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
Elvish Words – Animals
Select Elvish Words 3.99: Animals (other)
3.99 Animals (other) Q. ecellë n. “urchin, hedgehog” A word for “urchin, hedgehog” appearing in its plural form ekelli in 1965 notes on the land and beasts of Númenor, though not necessarily describing the terrestrial creature (NM/336). This word is probably based on the root √EK “sharp point”. Q. lopoldë
Select Elvish Words 3.84-3.85: Worm, Snake
3.84 Worm ᴱQ. wembe n. “worm” A noun appearing as ᴱQ. {wembe >>} ’wembe “worm” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√GWEVE; it had a longer variant ’wembil (QL/103). Wembe “worm” was also mentioned in the contemporaneous Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa (PME/103). Neo-Quenya:
Select Elvish Words 3.83: Fly (n)
3.83 Fly (n) ᴱQ. campo n. “flea” The word ᴱQ. kampo “flea” appeared in the Early Qenya Phonology document of the 1920s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶kampu- based on the early root ᴱ√KAPA “leap”, as opposed to ᴱN. caifr, ᴱT. camparon derived from the variant primitive form ᴱ✶kamp’ru (PE14/66). A similar
Select Elvish Words 3.82: Bee
3.82 Bee ᴱQ. nier n. “(honey) bee” A word appearing as ᴱQ. nier (nies-) “honey bee” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from primitive ᴱ✶neχier under the early root ᴱ√NEHE that was the basis for “honey” and “bee” words (QL/65). It had a variant form nies (niess-). It
Select Elvish Words 3.811: Spider
3.811 Spider ᴹQ. liante n. “spider, ⚠️[ᴱQ.] tendril, vine” A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “spider” derived from the root ᴹ√SLIG with various other derivatives having to do with webs and fine threads (Ety/SLIG). Most notably it was the second element in the name ᴹQ. Ungoliante “Gloomweaver”
Select Elvish Words 3.81: Insect
3.81 Insect ᴱQ. malo n. “moth” A noun appearing as ᴱQ. malo “moth” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s derived from primitive ᴱ✶[mal]wǝ under the early root ᴱ√MALA “crush, squeeze, pulp” (QL/58). It had a plural malwi, and in the Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa it was given
Select Elvish Words 3.79: to Hunt
3.79 to Hunt ᴹQ. fafarra- vb. “*to keep on hunting” A frequentative form of ᴹQ. fara- appearing in the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948 (PE22/112), hences meaning something like “*to keep on hunting”. It replaced an archaic form †papharra-. Q. fara- vb. “to hunt” A verb for “to hunt”
Select Elvish Words 3.75: Deer, Elephant, Camel
3.75 Deer S. aras n. “deer, hart, *stag” A word in the name Cabed-en-Aras “Deer’s Leap” (S/224; UT/150). Its primitive form ✶aras(sō) was translated “hart” (PE21/82), so this word probably refers to a male deer. 3.77 Elephant ᴹQ. andamunda n. “elephant” A noun for “elephant” in The Etymologies of the
Select Elvish Words 3.72-3.74: Lion, Bear, Fox
3.72 Lion Q. rá (ráv-) n. “lion” An archaic word for “lion” mentioned in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the 1950s, versus more common Q. rauro (PE19/99, 104). Conceptual Development: This word has a lengthy history in Tolkien’s conception of Elvish, dating all the way back to ᴱQ. rau