Quenya 

vaina

clad

vaina (1) adj. "clad" (LT1:272)

vaina

late

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

vaina

adjective. blonde, fair of hair

A word for “blonde, fair of hair” appearing in notes probably from around 1959, part of a paradigm in which the Elvish tribe names were based on their predominant hair color; it was derived from a root √GWAY “pale, fair” distinct from √BAN “beautiful” (PE17/154-155). Although the note where this word appeared was deleted, a similar derivation of Vanyar appeared in the Quendi and Eldar essay from 1959-60 from the root √WAN “fair” in reference to hair and complexion (WJ/383). [ᴺQ.] vaina “fair haired” could likewise be derived from that root.

Cognates

  • S. bain “fair, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair-haired, beautiful; good, wholesome, favorable; fair, fair-haired” ✧ PE17/155

Derivations

  • √GWAY ✧ PE17/154

Element in

  • Q. Vanya “Fair Elves, the Fair” ✧ PE17/154

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
√GWAY > waina > vaina[gwaina] > [ɣwaina] > [waina] > [vaina]✧ PE17/154

waina

blonde, fair of hair

waina adj. "blonde, fair of hair"; the "late" form vaina is given (PE17:154)

vaina

adjective. clad

An adjective appearing as ᴱQ. vaina in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s as the cognate to G. bain “clad” (GL/21), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√VAẎA “enfold, wind about” as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Vai; QL/100).

Neo-Quenya: Since ᴹ√WAY “enfold” appears in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/WAY), I would retain ᴺQ. vaina “clad” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, especially since it was used in Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT). It does, however, clash with vaina “blond”.

Derivations

  • ᴹ√WAY “enfold”

Element in

  • ᴺQ. mavaina “maple, (lit.) hand-clad”

vaina

adjective. blonde, fair of hair

Derivations