9.68 Lead ᴱQ. kanu n. “lead [metal]” A word appearing as ᴱQ. kanu “lead” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√KANA (QL/44). It was also identified as the source of the k in the name of the magical metal ᴱQ. Tilkal (LT1/100). Neo-Quenya: I retain
Select Elvish Words 9.67: Iron
9.67 Iron Q. anga n. “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:
Select Elvish Words 9.66: Copper, Bronze
9.66 Copper, Bronze Q. calarus (calarust-) n. “polished copper” A noun for “polished copper” in notes from the late 1960s as a combination of cala “light” with urus(t)- “copper” (VT41/10). ᴱQ. kalas (kalass-) n. “brass” A noun appearing as ᴱQ. kalas (kalass-) “brass” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s
Select Elvish Words 9.65: Silver
9.65 Silver ᴹQ. telemna adj. “*of silver” An unglossed adjective in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KYELEP “silver”, equated to ᴹQ. telpina and an element in the name ᴹQ. Taltyelemna “*Silverfoot” (Ety/KYELEP). It seems to have replaced ᴹQ. telepsa “of silver”, and so probably has a similar
Select Elvish Words 9.64 Gold
9.64 Gold ⚠️ᴹQ. kulu n. “gold (metal)” The Etymologies of the 1930s had a pair of words kulu “gold (metal)” and kulo “gold (substance)” derived from the root ᴹ√KUL of similar meaning (Ety/KUL). However Tolkien revised the meaning of this root to “golden-red” and the derivatives of the root became
Select Elvish Words 9.635: Metal
9.635 Metal ⚠️ᴹQ. rauta n. “metal” A noun for “metal” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√RAUTĀ of the same meaning (Ety/RAUTĀ). In that document, its Noldorin cognate was the basis for the second element of the names Finrod, Angrod and Damrod. In Tolkien’s later writings
Select Elvish Words 9.60-9.62: Smith, Forge, Anvil
9.60 Smith Q. sintamo n. “smith” A word specifically for a “[metal] smith” based on primitive ✶sinkitamo, as opposed to more generic tamo “smith, *builder” which can refer to a variety of craftsman (PE17/107-108). Its initial element seems to be a restoration of ᴱQ. sink “mineral, metal, gem” from the
Select Elvish Words 9.51-9.54: Beam, Board, Brick
9.51 Beam ᴹQ. andul n. “long pole” A word appearing in the Declension of Nouns (DN) glossed “long pole” (PE21/33), perhaps related to anda “long”. ᴹQ. hana n. “post” A word for “post” in notes on the The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1940s (PE21/33) of unclear derivation, serving as an
Select Elvish Words 9.49-9.50: Hammer, Nail
9.49 Hammer ᴹQ. namba n. “hammer” A noun for “a hammer” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√NDAM “hammer, beat” (Ety/NDAM). Tolkien wrote an l/ above this word, possibly indicating a variant form lamba (EtyAC/NDAM). This variant is consistent with the alternate form of the root: ᴹ√DAM
Select Elvish Words 9.46-9.48: Bore, Auger, Saw
9.46 to Bore ᴱQ. ter- v. “*to pierce” The verb ᴱQ. ter- appeared untranslated in a list of Qenya Verb Forms from the 1910s (PE14/28). Patrick Wynne and Christopher Gilson suggested it might be based on the early root ᴱ√teře “pierce” from this same period (PE14/28 note #4; PME/91). Conceptual