√TIL “point, horn” The root √TIL was used for “pointy thing” for much of Tolkien’s life, most notably as the final element in the name Q. Taniquetil “High White (or Snow) Peak”. Its earliest appearance was as unglossed ᴱ√TILI⁽²⁾ or ᴱ√T͡YILI (probably the true form) in the Qenya Lexicon of
Paul Strack
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: THIL-THUR
√THIL “shine silver” Tolkien frequently used the root √THIL as the basis for “moon” words in Elvish. The first appearance of this root was ᴱ√ÞILI a variant of ᴱ√SILI “*gleam” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/83). The normal “moon” words in this period were ᴱQ. Sil and G.
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: THĀ-THER
ᴱ√THĀ/ATHA “ease, comfort, heal; be helpful; be willing to assist (in any work, etc.), agree, consent; [ᴹ√] forward” Tolkien introduced the root ᴹ√THA in Quendian & Common Eldarin Verbal Structure (EVS1) of the 1930s to serve as the basis for the (Old) Noldorin future suffix -thā. Tolkien said: “This thā
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: TEFE-TELES
ᴱ√TEFE “*hate, dislike” An unglossed root in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. tempe “hate” and ᴱQ. teve- “hate, dislike” (QL/90), where the -v- was because intervocalic voiceless spirants became voiced in Early Qenya (PE12/17-19). It also had derivatives in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon such as
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: TAP-TAY
ᴹ√TAP “stop” A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “stop” with derivatives like ᴹQ. tampa “stopper” and ᴹQ. tape “he stops, blocks” (Ety/TAP; EtyAC/TAP). The word Q. tapta “impeded” from notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 was probably related (VT39/17), indicating the roots ongoing
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: TA-TAN
√TA “that, there, then; demonstrative” Tolkien used the root √TA for Elvish demonstratives for much of his life, but in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱ√TA “demonstrative” (with variant ᴱ√TAMA²) had derivatives like ᴱQ. tāma “this” and ᴱQ. tamīne “today” (QL/87). This ᴱ√TA seems to be a near demonstrative
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: SUB-SYAD
ᴹ√SUB “sink (esp. in water)” The root ᴹ√SUB “sink, esp. in water” appeared in a rejected page of verbal roots from the Quenya Verbal System of the 1940s where it had a derived past tense form ᴹQ. sumbe “*sank” as well as a distinct verb form ᴹQ. sumba- “to submerge”
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: STAB-STUD
ᴹ√STAB “*wood” An unglossed root in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. sambe “room, chamber”, N. tham “hall”, and ᴹQ. samna/N. thafn “wooden post” (Ety/STAB). It seems to be a later iteration of the unglossed root ᴱ√SAMA from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: SPALAK-SRIT
*√SPALAK; ᴱ√FḶKḶ “cleave, hew” The root {ᴱ√FḶQḶ >>} ᴱ√FḶKḶ “cleave, hew” appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives like ᴱQ. falqa “cleft, pass, ravine” and ᴱQ. falqan “large sword” (QL/38). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon it had derivatives like G. falchon “great two-handed sword, twibill” but also
Select Primitive Elvish Roots: SMAG-SOVO
ᴹ√SMAG “soil, stain” A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “soil, stain” with derivatives {mael >>} N. hmael “stain; stained” and {maw >>} N. hmaw “soil, stain” (Ety/SMAG; EtyAC/SMAG). Tolkien first gave this root as ᴹ√MAG⁽²⁾ (EtyAC/MAG²). √SNAG “wound, gash” A root appearing in the Outline of Phonology