#tengwië noun "language" in the compound mátengwië "language of the hands" (VT47:9). Compare tengwë, tengwesta.
Quenya
tengwië
noun. reading; language (*signing)
Element in
- Q. mátengwië “language of the hands” ✧ VT47/23
- Q. nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto “may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading” ✧ VT49/47
Variations
- tengwie ✧ VT47/23; VT49/48
tengwië
language
tengwestië
language
tengwestië noun "Language" as abstract or phenomenon (WJ:394)
tengwelë
language
tengwelë noun "Language" (in all its aspects), a general word for the grouping and composing of tengwi (linguistic "signs", phonemes) into a linguistic system (VT39:16)
tengwa-
to read written matter
tengwa- (2) vb. "to read written matter", called a "weak verb"; aorist [teng]wa "reads", present tense [teng]wëa "is reading", past tense [teng]wane "read", perfect e[teng]wië "has read", the latter without lengthening of the stem-vowel (not **eténgwië) because there is a consonant cluster following (VT49:55). Gerund or "verbal noun" tengwië, also attested with a pronominal suffix + genitive: tengwiesto "of your (dual) reading" (VT49:47, 48, 52, 54)
tengwa-
verb. to read written matter
Element in
- Q. tengwië “reading; language (*signing)” ✧ VT49/48
hentië
noun. reading
Element in
- Q. parmahentië “(book) reading” ✧ PE17/077
Elements
Word Gloss henta- “to eye, examine, read, scan” -ië “gerund suffix, -ing” Variations
- hentie ✧ PE17/077
lambelë
language
lambelë noun "Language" (especially with reference to phonology), *"phonetics" (VT39:15)
This word appeared in the form tengwiesto “of your reading” in the sentence nai laurë lantuva parmastanna lúmissen tengwiesto “may (a) golden light fall on your book at the times of your reading” (VT49/47). On the same page, Tolkien gives its etymology as the gerund (verbal noun) of the verb tengwa- “to read written matter” (VT49/48). Other attested words for “reading” include cenda or hentië (both based on sight).
Elsewhere this word appears as an element in the word mátengwië “sign language, (lit.) language of the hands”, along with má “hand” (VT47/23). In this word, tengwië could be have the same meaning as above (“sign language” = “✱hand reading”). Alternately, it could be an abstract noun derived from tengwë “sign, token” combined with the abstract-noun suffix -ië, in which case a more literal meaning might be “✱signing” as in “✱the production of signs”. This hypothetical derivation fits nicely with its use in the Quenya word for sign language. More ordinary words for “language” include lambë “a (spoken) language” (LotR/1123, WJ/394) and tengwestië “language (as a concept)” (WJ/394).