Q. alda n. “tree” (Category: Tree (generic))
The basic Quenya word for “tree” (LotR/1113), derived from primitive ✶galadā and very well attested. This word dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where ᴱQ. alda “tree” appeared under the early root ᴱ√ALA² “spread” (QL/29). Tolkien seems to have switched its derivation to *galadā in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where ᴹQ. alda “tree” appeared under the root ᴹ√GALAD of the same meaning (Ety/GALAD). See also ornë “(tall) tree” for a discussion of another similar word.
Conceptual Development: There were a few instances where the word alda had a different meaning. In Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s, alda was glossed “branch” (PE16/139). In notes from 1959 Tolkien said “*galadā, originally only large flourishing plant, as tree, and especially one that flowered, Q alda, S galað; the general word for ‘tree’ was Q orne ‘upstanding plant’ (PE17/153)”. But in its numerous appearance elsewhere, alda was simply a general word for “tree”.
References ✧ Let/426; LotR/377, 1113, 1123; MR/100; NM/352; PE17/25, 50, 63, 126, 135-136, 153; PE22/160; RC/385; RGEO/58, 65; SA/alda; UT/167; VT39/7
Glosses
Variations
Related
Inflections
| Aldu | dual | “two trees” | ✧ MR/100 |
| aldalion | genitive partitive-plural | ✧ PE17/63 | |
| aldaron | genitive plural | “of trees” | ✧ LotR/377; PE17/136; RGEO/65 |
| aldaron | genitive plural | “trees-of” | ✧ RGEO/58 |
| aldăron | genitive plural | ✧ PE17/63 | |
| áldaròn | genitive plural | “of trees” | ✧ RGEO/58 |
| aldali | partitive-plural | “some/several/a number of trees” | ✧ PE17/63 |
| aldar | plural | “trees” | ✧ UT/167 |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ✶galadā > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ Let/426 |
| ✶galada > alda | [galada] > [galda] > [ɣalda] > [alda] | ✧ NM/352 |
| ✶galadā > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ PE17/25 |
| ✶galadā > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ PE17/50 |
| ✶galadā > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ PE17/63 |
| ✶galadā > ʒalaðā > ʒalðā > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [ɣalðā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ PE17/135 |
| ✶galadā́ > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ PE17/153 |
| ✶galadā > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ PE17/153 |
| √GAL > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ PE22/160 |
| AQ. ʒalda > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ VT39/7 |
ᴹQ. alda n. “tree” (Category: Tree (generic))
References ✧ Ety/GALAD; LR/41; PE22/21-22, 47, 51, 116, 124-125; SD/302; TMME/182
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| aldar | plural | “trees” | ✧ PE22/116; PE22/124; PE22/125 |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴹ√GÁLAD > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ Ety/GALAD |
| ᴹ√GÁLAD > alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ Ety/GALAD |
| ᴹ✶galadā > Alda | [galadā] > [galdā] > [ɣaldā] > [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ SD/302 |
ᴱQ. alda n. “tree, branch” (Category: Tree (generic))
References ✧ GL/19; LT1/85; LT1A/Aldaron; LT2A/Galdor; PE13/159; PE16/139; PME/29, 74; QL/29, 57; VT40/8
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| i aldas | definite plural | “the trees” | ✧ LT1/85 |
| aldar | plural | ✧ VT40/8 |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴱ√ALA² > alda | [aldā] > [alda] | ✧ QL/29 |