Otsola

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otsola is a Qenya name for the "week". J.R.R. Tolkien envisioned this Elvish week as having seven days, like our own, and provided the names of the weekdays in Qenya.[1]

Qenya Dedication Translation
Poldórien Poldor ("strength"); Poldórëa being an early epithet of Tulkas "Sunday"
Múrien (replaced earlier Olórien) Sleep or dreams "Monday"
Fuinen Death or sorrow, Fui being an early name of Nienna "Tuesday"
Taimoinen Taime ("sky"); Taimo being an early name of Manwe "Wednesday"
Falassien The Sea, cf. Quenya falasse "Thursday"
Palúrien The wide earth; Palúrien being also an early epithet of Yavanna "Friday"
Sainen Sá ("fire") "Saturday"

Etymology

Otsola contains otso ("seven") and galā ("daytime") (cf. later Quenya cala). Its Gnomish translation is othlad, from odin ("seven"), and Tolkien derives it from Primitive Elvish *ot·g'lāta.[2]

Other versions of the legendarium

An early name for otsola is otsan.[3] Earlier Gnomish name is ochlad.[2]

In The Etymologies, Tolkien wrote about the five-day week called lemnar. In the background of The Lord of the Rings however the Elves use the six-day week called enquië in Quenya. The Men use a seven-day week,[4] but the Elvish term is not given.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Early Qenya and The Valmaric Script", in Parma Eldalamberon XIV (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), p. 21
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 62
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Early Qenya and The Valmaric Script", in Parma Eldalamberon XIV (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), p. 16
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix D, "The Calendars"