Words from the home to adjectives

This month’s theme for words was things in a home. Thanks for voting for this, Kendra! Admittedly, some of the words were parts of a house’s structure. The thirteen Illunse words I constructed were home, house, door, window, bed, table, chair, pillow, kitchen, mirror, roof, oven, and room. These are all fairly basic terms so that I could find definitive words for them in Old English and Latin. I ran up against ancient, pre-medieval technology. Homes were way different back then. Surprisingly, Tolkien didn’t define words for some of these things in Quenya and Sindarin.

At New Year’s, I resolved to figure out how to make plurals in the nominative case by the end of February 2010. I didn’t do it. This will require much more time. I need to study more Latin and Old English grammar, which makes my head hurt even thinking about it.

Next month, in March, my theme for words will be adjectives, description words. The suggestion Mariska, my fellow conlanger, voted for. I could always use a few more adjectives in Illunse.

Bed, in my words (revised)

beldu : bed

The Illunse word for bed is beldu. Beldu means something in Old Norse.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for bed which is bedd or bed (bed, couch, resting-place; garden-bed), and the Latin word for bed which is lectus (bed, couch, lounge, sofa; bridal bed).

My previous Illunse word for bed was belde. I changed the final letter, a small change.

Room, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for room is sambë (room, chamber).

I didn't find a Sindarin word for room.

Room, in my words

colfa : room

The Illunse word for room is colfa. This will be a generic term for a room. Colfa is an unusual last name. Colfax, which is similar, is a more common last name. Colfax Ave. is the longest east-west street in Denver, the city where I live.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for room which is cleofa (cave, den; cell, chamber, cellar; word meaning that which is cloven), and the Latin word for room which is cella (small room, storeroom, garret) or conclave (room, chamber, lockable enclosed space).

The Old English and Latin words are not exactly generic words for what I think of as a room, but they are the words that I found closest in definition. I looked up various words in multiple dictionaries. Homes in Roman and Anglo-Saxon times were different from our modern homes.

Oven, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for oven is urna.

I didn't find a Sindarin word for oven.

Oven, in my words

ofrune : oven

The Illunse word for oven is ofrune. If you put a space between the F and R, you get "of rune".

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for oven which is ofen (oven, furnace), and the Latin word for oven which is furnus (oven, bakery).

Ofrune is not the Illunse word for kiln. There are other Old English and Latin words that mean kiln, an oven used to fire such things as bricks.

Roof, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya words for roof are tel, tópa, telumë (dome, roof, canopy), and rondo (a vaulted or arched roof; vaulted hall).

The Sindarin words for roof are telu (dome, high roof), tobas (roofing, roof), and rond (cave roof; vaulted or arched roof; hall with vaulted roof).

Roof, in my words

rofte : roof

The Illunse word for roof is rofte. Rofte is an unusual last name. In Persian (transliterated) similar word roft means to sweep.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for roof which is hróf (roof, ceiling; top, summit; heaven, sky) and the Latin word for roof which is tectum (a roof or ceiling; a shelter, dwelling).

I suppose this word could also mean ceiling, but I think I'll make another word for ceiling.

Thank you for following, Saerwen. Gracias.

Mirror, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

I didn't find a Quenya word for mirror.

The Sindarin word for mirror is cenedril (looking-glass, mirror).

I like the look of the word cenedril. Pretty word.

Mirror, in my words

specsune : mirror

The Illunse word for mirror is specsune.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for mirror which is speculum (mirror, looking glass, reflector; copy, imitation), and the Old English word for mirror which is sunscín (mirror; similar word sunscíene means radiant, beautiful or splendid as the sun).

There's another Old English word for mirror, scéawere (spectator, an observer, one who examines into a matter; a spy; watchman; a mirror; a buffoon, actor). I didn't use this word to make my word because mirror is one of the later meanings. Although if in the future I make a word for an object used for scrying, such as reflecting pool of water used to magically observe distant events, I'll use this word.

Kitchen, in my words

cucyne : kitchen

The Illunse word for kitchen is cucyne. There's an interior design business called CUCYNE Cuisines in Strasbourg, France.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for kitchen which is culina (kitchen; portable kitchen; food / fare / board; cooking; place for burnt offerings), and the Old English word for kitchen which is cycene (kitchen [coquina]).

One definition of the Latin word culina is place for burnt offerings, which is interesting. This doesn't imply burned toast, which I too often make in the kitchen.

I didn't find words for kitchen in Tolkien's languages of Quenya and Sindarin.

Pillow, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for pillow is quesset.

The Sindarin word for pillow is pesseg.

I did the word for pillow because I knew Tolkien had words for pillow.

Pillow, in my words

cerstel : pillow

The Illunse word for pillow (cushion) is cerstel. Cerstel is an unusual last name.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for pillow which is cervical (pillow, cushion), and the Old English word for pillow which is bolster (bolster, head pillow, cushion).

Also there's the Latin word pulvinus (cushion, pillow; raised bed of earth). As I don't actually know Latin, I'm not sure which Latin word is more appropriate or common. Both words can translate to pillow.

The Old English word, bolster, is a Modern English word meaning (as a verb) to prop up, and (as a noun) a long underpillow for a bed.

Chair, in my words

sedol : chair

The Illunse word for chair (seat) is sedol. Sedol is an unusual last name. Sedol-gol is a city in North Korea.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for chair which is sedes (a seat, bench, chair, throne; home, residence), and the Old English word for chair which is stól (a stool, chair, seat; the seat of one in authority).

Also there's the Latin word sella (seat, stool, chair; chair of magistrate / office / teacher) and the Old English word setl (that on which one sits, a settle, seat, place to sit).

I couldn't find Quneya or Sindarin words for chair, so I won't be able to post chair in J.R.R. Tolkien's words.

Table, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

I looked but couldn't find words for table in Quenya or in Sindarin in the main dictionaries that I use. Table seems to me to be a fairly basic word. Maybe elves had no need to speak of tables?

Several web sources mentioned paluhta as the Quenya word for table. This word seems to be a variation based on Qenya, Tolkien's earliest variant of the language that would evolve into Quenya.

Bed, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for bed is caima.

The Sindarin word for bed is haust.

Window, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

I didn't find a Quenya word for window.

The Sindarin word for window is henneth.

Window, in my words

fetrel : window

The Illunse word for window is fetrel. Fetrel is an unusual last name that can be French.

This word is a mixture of the Latin word for window which is fenestra (window, opening for light; loophole, breach), and the Old English word for window which is éagþyrel (eye-hole, window), which I transliterate to eagthyrel.

I expected the Old English word to look somewhat like the Modern English word window, but obviously no such luck.

Door, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

I couldn't find a Quenya word for door. Although I did find a word for threshold. In Quneya, fenda means threshold.

The Sindarin words for door are fen or fend (door, threshold) and annon (great door, gate).

I could make an Illunse word for threshold (doorstep, doorsill, doorway, entrance). There are definitive words in Latin and Old English that I could use. But threshold is a more uncommon term, a more literary, bookish word. I'll save the word threshold for later.

As far as my writing, last month I wrote 2,867 words of fiction. My goal was 3,000 words. So not bad. This month I have have no set writing goal. I hope to edit January's piece, which has some inconsistancies. Perhaps next month I'll set another goal.

Door, in my words

darua : door

The Illunse word for door is darua. Darua an unusual feminine first name is possibly Hindi. In Sangirese (an Austronesian language of Indonesia and the Philippines) darua means two.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for door which is duru (door, gate, wicket, an opening, the door of a house), and the Latin word for door which is janua (door, entrance).

Other similar words in Latin are ostium (entrance, front door) and foris (door, double or folding door; entrance).

House, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya words for house are coa and car (building, house).

The Sindarin words for house are adab (building, house) and car or cardh (house, building).

House, in my words

hud : house

The Illunse word for house is hud. Hud is a last name. HUD is an acronym for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In Welsh hud means magic. In Danish, Norwegian and Swedish hud means skin, hide. Hud is the name of small cities in Iran and Sweden.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for house which is hús (house; temple, tabernacle; dwelling-place; inn; household; family), and the Latin word for house which is domus (house, building; home, household).

The Latin word aedes was considered for house. But that word seems to primarily mean a building of religious significance, such as a chapel.

A house isn't technically "in a home", my word theme for the month. But I found the words for house when reseaching the words for for home. House and home are not quite the same things.

Home, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for home is már (home, house, dwelling).

The Sindarin word for home is bar (dwelling, home; inhabited land).

Home, in my words

hom : home

The Illunse word for home is hom. Hom is a last name. In Catalan hom means one (pronoun not number). In Dutch hom means roe (fish eggs). Hom is the name of small cities in Denmark, Slovenia and Norway. Hom is the name of a town in China.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for home which is hám (village, hamlet, manor, estate; home, dwelling, house), and the Latin word for home which is domus (house, building; home, household).

Yes, I know that this Illunse word is very close to the Modern English word.

The picture shows an Anglo-Saxon home. It's from an UK school's website discussing history.