Eldamo : Quenya : er

Q. er adj. and adv. “one, alone” (Category: Alone, Only)

Q. er, adj. and adv. “one, alone; ⚠️[ᴱQ.] only, a single” (Category: Alone, Only)

The Quenya word for “one, alone” used for isolated or unique things and derived from the root √ER (PE23/142; Ety/ERE). This is contrasted min “one” used when counting: min, atta, neldë, etc. (VT48/6).

Conceptual Development: The word ᴱQ. er “one” dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s where it appeared under the early root ᴱ√ERE, but in that document it was revised to ᴱQ. er “only, but, still” (QL/36). The use of er for “one” was restored in the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s, where it was already used for isolated things in contrast with ᴱQ. min “one” used for counting (PE14/49; PE14/82). Tolkien retained this usage throughout his later writings.

References ✧ PE17/95; PE23/142; SA/er; VT44/17; VT48/6; VT49/45

Glosses

“*one” ✧ VT44/17; VT44/17 (Erea)
“1” ✧ VT48/6
“one” ✧ PE17/95
“one, alone” ✧ SA/er

Variations

er ✧ PE17/95; PE23/142; SA/er; VT44/17; VT48/6; VT49/45
Erea ✧ VT44/17

min “one” versus er “one, alone”

Changes

Erea >> Er ✧ VT44/17

Element In

ᴺQ. ellumë “once, one time”
ᴺQ. !eretildo “unicorn”
ᴺQ. !erië “oneness”
ᴺQ. !eripsinwa “simple, (lit.) single-threaded”
ᴺQ. !eritë “singular”
ᴺQ. !ernóna “only-born, only-begotten”
ᴺQ. !essámalë “agreement, (lit.) one-mindedness”
Q. Ercambo “Onehand(ed), One-hand Man”
Q. Ercantië “Great Pattern”
Q. Erendis “?Lonely Bride”
Q. #eressë “(in) solitude, separation, isolation”
Q. erinqua “single, alone”
Q. Ermenië “One Beginning”
Q. Erólamaitë “uniconsonantal”
Q. Eru “The One, God”
Q. a Aina Neldië Eru Er órava (o)messë “Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us” ✧ VT44/12
Q. Eressëa “Lonely (Isle)” ✧ SA/er

Cognates

S. er “one, alone” ✧ PE17/95; SA/er; VT48/6
T. er “one” ✧ VT48/6

Derivations

< √ER “one, single, only, alone” ✧ PE23/142; SA/er

Phonetic Developments

√er > er

[er]

✧ SA/er

ᴹQ. er adj. and adv. “one, alone” (Category: Alone, Only)

See Q. er for discussion.

References ✧ Ety/ERE; PE23/101, 103

Glosses

“one” ✧ PE23/103
“one, a certain” ✧ PE23/101 (er)
“one, alone” ✧ Ety/ERE

Element In

ᴹQ. eresse “(in) solitude, separation, isolation” ✧ Ety/ERE
ᴹQ. Erkoire “February, *First-stirring”
ᴹQ. Erlaire “June, *First-summer”
ᴹQ. Erólamaite “uniconsonantal”
ᴹQ. erqáqa “every/each single”
ᴹQ. erqáqima “of each kind”
ᴹQ. Erqelle “September, *First-autumn”
ᴹQ. Erríve “November, *First-winter”
ᴹQ. Ertuilë “April, *First-spring”
ᴹQ. erqáqe “one and all, to each individually” ✧ PE23/103

Cognates

Ilk. *er “one”
N. *er “one, alone”

Derivations

< ᴹ√ER “one, only, be alone, deprived” ✧ Ety/ERE (ERE)

Phonetic Developments

ᴹ√ERE > er

[er]

✧ Ety/ERE

ᴱQ. er¹ adj. and adv. “one, only, alone, a single” (Category: Alone, Only)

See Q. er for discussion.

References ✧ GL/32; PE14/47, 49, 79, 82; QL/36

Glosses

“a single” ✧ PE14/49
“one” ✧ GL/32 (el-); PE14/47; PE14/79; QL/36 (er); QL/36 (ere)
“one (only, alone)” ✧ PE14/82

Variations

er- ✧ GL/32; PE14/47; PE14/49; PE14/79; PE14/82; QL/36 (er)
el- ✧ GL/32
ere ✧ QL/36

Changes

er “one” >> er “only, but, still” ✧ QL/36

Element In

ᴱQ. Elmavoite “One-handed”
ᴱQ. ellume “*one time” ✧ PE14/51
ᴱQ. eresse “alone, by oneself, singly, only; once” ✧ PE14/47; PE14/79
ᴱQ. eressea “lonely” ✧ PE14/47
ᴱQ. eru² “once” ✧ PE14/51
ᴱQ. erya “only, single” ✧ PE14/82

Cognates

G. er “one” ✧ GL/32

Derivations

< ᴱ√ERE “remain alone” ✧ QL/36 (ERE)

Phonetic Developments

ᴱ√ERE > er

[er]

✧ QL/36

ᴱQ. er² adv. and conj. “only, but, still” (Category: Alone, Only)

See Q. er for discussion.

References ✧ LT1A/Tol Eressëa; QL/36

Glosses

“only, but, still” ✧ LT1A/Tol Eressëa; QL/36

Element In

ᴱQ. eresse “alone, by oneself, singly, only; once” ✧ LT1A/Tol Eressëa; QL/36

Cognates

G. er “one” ✧ LT1A/Tol Eressëa

Derivations

< ᴱ√ERE “remain alone” ✧ LT1A/Tol Eressëa; QL/36

Phonetic Developments

ᴱ√ERE > er

[er]

✧ QL/36