MEN

From Tolkien Gateway
The name Men refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Men (disambiguation).

MEN is a Primitive Quendian root signifying "go",[1] or "move, proceed (in a direction intended by a person)",[2] or "have as object, (in)tend, proceed, make for, go towards, go".[3]

In his notes on a poem in The Road Goes Ever On, Tolkien gave the form men ("direction, region"). It was from this men + el which was invented the Quenya word Menel.[4] It is not known with certainty if men here refers to a Primitive Quendian word (cf. Men (Elvish)#Elvish) or to a root.

Derivatives[edit | edit source]

  • menta ("send, cause to go, (in a desired direction)"[2]
  • mēn- ("a way, a going, a mov[ement]")[3]

Other versions[edit | edit source]

In the Etymologies appears the root MEN-, with the Quenya derivatives men ("place, spot") and ména ("region").[5]

See also[edit | edit source]

Notes

  1. Editor Patrick H. Wynne links mene ("goes") to the root MEN ("go"). Cf. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Eldarin Hands, Fingers & Numerals and Related Writings — Part One" (edited by Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 47, February 2005, pp. 11, 30 (note 44).

References

  1. Bill Welden, "Negation in Quenya", in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 42, July 2001, p. 32 (root appearing as "√men")
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Etymological Notes on the Ósanwe-kenta" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 41, July 2000, p. 6 (root appearing as "√men")
  3. 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 165 (root appearing as "√MEN" and "√MEN-"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Notes and Translations", in The Road Goes Ever On (J.R.R. Tolkien, Donald Swann), p. 72
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", p. 372