were-

verb. to weave

A verb based on √WER “weave” that Tolkien coined in notes from around 1957 while exploring the development of the name S. Gwaihir (PE17/33). The section where this verb appeared was marked out, and in notes 1959-60 Tolkien changed the root to √WIR “weave” (PE17/191; VT39/10).

Neo-Quenya: This verb might be updated to ✱vir- “to weave” from the later form of the root, but I prefer to stick to attested [ᴹQ.] lanya- for “to weave” (Ety/LAN).

Derivations

• √WIR “weave, twine, weaving with cross-threads or withes” ✧ PE17/033

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√WER > were-	[gwer-] > [ɣwer-] > [wer-]	✧ PE17/033

were-

weave

were- vb. "weave" (cited as a derivative of the root WER "twine, weave" and maybe a primitive form rather than a Quenya word). (PE17:33)

lanya-

weave

lanya- (2) vb. "weave" (LAN)