9.67 Iron
- Q. anga n. “iron”
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This was the Quenya word for “iron” for much of Tolkien’s life, derived from primitive ✶angā of the same meaning (PM/347).
Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. anga “iron” dates back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/31). In this document it had some competing alternatives: ᴱQ. yere(n) “pig iron” under the early root ᴱ√DYEÐE (QL/105) and {ᴱQ. tongo “iron”} under the early root ᴱ√TOŊO “to hammer” (QL/94), though this second form was deleted. Neither of these alternatives survived in Tolkien’s later writings, and The Etymologies of the 1930s had only ᴹQ. anga “iron” under the root ᴹ√ANGĀ (Ety/ANGĀ). Tolkien stuck with this form thereafter.
- ᴹQ. angaina adj. “of iron”
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An adjectival form of ᴹQ. anga “iron” from The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/ANGĀ), also mentioned in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s (QL/31; PME/31).
- ᴱQ. akse (aksi-) n. “steel”
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A word appearing as ᴱQ. akse “steel” in the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s (PE15/77), also appearing in its partitive form aksínen “of steel” in the Early Qenya Grammar of this same period (PE14/48, 81). Based on its partitive form as well as its adjective form ᴱQ. aksína, I believe its stem form would be aksi-.
Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s it was ᴱQ. Y̯akse “steel” (QL/105), while in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it was {yakse >>} yaisa “steel” (GL/37).
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I would stick with ᴺQ. axë (axi-) “steel” based on the Neo-Root ᴺ√GAK. This “steel” word does conflict with the later word Q. axë “neck” (PE17/92), but I think a stem form of axi- makes it sufficiently distinct. However, if you are uncomfortable with this, the later word tornanga “hard-iron” might also be used for “steel” (PE17/56).
- ᴱQ. aksína adj. “(of) steel, *like steel”
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An unglossed word appearing as ᴱQ. aksīna in the English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s, an adjectival form of ᴱQ. akse “steel” (PE15/77). It appeared after the partitive form aksīnen of the noun, which could also function as an adjective meaning “of steel” as mentioned in the contemporaneous Early Qenya Grammar (PE14/48). It could be that aksína had the same meaning, or a slightly different meaning such as “*like steel”.
Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s it was ᴱQ. yaksina “of steel” based on ᴱQ. Y̯akse “steel” (QL/105).
Neo-Quenya: I would retain adjective ᴺQ. axína “(of) steel, *like steel” for purposes of Neo-Quenya since I also retain the noun ᴺQ. axë “steel”.
- Q. tornanga adj. and n. “iron hard; hard-iron, *steel”
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A word in notes written between the 1st and 2nd edition of The Lord of the Rings, glossed “hard-iron = iron hard” as a combination of torna “hard” and anga “iron” (PE17/56). It seems it could be used as both a noun and an adjective, though it is possible Tolkien intended it to be only adjectival like the nearby vanimelda “elven-fair”.
Neo-Quenya: This word might also be used to mean “steel” as a replacement for the early word ᴱQ. akse, though I personally retain ᴺQ. axë “steel” for purposes of Neo-Quenya; see that entry for discussion.
- S. ang n. “iron”
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This was the word for “iron” in Sindarin and its conceptual precursors for much of Tolkien’s life. It was derived from primitive ✶angā of the same meaning (PM/347).
Conceptual Development: G. ang “iron” dates all the way back to the the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/19), and appeared regularly in Tolkien’s writings thereafter, always with the same form and meaning.
- S. angren adj. “of iron”
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An adjectival form of ang “iron” appearing in several names such as Angrenost “Iron Fortress, Isengard” (LotR/473) and (in its plural form) Ered Engrin “Iron Mountains” (S/118).
Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s the adjective was G. angrin “of iron, iron” (GL/19). In the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s it became ᴱN. angren “of iron”, along with another adjective ᴱN. angeb “like iron” (PE13/159). N. angren “of iron” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√ANGĀ (Ety/ANGĀ), and appeared regularly in Tolkien’s writings thereafter.
- G. gais n. “steel”
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A word appearing as G. gais “steel” in the Gnomish Lexicon where it was cognate to {yakse >>} ᴱQ. yaisa “steel” (GL/37).
Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Quenya I use ᴺQ. axë (axi-) “steel” based on words from the 1920s and derived from *gaksē via the Neo-Root ᴺ√GAK. In the phonology of the 1930s, this would produce ᴺS. gaes “steel”; compare to N. taes “nail” < ᴹ✶taksē. Based on this, I use gaes for “steel” in my version of Neo-Sindarin.
There is evidence that the phonological developments in Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s were different, however, given S. ach “neck” < ✶aks (PE17/92). In this later phonology, the result would be *gach. Since I retain words like N. taes, I’m comfortable with words like gaes “steel” as dialectical variants. If you dislike this, you might instead use ᴺS. thornang “steel, (lit.) hard-iron” as a cognate to Q. tornanga “hard-iron”.
- G. gaisin adj. “of steel”
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A word appearing as G. gaisin “of steel” in the Gnomish Lexicon, an adjectival form of the noun G. gais “steel” (GL/37).
Neo-Sindarin: Since I adapt the Gnomish noun as ᴺS. gaes “steel” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would adapt the adjective as ᴺS. gaesen “of steel”.
- G. gaithrin adj. “like steel”
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A word appearing as G. gaithrin “like steel” in the Gnomish Lexicon, an adjectival form of the noun G. gais “steel” (GL/37).
Neo-Sindarin: Since I adapt the Gnomish noun as ᴺS. gaes “steel” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would adapt the adjective as ᴺS. gaethren “of steel”, with sr becoming thr.