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Select Elvish Words 6.55: Hat, Cap

6.55 Hat, Cap

Q. ría n. “wreath, garland”

The word ría “wreath, garland” appeared in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 as a derivative of the root √RIG in a discussion of the etymology of the name Galadriel (PM/347). The same word ría “a wreath, garland” appeared in another 1968 discussion of her name, but there it was based on √RIƷ “wind about, wreathe” (NM/353).

Conceptual Development: In notes from 1959 Tolkien instead had Q. rië “garland” from √RIG “twine” (PE17/182). This in turn was a later iteration of ᴹQ. ríe “crown” from The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶rīgē under the root ᴹ√RIG having to do with crowns (Ety/RIG; EtyAC/RIG). As published in The Lost Road, this word was given rie (LR/383), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne corrected this to ríe in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/11).

The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. serin (serind-) “wreath, crown” under the early root ᴱ√SERE “twine, tie, bind” (QL/83). In the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it was Serin(do) “crown” (PME/83).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I’d use the 1968 word ría for “wreathe, garland”, but I’d also retain 1959 rië for its 1930s sense “crown”.

Q. ríma n. “fillet, snood, *headband, hairnet”

A word glossed “fillet, snood” in 1968 notes on the name of Galadriel, derived from the √RIƷ “wind about, wreathe” (NM/353). A “fillet” is a ribbon or strip used as a headband for holding hair and “snood” is an older English word for a decorative hairnet.

Q. rína adj. “fillet, snood, *headband, hairnet”

This adjective first appeared as ᴹQ. rína “crowned” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from the root ᴹ√RIG and an element in the names ᴹQ. Elerína and Tinwerína, both meaning “Crowned with Stars” (Ety/RIG). It appeared again in notes from 1959 as a suffix -rína meaning “garlanded, crowned”, again derived from √RIG (PE17/182). In the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, Tolkien derived rína from the root √RIK, but he changed his mind on the phonetic developments which rendered this etymology unviable and the whole section was deleted and replaced (PE19/85-86 note #79).

N. carab n. “hat”

A word for “hat” appearing in 1930s revisions to the map for The Silmarillion as an element in the name Amon Carab “Hill of the Hat” (WJ/187); hat tip to Lokyt for helping date this item. By the 1950s-60s the hill was renamed to Amon Rûdh “Bald Hill” (S/204). There is no clear derivation for the word carab, but ᴱQ. karape and G. garob “cloak, outer garment” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s may be related since they have a similar form and are also words for garments (GL/37). The unglossed 1930s root ᴹ√KARPA might also be related (PE18/66).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s instead had G. tôd “hat” with Qenya cognate ᴱQ. tâta (GL/71). Underneath this was G. togli “cap”, probably the result tôd + -li with the Gnomish sound change of dl to gl.

G. ôf n. “hood”

A word appearing as G. ôf “hood” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s of unclear derivation (GL/62).

Neo-Sindarin: I’d retain ᴺS. ôf “hood” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin as it does not conflict with later words, perhaps derived from *√OB.

N. rhîn adj. “crowned”

An adjective appearing as N. rhîn “crowned” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√RIG (Ety/RIG). The long î is probably the result of the vocalization of g before nasal n, from primitive adjective *rignā.

Neo-Sindarin: Since initial r unvoiced to rh in Noldorin of the 1930s but not in Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. rîn “crowned”, as suggested in Hiswelókë’s Sindarin Dictionary (HSD).

S. n. “wreath, garland; [N.] crown”

A word for “wreath, garland” appearing in The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 as the basis for -riel “crowned maiden” in the name Galadriel (PM/347). It was derived from primitive ✶rīgā based on the root √RIG “twine, wreathe”.

Conceptual Development: N. rhî “crown” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶rīgē under the root ᴹ√RIG (Ety/RIG). The difference from its Sindarin form is because initial r unvoiced to rh in Noldorin of the 1930s. In The Etymologies this word was also the basis for the name of Tuor’s mother: N. Rhian “Crown-gift” (Ety/RIG), later appearing as S. Rían (S/148).

Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s instead had ᴱN. mindeb “crown”, though its derivation is unclear (PE13/150).

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