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Select Elvish Words 8.12-8.15: Field, Garden, Barn, to Till

ᴹQ. peler n. “fenced field, ⚠️[ᴱQ.] fence”

A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “fenced field” along with cognate N. pêl, both derived from the root ᴹ√PEL(ES) “revolve on fixed point” (Ety/PEL(ES)).

Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is ᴱQ. pelto “hedge, hedged field” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, a derivative of ᴱ√PELE¹ “fence in” (QL/73). The form ᴱQ. peler appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s as a cognate of ᴱN. helai “fence”, derived from primitive ᴱ✶pelesa (PE13/147). Tolkien’s continued use of its cognate S. pêl in names like S. Pelennor “Fenced Land” (LotR/749; PE17/65) indicates the ongoing validity of ᴹQ. peler.

Q. resta n. “sown field, tilled ground, acre; *fair”

A noun for “sown field, tilled ground” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from primitive ✶reddā (PE19/91). Later in the same document it was glossed “acre” (PE19/101). The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. resta “‘sown’, sown field, acre” also from primitive ᴹ✶reddā under the root ᴹ√RED “scatter, sow” (Ety/RED; EtyAC/RED). The form resta did not appear in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/383), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne noted its existence in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/11).

Tolkien seems to have used this word to mean “*fair” as in parma-resta “*book-fair” in the untranslated phrase nai elen siluva parma-restalyanna meldonya from around 1964 (VT49/38). Carl Hostetter proposed that this phrase meant “*may a star shine upon your book­-fair, my friend”, referring to the appearing of Martin Blackman at the World Book Fair in June of 1964 (VT49/39). Assuming this interpretation is correct, Hostetter suggested it might be due the use of fields as a common location for fairs.

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s had ᴱQ. arwa “field” derived from the early root ᴱ√ƷARA “spread, extend sideways” (QL/32), cognate to G. garw “sown-field” (GL/38). The word ᴱQ. milnar or milnarwa “sown field” under the early root ᴱ√MILI seems to be an elaboration of ᴱQ. arwa, prefixed by a reduced form of ᴱQ. milin “grain of seed” (QL/61).

S. haedh n. “fenced enclosure”

A noun for a “fenced enclosure” in revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from primitive ✶khagdā “fence (of stakes), palisade” (PE19/91). While the original composition of OP2 was the early 1950s, the revisions were written in 1959 or later (PE19/91 note #110).

S. pêl n. “[N.] fenced field”

A noun appearing as an element is several later names such as Pelargir “Garth of Royal Ships” (RC/535) and Pelennor “Fenced Land” (PE17/65). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. pêl was glossed “fenced field, [Old English] tūn” under the root ᴹ√PEL(ES) (Ety/PEL(ES); EtyAC/PEL(ES)). The Old English word “tūn” means “enclosure” and was the ancestor of modern English “town”. It seems that as a suffix, -bel (mutated pel) could likewise refer to a settlement analogous to English “-ton, -ham”, such as in Calembel “Greenham” (RC/537).

In The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road the form was pel (LR/380), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne indicated the actual form was pêl in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/8), in keeping with the principle that short vowels generally lengthened in monosyllables. This word has an unusual plural peli, where the final i was retained because it was originally non-final, preserved before an s > h that was ultimately lost: ancient plural pelesi > pelih(i) > modern plural peli.

Conceptual Development: Similarly derived words in Tolkien’s early iterations of the language include G. pless “fence, hedge” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√PELE¹ “fence in” (GL/64; QL/73) and ᴱN. helai “fence” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s derived from primitive ᴱ✶pelesa (PE13/147).

S. rîdh n. “sown field, [N.] acre”

A noun for a “sown field” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from primitive ✶reddā (PE19/91). The Etymologies of the 1930s had N. rîð “‘sown’, sown field, acre” also from primitive ᴹ✶reddā under the root ᴹ√RED “scatter, sow” (Ety/RED; EtyAC/RED). The form N. rîð did not appear in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/383), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne noted its existence in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/11).

Conceptual Development: There were several other “field” words in Tolkien’s earlier writings. G. garw “sown-field” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, also functioning as an adjective meaning “tilled” (GL/38). ᴱN. gwas “field” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/146).

8.13 Garden, Orchard

ᴱQ. tarwa n. “garden, enclosure”

A word appearing as ᴱQ. tarwa “garden, enclosure” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√TAÐA (QL/87). The Qenya Phonology from this period had [unglossed] tarva, the form in the Cortirion dialect where rw > rv (PE12/24). The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. tarwa as a cognate to G. taru “horned” but both these words were deleted (GL/69).

Neo-Quenya: I personally would retain ᴺQ. tarwa “garden, enclosure” for purposes of Neo-Quenya based on a Neo-Root ᴺ√TAD “enclosure”. For example, Helge Fauskanger used this word in his Neo-Quenya New Testament (NQNT). If, however, you find it dubious you might instead use the neologism ᴺQ. santa for “garden”, inspired by S. sant from the late 1960s (VT42/20).

S. sant n. “garden, field, yard”

A word appearing in The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from the late 1960s, which meant “a garden, field, yard, or other place in private ownership, whether enclosed or not” (VT42/20). It was derived from √SAT “place, space” (VT42/19).

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. tand {“fence, border, bound” >>} “enclosure, garden” based the early root ᴱ√tadh- (GL/68).

8.14 Barn

ᴱQ. tumpo n. “shed, barn”

A noun appearing as ᴱQ. tumpo “shed, barn” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from either ᴱ√TṂPṂ or ᴱ√TUPU (QL/93, 95).

Neo-Quenya: Since √TUP “cover” survived in Tolkien’s later writings, I think this word can be salvaged as ᴺQ. tumpo “shed, barn” referring to an external, non-residential covered building, though it does conflict with [ᴹQ.] tumpo “hump, lump”.

8.15 to Till, Cultivate

G. barna- v. “to till (land), *cultivate; (orig.) to dwell in (a land)”

A verb appearing as G. {bartha- >>} bara- or barna- “dwell in, till (tr.)” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/21), clearly derived from the early root ᴱ√MBARA “dwell, live” (QL/63). Its gloss is followed by a parenthentical comment “(land)”. Likely the original sense was “dwell in (a land)”, and from there it gained the sense “*prepare a landing for dwelling” = “till (land), *cultivate”.

Neo-Sindarin: Since √MBAR continues to appear in Tolkien’s later writings, for purposes of Neo-Sindarin I would retain transitive ᴺS. barna- “to till (land), *cultivate” with an original sense “to dwell in (a land)”. Given this verb’s association with cultivation, however, I would use the later verb [N.] dortha- as the primary verb for “to dwell, stay, settle, *live (in a place)” (Ety/NDOR).

G. baron adj. “tilled, inhabited”

An adjective appearing as G. barn or baron “tilled, inhabited” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/21), clearly derived from the early root ᴱ√MBARA “dwell, live” (QL/63). As such, likely this word originally meant “inhabited” and the sense was later extended to “inhabited and prepared for cultivation” = “tilled”. As such it likely refers primarily to inhabited land rather than inhabited dwellings, and more specifically to tilled land inhabited by an agricultural people rather than simple hunter-gatherers.

Neo-Sindarin: Since √MBAR continues to appear in Tolkien’s later writings, I would retain ᴺS. baron “tilled, inhabited” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

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