12.64 Thick (in Density)
- ⚠️Q. hyarna adj. “compact, [ᴹQ.] compressed”
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A word for “compact, compressed” appearing in both the Outline of Phonetic Development (OP1) from the 1940s and the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s, a modern replacement of older hyanna which was the proper derivative of ancient ✶syadnā (PE19/45, 92). This word was part of a paradigm in which the root √SYAD meant “compress”, but elsewhere this root generally meant “cleave” as in Sangahyando “Throng-cleaver” (LotR/1048).
- Q. nelya- v. “to thicken, congeal”
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There was a set of possible verb forms lelya, nelya, delta, delya (the last two probably primitive forms) appearing in a note probably from the mid-1960s, with a difficult-to-read gloss that seems to be something like “thick, thicken & congeal” according to Christopher Gilson (PE17/17). This note included the root √DEL “thick, dense”; the form nelya hints at a possible root change to √NDEL, or it could some sort of assimilation/disimilation of ancient d to n rather than the usual change of initial d to l. All these verb forms were rejected along with the root √DEL.
Neo-Quenya: Since we have no other words of similar meaning in Tolkien’s later writings, I would salvage ᴺQ. nelya- “to thicken, congeal” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, and assume it is derived from a Neo-Root ᴺ√NDEL “thick, dense”.
- ᴱQ. sangwa adj. “tight, thick, dense, tough, hard”
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The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. sangwa “tight, thick, dense, tough, hard” as an adjective related to the noun ᴱQ. sanga “throng, tight mass, crowd”, both under the early root ᴱ√SAŊA “pack tight, press” (QL/81).
Neo-Quenya: Since Q. sanga “throng” survived in Tolkien’s later writings, I would retain ᴺQ. sangwa “tight, thick, dense, tough, hard” for purposes of Neo-Quenya, reconceived as a derivative of the later root √THAG “crush, press” and thus historically starting with þ rather than s.
- ᴱQ. tiura adj. “compact”
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The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had the adjective ᴱQ. tiure “compact” under the early root ᴱ√TIW̯I “thick” (QL/93). Elsewhere under the related root form ᴱ√TYU Tolkien instead had ᴱQ. tiura ending in an a (QL/50).
Neo-Quenya: Since ᴹ√TIW “fat, thick” survived in Tolkien’s later writings, I would retain this adjective, but would use ᴺQ. tiura “compact” since adjectives more frequently end in a.
- S. delch adj. “dense”
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The adjective delch “dense” appeared in notes probably from the mid-1960s as a derivative of primitive ✶delkā based on the root √DEL “thick, dense” (PE17/17). The note had an “X” next to it indicating rejection, followed by another note where Tolkien said “the proposed √DEL ‘thick, dense’ will not, however, do: it does not provide suitable Quenya or Sindarin forms”.
Neo-Sindarin: Since we have no later words for “dense”, I retain ᴺS. delch “dense” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin. However, to better distinguish it from other √DEL roots I assume it is derived from a Neo-Root ᴺ√NDEL so that delch had ancient primitive initial nd- [*ndelkā], based on the Quenya verb form Q. nelya- “thicken, congeal” [< *ndelyā?] appearing in the same note; see that Quenya entry for discussion.