3.72 Lion
- Q. rá (ráv-) n. “lion”
- An archaic word for “lion” mentioned in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s, versus more common Q. rauro (PE19/99, 104).
Conceptual Development: This word has a lengthy history in Tolkien’s conception of Elvish, dating all the way back to ᴱQ. rau “lion” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a derivative of the early root ᴱ√RAVA (QL/79). In the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, Tolkien had rú “lion” (PE21/40). It appeared in The Etymologies from later in the 1930s as ᴹQ. rá “lion” derived from primitive ᴹ✶rāu [rāw] under the root ᴹ√RAW, with plural form rávi (Ety/RAW).
In the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from this period Tolkien had (unglossed) rāva < rāwa (PE19/62), but in Notes for Qenya Declensions from the 1940s Tolkien had (unglossed) rāu < rắwă (PE21/69). The last clear mention in currently published materials is in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s, as discussed above.
- Q. rauro n. “lion”
- The common Quenya word for “lion” (more literally “roarer”) appearing in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s, as opposed to archaic Q. rá¹ (PE19/99, 104); see that entry for further discussion of its conceptual development.
- ᴱQ. ravenne n. “she-lion, *lioness”
- A word appearing as ᴱQ. ravenne “she-lion” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a feminine variant of ᴱQ. rau “lion” (QL/79). It was also mentioned in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/79).
Neo-Quenya: This word could plausibly be derived from the root ᴹ√RAW that was the basis for later “lion” words, so I would retain this word as ᴺQ. ravennë “she-lion, *lioness” for purposes of Neo-Quenya.
- N. rhaw n. “lion”
- A noun appearing as N. rhaw “lion” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶rāu [rāw] under the root ᴹ√RAW (Ety/RAW), where the initial r was unvoiced to rh as was generally the case in Noldorin. It had a Noldorin plural form of rhui.
Conceptual Development: G. rau “lion” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/65), probably a derivative of the early root ᴱ√RAVA like its cognate ᴱQ. rau “lion” (QL/79).
Neo-Sindarin: Since the unvoicing of initial liquids did not occur in Sindarin, many people adapt this word as ᴺS. raw “lion” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in Hiswelókë’s Sindarin Dictionary (HSD). Its Sindarin-style plural is more likely to be roe(w) rather than **rui: compare Sindarin plural S. noeg of naug “dwarf” (UT/100) vs. its Noldorin plural N. nuig (EtyAC/NAUK).
3.73 Bear
- ᴹQ. morco n. “bear”
- A noun for “bear” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶morókō under the root ᴹ√MOROK (Ety/MORÓK).
- N. brôg n. “bear”
- A noun for “bear” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶morókō under the root ᴹ√MOROK (Ety/MORÓK), where the initial syllable reduced to m’rokō and then the initial mr became br.
Conceptual Development: A likely precursor to this word is ᴱN. gorch “bear” (also “fierce fighter”) from Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/145, 149).
- ⚠️S. graw n. “bear”
- A Sindarin word for “bear” in notes from the late 1960s, derived from primitive ✶grā (VT47/12).
Neo-Sindarin: Its Quenya cognate Q. roa had the revised meaning {“bear” >>} “dog”, so for purposes of Neo-Sindarin it is probably best to stick with [N.] brôg and ᴺS. medli [N. megli] as words for “bear”.
- N. megli n. “bear, (lit.) honey-eater”
- A noun appearing as N. {magli >>} megli “bear” in The Etymologies, a combination of N. mad- “eat” and N. glî “honey”, hence more literally “honey-eater” (Ety/LIS, MAT; EtyAC/LIS, MAT), where dl > gl as was usual in Noldorin. This word also appeared in the phrase i vegli vorn “the black bear” in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s (PE22/33).
Conceptual Development: ᴱN. magli “a bear, honey-eater” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s.
Neo-Sindarin: The sound change dl > gl was not a feature of Sindarin, so most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. medli “bear”, as suggested in Hiswelókë’s Sindarin Dictionary (HSD).
- N. meglin adj. “*bear-like”
- An adjective form meglin of megli “bear” appearing in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/LIS).
Neo-Sindarin: The sound change dl > gl was not a feature of Sindarin, so most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. medlin “bear-like”, as suggested in Hiswelókë’s Sindarin Dictionary (HSD).
- N. meglivorn n. “blackbear”
- A word (and name) appearing as N. meglivorn “blackbear” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, a combination of N. megli “bear” and N. morn “black” (Ety/LIS, MOR). Tolkien considered but rejected the form mormagli (EtyAC/LIS, MOR). The name Meglivorn also appeared in notes on The Feanorian Alphabet from the 1930s (PE22/33).
Neo-Sindarin: The sound change dl > gl was not a feature of Sindarin, so most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. medlivorn “blackbear”, as suggested in Hiswelókë’s Sindarin Dictionary (HSD).
3.74 Fox
- Q. rusco (ruscu-) n. “fox”
- The Quenya word for “fox” from the root √(u)rus “brownish red” (VT41/10). It has a stem form of ruscu- and hence a plural form is rusqui.
- Q. ruscuitë adj. “foxy”
- A word for “foxy”, an adjectival form of Q. rusco “fox” (VT41/10).
- S. rusc n. “fox”
- The Sindarin word for “fox” from the root √(u)rus “brownish red”. Normally a short u became o in Sindarin, but in this case it seems likely that the presence of a second u (later lost) help preserve the u in rusc.