4.62 Dream Q. indemma n. “mind-picture (of apparition in dream)” A word for a “mind-picture”, a combination of indo “mind” and emma “picture” (PE17/174, 176, 179). Tolkien described them thus: They [the Elves] held that a superior mind by nature, or one exerting itself to its full in some extremity
Select Elvish Words 4.61: Sleep
4.61 to Sleep; Sleep ᴹQ. lor- v. “to sleep, [ᴱQ.] slumber” The verb ᴱQ. lor- “slumber” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LORO “doze, slumber” (QL/56). The verb reappeared in a present participle form loralyar “asleep” in Koivienéni sentence which was probably composed in
Select Elvish Words 4.58-4.59: Bite, Lick
4.58 to Bite ᴹQ. nac- v. “to bite” A verb for “bite” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√NAK of the same meaning (Ety/NAK). Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. naka- “bite” dates back to the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, already based
Select Elvish Words 4.56-4.57: Spit, Vomit
4.56 to Spit ᴹQ. piuta- v. “to spit” An apparent verb in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√PIW “spit” and so probably of the same meaning (Ety/PIW). Conceptual Development: The earliest verb for “spit” was ᴱQ. retye- from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the
Select Elvish Words 4.52-4.54: Yawn, Cough, Sneeze
4.52 to Gape, Yawn Q. hac- v. “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”),
Select Elvish Words 4.51: to Breathe; Breath
4.51 to Breathe; Breath Q. foa n. “breath, puff of breath” A word appearing as fā in 1968 notes on primitive monosyllables as a derivative of ✶phā “breath, puff of breath” (VT47/35). Tolkien said this word survived in Quenya, but in a later sentence he wrote Q. fawa, foa, perhaps
4.47-4.492: Womb, Egg, Penis
4.47 Womb Q. móna n. “*womb” A word for “womb” in Quenya prayers of the 1950s; the editors of the prayers suggested it is probably connected to √MŌ “labour” (VT43/31). Conceptual Development: Earlier versions of the prayers had carva instead, possibly connected to √KAR “make” (VT43/31). In notes on Elvish
Select Elvish Words 4.44-4.46: Heart, Liver, Belly
4.44 Heart Q. hón (hom-) n. “heart (physical organ)” The word for the “heart” as a physical organ, as opposed to more metaphorical words like Q. órë and Q. indo. Its stem form was hom- in Tolkien’s later writings (NM/176, PE19/97). Conceptual Development: The base word for “heart” was quite
Select Elvish Words 4.40-4.41: Front of Chest, Breast of Woman
4.40 Front of Chest ᴹQ. ambor n. “breast, *chest” The word ᴹQ. ambor “breast” appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, derived from ᴹ✶amƀus (PE21/33). This word shows the Early Qenya sound change whereby final [s] became [r]; in Tolkien’s later writings this change applied mainly to
Select Elvish Words 4.39-4.393: Nail, Claw, Wing, Feather
4.39 Nail, Claw Q. nappa n. “claw, talon” A noun for “claw, talon” appearing rough notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s based on the root √NAP “grasp, seize quickly” (VT47/20). In the margin Tolkien wrote a variant form namma with the same glosses, and the