Vala

power, god, angelic power

Vala (1) noun "Power, God, angelic power", pl. Valar or Vali (BAL, Appendix E, LT2:348), described as "angelic governors" or "angelic guardians" (Letters:354, 407). The Valar are a group of immensely powerful spirits guarding the world on behalf of its Creator; they are sometimes called Gods (as when Valacirca, q.v., is translated "Sickle of the Gods"), but this is strictly wrong according to Christian terminology: the Valar were created beings. The noun vala is also the name of tengwa #22 (Appendix E). Genitive plural Valion "of the Valar" (FS, MR:18); this form shows the pl. Vali, (irregular) alternative to Valar (the straightforward gen. pl. Valaron is also attested, PE17:175). Pl. allative valannar *"to/on the Valar" (LR:47, 56; SD:246). Feminine form Valië (Silm), in Tolkiens earlier material also Valdë; his early writings also list Valon or Valmo (q.v.) as specifically masc. forms. The gender-specific forms are not obligatory; thus in PE17:22 Varda is called a Vala (not a Valië), likewise Yavanna in PE17:93. Vala is properly or originally a verb "has power" (sc. over the matter of Eä, the universe), also used as a noun "a Power" _(WJ:403). The verb vala- "rule, order", exclusively used with reference to the Valar, is only attested in the sentences á vala Manwë! "may Manwë order it!" and Valar valuvar "the will of the Valar will be done" (WJ:404). However, Tolkien did not originally intend the word Valar to signify "powers"; in his early conception it apparently meant "the happy ones", cf. valto, vald- (LT2:348)_. For various compounds including the word Vala(r), see below.

Valarindi

offspring of the valar, their children begotten in arda

Valarindi pl. noun "offspring of the Valar, their children begotten in Arda" (sg. #Valarindë). (MR:49). Compare indi.

vala

noun. (Angelic) Power, ‘God’, Authority, (Angelic) Power, Authority, God

valar ar maiar fantaner nassentar fanainen ve quenderinwe coar ar larmar

Valar and Maiar cloaked their true-being in veils, like to Elvish bodies and raiment

valar valuvar

the will of the Valar will be done

Vanar

vanar

Vanar or Vani pl. noun, = Valar (LT1:272)

valarin

proper name. Valarin

@@@

Valarin

valian

Valarin adj. "Valian", of or relating to the Valar, as noun = Lambë Valarinwa "Valarin tongue" (WJ:397). It may be that Valarinwa is the normal form of the adjective "Valian" in Quenya.

Valaróma

vala-horn

Valaróma noun "Vala-horn", Oromë's horn (Silm, MR:7)

valya

having (divine) authority or power

valya adj. "having (divine) authority or power" (BAL; this word is of course etymologically connected to the Valar and should not be used with reference to the divinity of Eru.)

valarauko

proper name. Demon of Might

Quenya name for a Balrog, a combination of some derivative of the root √BAL “power” with rauco “demon” (SA/rauko, val; PE17/48). It also appeared as Valarauka (PE17/48).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s, their name was either ᴱQ. Valkarauke “✱Cruel Demon” or ᴱQ. Malkarauke “✱Torment Demon” (QL/58, 60, 101-2). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, the second form reappeared as ᴹQ. Malarauko of similar meaning (Ety/RUK), but in this conceptual period it seems to be a loan word from either Noldorin or Orcish (LR/404). The forms Valarauka or Valarauko emerged in Tolkien’s later writing (PE17/48, WJ/415).

Valarauco

demon of might

Valarauco ("k") noun "Demon of Might" (here vala- assumes its basic meaning "power, might"), Sindarin balrog(WJ:415). Pl. Valaraucar (sic, not -or) "Balrogs", apparently containing rauca (q.v.) as an alternative form of rauco "demon" (SA:val-, SA:rauco). Earlier forms from the "Qenya Lexicon" are Valcaraucë, Malcaraucë (q.v.), apparently abandoned in LotR-style Quenya.

valariandë

place name. Beleriand

The genitive form Malariando “of Beleriand” was given as the Quenya translation of S. Beleriand appearing in linguistic notes from the 1950s (PE21/78). This form implies that primitively the initial form of this name began with mb-, but that concept is not well supported by other evidence. The lenited form of S. Beleriand consistently had an initial V- (VT50/18, LR/202), making Valariandë is a more probable Quenya form of this name.

Conceptual Development: The (ᴹQ) genitive form Valarianden appeared in an alternate title for the Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/202). In linguistic notes from the 1940s, this name appeared as Veleriande (PE22/126), but the use of e in this form means it is most likely a direct adapation of the Noldorin name.

valaróma

proper name. Horn of Oromë, *(lit.) Vala-horn

The name of Oromë’s horn (S/29), a compound of Vala and róma “horn”.

Conceptual Development: The first name given to this horn was Rombaras (MR/7).

vala-

verb. to have [divine] power

#Valariandë

beleriand

#Valariandë place-name "Beleriand" (genitive in the phrase Nyarna Valarianden "the annals of Beleriand" in LR:202; Tolkien later changed the genitive ending from -n to -o; hence read *Nyarna Valariandëo) In the essay Quendi and Eldar, Heceldamar turns up as another Quenya term for Beleriand.

Valaraukar

Valaraukar

It is formed from words vala, 'power' and rauco, 'monster'.

indi

offspring of the valar

indi pl. noun, apparently a name of Men, hardly valid in Tolkien's later Quenya (LT2:343). Compare, however, the final element of Valarindi "Offspring of the Valar", suggesting that #indi can be used for "offspring" (the Quenya word is apparently plural). It may be that in Valarindi, a h has dropped out following r, and that the independent word would be *hindi (as a variant of -hín, -híni "children").

rombaras

proper name. Horn of Oromë

The earliest name of the Horn of Oromë (MR/7). The exact meaning is unclear, but is most likely some derivation of the root √ROM “horn noise”. It was soon changed to Valaróma.

-a

it is said

-r nominative plural ending regularly used on nouns ending in -a, -i, -ië, -o, -u, e.g. Ainur, Valar, tier. Occasionally it is added also to nouns ending in -ë (that normally take the ending -I in the pl.). This seems to regularly happen in the case of nouns in -lë (see #fintalë, mallë, tyellë), sometimes also otherwise (see Ingwë, wendë, essë #1). This plural ending was ("it is said") first used by the Noldor (PM:402).

Malcaraucë

balrog

Malcaraucë noun "balrog", also Valkaraucë _("k")_(LT1:250; in Tolkien's later Quenya Valarauco)

Valcaraucë

balrog

Valcaraucë ("k") noun "balrog", also Malcaraucë (LT1:250; in Tolkien's later Quenya valarauco)

lambë

tongue, language

lambë noun "tongue, language" (the usual word for 'language' in non-technical use) (WJ:368, 394, ÑGAL/ÑGALAM), "the language or dialect of a particular country or people...never used for 'language' in general, but only for particular forms of speech" (VT39:15); also name of tengwa #27 (Appendix E). (In early "Qenya", lambë was defined as "tongue" of body, but also of land, or even = "speech" [LT2:339]. In LotR-style Quenya lambë only means "tongue = speech", whereas the word for a physical tongue is lamba.) Lambë Valarinwa "Valarin tongue" (WJ:397), lambë Quendion "the language of the Elves" (PM:395), Lambengolmor pl. noun "Loremasters of Tongues", a school founded by Fëanor (WJ:396); sg. #Lambengolmo. Spelt Lambeñgolmor in VT48:6.

malarauco

balrog, demon

malarauco noun "balrog, demon" (RUK - rather valarauco in Tolkien's later Quenya)

rauco

powerful, hostile, and terrible creature

rauco ("k") noun "a powerful, hostile, and terrible creature", "very terrible creature", especially in the compound Valarauco noun "Demon of Might" _(WJ:415, VT39:10, cf. SA:raukor. In the Etymologies, stem RUK, the gloss is "demon".)_ Longer variant arauco. The plural form Valaraucar "Balrogs" seems to contain the variant rauca.

valanya

noun. *Friday, Vala-day

Aino

god

Aino noun "god", within Tolkien's mythos a synonym of Ainu (but since Aino is basically only a personalized form of aina "holy", hence "holy one", it could be used as a general word for "god") (PE15:72)

Veleriande

place name. Beleriand

arauco

powerful, hostile, and terrible creature; demon

arauco ("k")noun "a powerful, hostile, and terrible creature; demon" (variant of rauco). Tolkien's earlier "Qenya" has araucë "demon" (WJ:415, LT1:250)

lamba

tongue

lamba (1) noun "tongue" (physical tongue, while lambë = "language") (WJ:394, LAB; according to VT45:25, Tolkien first wrote lambe, but as noted, this alternative form is rather used for "tongue" in the sense of "language")

lambe

noun. tongue

malariandë

place name. Beleriand

quetil

tongue, language

quetil ("q")noun "tongue, language" (KWET)

aino

noun. god

balan

Vala

pl1. Belain** ** n. Vala.

rodon

vala

1) Rodon (pl. Rodyn, coll. pl. Rodonnath), 2) Balan (i Valan), pl. Belain (i Melain). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. form used with the article was "iMbelain" (LR:365 s.v. KIRIK).

Beleriand

The Country of Balar

Beleriand translates to "The Country of Balar" with the ending -ian(d) for places and countries. The OS form could have been *Balariande (a slid to e because of the following i).

In the The Book of Lost Tales Part One, there is also the Quenya name "Valariandë".

Beleriand

Beleriand

Beleriand translates to "The Country of Balar" with the ending -ian(d) for places and countries. The OS form could have been *Balariande (a slid to e because of the following i). The element Beler/Balar is believed to refer to the Maia Ossë, who often dwelt at the shores of the island. In the The Book of Lost Tales Part One, there is also the Quenya name "Valariandë".

balrog

proper name. Demon of Might

The great fire demons of Melkor, a combination of the root √BAL “power” with raug “demon” (SA/rauko, val; PE17/48).

Conceptual Development: The name G. Balrog appeared in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/93) and always kept this form in Tolkien’s writings, but its meaning and etymology evolved over time: G. “a kind of fire demon” (GL/21), ᴱN. “evil demon” (PE13/138), N. “✱Torment Demon” (Ety/ÑGWAL, RUK), an untranslated orc word (LR/404) and finally S. “Mighty Demon” (PE17/48).

Beleriand

Beleriand

topon. -.

Beleriand

noun. the land of Balar

Balar (the name of the island, from PQ *balāre) + iand (-and commonly used suffix in the names of regions and countries)

balan

noun. Vala, divine power, divinity

balrog

noun. demon of power

bal- (stem “cruel” [Etym. ÑGWAL-]) + raug (“powerful and hostile creature, demon”)

lam

noun. physical tongue

lam

tongue

_ n. _tongue. Q. lambe. >> lammen

Eru

god

(the One) #Eru, isolated from Eruchín** **"children of the One" (= Elves and Men; sg. *Eruchen).

aenor

noun. god

A neologism for “a god” opposed to “God” (Eru), based on Gnomish ain. A direct adaptation of the Gnomish form would be aen, but that conflicts with aen “should be”; Fiona Jallings suggested the extended form aenor in a Discord chat in August 2019.

bâl

divine power

construct bal, pl. bail (divinity). Note: the word can also be used as an adj. "divine".

dúnedhel

beleriand, elf of

(i Núnedhel), pl. *Dúnedhil*** (i Ndúnedhil*) (WJ:378, 386)*

eru

noun. God

eru

god

isolated from Eruchín "children of the One" (= Elves and Men; sg. ✱Eruchen).

lam

tongue

(both body-part and = ”dialect, language”) lam (pl. laim, coll. pl. lammath). (WJ:394, 416) Not: lam is also used = ”echo, voice, echoing voice”.

lam

tongue

(pl. laim, coll. pl. lammath). (WJ:394, 416) Not: lam is also used = ”echo, voice, echoing voice”.

lammas

account of tongues

lammen

my tongue

.

tûr

power

tûr (i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. tuir (i thuir), coll. pl. túrath.

tûr

power

(i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. t**uir (i th**uir), coll. pl. túrath.

balan

noun. Power, God

beleriand

place name. Beleriand

balan

noun. Vala, divine power, divinity

lamben

place name. Tongue

A transient name for the Naith in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, glossed “Tongue” (TI/280). It seems to be an elaboration or variant form of N. lham(b) “tongue”.

lham

noun. physical tongue

lham(b)

noun. tongue

lhamb

noun. physical tongue

avalô

noun. Power, God

An Adûnaic noun translated as “God” or “Power” (SD/247, 305), the equivalent of (and possibly derived from) Q. Vala. It is probably pronounced [awalō], since the sound [w] in Adûnaic was sometime written “v” (SD/434). It frequently appeared in its plural or subjective plural forms Avalôi(m) “Powers, Gods”.

Conceptual Development: In early drafts of Adûnaic its plural was Avalâi with a long â instead of ô, perhaps indicating an earlier singular form Avalâ closer to Vala. Earlier still this word was given as plural Balāi, a more direct derivative of the Elvish root form ᴹ√BAL.

¤kurwē

noun. power, ability

heculbar

place name. Beleriand