teler

proper name. Last-comer, Hindmost

Quenya name for the third tribe of Elves (PM/318), usually appearing in the plural form Teleri (S/40; WJ/382). It was derived from the root √TELES “come at rear” (PE18/84; Ety/TELES), because “they tarried on the road and were not wholly of a mind to pass from the dusk to the light of Valinor” (S/53).

Conceptual Development: A similar name ᴱQ. Telelli appeared in the earliest Lost Tales, and its singular form ᴱQ. Telelle was glossed “little elf” in the Qenya Lexicon (QL/91). This early term applied to young Elves of all tribes, especially those talented in song (PE13/99; PE14/9). The related term ᴱQ. Teleri, however, referred specifically to the first tribe of Elves (LT1/50; PE14/9).

By the earliest drafts of the Silmarillion, however, Tolkien began to use ᴹQ. Teler as the term for the “Sea-elves”, the third tribe (SM/13). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, the name was given the derivation above (Ety/TELES), though initially it was because the third tribe “were the latest to awaken” (LR/168), not because they tarried on the march.

Changes

• Teles- → Teler- ✧ PE18/084

Cognates

• S. Teler “Teleri” ✧ PM/385; PMI/Teleri

Derivations

• √TELES “come at rear, end a line or series, come at rear, end a line or series; [ᴹ√] hindmost, tarrier” ✧ PE18/084
• √TEL “close, end, complete, come to an end” ✧ SA/tel

Element in

• Q. Telerin “of the Teleri”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√KYELES > Teler-	[kjelesi] > [tjelesi] > [tjelezi] > [tjeleri] > [teleri]	✧ PE18/084
√tel- > Teleri	[telesi] > [telezi] > [teleri]	✧ SA/tel

Variations

• Teles- ✧ PE18/084 (Teles-)

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.

telerëa

telerëa

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

tellë

rear

tellë noun "rear" (TELES)

Telellië

teler-folk

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

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)

Quende#

noun. Elf

Elf

quendë

elf

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