númen

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númen is a noun meaning "west" in Quenya.[1]

Numen.gif

Númen is also the name in Quenya of the seventeenth letter of the Tengwar alphabet.[1] It is the first letter of the fifth grade or Tyellë, which contains "nasal" consonants and it is the fifth letter in the dental or t-series of consonants, the Tincotéma. In most modes this letter represents N.[2] However, in the Mode of Beleriand, this letter represents NN, a common occurrence in Sindarin.[3] Númen was one of the most widely known and used of all the Tengwar since it indicated "west" even in languages that used a very different term.[1] The Westron name for this letter is .[4]

Etymology

The word derives from the Primitive Quendian root NDU plus MEN, indicating direction.[5] Also PQ numê-n "going down", sunset, West.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix E, "Writing", "The Fëanorian Letters", Note, The names of the letters
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix E, "Writing", "The Fëanorian Letters"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix E, "Writing", "The Fëanorian Letters", footnote 2
  4. See Westron Tengwar
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", NDU-
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 303, (dated 6 May 1968)