Old Elvish Lexicon¶
Note that when a word with verbal and nominal inflection has the verbal form semantically joined with the nominal (e.g. ‘tie (with) rope’), the nominal form is normally omitted in usage unless emphasis is intended. It is as it were zero-incorporated.
= the final vowel is omitted if the next word begins with a vowel, diphtong, or w.
Animacy is indicated for nouns. Otherwise the noun is inanimate.
Word classes as indicated roughly correspond to the class the free root would belong to in English. However, in Old Elvish adjectives do not form a separate class as such and most roots can carry both nominal and verbal inflection.
Note adj-noun compounds are left-headed (‘rootbitter’) while noun-noun compounds are right-headed (‘firestone’).
Romanization key:
long vowels and consonants doubled
ɪ: î
ɑ: â
ɛ: ê
ɔ: ô
ə: ë
æ: ae
ʃ: sh
θ: th
ð: dh
j: y
Lexicon:¶
ae n an water; pond, lake
ail adj big, large; much, a lot
v enlarge êsail
ar part in order to
ath v dwell, reside, live in
n dwelling, living place, house, home athil
aul v jump, leap, pounce
aum v wish, desire, hope
n wish, desire, hope
aunn v eat
aus v face, stand/be opposite; oppose, gainsay, contest; rebel
n an face
auva adj bitter
n bitterroot (Elvish edible plant) vaiauva
aawan n an hair (on head)
âm (pl. êm) n thing, object (also placeholder object)
ânn v stand, stay
n an leg (pl. ênn)
n an dog siilânnil (‘little four-legs’)
âz n an eye (pl. êz)
ael v know, understand, comprehend (PE *aell)
n fact; truth; reality; essence
n knowledge, understanding ællar
deôn num two (replaces proto-Elvish ‘zul’)
n an twin
din v affix, stick
e conj and, also
epë n an lower arm
eril num six
eyan num eleven
eun n bone (PE: *eeln)
n skeleton eumnôn
eus num one
adj single, alone
gala n snow
Gae n an fish (generic)
n fish trap/net dunGae
Gwethë prep to, for
Gwinë n an navel
Gwôn n/adj gold
hal v run, chase, hunt
n an wolf haxalo (‘runs + intens. + hab. impf.’)
hon(ë) * det all, every
idhe v come (to), arrive (at), reach
il n place (placeholder)
ilë n an nose (P*E hilên)
in v smell (trans.) (PE *hiln)
v stink êsin
inti prep with
iri num three
iril num eight
iriyan num thirteen
ixrath adv yesterday
înd v sleep
n sleep
v nap indôn
n nap indôn, indil
kal n an head (pl. kol)
n skull ikal
kawa n copper
kii v shoot, release (bow)
n bow
koleen v take, remove
kôlla n an ear (pl. kella)
kôm n an neck
lau v (elf) woman, wife
lîmma n an hand (pl. lumma)
lîn n an elf (generic term, not gendered)
llath v laugh
mael n an leaf; page; scroll
mêsh n/adj iron (tool)
mi v move; walk, go
v move (trans.), push êsmi
missalôn nan music (lit: ‘state of being moved’)
mizâl n axe
nath n/adj silver
n an moon nathail (‘big silver’)
n an month nathais
n an cat nathailêz (‘mooneyes’)
oon v see, observe
n sight, view
ônd n stone, rock
phaella nan horse
pha det here
phenn n feather
qal v say, speak; recite; sing
n an language, speech (abstr.); song
n an epic, legend, myth (‘cycle’) qalmôn
n an bird qalo (‘sings + hab. impf.’)
qaann n horn
adj hard
qwar v cut
âqwar v chop (into pieces) (thing-cut)
rath v burn (act.) (stat. uses reflex.)
n an fire
n in flint, pyriterathônd (firestone)
rila num five
rilyan num fifteen
roa v bleed, drain (act.) (stat. uses reflex.)
n an blood
sâsh v tie, bind
n rope
zusâsh v tie together (smth. to another th.)
sêth v pull (out), draw out
siil num four
siilyan num fourteen
siiril num nine
sulîs n self; person; nature, essence; character
shae n bark; book (PE *ssae)
shar n mountain
sheth v drink (PE *seth)
n drink
shil n an tongue
tissaa n an knee
t h ul v get, receive, obtain
n gift
thâm (pl. thêm) nan dwarf
thaer pron who, what (pl. thaeri)
und n tooth (pl. ônd)
us nan foot (pl. ôs)
van v shine, gleam, glitter
n light, sheen
n an sun vavano (‘shines intensely+hab. impf.’)
n an day vavas
vai n an root, tuber; origin
vaa n an mouth; (fig.) opening
wai n an upper arm
wela n tree
yana num ten
yanyana num twenty
yilth v speed, hasten
n speed
adj/adv fast yilthin
zeu n an ant
zul v split, divide
zuril num seven
zuyan num twelve