Quenya 

sarmë

writing

sarmë noun "writing" (VT39:8). Cf. sarat.

sarmë

noun. writing

Derivations

  • SAR “score, incise; write, score, incise; [extended sense] write; [ᴹ√] *stone”

Variations

  • sarme ✧ VT39/08

taina

sign

#taina (2) noun "sign", isolated from Tainacolli *"Sign-bearer" MR:385

tengwa

noun. sign

sign, indicator, letter

Quenya [PE 19:97] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

tengwa

letter

tengwa (pl. tengwar is attested) (1) noun "letter" Tengwa (ñ) is defined as "any one visible sign representing (theoretically) any one audible teñgwe" (phoneme) (VT39:17). In non-technical usage tengwa was equivalent to "consonant", since only the consonants were full signs (WJ:396, TEK). In the Etymologies, tengwa was apparently emended from tengwë (VT46:17).

tengwë

indication, sign, token

tengwë (pl. tengwi attested) noun "indication, sign, token", in linguistics used for phonemes(VT39:7, WJ:394); hloníti tengwi "phonetic signs" (WJ:395). The term tengwë was particularly associated with consonants (VT39:16). In the Etymologies, stem TEK, tengwë is glossed "writing"; this gloss would seem to be obsolete (for this meaning the word sarmë occurs in Tolkien's later material).

tengwë

noun. sign, token, indication; writing, sign, token, indication; writing; [ᴱQ.] knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought

Derivations

  • tekmē “writing, grammar” ✧ PE19/086
    • TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE19/086
  • teñwe “sign, token, indication” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/17; WJ/394
    • TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ VT39/04; VT39/15; WJ/394

Element in

  • ᴺQ. calatengwë “photograph, (lit.) light-writing”
  • Q. lambetengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/16
  • Q. náva-tengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/08
  • Q. pávatengwë “consonant” ✧ VT39/08
  • ᴺQ. nwátengwë “irony, (lit.) disguise-token”
  • Q. óma-tengwë “vowel-sign” ✧ VT39/08; VT39/16
  • ᴺQ. tengwelanga “transcription”
  • Q. tengwelë “language (general term), language (general term); [ᴱQ.] sense” ✧ VT39/16
  • Q. tengwesta “grammar, morphology, system or code of signs, collection of matter concerning writing, *language structure” ✧ PE21/82; VT39/16; WJ/394

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
tekmē > tengwe[tekmē] > [tegmē] > [teŋmē] > [teŋgwē] > [teŋgwe]✧ PE19/086
teñgwe > tengwe[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]✧ VT39/04
teñ-we > teñgwe[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]✧ VT39/17
tenwe > tengwe[teŋwe] > [teŋgwe]✧ WJ/394

Variations

  • tengwe ✧ PE19/086 (tengwe); VT39/04; VT39/05; VT39/07; WJ/394; WJ/396
  • teñgwe ✧ PE21/82; VT39/16; VT39/17
Quenya [PE19/086; PE21/82; VT39/04; VT39/05; VT39/07; VT39/08; VT39/16; VT39/17; WJ/394; WJ/395; WJ/396] Group: Eldamo. Published by

sarat

letter

sarat (pl. sarati given) noun "letter", any individual significant mark, used of the letters of Rúmil after the invention of Fëanor's tengwar (WJ:396). Cf. sarmë.

tanna

sign, token

tanna (1) noun "sign, token" (MR:385, PE17:186), also tanwa (PE17:186)

tanwa

sign, token

tanwa noun "sign, token" (Tolkien marked this word with a query, but it is not clearly rejected). Also tanna (#1). (PE17:186)

narwë

sign, token

[narwë (and short nar, unless this is an incomplete form) noun "sign, token"] (VT45:37)

parma

noun. book, writing, composition, written document of some size, book, writing, composition, written document of some size; [ᴱQ.] skin, bark; parchment

Cognates

Derivations

  • PAR “peel, peel, *bare” ✧ PE17/086; PE17/171

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
PAR > parma[parmā] > [parma]✧ PE17/086
PAR > parma[parmā] > [parma]✧ PE17/171
Quenya [LotR/1122; PE17/077; PE17/086; PE17/091; PE17/123; PE17/156; PE17/171; PE17/180; PE18/101; PMCH/01; TMME/192; UTI/Parmaitë; VT49/39; VT49/47] Group: Eldamo. Published by

parma

noun. book

book, writing, composition

Quenya [PE 18:51 PE 18:101] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

parma

book

parma noun "book", also name of tengwa #2 (PAR, Appendix E). In early "Qenya", the gloss was "skin, bark, parchment, book, writings" (LT2:346); Tolkien later revisited the idea that parma basically is a noun "peel" and refers to bark or skin (as primitive writing materials, PE17:86): "peel, applied to bark or skin, hence "book", bark (literally skinning, peeling off), parchment, book; a book (or written document of some size")" (PE17:123). In the meantimeTolkien had associated the word with a root PAR meaning "compose, put together" (LR:380); the word loiparë "mistake in writing" (q.v.) may also suggest that the root PAR at one point was to mean "write", so that a parma was a "written thing". Instrumental form parmanen "with a book" or "by means of a book" (PE17:91, 180), parmastanna "on your book" (with the endings -sta dual "your", -nna allative) (VT49:47), parmahentië noun "book reading" (PE17:77). Other compounds: parmalambë noun "book-language" = Q[u]enya (PAR), #parma-resta noun "book-fair", attested with the endings -lya "thy" and the allative ending -nna (parma-restalyanna *"upon your book-fair") (VT49:38, 39). Parma as the name of the tengwa letter for P occurs compunded in parmatéma noun "p-series", labials, the second column of the Tengwar system (Appendix E).

Sindarin 

têw

noun. letter, written sign

Sindarin [Ety/391, WJ/396, LotR/II:IV, LotR/E, Letters/427] Group: SINDICT. Published by

taen

noun. sign

Sindarin [Taengyl, Tengyl MR/385] Group: SINDICT. Published by

tew

letter

(dew), pl1. tiw _ n. _letter. tew << têw; tiw << tîw. >> téw

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:44] < _*teiw_ < _teñwa_ < TEÑ show, sign, indicate. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

têw

noun. letter

Changes

  • têwtew ✧ PE17/044
  • tîwtiw ✧ PE17/044
  • tēwtew ✧ PE17/044

Cognates

  • Q. tengwa “(written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar” ✧ LotR/1117; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/122; PE17/122; WJ/396

Derivations

  • tekmā “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044
    • TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044
  • teñwā “letter, sign, token” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE22/149
    • TEÑ “indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at, indicate, signify, show, represent, betoken, mark, to point at; [ᴱ√] know, understand” ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE19/097; PE22/149

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
tekmā > tegmā > teŋw > tēw[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/043
tekmāi > tekmī > tiŋw > tīw[tekmāi] > [tekmī] > [tegmī] > [tegmi] > [teŋmi] > [tiŋmi] > [tiŋwi] > [tīwi] > [tīw]✧ PE17/043
tek-mā > tew[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/044
teñwa > teiw > tew[teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/044
tekma > teŋ̃ma > tēw[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [tegma] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/044
teñmi > tiñm(i) > tîw[tekmī] > [tegmī] > [tegmi] > [teŋmi] > [tiŋmi] > [tiŋwi] > [tīwi] > [tīw]✧ PE17/044
teñwa > tēwa > tēw[teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tēw]✧ PE17/044
teŋmā > teŋwā > tēwa > tîw[teŋmā] > [teŋma] > [teŋwa] > [tēwa] > [tīwa] > [tīw]✧ PE22/149

Variations

  • tēw ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044 (tēw); PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/122
  • tew ✧ PE17/044; PE17/044
  • tîw ✧ PE17/044 (tîw); PE22/149
Sindarin [Let/427; LotR/0305; LotR/1117; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/122; PE22/149; WJ/396] Group: Eldamo. Published by

teithan

1hF35# noun. writing, scripture, written thing, letter, epistle

A theoretical noun from CE *tektanā (cf. -nā).

tann

sign

1) (etymologically ”something shown/indicated”) tann (i dann), construct tan, pl. tain (i thain) (MR:185); 2) têw (i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (letter, tengwa), pl. tîw (i **thîw), coll. pl. téwath**;

tann

sign

(i dann), construct tan, pl. tain (i thain)** **(MR:185)

têw

sign

(i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (letter, tengwa), pl. tîw (i thîw), coll. pl. téwath

parf

book

parf (i barf, o pharf), pl. perf (i pherf), coll. pl. parvath

parf

book

(i barf, o pharf), pl. perf (i pherf), coll. pl. parvath

têw

letter

têw (i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (sign, tengwa), pl. tîw (i **thîw), coll. pl. téwath**

têw

letter

(i dêw, o thêw, construct tew) (sign, tengwa), pl. tîw (i thîw), coll. pl. téwath

Telerin 

parma

noun. book

Cognates

  • Q. parma “book, writing, composition, written document of some size, book, writing, composition, written document of some size; [ᴱQ.] skin, bark; parchment”

Derivations

  • PAR “learn; arrange, [ᴹ√] compose, put together”

Primitive elvish

tekmē

noun. writing, grammar

Derivations

  • TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE19/086

Derivatives

  • Q. tengwë “sign, token, indication; writing, sign, token, indication; writing; [ᴱQ.] knowledge, understanding; idea, notion, thought” ✧ PE19/086
Primitive elvish [PE19/086] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tekmā

noun. letter

Changes

  • tek-māteñwa ✧ PE17/044

Derivations

  • TEK “make a written mark, sign, write, make a written mark, sign, write, [ᴹ√] write or draw (signs or letters)” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044

Derivatives

  • Q. tengwa “(written) letter; sign, token, indicator, (written) letter; sign, token, indicator; [ᴹQ.] writing, grammar” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/044; PE18/104
  • S. têw “letter” ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043; PE17/044; PE17/044; PE17/044

Variations

  • tek-mā ✧ PE17/044 (tek-mā)
  • tekma ✧ PE17/044; PE18/104
Primitive elvish [PE17/043; PE17/044; PE18/104] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

tîw

noun. letter

tew

noun. letter

@@@ tîw (Ety/TEK) appears to be plural, but is clearly glossed as singular “letter” with primitive form tekmē

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. tengwa “letter; writing, grammar” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE22/031
  • On. tegma “letter” ✧ PE22/031

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tekmē “letter, symbol, writing” ✧ Ety/TEK
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK
  • On. tegma “letter” ✧ PE22/031
    • ᴹ✶tekmā “writing, grammar”
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE19/043

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶tekmē > tîw[tekmē] > [tegmē] > [tegme] > [teŋme] > [teime] > [tīme] > [tīm] > [tīv] > [tīw]✧ Ety/TEK
On. tegma > teiw > tew[tegma] > [teŋma] > [teima] > [teim] > [teiv] > [teiw] > [tew]✧ PE22/031

Variations

  • tîw ✧ Ety/TEK
Noldorin [Ety/TEK; PE22/031; TI/182] Group: Eldamo. Published by

parf

noun. book

Noldorin [Ety/380] Group: SINDICT. Published by

parf

noun. book

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivations

  • On. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
    • ᴹ✶parmā “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
    • ᴹ√PAR “compose, put together, arrange” ✧ Ety/PAR

Element in

  • ᴺS. parlas “parchment, document”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
On. parma > parf[parma] > [parm] > [parv]✧ Ety/PAR
On. parma > perf[parmi] > [permi] > [perm] > [perv]✧ Ety/PAR
Noldorin [Ety/PAR; EtyAC/PAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

gammas

noun. s-sign (special sign used to mark a final -s in Tengwar)

Noldorin [VT/45:14] Group: SINDICT. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Qenya 

tengwe

noun. writing

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tekmē “letter, symbol, writing” ✧ EtyAC/TEK
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK

Element in

  • ᴹQ. Tengwesser “Letter-names” ✧ PE22/022
  • ᴹQ. tengwesta “grammar; collection of writing” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE21/57

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶tekme > tengwe[tekme] > [tegme] > [teŋme] > [teŋgwe]✧ EtyAC/TEK
Qenya [Ety/TEK; EtyAC/TEK; PE21/57; PE22/022] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tengwa

noun. letter; writing, grammar

Changes

  • tengwetengwa ✧ Ety/TEK

Cognates

  • N. tew “letter” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE22/031

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tekmā “writing, grammar” ✧ EtyAC/TEK; PE19/043
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE19/043

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶tekma > tengwa[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa]✧ EtyAC/TEK
ᴹ✶tekmā > tegmā > teñma > teñgwa[tekmā] > [tegmā] > [teŋmā] > [teŋgwā] > [teŋgwa]✧ PE19/043

Variations

  • tengwe ✧ EtyAC/TEK (tengwe)
  • teñgwa ✧ PE19/043
Qenya [Ety/TEK; EtyAC/TEK; PE19/043; PE22/031; SDI2/tengwar; TII/Tengwar] Group: Eldamo. Published by

parma

noun. book

Cognates

  • On. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
  • N. parf “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶parmā “book” ✧ Ety/PAR; PE18/051; PE21/61
    • ᴹ√PAR “compose, put together, arrange” ✧ Ety/PAR

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶parmā > parma[parmā] > [parma]✧ Ety/PAR
ᴹ✶parmā > parma[parmā] > [parma]✧ PE18/051
ᴹ✶parmānĕ > parmān > parman[parmāne] > [parmān] > [parman]✧ PE21/61
Qenya [Ety/PAR; EtyAC/PAR; PE18/051; PE21/08; PE21/58; PE21/59; PE21/60; PE21/61; PE22/018; PE22/019; PE22/022; PE22/046; PE22/050; PE22/061; PE22/063] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

tegma

noun. letter

Cognates

  • N. tew “letter” ✧ PE22/031

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶tekmā “writing, grammar”
    • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE19/043

Derivatives

  • N. tew “letter” ✧ PE22/031
Old Noldorin [PE22/031] Group: Eldamo. Published by

parma

noun. book

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶parmā “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
    • ᴹ√PAR “compose, put together, arrange” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivatives

  • N. parf “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶parmā > parma[parmā] > [parma]✧ Ety/PAR
Old Noldorin [Ety/PAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

tekmā

noun. writing, grammar

Changes

  • tekmātekmē ✧ Ety/TEK

Derivations

  • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK; PE19/043

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. tengwa “letter; writing, grammar” ✧ EtyAC/TEK; PE19/043
  • On. tegma “letter”
    • N. tew “letter” ✧ PE22/031

Variations

  • tekma ✧ EtyAC/TEK
Middle Primitive Elvish [EtyAC/TEK; PE19/043] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tekmē

noun. letter, symbol, writing

Derivations

  • ᴹ√TEK “write or draw (signs or letters), make a mark” ✧ Ety/TEK

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. tengwe “writing” ✧ EtyAC/TEK
  • N. tew “letter” ✧ Ety/TEK

Variations

  • tekme ✧ EtyAC/TEK
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/TEK; EtyAC/TEK] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndar

root. sign

A rejected root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with a single derivative: ᴹQ. narwe “sign, token”, along with an unglossed (and probably incomplete) form nar... (EtyAC/NDAR).

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. narwe “sign, token” ✧ EtyAC/NDAR
Middle Primitive Elvish [EtyAC/NDAR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

parmā

noun. book

Derivations

  • ᴹ√PAR “compose, put together, arrange” ✧ Ety/PAR

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR; PE18/051; PE21/61
  • On. parma “book” ✧ Ety/PAR
    • N. parf “book” ✧ Ety/PAR

Variations

  • parmă ✧ PE21/64
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/PAR; PE18/051; PE21/58; PE21/61; PE21/64] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

teket

noun. letter

@@@ used for “letter (epistola)” in NQNT

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TEKE “make marks” ✧ QL/090

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TEKE > teket[tekett] > [teket]✧ QL/090

Variations

  • teketta ✧ QL/090
Early Quenya [QL/090] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tekka

noun. book

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TEKE “make marks” ✧ QL/090

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TEKE > tekka[tekkā] > [tekka]✧ QL/090
Early Quenya [QL/090] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tekte

noun. book

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TEKE “make marks” ✧ QL/090

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TEKE > tekte[tekti] > [tekte]✧ QL/090
Early Quenya [QL/090] Group: Eldamo. Published by

teketta

noun. letter