8.22 to Dig, Delve
- Q. felehta- v. “*to excavate, tunnel, mine”
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An untranslated form appearing in Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 derived from the root √PHELEG/PHELEK (PE17/118), possibly a verb derived from *phelektā- or *phelegtā-. The derivatives of this root had to do with mines and tunnels, so perhaps this verb meant “*to excavate, tunnel, mine”.
- ᴱQ. sapa- v. “to dig”
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A verb appearing as ᴱQ. sapa- “dig” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SAPA of the same basic meaning (QL/82). The verb ᴱQ. sap- “dig” reappeared in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/145).
Neo-Quenya: Since the root √SAP appeared in Tolkien’s later writing, I would retain ᴺQ. sap- “to dig” for purposes of Neo-Quenya.
- ᴱQ. satwa adj. “hollow, dug-out, excavated”
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An adjective appearing as ᴱQ. satwa “hollow, dug-out, excavated” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SAPA “dig, excavate” (QL/82). It is likely the result of the Early Qenya sound change whereby [pw] became [tw] (PE12/23).
Neo-Quenya: In the rare cases where ancient pw occurred Quenya of the 1930s and later, it became pp (PE19/43, 86). Thus I would update this Early Qenya adjective to ᴺQ. sappa “hollow, dug-out, excavated”.
- N. rosta- v. “to hollow out, excavate”
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A verb in The Etymologies of the 1930s appearing in its [Noldorin] infinitive form rosto, glossed “to hollow out, excavate” and derived from the root ᴹ√ROD “cave” (Ety/ROD). Likely its primitive form was *rod-tā, where d+t became st in ancient Elvish.
Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. tumla- {“dig a hole, excavate” >>} “excavate, hollow out” (GL/72), likely derived from the early root ᴱ√TUM(B)U having to do with hollow things, as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Tombo; QL/095).
- S. sabar n. “delving”
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A noun appearing only in its mutated form -habar in names like Anghabar “Iron-delvings” and Nornhabar “Dwarrowdelf, *Dwarf-delving” (WJ/209). It provides evidence for the retention of the root √SAP “dig” in Tolkien’s later writing.
- G. saptha- v. “to dig, bite into”
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A verb appearing as G. saptha- “to dig, to bite into” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s based on the early root ᴱ√SAPA “dig, excavate” (GL/67).
Neo-Sindarin: The root √SAP reappeared in Tolkien’s later writings, but for purposes of Neo-Sindarin I would adapt G. saptha- as a basic verb ᴺS. sab- “to dig” to avoid questions of how its phonetics would have changed in later Sindarin.
8.25 Spade
- ᴱQ. sampa n. “spade, *shovel”
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A noun appearing as ᴱQ. sampa “spade” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√SAPA “dig, excavate” (QL/82). The noun reappeared with the same gloss in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/145).
Neo-Quenya: Since the root √SAP reappeared in Tolkien’s later writings, I would retain ᴺQ. sampa “spade, *shovel” for purposes of Neo-Quenya.
- G. sabli n. “spade, shovel”
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A noun appearing as G. sabli “a spade, shovel” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/67), clearly based on the early root ᴱ√SAPA “dig, excavate” (QL/82).
Neo-Sindarin: If adapted to Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s, this noun would likely become *sabol. However, that conflicts with the active-participle sabol “digging” of the verb ᴺS. sab- “to dig”. I would therefore revise this noun to ᴺS. samp “spade, shovel” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, a direct cognate of [ᴱQ.] sampa of the same basic meaning.
8.29 Blade, Share
- Q. maica n. “blade of a cutting tool or weapon (especially sword-blade)”
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A noun appearing in notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, glossed “blade of a cutting tool or weapon, especially sword-blade” derived from the root √MAK “cut, hew” (VT39/11). The Elves were somewhat uncertain of the ancient origin of this noun and Tolkien said:
By some loremasters it was brought into relation with a small group of supposed ancient “desiderative” formations with intruded i … Maika would [in ancient Elvish] thus be interpretted as “eager, fit, ready to cut”, and it might well be brought into relation with the idea often found in ancient tales that swords were greedy and thirsty (VT39/11).
Conceptual Development: Earlier “blade” words in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s include ᴱQ. valke (valki-) “edge, sharp blade” under the early root ᴱ√VḶKḶ (QL/101) and ᴱQ. hyanda “blade, share” under the early root ᴱ√HYAŘA [HYAÐA] “plough through” (QL/41). Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s had ᴱQ. tále as a cognate to ᴱN. dail “axe-blade”, both derived from primitive ᴱ✶daglé (PE13/141). The Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s had the similar noun ᴱQ. taila “blade” derived from primitive ᴱ✶dagla (PE14/66).
- G. cim n. “blade”
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An (archaic) noun appearing as G. †cim “blade” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/26). The noun G. caf “blade” also appeared in the same document, but it was deleted (GL/24).
Neo-Sindarin: The root √KIM “edge, brink of” appeared in Tolkien’s writing of the 1960s, with derivatives like Q. címa “edge of a cutting weapon/tool” (PE22/149). Therefore, I think this Gnomish noun might be retained for purposes of Neo-Sindarin as ᴺS. cim “blade”, perhaps derived from primitive *kimbē. I would also assume this Neo-Sindarin word was not archaic.
- N. hathel n. “broadsword-blade, axe-blade”
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A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “broadsword-blade, axe-blade” derived from primitive ᴹ✶syatsē̆la [< *syadsē̆la] under the root ᴹ√SYAD “cleave” (Ety/SYAD). In Tolkien’s later writing there was the name S. Hathol “The Axe” (S/147, WJ/234) which might be a replacement of the 1930s word, but I think the two can coexist as words for “*weapon-blade” and “axe” respectively.
Conceptual Development: The noun ᴱN. dail “axe-blade” appeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s from primitive ᴱ✶daglé (PE13/141). A similar word {i·dhail >>} i·dael “the axe” appeared in the Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s derived from primitive ᴱ✶dagla (PE14/66).