14.25 to Begin; Beginning
- Q. menta- v. “to begin”
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The verb menta- was used to mean “begin” in the Löa Yucainen poem written by Tolkien 1958 and first published in 2024 (CPT/1297-1298). The first draft of the poem had Q. fenta- instead (CPT/1296). The etymology of these words is unclear, but menta- “begin” might be tied to √MEN “proceed”, perhaps with on inceptive sense (= start to go). Compare also Ermenië “One Beginning” in notes from 1959 (NM/256) and menta- “have as object, (in)tend, make for” in notes from 1964 (PE17/93).
Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s has ᴱQ. astuvu- “begin”, apparently a combination of ᴱQ. as- “on” and ᴱQ. tuvu- “take” (begin = take on) as suggested by the editors (QL/33).
Neo-Quenya: There is a very well established neologism for “to begin” as a verb: ᴺQ. yesta- based on the noun yesta “beginning” from Yestarë “first day of the year”. The oldest reference to this neologism that I am aware of is in Parma Penyanë Quettaron (PPQ) from the early 2000s where it was attributed to Ryszard Derdzinski. In the 1000 Words project (1000W) project, Robert Reynolds suggested it might also meaning “start”.
Until we have a better understanding of Tolkien’s 1958 verbs from Löa Yucainen, I’d stick with ᴺQ. yesta- “to begin, start”.
- ᴱQ. tulka- v. “to set up, establish; ⚠️to fix, stick in”
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The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. tulka- “fix, stick in, set up, establish” under the early root ᴱ√TULUK- (QL/95).
Neo-Quenya: Since ᴹ√TULUK survives in Tolkien’s later writings retaining its connection to supports, I would retain ᴺQ. tulca- for purposes of Neo-Quenya but would limit its meaning to “to set up, establish”.
- Q. yesta v. “beginning, *start”
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A word for “beginning” (PE17/120) as seen in Yestarë which is the name of the first day of the year (LotR/1108-9).
Neo-Quenya: Robert Reynolds suggested yesta could also mean “start” in 1000 Words project (1000W).
Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s has ᴱQ. avesta “opening, beginning, overture” under the early root ᴱ√AFA “open, begin” (QL/29). The Etymologies of the 1930s had ᴹQ. esse “beginning” under the root ᴹ√ESE(T) “precede” (Ety/ESE), but this entry was marked with a question mark and may have been rejected in favor of ᴹ√ES “indicate, name”.
- N. heria- v. “to begin suddenly and vigorously”
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A verb for “begin suddenly and vigorously” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KHOR “set going, put in motion, urge on” (Ety/KHOR). This word was given as hoeno, heno in The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road (LR/364), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne indicated that actual forms were hoerio, herio in their Addenda and Corrigenda to The Etymologies (VT45/22). The form herio is the Noldorin-style infinitive of the verb heria-, and hoerio [hœrio] is archaic.