4.58 to Bite ᴹQ. nac- v. “to bite” A verb for “bite” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√NAK of the same meaning (Ety/NAK). Conceptual Development: ᴱQ. naka- “bite” dates back to the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, already based
Select Elvish Words
Studies on selected elvish words to sort out their semantics.
Select Elvish Words 4.56-4.57: Spit, Vomit
4.56 to Spit ᴹQ. piuta- v. “to spit” An apparent verb in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√PIW “spit” and so probably of the same meaning (Ety/PIW). Conceptual Development: The earliest verb for “spit” was ᴱQ. retye- from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the
Select Elvish Words 4.52-4.54: Yawn, Cough, Sneeze
4.52 to Gape, Yawn Q. hac- v. “to yawn” A verb implied by the active participle hákala “yawning” from the Markirya poem of the 1960s (MC/222). The verb form is often assumed to be háca-, but if this adjective is in fact a present active participle (= “is currently yawning”),
Select Elvish Words 4.51: to Breathe; Breath
4.51 to Breathe; Breath Q. foa n. “breath, puff of breath” A word appearing as fā in 1968 notes on primitive monosyllables as a derivative of ✶phā “breath, puff of breath” (VT47/35). Tolkien said this word survived in Quenya, but in a later sentence he wrote Q. fawa, foa, perhaps
4.47-4.492: Womb, Egg, Penis
4.47 Womb Q. móna n. “*womb” A word for “womb” in Quenya prayers of the 1950s; the editors of the prayers suggested it is probably connected to √MŌ “labour” (VT43/31). Conceptual Development: Earlier versions of the prayers had carva instead, possibly connected to √KAR “make” (VT43/31). In notes on Elvish
Select Elvish Words 4.44-4.46: Heart, Liver, Belly
4.44 Heart Q. hón (hom-) n. “heart (physical organ)” The word for the “heart” as a physical organ, as opposed to more metaphorical words like Q. órë and Q. indo. Its stem form was hom- in Tolkien’s later writings (NM/176, PE19/97). Conceptual Development: The base word for “heart” was quite
Select Elvish Words 4.40-4.41: Front of Chest, Breast of Woman
4.40 Front of Chest ᴹQ. ambor n. “breast, *chest” The word ᴹQ. ambor “breast” appeared in the Declension of Nouns from the early 1930s, derived from ᴹ✶amƀus (PE21/33). This word shows the Early Qenya sound change whereby final [s] became [r]; in Tolkien’s later writings this change applied mainly to
Select Elvish Words 4.39-4.393: Nail, Claw, Wing, Feather
4.39 Nail, Claw Q. nappa n. “claw, talon” A noun for “claw, talon” appearing rough notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals from the late 1960s based on the root √NAP “grasp, seize quickly” (VT47/20). In the margin Tolkien wrote a variant form namma with the same glosses, and the
Select Elvish Words 4.37-4.38: Foot, Toe
4.37 Foot Q. runya n. “slot, footprint” A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “slot, footprint” derived from the root ᴹ√RUN “flat of hand or sole of foot” (Ety/RUN). Q. tál n. “foot; [ᴹQ.] bottom, [ᴱQ.] lowest part” The Quenya word for “foot” derived from the root √TAL
Select Elvish Words 4.35-4.36: Leg, Knee
4.35 Leg Q. attalya n. and adj. “biped, *(lit.) two-footed” A noun or adjective meaning “two-legged”, attested only in its (noun) plural form attalyar (WJ/389). It is a combination of atta “two” and tál “foot”, with the adjective suffix -ya¹. Conceptual Development: In the Qenya Lexicon from the 1910s, there