective. insecure

tar-

affix. high, high; [ᴹQ.] king or queen (in compounds)

tier

path

tier is, besides the pl. form of tië "path" above, an ephemeral word for "so", abandoned by Tolkien in favour of tambë (VT43:17)

tië

path, course, line, direction, way

tië noun "path, course, line, direction, way" (TE3, VT47:11); pl. tier in Namárië(Nam, RGEO:67); tielyanna "upon your path" (UT:22 cf. 51; tie-lya-nna "path-your-upon")

toldo

cardinal. eight

The Quenya number “eight” derived from the root √TOLOD, probably from primitive ✱✶tolodō, with the middle vowel lost due to the Quenya syncope.

Conceptual Development: The earliest attested Qenya word for “eight” was ᴱQ. umna in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s (GL/75), but when Tolkien composed the number lists in the Early Qenya Grammar from the 1920s, it was revised to ᴱQ. tolto (PE14/49, 82). In The Etymologies from the 1930s it remained ᴹQ. tolto from the root ᴹ√TOLOT (Ety/TOL¹-OTH/OT).

When Tolkien revisited the Elvish number system in the 1960s, he first used tolto (VT47/32), but he later changed the t to a d in both the Quenya form and the root (VT48/6).

Neo-Quenya: I personally prefer toldo as the Quenya word for “eight”, but some Neo-Quenya writers use the older (and perhaps better known) tolto. It seems Tolkien had considerable trouble deciding on the primitive root for “eight”, so any of these forms could be valid (VT47/31).

tolto

cardinal. eight

tolto cardinal "eight" (TOL1-OTH/OT), variant toldo (VT48:6). Ordinal toltëa "eighth" (VT42:31), with variant toldëa (VT42:25) to go with toldo.

tolto

cardinal. eight

tyal-

verb. play

play

tyal-

play

tyal- vb. "play" (1st pers. aorist tyalin "I play") (TYAL)

tyalië

sport, play, game

tyalië noun "sport, play, game" (TYAL, LT1:260)

tyelima

final

tyelima adj. "final" (KYEL)

tá

high

tá 2) adj. "high" (LT1:264; there spelt tâ. This is hardly a valid word in Tolkien's later Quenya, but cf. tára "lofty".)

tál

noun. foot, foot; [ᴹQ.] bottom, [ᴱQ.] lowest part

The Quenya word for “foot” derived from the root √TAL of similar meaning (PE19/103; VT49/17; Ety/TAL). Given its Sindarin cognate S. tâl (not ✱✱taul) its ancient stem form must have had a short vowel, with the long vowel in the uninflected form the result of the subjective noun case which lengthened the base vowel of monosyllables (PE21/76). Q. tál could also refer to the bottom of things (PE21/21, 76) analogous to English “foot of the mountain” and similar phrases.

Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was ᴱQ. tala “foot” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√TALA “support” (QL/88), a form also appearing in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/88). In the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s it became ᴱQ. tál with plural tăli indicating an ancient short vowel (PE14/43, 76). In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, ᴹQ. tāl had inflected forms with tal-, again indicating a short vowel in the stem (PE21/21), and likewise with the (1930s-style) genitive form talen in The Etymologies written around 1937 (Ety/TAL). Most of its later appearances also imply a short vowel in the stem, the main exception being the plural form táli in the 1950s version of the Nieninquë “poem”.

tána

high, lofty, noble

tána (meaning unclear, probably adj. "high, lofty, noble") (TĀ/TA3). Compare tára.

tópa

roof

tópa noun "roof" (TOP)

tópa-

roof

tópa- vb. "roof" (TOP)

umbarto

masculine name. Fated

A name given by Nerdanel to one of her youngest children when Fëanor insisted she given them distinct names, though she did not say to which it applied (PM/353). It is a masculinized form of umbar “fate, doom”. Fëanor altered it to the less ominous sounding Ambarto.

vaina

late

vaina (2) adj., the "late" pronunciation of waina "blonde, fair of hair" (PE17:154)

arata

high, lofty, noble

arata adj. "high, lofty, noble" (PE17:49, 186). Also used as a a noun with nominal pl. form Aratar "the Supreme", the chief Valar, translation of the foreign word Máhani adopted and adapted from Valarin (WJ:402). Aratarya "her sublimity"; Varda Aratarya "Varda the lofty, Varda in her sublimity" (WJ:369). In one source, Aratar is translated as a singular: "High One" (PE17:186)

telperion

proper name. Telperion

telpe

noun. silver

calca

noun. glass

tolot

cardinal. eight

Teler

noun. an Elf, one of the Teleri

telerrim

noun. the Teleri, a tribe of Elves

teleir

it became current as a general term to distinguish the Sindar from either the Noldor or the Dark-Elves

pl1. telir, pl2. teleriath, telerwaith _ n. _it became current as a general term to distinguish the Sindar (and usually also the Nandor) from either the Noldor or the Dark-Elves.

Teler

teler

(member of the Third Clan of the Elves) 1) Teler (i Deler), pl. Telir (i Thelir) or coll. pl. Tellerrim (PM:385). See REAR. 2) glinnel (i **linnel), pl. glinnil** (in glinnil), coll. pl. glinnellath.

thel

mean

(verb) ?thel- (intend, purpose, resolve, will)

thel

mean

(intend, purpose, resolve, will)

teleg

noun. leg

A Neo-Sindarin word for “leg”, derived from the root ᴹ√TELEK “stalk, stem, leg” coined by Elaran in a Discord chat from 2018-08-29.

Conceptual Development: There is an attested Gnomish word for “leg”, G. bactha (GL/21), but its form is not suitable for Sindarin. There is also a Quenya word for “leg” Q. telco appearing later writings, which also means “stem” (PE17/122, LotR/1118). This Quenya word appears in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “leg”, where its Noldorin equivalent is given as N. telch “stem” (Ety/TÉLEK). It’s possible this word could also mean “leg” in Sindarin, but Tolkien had the opportunity to give it this gloss and chose not to.

Perhaps the Primitive Elvish words were something like ✶téleku “stem” and ✶telékō “leg”, with differing stress patterns. These two words would have blended in Quenya as telco, but would have remained distinct in Sindarin as telch “stem” and teleg “leg”. That’s the theory presented here.

Alternately, you might repurpose S. tâl “foot” to mean both “leg” and “foot” as happens in some real-world languages. This second option is partially supported by the word tad-dal “two-legged, ✱biped”, though the literal meaning of the word could actually be “✱two-footed”.

telch

stem

telch (i delch, o thelch), pl. tilch (i thilch)

tele

end

(i dele, o thele), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

tele

rear

tele (i dele, o thele) (end, hindmost part), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

tele

rear

(i dele, o thele) (end, hindmost part), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

tele

hindmost part

tele (i dele) (rear, end), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

tele

hindmost part

tele (i dele) (rear, end), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

tele

hindmost part

(i dele) (rear, end), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES).

teleif

talam

, teleif, may be seen as archaic Sindarin.

teleif

talam,

teleif, may be seen as archaic Sindarin. 2) panas (i banas, o phanas, pl. penais (i phenais), coll. pl. panassath. FIXED BOARD IN A FLOOR pân (i bân, o phân, construct pan) (plank), pl. pain (i phain). Not to be confused with the adj. *pân ”all”.

teler

person or thing at the rear

(i deler), pl. *telir*** (i thelir), coll. pl. **telerrim (when used of the people of the Teleri, PM:385)

telluin

sole of the foot

(i delluin, o thelluin), pl. tellyn (i thellyn). *Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” telloein, tellen (LR:384 s.v. *

telluin

sole of the foot

*telluin (i delluin, o thelluin), pl. tellyn (i thellyn). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” telloein, tellen_ (LR:384 s.v. RUN)_

telluin

sole of the foot

*telluin (i delluin, o thelluin), pl. tellyn (i thellyn). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” telloein, tellen (LR:384 s.v. .

telluin

sole of the foot

(i delluin, o thelluin), pl. tellyn (i thellyn). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin”* telloein, tellen (LR:384 s.v. *

telu

high roof

(i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely).

telu

dome

telu (i delu, o thelu) (high roof), pl. tely (i thely)

telu

dome

(i delu, o thelu) (high roof), pl. tely (i thely)

telu

roof

(noun, high roof) telu (i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely);

telu

roof

(i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely);

telu

high roof

telu (i delu, o thelu) (dome), pl. tely (i thely).

telch

stem

(i delch, o thelch), pl. tilch (i thilch)

tellyn

noun. sole of foot

edhel

noun. Elf

edhel

noun. Elf

_ n. _Elf, a general name for all the Elves (since the name Quendi had gone out of use in Sindarin). Probably related to or connected with Q. Elda. >> edhellen

edhel

Elf

pl1. edhil, pl2. edhellim {ð} _n. _Elf. A name used by the Sindar for themselves, characterizing other varieties by an adjective or prefix. >> Aredhel, Thinnedhel

edhel

Elf

{ð} _n. _Elf.

edhel

Elf

d _ n. _Elf. Q. elda.

ell

noun. elf

n. elf, esp. [?in ?the ?South]. Noldorin form.

ellon

noun. elf

glinnel

noun. Elf, one of the Teleri

trenar

tell to end

(i** drenar, i** threnerir) (recount), pa.t. trenor****

edhel

elf

edhel (pl. edhil). Coll. pl. Edhelrim (or Edhellim) (UT:318). Also †eledh, pl. elidh, coll. pl. eledhrim (Letters:281), also elen, pl. elin, also with coll. pl. eledhrim (elen + rim with the regular change nr > dhr). _(WJ:363, 377-78; _the shorter coll. pl. Eldrim > Elrim_ _may also occur). But since elin also means "stars", other terms for "Elf" may be preferred.

celeb

noun. silver

The word celeb was the word for “silver” in Sindarin and its conceptual precursors throughout Tolkien’s life.

Conceptual Development: G. celeb “silver” appeared all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where it was related to the early root ᴱ√TELEPE of the same meaning (GL/25; QL/91). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s ᴱN. celeb was derived instead from ᴱ✶kelekwé with the sound change of primitive kw to p and later to b (PE13/140), though in that same document he considered (but rejected) ᴱ✶t’lépe > ᴱN. tlub “silver” (PE13/154). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien introduced a new root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver” to be the basis of N. celeb, with the sound change whereby intial ky became k (c) (Ety/KYELEP). This sound change continued to be a feature of Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, and Tolkien retained this derivation going forward.

meth

noun/adjective. last, last; [N.] end

The noun N. meth “end” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from ᴹ✶metta under the root ᴹ√MET of the same meaning and followed by an adjective form N. methen that was also glossed “end” (Ety/MET). This word later appeared as an element in the name Rochon Methestel “Rider of the Last Hope” (UT/313). It is therefore possible that meth shifted from a noun to an adjective, but its Quenya equivalent metta “ending, end” remained a noun in Tolkien’s later writings.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would avoid meth as an independent element, and would use the unambiguous noun form methed and adjective forms medui or [N.] methen. If you do use meth, you might use it as either an adjective or a noun, though it is more likely to be a noun.

heledh

noun. glass

The basic Sindarin word for “glass”, a loan word from Khuzdul kheled (PE17/37; RS/466). The Eldar of Valinor invented glass independently, so the Quenya “glass” words were distinct.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. celc “glass” along with (archaic) variants G. celeg and caileg, all derived from the early root ᴱ√kail(i)k (GL/25). These apparently replaced rejected forms {talp}, {calp}, and {telc} of the same meaning (GL/69). The “glass” word became ᴱN. celch or caileg “glass” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/140).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s the “glass” word became N. hele derived from the root ᴹ√KHYEL(ES) “glass” like its Quenya cognate ᴹQ. hyelle (Ety/KHYEL(ES)). In the 1930s Noldorin and Quenya were direct contact for most of their history, but this was no longer the case for Sindarin and Quenya of the 1950s and 60s. As a result, Tolkien decided that glass was an independent invention in both Valinor and Middle Earth, so that the Quenya and Sindarin words were no longer related as described above.

laden

flat

1) laden (plain, wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT), 2) *talu (lenited dalu, analogical pl. tely). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” dalw (LR:353 s.v. DAL; notice how dalath from the same root was changed to talath in Sindarin).

meth

end

(noun) 1) meth (i veth), pl. mith (i mith). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”last”. 2) (rear, hindmost part) tele (i dele, o thele), pl. teli (i theli). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. was telei (LR:392 s.v. TELES). 3) ( maybe primarily ”last point in line; last of a series of items”) #methed (i vethed), pl. methid (i methid). Isolated from the name Methedras, the last in a line of mountain peaks.

palath

surface

1) palath (i balath, o phalath), pl. pelaith (i phelaith). 2) (flat surface) talath (i dalath, o thalath) (plane, flatlands, plain, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath_, LR:353 s.v.

parth

field

1) parth (i barth, o pharth) (sward, enclosed grassland), pl. perth (i pherth), 2) (low, flat field, or wetland) talf (i dalf, o thalf), pl. telf (i thelf), coll. pl. talvath. _(Names:195). Note: a homophone means ”palm”. 3) sant (i hant, o sant) (garden, yard, or other privately owned place), pl. saint (i saint) (VT42:20)_

sant

field

(i hant, o sant) (garden, yard, or other privately owned place), pl. saint (i saint) (VT42:20) 

talad

incline

(noun) talad (i dalad, o thalad) (slope), pl. telaid (i thelaid)

talad

incline

(i dalad, o thalad) (slope), pl. telaid (i thelaid)

talaf

floor

1) talaf (i dalaf, o thalaf) (ground), pl. telaif (i thelaif); coll. pl. talavath. The ”Noldorin” plural form listed in LR:390 s.v.

talaf

floor

(i dalaf, o thalaf) (ground), pl. telaif (i thelaif); coll. pl. talavath. The ”Noldorin” plural form listed in LR:390 s.v.

talaf

ground

talaf (i dalaf, o thalaf) (floor), pl. telaif (i thelaif); coll. pl. talavath. The ”Noldorin” plural form listed in LR:390 s.v.

talaf

ground

(i dalaf, o thalaf) (floor), pl. telaif (i thelaif); coll. pl. talavath. The ”Noldorin” plural form listed in LR:390 s.v.

talagan

harper

talagan (i dalagan, o thalagan), pl. telegain (i thelegain), coll. pl. talagannath. _The exact form listed in LR:377 s.v. Ñ

talagan

harper

(i dalagan, o thalagan), pl. telegain (i thelegain), coll. pl. talagannath. The exact form listed in LR:377 s.v.

talan

platform

(”flet”, high platform used in trees in Lothlorien) talan (i dalan), pl. telain (i thelain)

talan

platform

(i dalan), pl. telain (i thelain)

talan

flet

(high platform used in trees in Lothlorien) talan (i dalan), pl. telain [UT:245] (i thelain)

talan

flet

(i dalan), pl. telain [UT:245] (i thelain)

talath

flat surface

(i dalath, o thalath) (plane, flatlands, plain, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v. DAL. Compare the Talath Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the Silmarillion.

talath

wide valley

(i** dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, plain), pl. telaith (i** thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v.*

talath

plain

(noun) 1) talath (i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath_, LR:353 s.v.

talath

plain

(i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, flatlands, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v. DAL. Compare the Talath Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the *Silmarillion.

talath

surface

(i dalath, o thalath) (plane, flatlands, plain, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v. DAL. Compare the Talath Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the *Silmarillion.

talath

plane

talath (i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, flatlands, plain, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath_, LR:353 s.v.

talath

plane

(i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, flatlands, plain, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v. DAL. Compare the Talath Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the *Silmarillion.

talath

flatlands

talath (i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, plain, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath_, LR:353 s.v.

talath

flatlands

(i dalath, o thalath) (flat surface, plane, plain, [wide] valley), pl. telaith (i thelaith). *Tolkien changed this word from ”Noldorin” dalath, LR:353 s.v. DAL. Compare the Talath Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the *Silmarillion.

talf

palm

(of hand) 1) talf (i dalf, o thalf), pl. ?telf (i thelf), coll. pl. talvath. Note: a homophone means ”low, flat field; wetland”.2) camlann (i gamlann, o chamlann), pl. cemlain (i chemlain), 3) *plâd (cited as ”plad” in the source) (i blâd, construct plad), (flat of the hand, hand held upwards or forwards, flat and tensed, with fingers and thumb closed or spread), pl. plaid (i phlaid). (VT47:9) PASS THE SENSITIVE PALM OVER A SURFACE, see .

talf

palm

(i dalf, o thalf), pl. ?telf (i thelf), coll. pl. talvath. Note: a homophone means ”low, flat field; wetland”.2) camlann (i gamlann, o chamlann), pl. cemlain (i chemlain), 3)  ✱plâd (cited as ”plad” in the source) (i blâd, construct plad), (flat of the hand, hand held upwards or forwards, flat and tensed, with fingers and thumb closed or spread), pl. plaid (i phlaid). (VT47:9)

talf

field

(i dalf, o thalf), pl. telf (i thelf), coll. pl. talvath. (Names:195). Note: a homophone means ”palm”.

talraph

stirrup

#talraph (literally perhaps ”foot-rope”) (i dalraph, o thalraph), pl. telraiph (i thelraiph). Attested (in lenited form) in the word udalraph ”stirrupless”.

talraph

stirrup

(literally perhaps ”foot-rope”) (i dalraph, o thalraph), pl. telraiph (i thelraiph). Attested (in lenited form) in the word udalraph ”stirrupless”.

talt

falling

(adj.) talt (lenited dalt, pl. ?telt) (slipping, insecure)

talt

falling

(lenited dalt, pl. ?telt) (slipping, insecure)

talt

slipping

(adj.) talt (lenited dalt, pl. ?telt) (falling, insecure)

talt

slipping

(lenited dalt, pl. ?telt) (falling, insecure)

talt

insecure

(adj.) talt (lenited dalt, pl. ?telt) (falling, slipping)

talt

insecure

(lenited dalt, pl. ?telt) (falling, slipping)

talu

flat

(lenited dalu, analogical pl. tely). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” dalw (LR:353 s.v. DAL; notice how dalath from the same root was changed to talath in Sindarin).

teilia

play

(verb) teilia- (i deilia, i theiliar), also telia- (i delia, i theliar)

teilia

play

(i deilia, i theiliar), also telia- (i delia, i theliar)

teilien

play

(noun) teilien (i deilien) (sport), pl. teilin (i theilin). The word also occurs in a form that has e rather than ei (telien).

teilien

play

(i deilien) (sport), pl. teilin (i theilin). The word also occurs in a form that has e rather than ei (telien).

teilien

sport

teilien (i deilien) (play), pl. teilin (i theilin). The word also occurs with e rather than ei (telien).

teilien

sport

(i deilien) (play), pl. teilin (i theilin). The word also occurs with e rather than ei (telien).

thala

stalwart

1) thala (steady, firm), pl. ?theili; 2) tolog (lenited dolog; pl. telyg for archaic tölyg) (trusty)

tolog

trusty

tolog (lenited dolog, pl. telyg for archaic tölyg) (stalwart);

tolog

trusty

(lenited dolog, pl. telyg for archaic tölyg) (stalwart);

tolog

stalwart

(lenited dolog; pl. telyg for archaic tölyg) (trusty)

trenar

recount

trenar- (i drenar, i threnerir) (tell to end), pa.t. trenor

trenar

recount

(i drenar, i threnerir) (tell to end), pa.t. trenor

Ara-

prefix. high, noble, royal

Menel

noun. sky, high heaven, firmament, the region of the stars

Menel

noun. the heavens

_n. _the heavens, the apparent dome of the sky. Probably a Quenya word introduced into Sindarin. It was a 'pictorial' word, as the lore of the Eldar and the Númenoreans know much astronomy.

Menel

noun. Firmament

_n. _Firmament. o menel aglar elenath ! lit. 'from Firmament glory of the stars !'.

amras

masculine name. Top-russet

Twin brother of Amrod and second(?) youngest of the sons of Fëanor (it is unclear which of the twins was born first). The name is a compound of am “up” and ross “red-haired” (PM/353, VT41/10), an adaption of his Quenya nickname Q. Ambarussa. In a few places the name appears as Amros (PM/366, VT41/10), closer to its Sindarin elements.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this character was first named G. Dinithel (LT2/251), revised in the Lays of Beleriand to ᴱN. Durithel, then ᴱN. Díriel (LB/86). The name remained N. Díriel in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, and the form Diriel (with a short i) appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/DER, GYEL). The name was revised to Amras in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/197).

ar-

prefix. high, noble, royal

calben

noun. Elf of the Great Journey (lit. "light person")

calben

noun. all Elves but the Avari

camlann

noun. palm of hand

celeb

noun. silver

celeb

silver

_n. _silver. >> Celebdil, Celebrant, celebrin

dúnedhel

noun. Elf of the West, Elf of Beleriand (including Noldor and Sindar)

edhelharn

noun. elf-stone

egladhrim

noun. "The Forsaken", Elves of the Falathrim

eglath

noun. "The Forsaken", Elves of the Falathrim

elleth

noun. elf-maid

elvellon

noun. elf-friend

erchamion

adjective. one-handed

erchammon

noun. one-handed man

erchammui

adjective. one-handed

erchamon

noun. one-handed man

faeg

adjective. mean, poor, bad

galadhrim

noun. Elves of Lothlórien

golodh

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

golodhrim

noun. Deep Elves, Gnomes

gódhel

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

gódhellim

noun. "Deep Elves" or "Gnomes", the Wise Folk

heledh

noun. glass

iathrim

noun. Elves of Doriath

im

noun. valley, valley; [N.] dell, deep vale

An archaic element meaning “valley” that survived only in compounds, a derivation of ✶imbi “between” (VT47/14). The basic sense “valley” was transferred to its more elaborate form imlad as in Imladris “Rivendell”, and †im “valley” fell out of use due to its conflicted with other words like the reflexive pronoun im.

Conceptual Development: N. imm “dell, deep vale” was mentioned in The Etymologies of the 1930s as a derivative of the root ᴹ√IMBE, alongside its elaboration N. imlad of the same meaning (Ety/IMBE).

imlad

noun. deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides (but a flat habitable bottom)

imloth

noun. flower-valley, flowery vale

This word only occurs in the place name Imloth Melui, a vale where roses grew

imrad

noun. a path or pass (between mountains, hills or trackless forest)

imrath

noun. long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise

ithildin

noun. a silver-colored substance, which mirrors only starlight and moonlight

lachend

noun. Deep Elf (Sindarin name for the Ñoldor)

lachenn

noun. Deep Elf (Sindarin name for the Ñoldor)

lad

noun. plain, valley

laegel

noun. a Green Elf

laegeldrim

noun. the people of the Green Elves

laegrim

noun. the people of the Green Elves

lond

noun. narrow path or strait

lond

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

magor

noun. swordsman

magor

noun. swordsman

medui

adjective. end

adj. end, final, last. Ai na vedui Dúnadan. Mae g'ovannen. 'Ah! At last, Dúnadan ! Well met !'. m > v after preposition.

medui

adjective. last

methed

noun. end

methed

noun. end

This word is attested in later writings as an element in the names Methed-en-Glad “End of the Wood” and possibly Methedras “Last Peak” (of the Misty Mountains). The latter name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as N. Methen Amon and Methendol (TI/404), making it likely that methed is a revision from the earlier adjective N. methen (Ety/MET).

This new form likely changed from an adjective to a noun, since -ed/-ad is usually a gerundal suffix in Sindarin (forming nouns from verbs). This word is clearly a noun in the name Methed-en-Glad, and could also be a noun in Methedras (= “Peak of the End?”).

miniel

noun. an Elf, one of the Vanyar

mithril

noun. true-silver, a silver-like metal

mornedhel

noun. Dark-Elf

parth

noun. field, enclosed grassland, sward

ped-

verb. to speak, to say

ped-

say

_ v. _say. Q. quĕt-. >> pedo

pedo

verb. speak! say!

plad

noun. palm, flat of the hand, hand held upwards or forwards, flat and tensed (with fingers and thumb closed or spread)

talagan

noun. harper

talan

noun. wooden platform (in the trees of Lothlórien where the Galadhrim dwelt)

talath

noun. flat surface, plane

talath

noun. flat land, plain, (wide) valley

talf

noun. palm of hand

talf

noun. flat field, flat land

talraph

noun. stirrup

talraph

noun. stirrup

A word for “stirrup” appearing in its mutated form in the name Udalraph “Stirrupless” (UT/313). Its initial element is clearly tâl “foot”, so presumably its second element raph means something like “✱rope” or “✱strap” as suggested by David Salo (GS/281).

talu

adjective. flat

tawarwaith

noun. Silvan elves

tolod

cardinal. eight

tolodh

cardinal. eight

Tolkien emended toloth to tolodh, cf. VT/42:31 (and also VT/48:6). If we are to follow him, a word such as tolothen would be incorrect, unless the two forms coexisted

tolodh

cardinal. eight

The Sindarin number “eight” derived from the root √TOLOD, probably from primitive ✱✶tolodō, where the [[s|[d] became [ð] after a vowel]] as usual.

Conceptual Development: The earliest attested word for “eight” was G. uvin in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s (GL/75), replacing rejected ung. In The Etymologies from the 1930s it became N. toloth from the root ᴹ√TOLOTH, similar to but not quite the same as ᴹQ. tolto from the root ᴹ√TOLOT (Ety/TOL¹-OTH/OT).

In some notes from the 1950s, Tolkien used S. tolod (PE17/95), apparently deciding both Quenya and Sindarin were derived from the same root √TOLOT. Later still, toloth reappeared, but it was rejected and replaced by tolodh (toloð: VT42/25, 31). When Tolkien revisited the Elvish number system in the 1960s, he changed the t to a d in the root form for “eight” (VT47/11) and established tolodh as its Sindarin form (VT48/6).

Neo-Sindarin: I personally prefer tolodh as the Sindarin word for “eight”, but some Neo-Sindarin writers use the older (and perhaps better known) toloth. It seems Tolkien had considerable trouble deciding on the primitive root for “eight”, so any of these forms could be valid (VT47/31).

tum

noun. deep valley, under or among hills

ódhel

noun. Deep Elf or Gnome, one of the Wise Folk

ódhellim

noun. Deep Elves or Gnomes, the Wise Folk

amarthan

fated

amarthan (pl. emerthain)

amarthan

fated

(pl. emerthain)

andrath

high pass

(literally "long climb"), pl. endraith.

brand

tall

(lofty, noble, fine), lenited vrand, pl. braind.

brona

last

(verb) 1) brona- (survive) (i vrona, i mronar), 2) dartha- (i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, endure) (VT45:8)

brona

last

(survive) (i vrona, i mronar)

bâd

pathway

(i vâd, construct bad) (beaten track), pl. baid (i maid).

celeb

silver

1) (noun) celeb (i geleb, o cheleb), pl. celib (i chelib) if there is a pl. form. 2) (adj., "of/like silver") celebren (lenited gelebren, pl. celebrin; also celebrin- as first element of compounds, as in Celebrindal). Also celefn (lenited gelefn, pl. celifn). As for ”silver” as adjective, see also SHINING WHITE. Adj.

daedelu

canopy

1) daedelu (i dhaedelu), pl. daedely (i naedhely), 2) orthelian (pl. ortheliain)

daedelu

canopy

(i dhaedelu), pl. daedely (i naedhely)

dannad

noun. falling

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo to replace G. dodri “falling”. It is simply the gerund of the verb danna- “fall”.

dartha

last

(i dhartha, i narthar) (stay, wait, remain, endure) (VT45:8)

duinen

high tide

(i dhuinen), pl. duinin (i nuinin). (VT48:26).

e

outer

(adjectival prefix) e-, ed-

e

outer

ed

edren

adjective. outer

faeg

mean

(adj.) faeg (poor, bad); no distinct pl. form. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” foeg.

faeg

mean

(poor, bad); no distinct pl. form. Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” foeg.

fû Speculative

noun. path

A noun appearing only it is plural form fui “paths” in the name Fui ’Ngorthrim “Paths of the Dead” (RC/526). The most plausible singular form is ✱fû “path”.

gondrath

highway

(i ’ondrath) (street of stone, causeway), pl. gendraith (i ngendraith = i ñendraith). Archaic pl. göndreith. (WJ:340). Possibly the pl. can also be gondraith, without umlaut of the first element.

hall

tall

(exalted); lenited chall; pl. hail. Note: a homophone means ”veiled, hidden, shadowed, shady”.

heledh

glass

heledh (i cheledh, o cheledh), pl. helidh (i chelidh) if there is a pl.

heledh

glass

(i cheledh, o cheledh), pl. helidh (i chelidh) if there is a pl.

hol

close

#hol- (i chôl, i chelir), pa.t. perhaps holl as suggested by the passive participle hollen ”closed” (the only attested form of this verb). Conceivably, hollen in the source could be a lenited form of sollen, in which case this verb should begin in s- rather than h- when not mutated.

hol

close

(i chôl, i chelir), pa.t. perhaps holl as suggested by the passive participle hollen ”closed” (the only attested form of this verb). Conceivably, hollen in the source could be a lenited form of sollen, in which case this verb should begin in s- rather than h- when not mutated.****

imloth

flowering valley

(pl. imlyth) (VT42:18).

imrad

path

(between mountains, hills or through trackless forest) imrad (pass), pl. imraid.

imrad

path

(pass), pl. imraid.

imrath

valley

(long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise) imrath (pl. imraith)

laden

flat

(plain, wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

laden

plain

(adjective) laden (flat, wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (suggested Sindarin forms for ”Noldorin” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

laden

plain

(flat,  wide, open, cleared), pl. ledin (suggested Sindarin forms for ”Noldorin” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)

lanc

sudden end

(sharp edge, sudden end, brink), pl. lainc, coll. pl. langath.

lind

singer

(also used of rivers) lind (song, air, tune), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath. (WJ.309). As for "yellow singer", the name of a bird, see YELLOWHAMMER.

lind

singer

(song, air, tune), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. linnath. (WJ.309). As for "yellow singer", the name of a bird, see

linnor

noun. singer

lâd

valley

(lowland, plain), construct lad, pl. laid

lâd

plain

(valley, lowland), construct lad, pl. laid

magor

swordsman

magor (i vagor), analogical pl. megyr (i megyr)

magor

swordsman

(i vagor), analogical pl. megyr (i megyr)

manadh

final end

manadh (i vanadh) (fate, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh).

manadh

final end

manadh (i vanadh) (fate, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh)

manadh

final end

(i vanadh) (fate, fortune [usually = final bliss]), pl. menaidh (i menaidh).

medui

last

(adjective) 1) medui (lenited vedui; no distinct pl. form), 2) meth (lenited veth, pl. mith). Note: the word is also used as a noun ”end”.

medui

last

(lenited vedui; no distinct pl. form)

meth

end

(i veth), pl. mith (i mith). Note: the word is also used as an adjective ”last”.

meth

last

(lenited veth, pl. mith). Note: the word is also used as a noun ”end”.

methed

end

(i vethed), pl. methid (i methid). Isolated from the name Methedras, the last in a line of mountain peaks.

methen

end

(adj.) methen (lenited vethen; pl. methin) (VT45:34)

methen

end

(lenited vethen; pl. methin) (VT45:34)

nand

valley

1) nand (construct nan) (wide grassland, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. nannath (VT45:36), 2) lâd (lowland, plain), construct lad, pl. laid, 3) (long narrow valley with a road or watercourse running through it lengthwise) imrath (pl. imraith).

nand

valley

(construct nan) (wide grassland, land at the foot of hills with many streams), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36)

nara

story

(i nara, in narar);

nass

sharp end

(point, angle, corner), construct nas, pl. nais.

or

high

(adjectival pref.) or- (above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

or

high

(above, over), also ar- (noble, royal). In the form ar(a)- this is an element in the names of the kings of Arnor and Arthedain. Nouns:

orthel

roof

(verb.) orthel- (i orthel, in erthelir for archaic in örthelir) (screen above);

orthel

roof

(i orthel, in erthelir for archaic in örthelir) (screen above); 

orthelian

canopy

(pl. ortheliain)**

pada

walk

(i bada, i phadar)

palath

surface

(i balath, o phalath), pl. pelaith (i phelaith).

panas

talam

(i banas, o phanas, pl. penais (i phenais), coll. pl. panassath.

parth

field

(i barth, o pharth) (sward, enclosed grassland), pl. perth (i pherth)

ped

speak

ped- (i **bêd**, i phedir) (say), pa.t. pent (attested in mutated form -phent); the imperative pedo is also attested.: No word simply meaning “spear” is attested, but cf. the following:

ped

speak

(i bêd, i phedir) (say), pa.t. pent (attested in mutated form -phent); the imperative pedo is also attested.

ped

say

ped- (i **bêd**, i phedir) (speak), pa.t. pent (attested in mutated form -phent); the imperative pedo is also attested.

ped

say

(i bêd, i phedir) (speak), pa.t. pent (attested in mutated form -phent); the imperative pedo is also attested.

penninor

last day of the year

(i benninor, o phenninor), pl. penninoer (i phenninoer). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” penninar (LR:400 s.v. YEN).

pôd

foot

(of animal) pôd (i bôd, o phôd, construct pod), pl. pŷd (i phŷd).

pôd

foot

(i bôd, o phôd, construct pod), pl. p**ŷd (i ph**ŷd).

raud

tall

(eminent, noble), in compounds -rod,  pl. roed. Also used as noun ”champion, eminent man, [a] noble”.

râd

path

râd (track), construct rad, pl. raid (idh raidh).

râd

path

(track), construct rad, pl. raid (idh raidh).

rîdh

sown field

(acre);  no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (idh rîdh)

talagan

noun. harper

talath

dal

Dirnen or ”Guarded Plain” mentioned in the Silmarillion.

talu

adjective. flat

taur

tall

(also tor-, tar- in compounds) (lofty, high, sublime, noble; vast, masterful, mighty, overwhelming, huge, awful), lenited daur, pl. toer. Note: homophones mean ”king (of a people)” and also ”great wood, forest”.

tehar

noun. brick

thala

stalwart

(steady, firm), pl. ?theili

thrimp

noun. stalk

toba

roof over

(i** doba, i** thobar) (cover). Cited as a ”Noldorin” infinitive in -o (tobo).**

tobas

roof, roofing

(i** dobas, o thobas), pl. tebais (i** thebais) for archaic pl. töbais (VT46:19)

tollui

eighth

(lenited dollui). (VT42:15; Tolkien may have abandoned the form [t]olothen occurring in lenited form dolothen in an earlier source, SD:129)

toloth

cardinal. eight

toloth, tolodh;

toloth

eight

tolodh;

tâl

foot

(body-part and unit of measure) tâl (i dâl [LR:298], o thâl), also -dal in compounds; pl. tail (i thail). In LR:390 s.v.

tâl

foot

(i dâl [LR:298], o thâl), also -dal in compounds; pl. tail (i thail). In LR:390 s.v.

ôf

noun. hood

telch

noun. stem

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “stem” under the root ᴹ√TELEK “stalk, stem, leg” (Ety/TÉLEK). Its Quenya cognate Q. telco “stem, leg” continued to appear in Tolkien’s later writings (PE17/122; LotR/1118).

Neo-Sindarin: Conceivably this word might also mean “leg” like its Quenya cognate. Such a thing is indicated by the name Telchandir, the Sindarin/Noldorin equivalent of Q. Telcontar “Strider” (AotM/62). However, I recommend using this word only for its attested gloss “stem” and suggest ᴺS. teleg for “leg”; see that entry for details.

tellen

noun. sole of foot

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “sole of foot” derived from primitive ᴹ✶talrunya, effectively a combination of N. tâl “foot” and N. rhein < ᴹ✶runya (Ety/RUN), where the a of tal- became e via i-affection, the ancient lr became ll, and the ei in rhein reduced to e as it often did in unstressed final syllables in Noldorin.

Neo-Sindarin: In Sindarin phonetics, the likely derivative of primitive ✶talrunya would be ᴺS. tellyn; compare S. eryn < ✶oronyē (PE17/119).

telch

noun. stem

tele

noun. end, rear, hindmost part

telia-

verb. to play

telien

noun. sport, play

tellein

noun. sole of foot

tellen

noun. sole of foot

tellœin

noun. sole of foot

telu

noun. dome, high roof

edhel

noun. Elf

nara-

verb. to tell

trenar-

verb. to recount, to tell to end

daedelu

noun. canopy

A word for a “canopy” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, a combination of N. dae “shadow” and N. telu “roof” (Ety/TEL; EtyAC/DAY).

Neo-Sindarin: Since Tolkien seems to have later abandoned the meaning “shadow” for N. dae, I would not use this word for “canopy” in Neo-Sindarin, and would use other words like esgal or [N.] orthelian instead.

orthelian

noun. canopy

A word for “canopy” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, a noun form of N. ortheli “roof, screen above” (Ety/TEL).

ell

noun. sky

An element meaning “sky” in several names from The Etymologies of the 1930s: N. Elfaron “Sky-hunter” (Ety/SPAR) and N. Elthoron “Eagle of the Sky” (Ety/THOR). It was derived from the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” which had an Old Noldorin form: ON. elle (Ety/ƷEL). However, Tolkien said “In Noldorin and Telerin this is confused with EL star”, implying that the word was not used in modern language; an earlier but rejected version of this entry had archaic N. †ell, el “sky” (EtyAC/ƷEL).

Neo-Sindarin: Despite the above statements, ell is probably the best attested option for “sky” in Neo-Sindarin, and I would use it as such, since it is in fact distinct from S. êl “star”, a word that is itself archaic/poetic versus more common S. gil.

celeb

noun. silver

dalw

adjective. flat

hele

noun. glass

palath

noun. surface

amarthan

adjective. fated

brona-

verb. to last, to survive

camland

noun. palm of hand

celeb

noun. silver

celebren

adjective. like silver (in hue or worth)

celefn

adjective. of silver

celevon

adjective. of silver

cenedril

noun. looking-glass, mirror

daedelu

noun. canopy

dalath

noun. flat surface, plane

dalath

noun. flat land, plain, (wide) valley

dalf

noun. palm of hand

dalw

adjective. flat

erchamui

adjective. one-handed

foeg

adjective. mean, poor, bad

ganna-

verb. to play a harp

gannada-

verb. to play a harp

golodh

noun. "Deep Elf" or "Gnome", one of the Wise Folk

golodhrim

noun. Deep Elves, Gnomes

imlad

noun. deep valley, narrow valley with steep sides (but a flat habitable bottom)

lhad

noun. plain

lhonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lhonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lond

noun. narrow path or strait

lond

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. narrow path or strait

lonn

noun. entrance to harbour, land-locked haven

lonn

noun. path

meth

noun. end

meth

noun. end

methen

adjective. end, final

orthel-

verb. to roof, screen above

orthelian

noun. canopy

palath

noun. surface

panas

noun. floor

panas

noun. floor

A noun for “floor” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, an elaboration of N. pân “plank” under the root ᴹ√PAN (Ety/PAN). As such, it likely refers to a constructed floor made of wood or other materials.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. blath “a floor” (GL/23), probably derived from the early root ᴱ√PALA having to do with flat things as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Palúrien).

pel

noun. fenced field (= Old English tún)

pôd

noun. animal's foot

râd

noun. path, track

rîdh

noun. sown field, acre

talad

noun. an incline, slope

talaf

noun. ground, floor

talagand

noun. harper

talagand

noun. harper

talagand

masculine name. Harper

A name appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/ÑGAN, TYAL), it is simply talagand “harper” used as a name.

talan

noun. flet

talt

adjective. slipping, falling, insecure

teilia-

verb. to play

teilien

noun. sport, play

thala

adjective. stalwart, steady, firm

tolog

adjective. stalwart, trusty

toloth

cardinal. eight

Tolkien emended toloth to tolodh, cf. VT/42:31 (and also VT/48:6). If we are to follow him, a word such as tolothen would be incorrect, unless the two forms coexisted

toloth

cardinal. eight

tum

noun. deep valley, under or among hills

tâl

noun. foot

cwenda

noun. elf

A doubtful word according to Tolkien's later conception; in the branch of Eldarin that Nandorin belongs to, primitive KW became P far back in Elvish linguistic history [WJ:375 cf. 407 note 5]. This was not a problem in Tolkien's earlier conception, in which the Danians came from the host of the Noldor, not the Teleri [see PM:76; the idea of the Nandor being of Noldorin origin also occurs in VT47:29]. In his later version of Nandorin, the word cwenda is probably best ignored; simply emending it to *penda would produce a clash with primitive pendâ "sloping" [cf. WJ:375].

In the Etymologies, Tolkien derived cwenda from kwenedê "elf" (stem KWEN(ED) of similar meaning, LR:366; as for the shift of original final -ê to Nandorin -â, compare hrassa "precipice" from khrassê). But later the primitive word that yielded Quenya Quende was reconstructed as kwende (WJ:360).

No certain example shows how original short final -e comes out in Nandorin, so we cannot say whether kwende is also capable of yielding cwenda, ignoring the question of kw failing to become p.

Danas

noun. Green-elves, Nandor

In Etym derived from the stem DAN (LR:353), simply defined as an "element found in names of the Green-elves", and tentatively compared to NDAN "back" (since the Nandor "turned back" and did not complete the march to the Sea). Tolkien's later view on the derivation of the name of the Green-elves, as set down in WJ:412, is that the stem dan- and its strengthened form ndan- do indeed have a similar meaning: these forms have to do with "the reversal of an action, so as to undo or nullify its effect", and a primitive form ndandô, "one who goes back on his word or decision", is suggested. However, it seems unlikely that the Nandor would have called themselves by such a name, and indeed Tolkien in WJ:385 states that "this people still called themselves by the old clan-name Lindai [= Quenya Lindar], which had at that time taken the form Lindi in their tongue". It may be, then, that Tolkien had rejected the idea that the Nandor called themselves Danas. - As for the ending -as, it is probably to be compared to the Sindarin class plural ending -ath; indeed a Sindarin ("Noldorin") form Danath evidently closely corresponding to Danas is given in LR:353.

galadrim

noun. Elves of Lothlórien

Note: "The Galadrim were 'Tree-people' (though the formation is Sindarin, + S [rim] = Q rimbë, great number) = true Sindarin galadhrim."

nand

noun. valley

Isolated from Lindórinand, Lórinand (q.v. for reference). While this word is not given in the Etymologies, it is clearly derived from the stem NAD (LR:374) and hence a close cognate of the similar Doriathrin word nand "field, valley". The Quenya cognate nanda (meaning "water-mead, watered plain") indicates a primitive form *nandâ; as in most cases, the final -â is lost in Nandorin.

kyelep

root. silver

This root and ones like it were used for Elvish words for “silver” throughout Tolkien’s life. The earliest iteration of the root began with T-, however, appearing as unglossed ᴱ√TELEPE in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. telpe “silver” (QL/91). Even at this early stage, however, the Gnomish equivalent was G. celeb (GL/25), but the reason for the t/c variation isn’t clear. The closest explanation is that palatal consonants like [c] became [tʲ] in Qenya vs. [k] in Gnomish (compare ᴱQ. tyava- vs. caf- “taste” from ᴱ√TYAVA) but this doesn’t explain why the Qenya form has initial t- rather than ty-.

Elsewhere in the Elvish languages of the 1910s there seem to be etymological variations of [k] vs. [t], such as ᴱQ. kitya- vs. G. tisca- “tickle” (QL/47; GL/70) and ᴱQ. talqe vs. G. celc “glass” (QL/88; GL/25), so perhaps ᴱQ. telpe vs. G. celeb “silver” is another example of this. Another explanation appeared in Early Noldorin word lists from the 1920s, where the primitive form was ᴱ✶kelekwé which produced ᴱN. celeb as usual but the Qenya form was ᴱQ. telqe with “k = t by dissimilation” (PE13/140), presumably away from q.

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had the root ᴹ√KYELEP with variant ᴹ√TELEP, producing N. celeb but ᴹQ. tyelpe or ᴹQ. telpe (Ety/KYELEP). But Tolkien revised this entry, marking ᴹ√TELEP as questionable and introducing the Telerin form ᴹT. telpe < ᴹ√KYELEP, concluding that ᴹQ. telpe must be a loan from Telerin. This finally put N. celeb vs. ᴹQ. telpe (borrowed from Telerin) on a solid phonological foundation. Tolkien seems to have stuck with this explanation, mentioning this borrowing from Telerin to Quenya several times in his later writings, with the proper but now archaic Quenya form being Q. †tyelpë (Let/426; PM/356; UT/266).

kalak

root. glass

A root appearing in etymological notes from 1968 glossed “glass” with Quenya and Telerin derivatives Q./T. calca of the same meaning (VT47/35). It seems to be a late restoration of the much earlier root ᴱ√kail(i)k or ᴱ√tail(i)k that was the basis of “glass” words in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s; in this early period the Qenya derivatives began with t- and the Gnomish derivatives with c- [k-] (GL/25). It may also have replaced Q. cilin (< ✱√KILIN?) from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/37). Given its Quenya/Telerin derivatives, √KALAK was probably coined in Aman as was also the case with earlier Q. cilin, since the Sindarin word for “glass” is the unrelated word S. heledh borrowed from Khuzdul (PE17/37).

tolod

root. eight

The earliest Elvish words for “eight” were ᴱQ. {ungo >>} umna and G. {ung >>} uvin in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/75), but in the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s it became ᴱQ. {telte >>} tolto (PE14/49). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave the root ᴹ√TOL-OTH/OT “eight” as the basis for ᴹQ. tolto and N. toloth of the same meaning (Ety/TOL¹-OTH/OT); in this document it was distinct from ᴹ√TOL which was the basis for “island” words.

In documents on Elvish numbers from the late 1960s, Tolkien vacillated between √TOLOTH (VT42/30 note #52), √TOLOT (VT42/24; VT47/31) and √TOLOD (VT47/11) for the form of this root, but in the more polished versions of these documents he seems to have settled on √TOLOD > Q. toldo, S. toloð (VT48/6). In this last iteration, Tolkien connected the root √TOLOD to the root √TOL “stick up” due to the prominence of the middle fingers (3 and 8) in counting (VT47/11); see the entry on √TOL for discussion.

kyelepē

noun. silver

palad

noun. plain

tolot

root. eight

tā/taʒ

root. high, high, [ᴹ√] lofty; noble

This root and ones like it were used for “high” things for much of Tolkien’s life. It first appeared as unglossed ᴱ√TAHA in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. tā “high; high above, high up”, ᴱQ. tahōra or tayóra “lofty”, and ᴱQ. tāri “queen”; it had a variant form ᴱ√TAʕA where the ʕ might be a malformed Y (QL/87). The corresponding forms in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon were G. dâ “high” and G. dara “lofty” (GL/29), indicating the true form of the root was ᴱ√DAHA, since initial voiced stops were unvoiced (d- > t-) in Early Qenya (PE12/17). Primitive forms like ᴱ✶dagá > ᴱN. dâ/ᴱQ. tá “high” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s indicates the root continued to begin with D for the following decade (PE13/141, 161).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien gave this root as ᴹ√TĀ/TAƷ “high, lofty; noble” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tára “lofty, high”, ᴹQ. tári “queen” and N. taen “height, summit of high mountain” (Ety/TĀ). In Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien gave the root as √TAG or Tā- “high”, and in notes from around 1967 Tolkien gave √TAƷ as the explanation of the initial element of Q. Taniquetil and contrasted it with √TĂR “stand” (PE17/186). In 1970 green-ink revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2), Tolkien wrote a marginal note giving √TAƷ > TĀ “high”, but this note was rejected with a statement “transfer to Gen. Structure. No [ʒ] existed in Eldarin” (PE19/72-73 note #22).

This last rejection seems to be part of Tolkien’s general vacillation on the nature and phonetic evolution of velar spirants in Primitive Elvish in 1968-70. For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I would assume the root form was √TAH or √TAƷ > √TĀ as the basis for “high” words, much like √MAH or √MAƷ > ✶mā was the basis for “hand” words.

tāl

noun. foot

tāra

adjective. high

thirip

root. stalk

duban

noun. valley

kheled

noun. glass

kibil

noun. silver