Q. leper n. “finger” (Category: Finger)
The Quenya word for “finger” appearing in various notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals from 1968, derived from the root √LEP “pick up” (VT47/10; VT48/5).
Conceptual Development: The Quenya “finger” words went through quite a few conceptual changes, but they were always based on the root √LEP. The earliest of these was ᴱQ. let (lept-) “finger” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s under the early root ᴱ√LEPE with plural form lepsi (QL/53). In Qenya word lists of the 1920s, however, this became ᴱQ. lepta “finger”, still with the plural lepsi (PE15/72; PE16/137).
The form was ᴹQ. let (leps-) in the Declension of Nouns of the early 1930s (PE21/19, 26), expanded to ᴹQ. lepse “finger” in The Etymologies written around 1937, based on the root ᴹ√LEPET of the same meaning (Ety/LEPET). This form demonstrated the 1930s sound change whereby pt became ps (PE19/44 note #44). Tolkien revised this sound change so that the result remained pt (PE19/44), and in 1940s drafts to The Lord of the Rings Tolkien used the word ᴹQ. rakkalepta “*claw-fingered” in Treebeard’s description of orcs (SD/68), though in the published version this word only appeared in English.
In the Outline of Phonology from the 1950s (OP2) Tolkien considered restoring the sound change pt > ps (PE19/84 note #75), and Q. lepsë appeared in notes from the late 1950s or early 60s on the tree name S. lebethron, so named because “its leaves (like chestnut) [were] shaped like a fingered hand” (PE17/89). However, he again abandoned this, clarifying that the actual result of [pt] was a spirantal [ɸt] (spelled pt to represent the bilabial pronunciation), and that in Tarquesta pronunciation (Exhilic Quenya of the first age) the [ɸ] vocalized to [u̯] so that ✶lepta > leꝑta > Q. leu̯ta “finger” (PE19/84). Q. lepta appeared in several words in the 1960s: Q. leptafinya “clever-fingered” (PE17/17) and Q. Tyelpelepta “*silver-fingered” (VT47/27).
In drafts of the 1968 notes on Eldarin Hands, Fingers and Numerals, lepta reappeared as an independent word, but with the gloss “thumb” (VT47/27). In the final versions of these notes, however, Tolkien used leper for “finger”, as noted above.
Neo-Quenya: For purposes of Neo-Quenya, I would use leper for “finger”, but would retain lepta as an adjective meaning “fingered”, especially in compounds like [ᴹQ.] raccalepta “claw-fingered”.
References ✧ VT47/3-4, 10, 24; VT48/5
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| Leperi | plural | “fingers” | ✧ VT47/4 |
| leperi | plural | “fingers” | ✧ VT47/3 |
| leperi | plural | ✧ VT47/10; VT47/24; VT48/5 |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ✶leper- > leper | [leper] | ✧ VT47/10 |
| ✶leper- > leper | [leper] | ✧ VT47/24 |
| ✶leper > leper | [leper] | ✧ VT48/5 |
Q. lepsë n. “*finger” (Category: Finger)
Reference ✧ PE17/89 ✧ lepse
Related
ᴹQ. lepse n. “finger” (Category: Finger)
References ✧ Ety/LEP; PE19/42
Glosses
Variations
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴹ√LEPET > lepse | [lepti] > [lepte] > [lepse] | ✧ Ety/LEP |
| ᴹ✶lepti > lepse | [lepti] > [lepte] > [lepse] | ✧ Ety/LEP |
| ᴹ✶lepta > †lehta | [lepta] > [lexta] | ✧ PE19/42 |
| ᴹ✶lepta > lepsa | [lepta] > [lepsa] | ✧ PE19/42 |
ᴹQ. let (leps-) n. “finger” (Category: Finger)
References ✧ PE21/19, 26
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
ᴱQ. let (lept-) n. “finger” (Category: Finger)
References ✧ PME/53; QL/53
Glosses
Variations
Related
Inflections
| lept- | stem | “finger” | ✧ PME/53 |
| lept- | stem | ✧ QL/53 |
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴱ√LEPE > let | [lept] > [let] | ✧ QL/53 |