ya

pronoun. which, that (relative pronoun)

The basic relative pronoun in Quenya, mostly used in inflected forms, such as: yassen tintilar i eleni “wherein the stars tremble” (LotR/377). See the entry on relative pronouns for further discusion.

Conceptual Development: The use of ᴱQ. ya as a relative pronoun dates back to the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s (PE14/54), but for a period in the 1930s and 40s ᴹQ. ya was used more as a remote demonstrative (Ety/YA; PE23/96-98). See the entry on correlatives for more on this usage as of 1948.

ya

as

ya (2) or yan, prep. "as" (VT43:16, probably abandoned in favour of sívë)

ya

which, what

ya (1) relative pronoun "which, what" (attested in VT43:28, 34 and in the Arctic sentence), with locative suffix in Namárië: see #yassë. According to VT47:21, ya is impersonal, "which" rather than "who(m)" (compare the personal form ye). The dative form yan (q.v.) is however used for "to whom" (rather than "to which") in one text, indicating that Tolkien did not always distinguish between personal and impersonal forms. In the phrase lúmessë ya [variant: yá**] firuvammë, "in [the] hour that we shall die", the relative pronoun is not explicitly marked for case and is evidently understood to share the case of the preceding noun (hence not lúmessë yassë**... "in [the] hour in which"...) (VT43:27-28) Presumably, ya has the plural form *yar* (e.g. i nati yar hirnen** "the things that/which I found").

yaht-

verb. yaht-

yaht- seeyat (YAK)

yavannamírë

yavanna-jewel

yavannamírë noun "Yavanna-jewel", name of a tree with globed and scarlet fruits (UT:167)

yavannamírë

noun. Jewel of Yavanna

A species of tree in Númenor with globed and scarlet fruits (UT/167; NM/333), translated by Christopher Tolkien as “Jewel of Yavanna” (UTI/Yavannamírë). This name is a compound of Yavanna and the noun mírë “jewel”.

yavannildi

collective name. Maidens of Yavanna

Elvish women who were devotees of Yavanna and learned the secret of crafting lembas (PM/404). The initial element of this name is Yavanna and the second element may be a feminized form of the suffix -(n)dil “friend”, as in [ᴹQ.] nilde “female friend”, or perhaps the plural of the feminine agental suffix -ldë.

Yavannildi

followers of yavanna

Yavannildi pl. noun "Followers of Yavanna" (sg. #Yavannildë?), Elvish women who knew and kept the secret of the making of coimas (lembas) (PM:404). Apparently Yavanna + hildi.

yanga-

to yawn

yanga- vb. "to yawn" (YAG)

yavannië

noun. September, *Yavanna-ness

yallumë

conjunction. in times when, in times when, [ᴹQ.] at the time that

A relative conjunction appearing in the first draft of the Löa Yucainen poem in the phrase yallumë Eldalië enwa marnië endoressë lumincë “in times when the Eldalie dwelt yet a little while in Middle-earth” (CPT/1296). It is a combination of the relative pronoun ya and lúmë “time”.

Conceptual Development: In Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948, ᴹQ. yallume meant “at (that) far distant time”, because in that document ᴹQ. ya indicated remoteness rather than being used as relative pronoun (PE23/96, 110). The word yallume also had a similar meaning in Fíriel’s Song of the 1930s, within the phrase ᴹQ. íre ilqa yéva nótina, hostainiéva, yallume “when all is counted, and all numbered at last” (LR/72).

Meanwhile, the temporal relative conjunctions in DRC was ᴹQ. †in or inan “(relative) at the time mentioned, at the same time” (PE23/109), a combination of the relative pronoun ᴹQ. i and ᴹQ. -n(an) “time”. This replaced ĭn, inde “when, rel[ative]” from drafts of DRC (PE23/110 note #121).

There was also ᴹQ. illume “at the time that” where the second element was ᴹQ. -llume “time” (PE23/97). In the Quenya Verbal System of the same period, ᴹQ. illume was listed among various words meaning “when, whenever” (PE22/121).

yallë

conjunction. as, like, [lit.] in the same way as

A word for “as, like” or more literally “in the same way as”, a combination of the relative pronoun ya and the suffix -llë related to lé “way, method, manner” (PE17/74).

Conceptual Development: Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 instead had ᴹQ. íl or ilde of similar meaning, but using the earlier suffix -l(de) (PE23/111).

yá

conjunction. when

A relative conjunction “when” appearing in various phrases in Tolkien’s writings of the 1950s and 60s, a vowel-lengthened form of the relative pronoun ya.

Conceptual Development: Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 had ᴹQ. í glossed “(relative) at the time mentioned, at the same time”, a vowel-lengthened form of the relative pronoun ᴹQ. i (PE23/109). This was also given the gloss “when, whenever” in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from this same period (PE22/121). Earlier still, ᴹQ. íre was used as the relative conjunction “when” in Fíriel’s Song of the 1930s. In the Early Qenya Grammar it seems ᴱQ. yan “when” served this function (PE14/59).

yalúmessë

once upon a time

yalúmessë noun in locative "once upon a time" (locative form of yalúmë) (YA)

yalúmë

former times

yalúmë noun "former times" (but the Quenya word is singular)_ (YA). _Cf. yalúmessë.

yalúmëa

olden

yalúmëa adj. "olden" (YA)

yan

for/to which

yan relative pronoun in dative "for/to which" or "for/to whom" (PE16:90, 92, 96). Used for "to whom" in the poem Nieninque; according to the system described elsewhere, which distinguishes personal ye "who" from impersonal ya "which", "to whom" would be *yen instead. A wholly distinct ya(n) seems to appear as an ephemeral word for "as" in one version of the Quenya Lord's Prayer; see ya #2 (VT43:16, VT49:18)

yana

that

yana demonstrative "that" (the former) (YA)

yar

to whom

yar inflected relative pronoun "to whom" (MC:215; this may be "Qenya", but on the other hand both the relative pronoun ya and an allativic ending -r are still valid in Tolkien's later Quenya, cf. mir "into". Later versions of the text in question however use yan [q.v.], with the common dative ending -n.) Likely, yar could also be the plural form of the relative pronoun ya, q.v.

yassë

once upon a time

yassë (2) adv. "once upon a time" (YA); writers may rather use yalúmessë or yáressë of similar meaning to avoid confusion with # 1 above.

yassë

in which

#yassë (1) relative pronoun in locative "in which", pl. yassen referring back to a plural noun (relative pronoun ya + locative ending) (Nam, RGEO:66)

yá

formerly

yá (1) adv.? "formerly", also postposition (?) "ago" (YA). The form yá also appears as a variant of the relative pronoun ya, q.v.

yassen tintilar i eleni

in which twinkle the stars

The 6th phrase of the prose Namárië, essentially unaltered from its poetic form:

> yassen tintilar i eleni (“in which twinkle the stars”)

It seems that Tolkien left this phrase in the “poetic” word order despite its inclusion in the “prose” version of the poem. In normal Quenya word order, the subject precedes the verb:

> yassen tintilar i eleni »»» ✱yassen i eleni tintilar (“in which the stars twinkle”)

This (hypothetical) word order is consistent with the English translation of the poetic version: “wherein the stars tremble”.

Alternately, this example may indicate that even in ordinary Quenya speech, the subject could be displayed to after the verb in a subordinate clause. It seems unlikely this was a universal rule, since there are attested examples where this did not happen:

• yá hríve menë, ringa ná “when winter comes, it is cold” (VT49/24)

• náner ataformaitë ve fírimor quetir “✱they were ambidextrous as mortals say”

yavanna

feminine name. Giver of Fruits, (lit.) Fruit-gift

Valië of the earth, spouse of Aulë, whose name was translated “Giver of Fruits” (S/27). This name is a compound of yávë “fruit” and the noun anna “gift” (SA/yávë, anna), so literally meant “fruit-gift” (PE17/93).

Conceptual Development: This name dates back to the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/66), and ᴱQ. Yavanna appeared in the Qenya Lexicon as a derivative of the root ᴱ√ẎAVA along with other words having to do with “fruit” (LTA1/Yavanna, QL/105). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, ᴹQ. Yavanna appeared with the etymology given above (Ety/ANA¹, YAB). This etymology appeared in later writings as well (PE17/93).

yanta

noun. bridge

The Quenya word for “bridge” from The Lord of the Rings appendices, also the name of tengwa #35 [l] used in i-diphthongs (LotR/1123). ᴹQ. yanta “bridge” also appeared as the name of this tengwa in notes The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s and 40s (PE22/22, 51).

Conceptual Development: Earlier words for “bridge” include ᴱQ. penda “bridge” under the early root ᴱ√PENE (QL/73) and ᴱQ. ranta “arch, bridge” under the early root ᴱ√RAÞA (QL/79). See the entry for √YAN “join” for a discussion of the possible later development of yanta’s root.

yanwë

noun. joining, joining, [ᴹQ.] isthmus, bridge

This noun appeared as ᴹQ. {yanwa >>} yanwe “bridge, joining, isthmus” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√YAT “join” (Ety/YAT; EtyAC/YAT). Its primitive form was given as ᴹ✶yatmā, and Tolkien neglected to revise it to ✱yatmē when the final vowel of the Quenya form was updated. This etymology of the noun reflected the sound change of tm > dm > nw which Tolkien used in the 1930s-50s.

In notes from the late 1960s, Tolkien had Q. yanwë “joining” derived from {✱yadme >>} √YAN (VT49/45). This change in derivation likely reflected Tolkien’s decision in the 1960s that tm > tw, as suggested by Carl Hostetter (VT49/46).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use this noun only for “joining, isthmus”. For “bridge” I would use Q. yanta from The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1123). I prefer to retain Tolkien’s pre-1960s phonetic developments for tm, so I would assume the root was √YAT and this noun was derived from ✱yatmē > yadwe > yanwe.

Yavanna

fruit-gift

Yavanna, fem. name: Yav-anna, "Fruit-gift" (PE17:93) or "Fruit-giver", name of a Valië, spouse of Aulë, associated especially with plants (YAB, ANA1; cf. yávë)

Yavannië

september

Yavannië noun, name of the ninth month of the year, "September" (Appendix D, SA:yávë)

yaima

implement

yaima noun "implement" (GL:37)

yaimë

wailing

yaimë noun "wailing", from which is derived the adjective yaimëa "wailing", pl. yaimië in Markirya

yaimëa

wailing

yaimëa adj. "wailing", pl. yaimië in Markirya

yaisa

steel

yaisa noun "steel" (GL:37)

yaiwë

mocking, scorn

yaiwë noun "mocking, scorn" (YAY)

yal-

summon

yal- vb. "summon". In enyalië "to recall" (Notes on CO, UT:317)

yallumë

at last

yallumë adv.? "at last" (FS)

yalmë

clamour

yalmë noun "clamour" (ÑGAL/ÑGALAM)

yaltë

bridge

yaltë noun "bridge" (GL:37); rather yanta in Tolkien's later Quenya

yam-

shout

yam- or yama- vb. "shout" (PE16:134, yamin, *"I shout", QL:105), pa.t. yámë (QL:105)

yanda

wide

yanda adj. "wide" (PE17:115); variant of yána #1, q.v.

yando

also

yando adv. "also" (QL:104)

yanta

bridge

yanta noun "bridge", also name of tengwa #35 (Appendix E); in the Etymologies, yanta is defined as "yoke" (YAT)

yantya-

add, augment

yantya- vb. "add, augment" (PE15:68)

yanwë

bridge, joining, isthmus

yanwë noun "bridge, joining, isthmus" (YAT, "joining", VT49:45, 46), changed by Tolkien from yanwa (VT46:22, VT49:34)

yarra-

growl, snarl

yarra- noun "growl, snarl" (stem used as participle in Markirya, translated "snarling")

yaru

gloom, blight

yaru noun "gloom, blight" (GL:37)

yat

neck

yat (yaht-) noun "neck" (YAK)

yatta

narrow neck, isthmus

yatta noun "narrow neck, isthmus" (YAK). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, yatta was also the name of tengwa #35, which letter Tolkien would later call yanta instead.

yaulë

cat

yaulë noun "cat" (PE16:132). Compare mëoi.

yav-

bear fruit

yav- vb. "bear fruit" (LT1:273, given in the form yavin and glossed "bears fruit"; this would have to mean "I bear fruit" in Tolkien's later Quenya: 1st pers. sg. aorist)

yaxë

milch cow

yaxë noun "milch cow", also yaxi "cow" (in Tolkien's later Quenya, the latter would probably be a plural) (GL:36)

yá

when

yá (2) conj. "when" in the sentence yá hrívë tenë, ringa ná "when winter comes, it is cold" (VT49:23). Compare írë #2.

yan

adverb/conjunction. *as

@@@ possibly modal adverb

yassen tintilar i eleni

wherein the stars tremble

Last part of the sixth line @@@

yassë

conjunction. where [relative], in which place

yaimë

noun. wailing

yaimëa

adjective. wailing

yal-

verb. to summon, to summon, *call (out to)

yallumë eldalië enwa marnië endoressë lumincë

in times when the Eldalie dwelt yet a little while in Middle-earth

yarra-

verb. to growl, snarl

yanda

adjective. wide

yan i wilyar antar miquelis

*to whom the air gives kisses

atya

daddy

atya (2) noun "daddy", supposedly a word in "actual 'family' use" (VT47:26, PE17:170), also used in children's play for "thumb" and "big toe" (VT47:10, 26, VT48:4, 6); reduction of at(an)ya "my father" (or, as explained in VT48:19, reduction of at-nya of similar meaning). Compare atto.

ciryando

noun. sailor

A word for a “sailor” in notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/58), a combination of cirya “ship” with the (masculine) agental suffix -ndo.

ciryando

sailor

ciryando ("k")noun "sailor" (PE17:58).

indyalmë

clamour

indyalmë noun "clamour" (VT46:3)

tanya

that

tanya demonstrative "that" (MC:215; this is "Qenya", perhaps corresponding to later tana)

Yavanna

Yavanna

Yavanna means "Giver of Fruits" in Quenya. The name is a compound of yáve and anna. Her epithet Kementári means "Queen of the Earth". Her Sindarin name appears to be Ivon, only attested in the compound Ivonwin ("Maidens of Yavanna").[note 1] Another form is Ivann, also seen in the Sindarin month-name Ivanneth (Quenya: Yavannië).

yanomë

adverb. in the place where

A neologism coined as part of my research into Quenya correlatives.

yaita-

verb. to mock, scorn

A neologism coined by Luinyelle posted on 2024-05-21 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a ta-formative verb derived from ᴹ√YAY “mock” with a strong past yaine “mocked, scorned”.

yaitima

adjective. ridiculous, absurd, (lit.) mockable

A neologism for “ridiculous, absurd” coined by Arael and Parmandil, posted on 2024-12-22 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) as an adjectival form of yaita- “mock, scorn”, more literally “mockable”.

yanta-

verb. to add to, enlarge, increase, augment

@@@ possibly lyanta- if you accepted gy- > dy- > ly-

Yavanna

Giver of Fruits

Yavanna means "Giver of Fruits" in Quenya. The name is a compound of yáve and anna. Her epithet Kementári means "Queen of the Earth". She is also called Palúrien.

yaitë

conjunction. such as, of the same kind as

yalca

as much as, as great as

yallini

as many as

yallo

adverb. whence

yanaurë

adverb. on the day when

yandë

adverb. of the same degree as

yanen

adverb. whereby, by which

yanicca

adverb. as little as, as small as

yanna

adverb. whither, whereto

yaro

adverb. that is the reason why

yava

adjective. whose, of which

yac-

verb. to offer, sacrifice

@@@ probably based on ᴱ✶dı̯ag- as suggested by Röandil in a discord chat from 2023-01-20

yacië

noun. offering, [act of] sacrificing

yalta

noun. yoke

yanaurëa

adjective. as old as, (lit.) of the same days as

yanca

noun. sacrifice

yangwa

noun. altar

yanta-

verb. to join

A neologism coined by Paul Strack in 2018 specifically for Eldamo to be compatible with ᴺS. ianna-.

yantaina

adjective. joined

yarra

noun. growl, snarl

yausta

noun. crop

yav-

verb. to bear (fruit), *yield, bring forth, produce

yaxë

noun. cow

yaiya-

verb. to wail, cry in pain, cry grievously

yarië

noun. antiquity

hácala

adjective. yawning

An adjective for “yawning” appearing in the Markirya poem of the 1960s, probably an active participle of an otherwise unattested verb hac- or háca- “yawn” (MC/222).

Conceptual Development: In the version of the Markirya poem from around 1930, Tolkien used ᴱQ. yáme “yawning” (MC/214), replacing yape from the drafts of the poem (PE16/81).

hácala

yawning

hácala _("k") _participle "yawning" occurring in the Markirya poem, derived from an (otherwise unattested) verb #hac- "yawn". Compare yanga-.

ranga

yard, full pace

ranga (pl. rangar is attested) noun "yard, full pace". This Númenórean linar measure was "slightly longer than our yard, approximately 38 inches [= 96.5 cm]". (UT:285, 461)

yámë

yawning

yámë adj.? "yawning" _(MC:214; cf. the stem YAG in the Etymologies)_. Not to be confused with the past tense of yam-.

ranga

noun. yard, full pace

hac-

verb. to yawn

A verb implied by the active participle hákala “yawning” from the Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/222). The verb form is often assumed to be háca-, but if this adjective is in fact a present active participle (= “is currently yawning”), then the verb may be hac- instead.

ar

conjunction. and, and; [ᴱQ., ᴹQ.] but

The word ar was the Quenya word for “and” for much of Tolkien’s life. It was related to (and originally identical with) Q. ar(a) “beside” (PE17/70). The word ar was always used between sentences, but in sets of items sometimes yo and ta were used instead.

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s ᴱQ. ar(a) was glossed “but” under the early root ᴱ√ƷARA “spread, extend sideways” (QL/32). In this earliest period the word for “and” was ᴱQ. ya(n) (QL/104). By the end of the 1920s when Tolkien composed the Nieninqe and Earendil poems, he consistently translated ar as “and” (MC/216; PE16/100). The translation “but” reappeared in a few phrases from the 1940s (PE22/124; PE23/74), but it is not clear if these were genuine shifts in meaning or loose translations.

By the time Tolkien wrote The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. ar “and” was derived from the root ᴹ√AR “beside, outside” (Ety/AR²). This seems to have remained the case up through most of the 1950s, with the possible exception of a couple phrases in the 1930s where Tolkien used a “and” instead (LR/61, 72). In this period the usual Noldorin/Sindarin word for “and” was also ar.

At some point while writing drafts of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien decided that the Sindarin word for “and” should a in the famous phrase pedo mellon a minno “speak, friend, and enter”. His motivations for this change are unclear, but he noticed the problem in notes written between the first and second edition of The Lord of the Rings, saying “a·Berhael. ‘And’ cannot therefore be [derived from] arĭ!” (PE17/102). From this point forward, Tolkien considered two possible roots serving as the basis for “and”: √AD(A) and √AS, both meaning “beside” (PE17/145; VT48/25). Of the two, Tolkien appears to have settled on √AS, which appeared in a few different notes from 1968 (VT47/31; VT48/25).

Assimilations: In the notes written between both the 1st and 2nd edition of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien consider what kind of assimilations ar might have before consonants if it were derived from √AS or √AD (PE17/41). For √AS it became a before the consonants f, h, hw, hy, became as before t, k, p, q, s, and became al before l. For √AD it became a before the consonants n, m, became as before s, and became al before l. In notes from around 1964 Tolkien said:

> It is not necessary here to specify all the assimilations that could have occurred at these different stages, since in fact few have left traces in the forms of “and” ... Later after development to ar, only as survived as an occasional form before t, and as the usual form before s (of any origin); while al appeared before l. But in written Quenya ar was usually written in all cases, though the pronunciation of ar-s, ar-l as as-s, al-l remained usual (PE17/71).

In this particular discussion, ar as derived from √AD. However, the system Tolkien described was that all the older assimilations were abandoned, and the only ones that survived were based on later assimilations involved r of any origin: rs > ss and rl > ll. These sound shifts only affected pronunciation, not spelling. Thus the same arguments would be apply if ar was derived from √AS.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would write ar “and” in all cases, and would assume it was derived from derived from √AS, but would further assume that the Tarquesta pronunciations before s and l were as-s, al-l.

i eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa

(the one/they) who; (that) which

i (2) relative pronoun "(the one/they) who; (that) which" (both article and relative pronoun in CO: i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa: the One who is above all thrones", i hárar "(they) who are sitting"); cf. also the phrase i hamil mára "(that) which you deem good" (VT42:33). Notice that before a verb, i means "the one who", or, in the case of a plural verb, "those who"; e.g. i carir quettar ómainen "those who form words with voices" (WJ:391). According to VT47:21, i as a relative pronoun is the personal plural form (corresponding to the personal sg. ye and the impersonal sg. ya). This agrees with the example i carir..., but as is evident from the other examples listed above, Tolkien in certain texts also used i as a singular relative pronoun, both personal (Eru i...) and impersonal (i hamil). In the sense of a plural personal relative pronoun, i is also attested in the genitive (ion) and ablative (illon) cases, demonstrating that unlike the indeclinable article i, the relative pronoun i can receive case endings. Both are translated "from whom": ion / illon camnelyes "from whom you received it" (referring to several persons) (VT47:21).

nëa

to be

nëa (2) an optative form of the verb na- "to be"? (nëa = LotR-style Quenya nai?): ya rato nëa "which soon may (it) be" = "which I hope will be soon" (Arct)

san

so

san (2) adv. ephemeral word for "so" (ya(n)...san "as...so"; san na "thus be" = let it be so, "amen"); this form was apparently quickly abandoned by Tolkien (VT43:16, 24, VT49.18)

ye

who

ye (1) singular personal relative pronoun "who", maybe also object "whom" (plural form i). Compare the impersonal form ya. Also attested in the genitive and the ablative cases: yëo and yello, both translated "from whom" (though the former would also mean *"whose, of whom"). (VT47:21)

yára

ancient, belonging to or descending from former times

yára adj. "ancient, belonging to or descending from former times" (YA); evidently it can also simply mean "old", since Tolkien used the intensive/superlative form #anyára to describe Elaine Griffiths as his "oldest" or "very old" friend in a book dedication (see an-).

yáressë

once upon a time

yáressë noun in locative "once upon a time" (locative form of yárë) (YA)

yárë

former days

yárë noun "former days" (YA)

yárëa

olden

yárëa adj. "olden" (YA)

yó

yô

yó ("yô"), yond- see yondo. The genitive form of the relative pronoun ya "which" would likely also appear as yó "of which, from which" (for ya-o, cf. tó "thence" from ta-o).

santa

noun. garden, field, yard; apportioned/designated space

A neologism coined by Röandil on 2023-02-24 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS) inspired by S. sant “garden, field, yard” (VT42/20). He also proposed the following idiom: santa-[personal possessive X]-sse “for [X]’s part; as far as [X] is concerned; from [X]’s point of view; as comes from/is done by [X]” (lit. “in [X]’s garden”). Personally I prefer to retain ᴱQ. tarwa for “garden”.

lango

noun. neck, neck, [ᴹQ.] throat; [Q.] passages [that are] narrower parts of a structure serving to join larger parts, *corridor

A word for “neck” appearing in notes written around 1967, derived from primitive ✶langō < √LAƷA “cross, pass over, go beyond” (PE17/92). Its primitive form meant “a passage (physical), originally applied to any route or connecting link between two places or large objects, especially such as enabled one to cross or surmount an obstacle: such as a mountain-pass, a ridge of higher land across fen-land, an isthmus etc.” (PE17/91-92). This word was then “later applied to narrower parts of a structure serving to join larger parts, especially the ‘neck’ of men and animals”. The word lango “neck” also appeared in notes from 1965, but there it was derived from √LAG, as opposed to the then-distinct root for “beyond”: √LAŊ (PE17/65).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to 1920s, where ᴱQ. lango “neck” appeared in Early Qenya Word-lists (PE16/136). It was glossed “neck” in drafts of the ᴱQ. Earendel poem (PE16/100), and as “throat” in the poem itself (MC/216). ᴹQ. lango “throat” appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s (PE21/8), but in The Etymologies of the 1930s it was {lango >>} ᴹQ. lanko “throat” from the root ᴹ√LAK “swallow” (Ety/LANK). In later writings, Q. lango “neck” was restored (see above).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I think lango can refer to both “neck” and “throat”, since its later derivation was from a word meaning “passage”, and hence refers to the passage from the mouth to the stomach and lungs. For the actual interior mechanism of the throat, however, I’d recommend the neologism ᴺQ. hlunco “pharynx, gullet” < ᴹ√SLUK “swallow”.

In a 2024-08-10 post in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), Raccoon suggested lango can also apply more generally to any passages that are “narrower parts of a structure serving to join larger parts”, such as a “✱corridor”, consistent with Tolkien’s notes on PE17/92 (see above). See ᴺQ. terma “passage, aperture” for an alternative with a slightly different meaning.

man

pronoun. who, who; [ᴹQ.] what

The most common Quenya word for “who”, most notably appearing in the Namárië poem in the phrase sí man i yulma nin enquantuva? “who now shall refill the cup for me?” (LotR/377). It is based on the interrogative element ma (PE17/68). Man might be a general interrogative element “who, what, which”; at one point Tolkien said man was a reduction of mana before vowels (PE23/135). However, in the Markirya, man was used for “who” before consonants, such as man tiruva fána cirya “Who shall heed a white ship?” (MC/222).

In writings from the 1930s and 40s, man was used for “what” (LR/59, 72) or as a general interrogative marker (PE23/99). However, it was used for “who” in the versions of the Oilima Markirya from around 1930 (MC/213-214).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would mostly use man in the sense “who”, before both consonants and vowels. For “what” I would use mana, and as a general interrogative marker I’d use ma. In cases where you want an unambiguous word for “who = what person”, I would use mamo.

sív’ emmë apsenet tien i úcarir emmen

as we forgive those who trespass against us

The eighth line of Átaremma, Tolkien’s Quenya translation of the Lord’s Prayer. The first word sív’ is an elided form of sívë “as”. It is followed by the emphatic second person plural subject pronoun emmë “us” and apsenet “forgive [them]”, the aorist form of the verb apsen- “forgive” with a plural direct object suffix -t. The fourth word tien “those” is a dative (indirect object) form of tie, apparently a variant of the third person plural pronoun te.

The second half of this phrase is the subordinate clause i úcarir emmen “who trespass against us”, composed of i “who”, úcarir “trespass” (aorist plural of úcar- “to do wrong, to sin”) and emmen “against us” (dative of emmë). The last of these is unusual in that it has an emphatic pronoun used as an object rather than the subject.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

> sív(e) emmë apsene-t tie-n i úcari-r emme-n = “✱as we forgive-them those-for who trespass-(plural) us-against”

Taken together, the first half of the phrase has a subject (emmë), verb (apsene), a direct object suffix (-t) and an indirect object (tien). The sense of the phrase is probably something like “✱as we forgive them [the trespasses] for those [the trespassers] who trespass against us”.

Conceptual Development: Earlier versions of the prayer (I-IV) used a different verb avatyar- for “forgive”, as well as different prepositions for “so”: ier (I-IIa) and yan (III-IV). They also lacked any Quenya equivalent of “those who” (tien i in versions V-VI). The literal meaning of this phrase in versions I-IV of the prayer seems to be “✱as we forgive our trespassers”.

Tolkien considered a variety of ways to express “trespassers”. In version I-III, he used a (?verbal) element meaning “trespass” with the agental suffix -ndo: lucando (I), lucindo (IIa-IIb) and rocindë (III), all meaning “trespasser” and all in the plural. In version IV, he used rohtalië “trespass-people”, a compound of the noun rohta “trespass” and lië “people”.

These he combined with either the independent pronoun menya “our” (I-IIb, IV) or the possessive suffix -mma “our” (I deletion, III). Finally, he used an ablative element meaning “from”, either the preposition va (I-IIb) or the ablative suffix -llo (I deletion, III-IV). There was a similar construction for the verb avatyar- in line 6.

In version V of the prayer, Tolkien corrected úcarer to úcarir. This second form is more consistent with the rules Tolkien followed elsewhere in forming the aorist tense of a (basic) verb: it ends in an -e if unsuffixed but has an -i- between it and any suffix (-r in this case). However, Tolkien still used the form úcarer in version IV of the prayer, for reasons unknown.

| |  I  |IIa|IIb|III|IV|V|VI| |ier|yan|sív’| |emme| |{avatyarirat >>}|avatyarir ta|avatyarilta|apsenet| | |tien i| |{lucandollommar >>}|va menya lucandor|va menya lucindor|rocindillomman|menya rohtaliello|úcarer emmen|

For better consistency with Tolkien’s other writings, I have used the more typical aorist form úcarir for the entry of this phrase. As Helge Fauskanger points out (LP-AM), there is a similar issue with apsenet, which might be expected to be ✱✱apsenit, though in this case the variation may be due to the fact that object suffixes are appended directly to the verb instead of to a subject suffix.

tul-

verb. to come, to come, [ᴱQ.] move (intr.); to bring, carry, fetch; to produce, bear fruit

The Quenya verb for “to come”, which is very well-attested. It is derived from the root √TUL whose basic sense is “move towards the speaker” (PE17/188), as in “come here”: á tule sís. English may also use “come with” in the sense “accompany” such as “I will come with you”, but Quenya uses men- (“go”) for this purpose (PE22/162), such as menuvan ó le = “I will go with you”.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. tulu- dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, where it appeared under the early root ᴱ√TULU, but in that early document it has a much broader set of glosses: “(1) bring, carry, fetch; (2) intr. move, come; (3) produce, bear fruit” (QL/95). By the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s its list of glosses was reduced to “come” (PE14/57), and Tolkien used the verb only to mean “come” thereafter. Tolkien often used this verb in grammatical examples, which is part of the reason it is so well-attested.

yávië

noun. autumn, harvest [time or act]

A word translated “autumn, harvest” in The Lord of the Rings appendices (LotR/1111), clearly based on yávë “fruit”. This word referred to the third out of six “official” Elvish seasons in the Calendar of Imladris (LotR/1107), but could also be used more causally for the autumn time of the year (LotR/1111). Given its second gloss “harvest”, I think it can also refer to the time or act of harvesting of crops. However, for the harvest itself (the produce) I would instead use [ᴺQ.] salcessë.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. Yāvan “(Autumn), Harvest” based on ᴱQ. yāva “fruit, produce” (QL/105). The English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s also had ᴱQ. yávan “autumn, harvest”, but in that document the word was deleted (QL/69).

yávë

noun. fruit

The Quenya word for “fruit”, most notably as an element in the name Yavanna “Giver of Fruits, (lit.) fruit-gift” (S/27; SA/yávë; PE17/93) and derived from the root ᴹ√YAB of similar meaning (Ety/YAB).

Conceptual Development: This word dates back to ᴱQ. yáva “fruit, produce” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√ẎAVA, already an element of Yavanna’s name (QL/105). The word reappeared as ᴹQ. yáve “fruit” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√YAB of the same meaning (Ety/YAB). In Quenya Prayers of the 1950s, the word appeared as yáva, yávë and yave (VT43/26-28).

-ssë

at

-ssë (1) locative ending (compare the preposition se, sé "at", q.v.); in Lóriendessë, lúmessë, máriessë, yalúmessë (q.v. for reference); pl. -ssen in yassen, lúmissen, mahalmassen, símaryassen, tarmenissen, q.v. Pronouns take the simple ending -ssë, even if the pronoun is plural by its meaning (messë "on us", VT44:12). The part. pl. (-lissë or -lissen) and dual (-tsë) locative endings are known from the Plotz letter only.

-yë

conjunction. and

-yë (4) conj. "and" as a suffix added to the second of a pair, as Menel Cemenyë "Heaven and Earth" (VT47:30, 31, VT49:25). Other "pairs" are mentioned as examples but not actually translated into Quenya by Tolkien: Sun and Moon (*Anar Isilyë), Land and Sea (*Nór Eäryë), fire and water (*nárë nenyë, or *úr nenyë).

Hesin

winter

Hesin noun "winter" (LT1:255; LotR-style Quenya has hrívë instead)

Valatári

vala-queen

Valatári noun "Vala-queen" (BAL; this entry of the Etymologies states that Vala has no feminine form except this compound, but Silm gives Valië as a feminine form). The word Valatári is apparently also the unchanged plural form, so used in this quote: "The Valatári were Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Vana, Vaire, Este, Nessa, Uinen" (BAL; Tolkien later reclassified Uinen as a Maia, not a Valatári/Valië). Notice that the plural form of Valatar would apparently also be *Valatári.

Yelin

winter

Yelin noun "winter" (LT1:260; LotR-style Quenya has hrívë, and Yelin was probably obsoleted together with the adjective yelwa_ "cold", that appears with a different meaning in the Etymologies)._

aira

old

aira (3) adj. "old" (MC:214; this is "Qenya")

and

and

a (2) conj. "and", a variant of ar occurring in Fíriel's Song (that also has ar; a seems to be used before words in f-, but contrast ar formenna "and northwards" in a late text, VT49:26). According to PE17:41, "Old Quenya" could have the conjunction a (as a variant of ar) before n, ñ, m, h, hy, hw (f is not mentioned), PE17:71 adding ty, ny, hr, hl, ñ, l, r, þ, s. See ar #1. It may be that the a or the sentence nornë a lintieryanen "he ran with his speed" (i.e. as quickly as he could) is to be understood as this conjunction, if the literal meaning is "he ran and [did so] with his speed" (PE17:58).

anta-

give

anta- (1) vb. "give" (ANA1, MC:215, 221), pa.t. antanë (antanen "I gave", VT49:14) or †ánë, perfect ánië (PE17:147, cf. QL:31). According to VT49:14, Tolkien noted that anta- was sometimes often with an "ironic tone" to refer to missiles, so that antanen hatal sena "I gave him a spear (as a present)" was often used with the real sense of "I cast a spear at him". Usually the recipient of the thing given is mentioned in the dative or allative case (like sena in this example), but there is also a construction similar to English "present someone with something" in which the recipient is the object and the gift appears in the instrumental case: antanenyes parmanen, "I presented him with a book" (PE17:91). The verb occurs several times in FS: antalto"they gave"; strangely, no past tense marker seems to be present (see -lto for the ending); antar a pl. verb translated "they gave", though in LotR-style Quenya it would rather be the present tense "give" (pl.); antaróta "he gave it" (anta-ró-ta "gave-he-it"), another verb occurring in Fíriel's Song, once again with no past tense marker. Also antáva "will give", future tense of anta- "give"; read perhaps *antuva in LotR-style Quenya; similarly antaváro* "he will give" (LR:63) might later have appeared as antuvas (with the ending -s rather than "Qenya" -ro for "he"). Antalë imperative "give thou" (VT43:17), sc. anta "give" + the element le "thou", but this was a form Tolkien abandoned. Apparently ana** was at one point considered as another imperative "give", but Tolkien rewrote the text in question (VT44:13), and the normal patterns would suggest *á anta with an independent imperative particle.

ar

and

ar (1) conj. "and" (AR2, SA, FS, Nam, RGEO:67, CO, LR:47, 56, MC:216, VT43:31, VT44:10, 34; see VT47:31 for etymology, cf. also VT49:25, 40). The older form of the conjunction was az (PE17:41). Ar is often assimilated to al, as before l, s (PE17:41, 71), but "in written Quenya ar was usually written in all cases" (PE17:71). In one case, Tolkien altered the phrase ar larmar "and raiments" to al larmar; the former may then be seen as representing the spelling, whereas the latter represents the pronunciation(PE17:175). More complex schemes of assimilation are suggested to have existed in "Old Quenya", the conjunction varying between ar, a and as depending on the following consonant (PE17:41, 71). An alternative longer form of the conjunction, arë, is said to occur "occasionally in Tolkien's later writings" (VT43:31, cf. VT48:14). In the Etymologies, the word for "and" was first written as ar(a) (VT45:6). In one source, Tolkien notes that Quenya used ar "as preposition beside, next, or as adverb = and" (PE17:145); compare ara.

arta

across, athwart

arta (4) prep. "across, athwart" (LT2:335), perhaps rather olla in Tolkiens later Quenya.

ataryo

daddy

ataryo, also taryo (cited as (a)taryo), noun "daddy", also used as a name for the thumb in children's play, but Tolkien emended it to atto/atya (VT48:4). Compare atar "father".

atta

across, over, lying from side to side

atta (ata-) (4) prep. "across, over, lying from side to side" (VT49:32; it is not quite clear whether this is a Quenya word or not)

corma

ring

#corma noun "ring", isolated from #cormacolindo "Ring-bearer", pl. cormacolindor (LotR3:VI ch. 4, translated in Letters:308); Cormarë "Ringday", a festival held on Yavannië 30 in honour of Frodo Baggins (Appendix D)

enwina

old

enwina adj. "old" (Markirya)

erë

iron

erë, eren noun "iron" or "steel"; Eremandu variant of Angamandu (Angband) (LT1:252; "iron" should be anga in LotR-style Quenya, but erë, eren may still be used for "steel". See also yaisa.)

ier

as

ier prep. "as" (VT43:16, probably rejected in favour of sívë, q.v.). In an abandoned version of the Quenya Lord's Prayer, Tolkien used ier...ter for "as...so" (VT43:17).

lúna

dark

lúna adj. *"dark" in Lúnaturco and Taras Lúna, Quenya names of Barad-dûr (Dark Tower). (PE17:22). In the Etymologies, lúnë "blue" was changed by Tolkien from lúna (VT45:29).

man

who

man pron. "who" (Nam, RGEO:67, FS, LR:59, Markirya, MC:213, 214); cf. PM:357 note 18, where a reference is made to the Eldarin interrogative element ma, man). However, man is translated "what" in LR:59: man-ië? "what is it?" (LR:59; the stative-verb suffix -ië_ is hardly valid in LotR-style Quenya) _Either Tolkien later adjusted the meaning of the word, or man covers both "who" and "what". Cf. also mana, manen.

men

who

men (3) pron. "who", evidently a misreading or miswriting for man (MC:221, in Markirya)

mori-

dark, black

mori- "dark, black" in a number of compounds (independent form morë, q.v.):Morimando "Dark Mando" = Mandos (MBAD, VT45:33), morimaitë "black-handed" (LotR3:VI ch. 6, VT49:42). Moriquendi "Dark Elves" (SA:mor, WJ:361, 373), Moringotto "Black Foe", Sindarin Morgoth, later name of Melkor. The oldest form is said to have been Moriñgotho (MR:194). In late material, Tolkien is seen to consider both Moringotto and Moricotto _("k") _as the Quenya form of the name Morgoth (VT49:24-25; Moricotto also appears in the ablative, Moricottollo). Morion "the dark one", a title of Morgoth (FS). Morifinwë "dark Finwë", masc. name; he was called Caranthir in Sindarin (short Quenya name Moryo). (PM:353) In the name Morinehtar, translated "Darkness-slayer", the initial element is defined would thus seem to signify "darkness" rather than "dark" as an adjective (see mórë). (PM:384, 385)

morna

dark, black

morna adj. "dark, black" (Letters:282, LT1:261; also used of black hair, PE17:154), or "gloomy, sombre" (MOR). Used as noun in the phrase mi…morna of someone clad "in…black" (PE17:71). In tumbalemorna (Letters:282), q.v. Pl. mornë in Markirya**(the first version of this poem had "green rocks", MC:215, changed to ondolisse mornë** "upon dark rocks" in the final version; see MC:220, note 8).

mëoi

cat

mëoi noun "cat", a somewhat strange word by the standards of Tolkien's later Quenya (there are no other instances of final -oi in the singular). Some would read *mëo, if the word is to be used in LotR-style Quenya. Vardo Mëoita "Prince of Cats"; mëoita here seems to be a kind of adjective rather than a genitive (LT2:348). Tolkiens later, less problematic word yaulë may be preferred by writers (PE16:132)

móri

dark

móri adj. "dark" (MC:221; this is "Qenya"; in Tolkien's later Quenya mórë, morë)

na

to be

na (1) form of the verb "to be", evidently the imperative (or subjunctive): Tolkien stated that na airë would mean "be holy" (VT43:14), and san na (q.v.) must mean "thus be" = "let it be so"; see ná #1 Cf. also the sentence alcar mi tarmenel na Erun "glory in high heaven be to God" (VT44:32/34). Inserted in front of a verb, na expresses a wish: aranielya na tuluva "may thy kingdom come" (ibid).

ne

that

ne (2) conj. "that" (as in "I know that you are here") (PE14:54), evidently replaced by i in Tolkiens later Quenya (see i #3).

pol

large, big (strong)

pol (2) adj. "large, big (strong)". Since this would be the sole example of a monosyllabic Quenya adjective, it may be that Tolkien is here citing the root POL rather than a complete word. Cf. polda.

ringa

cold

ringa adj. "cold" (Markirya); the Etymologies gives ringë (RINGI), but it seems that ringa is to be preferred (cf. Ringarë below). Yá hrívë tenë, ringa ná "when winter comes, it is cold" (VT49:23). According to VT46:11, Tolkien originally used the form ringa in Etym as well; later he would restore it. - In early "Qenya", ringa is glossed "damp, cold, chilly" (LT1:265)

se

at, in

se (2), also long sé, preposition "at, in" (VT43:30; compare the "locative prefix" se- possibly occurring in an early "Qenya" text, VT27:25)

sercë

blood

sercë ("k")noun "blood" _(SA:sereg, PE17:184; the Etymologies gives _yár as the Quenya word for "blood")

ta

there

ta (5) adv. "there" (VT49:33; this may be an Elvish root or "element" rather than a Quenya word; see tanomë; see however also tar, tara, tanna under ta #1).

taracu-

ox

taracu- ("k") noun "ox" (LT2:347, GL:69). Tolkien apparently invented the word mundo for his later form of Quenya.

ve

as, like

ve (1) prep. "as, like" (Nam, RGEO:66, Markirya, MC:213, 214, VT27:20, 27, VT49:22); in Narqelion ve may mean either "in" or "as". Ve fírimor quetir *"as mortals say" (VT49:10), ve senwa (or senya) "as usual" (VT49:10). Followed by genitive, ve apparently expresses "after the manner of": ve quenderinwë coaron ("k") "after the manner of bodies of Elven-kind" (PE17:174). Tolkien variously derived Quenya ve from older wē, bē or vai(VT49:10, 32, PE17:189)

velicë

great

velicë ("k") adj. "great" _(LT1:254; probably not valid in Tolkien's later Quenya; in the context of the Etymologies it would have to be derived from _BEL, but it is stated that this stem was "not found in Q". Perhaps Tolkien rejected velicë because it was too similar to the Russian word that clearly inspired it.)

yelwa

cold

yelwa (2) adj. "cold" (LT1:260 this "Qenya" word is apparently obsoleted by # 1 above. In LotR-style Quenya, the regular term for "cold" seems to be ringa.)

yo

and

yo conj. "and", "often used between _two _items (of any part of speech) that were by nature or custom clearly associated, like the names of spouses (Manwë yo Varda), or "sword and sheath" (*macil yo vainë*), "bow and arrows" (quinga yo pilindi), or groups like "Elves and Men" (Eldar yo Fírimor but contrast eldain a fírimoin [dative forms] in FS, where Tolkien joins the words with a, seemingly simply a variant of the common conjunction ar). In one source, yo is apparently a preposition "with" (yo hildinyar* = "with my heirs", SD:56).

yána

vast, huge; wide

yána (1) adj. "vast, huge; wide" (PE17:99, 115); also yanda, q.v.

yána

holy place, fane, sanctuary

yána (2) noun "holy place, fane, sanctuary" (YAN). Compare ainas in a post-LotR source.

yár

blood

yár (yar-, as in dat.sg. yaren) noun "blood"_ (YAR; the Silmarillion appendix gives _sercë instead. According to VT46:22, Tolkien introduced yór_ as a replacement form in the Etymologies itself.)_

yáva

yáva

yáva, yava see yávë

yávan

harvest, autumn

yávan noun "harvest, autumn" (LT1:273; in LotR-style Quenya yávië)

yávië

autumn

yávië noun "autumn" (SA:yávë); "autumn, harvest", in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 54 days, but also used without any exact definition (Appendix D). Noun yáviérë *"Autumn-day", a day outside the months in the Steward's Reckoning, inserted between Yavannië and Narquelië (September and October) (Appendix D)

yávë

fruit

yávë noun "fruit" (YAB), cf. Yavanna. Early "Qenya" has yáva (LT1:273); the form yava turns up even in later material (VT43:31)

yáwë

ravine, cleft, gulf

yáwë noun "ravine, cleft, gulf" (YAG; according to VT46:22, the last gloss should perhaps be read as "gully" instead)

írë

when

írë (2) conj. "when" (subordinate conjunction, not question-word: írë Anarinya queluva, "when my sun faileth") (FS). Compare yá #2.

anga

noun. iron

This was the Quenya word for “iron” for much of Tolkien’s life, derived from primitive ✶angā of the same meaning (PM/347).

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. anga “iron” dates back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/31). In this document it had some competing alternatives: ᴱQ. yere(n) “pig iron” under the early root ᴱ√DYEÐE (QL/105) and {ᴱQ. tongo “iron”} under the early root ᴱ√TOŊO “to hammer” (QL/94), though this second form was deleted. Neither of these alternatives survived in Tolkien’s later writings, and The Etymologies of the 1930s had only ᴹQ. anga “iron” under the root ᴹ√ANGĀ (Ety/ANGĀ). Tolkien stuck with this form thereafter.

corma

noun. ring

A word for “ring” appearing as an element in Q. Cormacolindor “Ring-bearers” (LotR/953), clearly derived from the root √KOR “round”. It also appeared in a translation of the title of The Lord of the Rings that Tolkien included in a 1973 letter to Phillip Brown: i Túrin i Cormaron.

Conceptual Development: Another translation of “Lord of the Rings” is known from an exhibit of Tolkien manuscripts: Heru imillion, where presumably the element millë means “ring” (DTS/54). In a deleted entry from The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had ᴹQ. kolma “ring ([?on] finger)” [or possibly “or finger”] derived from a deleted root ᴹ√KOL (EtyAC/KOL).

hen

noun. eye

The Quenya word for “eye”, derived from the root √KHEN for eye-words (PE17/187; Ety/KHEN-D-E) and with stem-form hend- given its dual hendu (WJ/337).

Conceptual Development: This word first appeared as ᴱQ. hen in The Qenya Phonology of the 1910s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶þχe-ndǝ and appearing beside ᴱQ. sé “eye, pupil” < ᴱ✶þeχē (PE12/21). Hen (hend-) “eye” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon though it was marked “†” for archaic (QL/40), and ᴱQ. hend- also appeared in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon as the cognate of G. hen “eye” (GL/48). ᴱQ. hen appeared regularly in documents from the 1920s (PE13/147; PE14/43, 76; PE16/136), although in the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s ᴱQ. sinda was given as the cognate of ᴱN. hen(n) “eye” (PE13/122). The form ᴱQ. sinda seems to have been a transient idea.

A lengthy declension of ᴹQ. hen “eye” appeared in documents from the early 1930s (PE21/52) and in The Etymologies of the 1930s it was based on a new the root ᴹ√KHEN-D-E “eye” (Ety/KHEN-D-E). In both these documents, inflected forms indicate a stem form of hend-. Thus this word and its stem were quite stable in Tolkien’s mind, though he did alter its root from early ᴱ√SEHE [ÞEHE] to later √KHEN.

röa

noun. dog

A word for “dog” appearing in 1968 notes on monosyllabic primitive Elvish nouns (VT47/35). Of the primitive forms, Tolkien first gave ✶wā(w) “dog” and ✶grā “bear”, but ✶wā(w) was struck through and the gloss of ✶grā was changed to “dog”, after which Tolkien wrote Q. roa “dog” (VT47/36). He seems to have been disatisfied with this derivation, however, going on to write a number of primitive animal roots in the upper margin, including ✶yarr- “dog”.

Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. roa “a wild beast” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶raw̯a under the early root ᴱ√RAVA or ᴱ√RAẆA (QL/79).

Neo-Quenya: Giving Tolkien’s vacillations on these 1968 forms, I’d stick to the better known ᴹQ. huo as the common word for “dog” in (Neo) Quenya, which is the word used in Helge Fauskanger’s NQNT (NQNT).

seldë

noun. daughter, daughter; [ᴹQ.] child [f.], *girl

This seems to be the word that Tolkien favored for “daughter” in his later writings (PE17/170; VT47/10; PE19/73), though it had competition from other forms like Q. yeldë.

Conceptual Development: The earliest word resembling this form was ᴱQ. sui “daughter” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SUẈU (QL/87), a word also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/87). This became ᴱQ. silde “daughter” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/135).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien experimented with several different forms. He had ᴹQ. yelde “daughter” under the root ᴹ√YEL, but this entry was deleted (Ety/YEL). Tolkien also had a root ᴹ√SEL(D) “daughter” with a derivative ᴹQ. selde, but the meaning of this root was changed to “child”, and masculine and neuter forms ᴹQ. seldo and ᴹQ. selda were added to the entry (Ety/SEL-D). Finally, under the entry for ᴹ√YŌ or YON “son”, Tolkien added a primitive feminine variant ᴹ✶yēn or yend “daughter”, producing ᴹQ. yende and (suffixal?) yen (Ety/YŌ).

These vacillations continued in later writings, where at one point Tolkien wrote “Q[uenya] Wanted: Son, Daughter” (PE17/170). In Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 Tolkien wrote Q. sel-de for “daughter”, but above it he wrote a variant form anel. In rough notes from around 1959 Tolkien explored a large number of masculine and feminine suffixes, and on the page he had yeldë “daughter”, though at the end of the sentence he wrote “also yen” (PE17/190). In notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s, Tolkien wrote selyë as a diminutive/affectionate word for “daughter”, with seltil as a play name for the fourth finger representing a daughter (VT47/10, 27).

Also of note is Tolkien’s Quenya name for S. Tinúviel “Daughter of Twilight”, which he generally represented as something like Q. Tindómerel < ✶Tindōmiselde. Tolkien was fairly consistent in this Quenya form starting in the 1930s (Ety/SEL-D; PE19/33), with examples in the 1950s (PE19/73) and 1960s (VT47/37) as well. Indeed, in a couple cases he used this name to illustrate how medial s generally became z and eventually r in Quenya (PE19/33, 73), so it seems that for this name Tolkien consistently imagined the primitive form for “daughter” as ✶selde.

Neo-Quenya: I’d assume selde is the main word for “daughter” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, but I’d assume a variant form yeldë, especially since -iel was the most common suffix for “daughter of”. This variant probably arose very early under the influence of √YON “son”.

sercë

noun. blood

A noun for “blood” appearing in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 derived from the root √SEREK of the same meaning (PE17/185). It appeared as an element in the word serkilixa “blood-thirsty” from 1968 (NM/176), indicating a stem form of serci-.

tana

that

A word for “that” appearing in a list of demonstratives from 1968, an adjectival form of ta “that” (VT49/11). This adjective also appeared in notes on the Common Eldarin Article (CEA) from 1969 (PE23/135). Similarly formed ᴹQ. tana appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/85, 104-105) where it could also be used both adjectivally (“that”) and substantively (“that fact”). ᴹQ. tana “that” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s but in that document Tolkien said it was “anaphoric” (Ety/TA), as opposed to later when Q. sana was used for anaphoric that (PE16/97; PE23/104).

Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱQ. táma was “this” rather than “that” (QL/87). The Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s had ᴱQ. {santa >>} sanda “that” (PE14/55), but drafts of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from around 1930 seem to have tanda for “that” (PE16/56-57, 60).

yeldë

noun. daughter

A less common Quenya word for “daughter”, an analog of Q. yondo “son”.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had ᴹQ. yelde “daughter” under the root ᴹ√YEL of the same meaning, but the meaning of the root was first changed to “friend”, and then the root was then deleted (Ety/YEL). Meanwhile, under the root ᴹ√YŌ or YON, Tolkien introduced a feminine variant ᴹQ. yende “daughter” along with (suffixal?) yen, derived from primitive ᴹ√yēn or yend (Ety/YŌ). Previously this yende/yendi form was a feminine agent, but Tolkien rejected that meaning (EtyAC/ƷAN).

In between yelde >> yende for “daughter” in The Etymologies, Tolkien considered using the form ᴹQ. selde, and in later writings this seems to be his preferred Quenya word for “daughter”. However, yeldë “daughter” was mentioned again briefly in rough notes from around 1959 (PE17/190), and -iel remained Tolkien’s preferred suffix for “daughter of”.

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I recommend seldë as the more common word for “daughter”, but assume yeldë also exists as variant due to the influence of yondo “son”; see the entries on seldë and the root √YE(L) for further discussion.

yáranoldorin

proper name. Ancient Noldorin

A term for Old Noldorin appearing in linguistic notes from the 1930s and early 1950s (PE18/26, 76), a compound of yára “old” and Noldorin.

yávien

feminine name. Yávien

First child of Nolondil, known only from a genealogy chart on UT/210. Her name seems to be a compound of yávë “fruit” and the feminine suffix -ien. This name sometimes appeared as Yávië (UT/9).

-ien

daughter

-ien fem. ending in certain names like Yávien, Silmarien (q.v.) At one point -ien implied "daughter", see -iel above.

Yávien

fruit

Yávien fem. name, apparently yávë "fruit" + the feminine ending -ien.

ainas

hallow, a fane

ainas noun "a hallow, a fane", perhaps with stem ainass- (PE17:149). Compare yána #2.

anyára

anyára

#anyára (attested with dative ending: anyáran), see an-, yára

enderi

middle-days

enderi noun "middle-days" (sg. *enderë), in the calendar of Imladris three days inserted between the months (or seasons) yávië and quellë (Appendix D)

hrívë

winter

hrívë noun "winter", in the calendar of Imladris a precisely defined period of 72 days, but also used without any exact definition (Appendix D). Yá hrívë tenë, ringa ná "when winter comes (arrives, is with us), it is cold" (VT49:23; Tolkien changed tenë to menë, p. 24). The word Hrívion, heading a section of the poem The Trees of Kortirion that has to do with the "fading time", would seem to be related (LT1:42)

yór

blood

yór noun "blood"; see yár (VT46:22)

yára

adjective. old, ancient, old, ancient, [ᴹQ.] belonging to or descending from former times

Yávien

Yávien

Her name means "She of the Autumn" in Quenya (from yávië = "autumn" and -ien = feminine suffix).

cermië

noun. harvest

A neologism for “harvest” coined by Petri Tikka in PPQ (PPQ) from the early 2000s inspired by Cermië “July”, but that meaning seems rather unlikely to me. I would use attested yávië for “harvest” instead.

yeva

adjective. whose

A neologism proposed by Chaered in 2024-12-30 on the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a relative pronoun that is the possessive form of ye “who”, a personal counterpart to [ᴺQ.] yava.

yánë

noun. space (as a physical dimension)

A neologism for “space (as a physical dimension)” based on yána “vast, wide”. For example: “space and time” = yáne ar lúme. Paul Strack coined this neologism specifically for Eldamo to replace [ᴺQ.] nairë from the NQW based on naira “vast, wide, empty”, since that adjective based on a probably-abandoned root √ÑGAY.

yárahan

noun. older brother

A neologism coined by Röandil posted on 2023-11-10 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of yára “old” and háno “brother”, with longer variant yáraháno.

yáranet

noun. older sister

A neologism coined by Röandil posted on 2023-11-10 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord Server (VLDS), a combination of yára “old” and nésa “sister”, with longer variant yáranésa [þ].

yávelóra

adjective. fruitless

A neologism for “fruitless” coined by Helge Fauskanger for his NQNT (NQNT), a combination of yávë “fruit” and [ᴹQ.] -lóra “-less”.

yávinqua

adjective. fruitful

A neologism for “fruitful” from ABNW (ABNW) from the early 2000s, a combination of yávë “fruit” and -inqua “-ful”.

aista

adjective. *holy

hrívë

noun. winter

landa

adjective. wide, wide, [ᴱQ.] broad

ringa

adjective. cold, cold, [ᴱQ.] chilly; damp

yána

adjective. wide, vast, huge

yárië

noun. age

naico

noun. goat

yácina

adjective. sacrificed

-iel

daughter

-iel patronymic/matronymic ending -"daughter" (YEL, VT46:22-23) In the Etymologies, Tolkien struck out this ending and the corresponding independent word yeldë "daughter", changing them to -ien, yendë. However, the ending -iel later turns up in later forms: Uinéniel "Daughter of Uinen" in UT:182 and Elerondiel "daughter of Elrond" (Elerondo) in PE17:56. Hence it would seem that Tolkien changed his mind again and restored this ending, and perhaps the noun yeldë along with it. The form Elerondiel (from Elerondo) demonstrates that a final vowel is omitted before -iel.

-vë

as, like

-vë, (3) apparently an ending used to derive adverbs from adjectives (see andavë under anda and oiavë under oia). May be related to the preposition ve "as, like".

-úmë

large

-úmë (3) suffix "large" (of quantity)", as in liyúmë "host" (VT48:32)

Endien

autumn

Endien noun, alternative term for "autumn" (PM:135). In the Etymologies, the word Endien was assigned a quite different meaning: "Midyear, Midyear week", in the calendar of Valinor a week outside the months, between the sixth and seventh months, dedicated to the Trees; also called Aldalemnar (YEN, LEP/LEPEN/LEPEK)

Naira

vast, wide, empty

naira (2) adj. "vast, wide, empty" (PE17:27)

acas

neck

acas ("k") noun "neck" (the bony part of the neck, not including throat), pl. axi ("ks") (and so perhaps general stem-form ax-). Also sg. axë (said to be a "later" form apparently replacing acas). The word is also used geographically of rock ridges. (PE17:92)

airita-

hallow

#airita- vb. "hallow" (only pa.t. airitánë is attested) (VT32:7)

alat-

large, great in size

alat- prefix "large, great in size". (ÁLAT, cf. VT45:5). In Alatairë.

alta

large, great in size

alta (1) adj. *"large, great in size" (root meaning)(ÁLAT). Alat- in Alatairë, q.v.

anel

daughter

anel noun "daughter" (PE17:170), possibly intended by Tolkien as a replacement for seldë (q.v.). Compare anon.

anga

iron

anga noun "iron", also name of tengwa #7 (ANGĀ, Appendix E, SA, PM:347, LT1:249, 268). In the pre-classical Tengwar system presupposed in the Etymologies, anga was the name of letter #19, which tengwa Tolkien would later call noldo instead (VT45:6). Masc. names Angamaitë "Iron-handed" (Letters:347), Angaráto "Iron-champion", Sindarin Angrod(SA:ar(a) ). See also Angamando, tornanga and cf. Angainor as the name of the chain with which Melkor was bound (Silm)

ar

and

o (1) conj. "and", occurring solely in SD:246; all other sources give ar.

arë

and

arë conj. "and", longer form of ar, q.v. (VT43:31)

au

away

au (2) adv. "away", of position rather than movement (compare oa). PE17:148

axë

neck

axë ("ks")noun "neck" (the bony part of the neck, not including throat), pl. axi given. Also sg. acas (the alternative form axë is said to be "later" and seems to be an analogical back-formation from the pl. axi). The word is also used geographically of rock ridges. (PE17:92)

az

and

az, archaic form of the conjunction ar "and"; see ar #1.

en

there, look! yon (yonder)

en (1) interjection "there, look! yon (yonder)" (EN, VT45:12)

enta

that yonder

enta demonstrative "that yonder" (EN). In VT47:15, enta is defined as "another, one more" (but it may seem that Tolkien also considered the word exë for this meaning).

fásë

gap, gulf

fásë noun "gap, gulf" (GL:36)

helcë

ice

helcë ("k") noun "ice" (KHELEK, LT1:254)

hen

eye

hen (hend-, as in pl. hendi) noun "eye" (KHEN-D-E); possibly dual #hendu in hendumaica, q.v. Noun henfanwa "eye-screen, veil upon eyes" (PE17:176), adj. henulca "evileyed" (SD:68; cf. ulca).

hróva

dark, dark brown

hróva adj. "dark, dark brown", used to refer to hair (PE17:154)

huo

dog

huo noun "dog" (KHUG, see KHUGAN; cf. hú, huan). Also roa.

hó-

away, from, from among

hó- verbal prefix; "away, from, from among", the point of view being outside the thing, place, or group in thought (WJ:368)

landa

wide

landa (2) adj. "wide" (LAD). Maybe in landatavárë = *"wide-wood"? (TI:415)

linyenwa

old, having many years

linyenwa adj. "old, having many years" (YEN)

lumbë

gloom, shadow

lumbë noun "gloom, shadow" (LUM)

lóna

dark

?lóna (4) adj. "dark" (DO3/DŌ). If this is to be the cognate of "Noldorin"/Sindarin dûr, as the context seems to indicate, lóna is likely a misreading for *lóra in Tolkien's manuscript.

lúrëa

dark, overcast

lúrëa adj. "dark, overcast" (LT1:259)

nalmë

clamour

[nalmë] (2) ("ñ")noun "clamour" (ÑGAL/ÑGALAM)

napan-

add

napan- vb. "add" (PE17:146)

nerdo

large, strong man

nerdo noun "large, strong man" (compare nér) (VT47:33)

nulla

dark, dusky, obscure

nulla adj. "dark, dusky, obscure" (NDUL), "secret" (DUL). See also VT45:11.

núla

dark, occult, mysterious

núla ("ñ")adj. "dark, occult, mysterious" (PE17:125)

palla

wide, expansive

palla adj. "wide, expansive" (PAL)

panda

enclosure

panda noun "enclosure" (PAD)

rama-

to shout

rama- vb. "to shout" (LT1:259)

rambë

shout

rambë noun "a shout" (LT1:259)

ringë

cold

ringë adj. "cold", also ringa (which form is to be preferred; cf. Ringarë in LotR). In the Etymologies as printed in LR, ringë is also given as a noun "cold pool or lake (in mountains)", but according to VT46:11 this noun should read ringwë. (RINGI)

risil

ring

*risil (þ) noun "ring" (on the ground) in Rithil-Anamo, q.v.

roa

dog

roa noun "dog" (VT47:35). Also huo.

sanomë

there

sanomë adv. "there" (PE17:71). Cf. sinomë, tanomë.

savin elessar ar <u>i</u> nánë aran ondórëo

that

i (3) conj. "that". Savin Elessar ar i nánë aran Ondórëo "I believe that Elessar really existed and that [he] was a king of Gondor" (VT49:27), savin…i E[lesarno] quetië naitë *"I believe that Elessars speaking [is] true" (VT49:28) Also cf. nai, nái "be it that" (see nai #1), which may seem to incorporate this conjunction.

selyë

daughter

[selyë noun "daughter", used in children's play for "fourth finger" or "fourth toe" _(VT47:10, 15, VT48:4) _It is unclear whether it was the word selyë "daughter" itself that was rejected, or just its use as a play-name of a digit. Compare yeldë, yendë.]

sívë

as

sívë (1) prep. "as", apparently ve of similar meaning with the prefix sí- "this, here, now"; sívë therefore makes a comparison with something close, whereas tambë (q.v.) refers to something remote. Sívë...tambë "as...so" (VT43:17). Elided sív' in VT43:12, since the next word begins in the vowel e-.

ta

that, it

ta (1) pron. "that, it" (TA); compare antaróta** "he gave it" (FS); see anta-. The forms tar/tara/tanna "thither", talo/tó "thence" and tás/tassë* "there" are originally inflected forms of this pronoun: "to that", "from that" and "in that" (place), respectively. Compare "there" as one gloss of ta (see #4).

ta

so, like that, also

ta (2) adv. "so, like that, also", e.g. ta mára "so good" (VT49:12)

tambë

so

tambë prep. (1) "so" or "as" (referring to something remote; contrast sívë). Sívë...tambë "as...so" (VT43:17).

tana

that

tana (1) demonstrative "that" (said to be "anaphoric") (TA). According to VT49:11, tana is the adjective corresponding to ta, "that" as a pronoun.

tarwa

garden, enclosure

tarwa noun "garden, enclosure" (QL:87)

tassë

there

tassë adv. "there" (VT49:11), short form tás. These seem to be properly locative forms of ta "that, it", hence "in that [place]". Compare allative tanna "thither" and ablative talo "thence".

ter

so

ter (2), also tér, prep. (?) ephemeral word for "so" (see ier), abandoned by Tolkien in favour of tambë (VT43:17)

tás

there

tás adv. "there" (VT49:11); also tassë, q.v.

ván

goose

ván noun "goose"; pl. váni given (WA-N). Older wán.

wán

goose

wán > ván noun "goose" (WA-N).

ye

as

[ye (3), also yé, prep. "as" (VT43:16, struck out; in the text in question Tolkien finally settled on sívë, q.v.)]

yeldë

daughter

yeldë noun "daughter" (YEL) This word was struck out in Etym, but it may have been restored together with the ending -iel, q.v.

yen

daughter

yen, yendë noun "daughter" (YŌ/YON). This word replaced another form, but this form may have been restored; see yeldë. In VT45:16, yendë is said to refer to a female "agent", a word changed by Tolkien from yendi, but Tolkien deleted all of this.

yerna

old, worn

yerna adj. "old, worn" (GYER)

yonda

wide, roomy, extensive

yonda adj."wide, roomy, extensive" (PE17:43), also (as alternative form of yonna) glossed "enclosed", with the latter meaning perhaps intended as the passive participle of the verb yor-

úra

large

úra (2) adj. "large" (UR), probably obsoleted by #1 above

(a)taryo

noun. daddy

Yára-noldorin

noun. Old Noldorin

Old Noldorin

Yára-telerin

noun. Old Telerin

Old Telerin (of the days of Bliss)

Yáranoldorin

noun. Ancient Noldorin

Ancient Noldorin

acas

noun. neck

anel

noun. daughter

A transient word for “daughter” in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957, written of above the more common sel-de (PE17/170).

axo

noun. neck

ea-

verb. be, exist

enderi

collective name. middle-days

The name used for leap-days added to the various calendar systems of Middle-earth (LotR/1108, 1112). It is a compound of endë “middle” and the suffixal form -re of ré “day”: ✱enderë “middle-day” pluralized to enderi.

Conceptual Development: In the 1st edition of The Lord of the Rings, a similar term atendëa was used.

enwina

adjective. old

hríve

noun. winter

i

pronoun. that

i, antevokaliskt in

conjunction. that

ier

preposition. *as

lenna-

verb. to come, to come; [ᴹQ.] to go, depart

mallo

interrogative. whence

mondo

noun. ox

morĭ

adjective. dark

PQ. dark

niquë

noun. cold, cold; [ᴹQ.] snow

sa

conjunction. that

sana

that

sanomë

adverb. there

A word for “there” appearing in notes from mid-1960s in the phrase sanome tarne Olórin, Aracorno, Eomer, Imrahil “There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil” (PE17/71). A similar form ᴹQ. sanome(s) appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from the late 1940s, where it was based on ᴹ√NOM “spot, place” (PE23/112).

The word can be contrasted with tanome “there” in different notes from the late 1960s (VT49/11, 19), and also in DRC from the 1940s. DRC made the distinction between these two words clear, in that tanome was “demonstrative there” pointing to a place not previously mentioned, while sanome was “anaphoric there” referring back to a place mentioned before. So “go there” would be á mene tanome, but “I went to the city and found Aragorn there” would be mennen i ostonna ar hirnen Aracorno sanome.

Lokyt originally suggested this distinction to me in a Discord conversation from 2022, and was eventually proven right by the publication of DRC in 2024.

sívë

preposition. *as

tasse

there

tassë

adverb. there

The words tās and tasse “there” appeared in a list of demonstratives from 1968 (VT49/11), combinations of ta “that” and the locative suffix -ssë. Short form tas appeared in the phrase tas kennen nótime eldali “I saw a few elves there” in notes from 1969 (PE22/155). Similarly formed ᴹQ. tasse “there” appeared in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948, also with a short variant tas (PE23/97, 111).

tás

adverb. there

ulca

adjective. dark

dark, gloomy, sinister

ye

pronoun. who

yá hríve menë, ringa ná

when winter comes/arrives/is with us, it is cold

yá tenn’ aldar lente landanóressë ólaner

when still trees grew free in a wide country

yáva

noun. *fruit

yáviérë

noun. *autumn-day

í(qua), illume, iquallume

conjunction. when, whenever

axë

noun. steel

hollë

noun. shout

malumë

adverb. when

manwa

adjective. whose

mava

adverb. whose

miura

noun. cat

miuro

noun. cat

miurë

noun. cat

nairë

noun. space (as a physical dimension)

yáraquetta

noun. archaism, archaic word

@@@ from Discord discussion 02/25/2022