-li

partitive pl. ending simply called a plural suffix in the Etymologies, stem LI. The ending is used to indicate a plural that is neither generic e.g. Eldar “the Elves” as a race nor definite preceded by article; hence Eldali is used for “some Elves” a particular group of Elves, when they are first mentioned in a narrative, VT49:8. Sometimes Tolkien also lets -li imply a great number; in PE17:129, the form falmalinnar from Namárië is broken down as falma-uli/u-nnar “foam wave-umany/u-towards-pl. ending”, and falmali by itself Tolkien translated “many waves” PE17:73. A distinct accusative in -līseems to occur in the phrase an i falmalīPE17:127, apparently meaning the same as i falmalinnar, but replacing the allative ending with a preposition. Genitive -lion in vanimálion, malinornélion q.v. for reference, allative -linna and -linnar in falmalinnar, q.v. The endings for other cases are only known from the Plotz letter: possessive -líva, dative -lin, locative -lissë or -lissen, ablative -lillo or -lillon, instrumental -línen, "short locative" -lis. When the noun ends in a consonant, r and n is assimilated before l, e.g. Casalli as the partitive pl. of Casar “Dwarf” WJ:402, or elelli as the partitive pl. of elen “star” PE17:127. It is unclear whether the same happens in monosyllabic words, or whether a connecting vowel would be slipped in before -li e.g. ?queneli or ?quelli as the partitive pl. of quén, quen- “person”.