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Select Elvish Words 7.25-7.27: Window, Floor, Wall

7.25 Window

ᴱQ. lattin n. “window”

A word appearing as ᴱQ. lattin or lattulis “window” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, an elaboration of ᴱQ. lat (latt-) “flap, small hinged door, lid” (QL/51).

Neo-Quenya: Since I retain ᴺQ. lat (latt-) as a derivative of the later root √LAT¹ “open”, I would retain ᴺQ. lattin “window” as well, a word also used in Helge Fauskanger’s Neo-Quenya New Testament (NQNT).

S. henneth n. “window”

A word for “window” appearing as an element in the name Henneth Annûn “Window of Sunset” (LotR/674; RC/473), apparently an elaboration of hen(d) “eye”.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s has G. galoth “window”, a combination of G. gal(a) “light” and G. ôth “hole” (GL/37).

7.26 Floor

Q. talan (talam-) n. “flat space, platform; [ᴹQ.] floor, ⚠️ground”

A word for a “flat space, platform” in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from The Lord of the Rings, cognate to S. talan and derived from ✶talam (PE17/52). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. talan was glossed “floor, ground” under the root ᴹ√TALAM “floor, base, ground” (Ety/TALAM).

Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use talan as a general word for a constructed “floor” or “platform” both with and without walls and possibly above ground level as well, but for natural “ground” I would use [ᴹQ.] hún (QL/39).

N. panas n. “floor”

A noun for “floor” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, an elaboration of N. pân “plank” under the root ᴹ√PAN (Ety/PAN). As such, it likely refers to a constructed floor made of wood or other materials.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. blath “a floor” (GL/23), probably derived from the early root ᴱ√PALA having to do with flat things as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Palúrien).

S. talan n. “platform, flat space, flet [Middle English = ‘floor’]”

A noun Tolkien described as a “flet” (Middle English for “floor”) applied to the elevated wooden platforms the Elves of Lórien had in trees from The Lord of the Rings (LotR/342). In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien said its proper meaning was a “flat space, platform” and it was derived from primitive ✶talam (PE17/52). It seems this word applies to an elevated platform without walls, as opposed to a floor within a building which would be [N.] panas (Ety/PAN). In theory the final n of talan would be lost, but it was likely restored by analogy with its plural form telain.

Conceptual Development: This word appeared as N. talan “flet” in Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s (TI/227).

7.27 Wall

Q. ramba n. “wall”

A word for “wall” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ᴹ✶rambā under the root ᴹ√RAB² (Ety/RAMBĀ; EtyAC/RAMBĀ). The root form did not appear in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/382), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne noted the actual root in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/10). The word ramba appeared as an element in some later names as well, such as Eärambar “Walls of Eä” in Silmarillion revisions of the 1950s (MR/63).

G. ostor n. “enclosure, circuit of walls, *town wall”

A noun appearing as G. ostor “enclosure, circuit of walls” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, an elaboration of G. ost¹ “enclosure, yard; town” (GL/63).

Neo-Sindarin: Since S. ost “citadel, (fortified) town” continued to appear in later Sindarin, I think this word might be retained as ᴺS. ostor “enclosure, circuit of walls, *town wall” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

S. ram n. “wall”

The Sindarin word for “wall”, an element in several names such as Andram “Long Wall” and Ramdal “Wall’s End” (S/122).

Conceptual Development: The word was N. rham “wall” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where it was derived from ᴹ✶rambā under the root ᴹ√RAB² (Ety/RAMBĀ; EtyAC/RAMBĀ). The root form did not appear in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/382), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne noted the actual root in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/10). The rh in the 1930s Noldorin form was because initial r was unvoiced in Noldorin, something that was not the case in later Sindarin.

The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. bant “wall” appearing between G. bada- “build” and G. bad “building”, so perhaps derived from an early root *ᴱ√BATA (GL/21).

S. rammas n. “great wall”

A word for a “great wall” in the name Rammas Echor “Great Wall of the Outer Circle” (LotR/750; RC/512), an elaboration of S. ram “wall”. N. ram(m)as also appeared in earlier names for Rammas Echor from Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s (WR/288).

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