12.43 Near Q. ar- pref. “by-, beside, near, [just] outside” This prefix appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s as the prefixal form of the preposition ᴹQ. ara under the root ᴹ√AR² “beside, outside”, most notably as an element in ᴹQ. Arvalin “Outside Valinor” (Ety/AR²). In this entry Tolkien said
Select Elvish Words
Studies on selected elvish words to sort out their semantics.
Select Elvish Words: 12.42 Left (vs. Right)
Q. hyarma n. “left-hand [side]” A word for “left-hand” (VT47/6; VT49/12), a combination of hyar- “left” and má “hand”. It may also mean “left-hand side” based on S. harvo. ᴹQ. hyarmaite adj. “lefthanded” A word for “lefthanded”, a combination of hyar[ya] “left” and maite “handed” (Ety/KHYAR). Conceptual Development: The Qenya
Select Elvish Words: 12.41 Right (vs. Left)
12.41 Right (vs. Left) Q. for- pref. “right-hand, north” A prefix meaning either “right-hand” or “north”, depending on context (PE17/18). It is derived from the root ᴹ√PHOR. Q. forma n. “right-hand” A word for “right-hand” in notes from the late 1960s (VT47/6), a combination of for- “right” and má “hand”.
Select Elvish Words: 12.398 To, Towards
12.398 To, Towards Q. am(be)na adv. “nearer to” A word appearing as amna or ambena “nearer to” in notes from around 1967, an allative form of ambë “more” and more precisely meaning “to a further point in the motion towards an object” (PE17/91). It might be contrasted with ambela “further
Select Elvish Words: 12.397 Beyond
12.397 Beyond Q. ambela adv. “further still beyond, far away beyond” A word glossed “further still beyond, far away beyond” in notes from around 1967, a combination ambë “more” and lá “beyond” (PE17/91). Q. haila adv. “far beyond” A word for “far beyond” in notes from 1965, a combination of
Select Elvish Words: 12.396 Behind, At the Rear
12.396 Behind, At the Rear Q. ca(ta) prep. “behind, at back of place; [ᴹQ.] after [of time]” A preposition appearing as ca, cata, cana “behind, at back of place” in notes from the mid-1950s (VT43/30). In notes associated with the Aia María prayer from the 1950s Tolkien wrote the forms
Select Elvish Words: 12.3955 In Front
12.3955 In Front Q. opo prep. “in front (of place), before; ⚠️after (of time)” A word appearing as opo, pō, pono, poto- “in front, of place” in notes from the mid-1950s (VT49/32) and as opo, pō “before, in front of” in notes from 1969 associated with the Ambidexters Sentence (VT49/32).
Select Elvish Words: 12.395 Down, Below, Beneath
12.395 Down, Below, Beneath Q. nu prep. “under, beneath” The usual Quenya word for “under, beneath”, derived from the root √NŪ (LotR/377; MC/222; PE17/64, 66). Conceptual Development: This word first appeared in drafts of the ᴱQ. Oilima Markirya poem from around 1930. In the initial drafts, it had the form
Select Elvish Words: 12.394 Up, Above, Over
12.394 Up, Above, Over Q. am- pref. “up, [ᴱQ.] upwards” A prefix for “up”, very well attested and derived from √AM of the same meaning (Ety/AM²). Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. am(u)- “up(wards)” reflecting the earliest form of the root ᴱ√AM(U) (QL/30), but by the
Select Elvish Words: 12.393 Across, Athwart
12.393 Across, Athwart Q. lahta- v. “to cross, pass over, go over; to surpass, excel” This verb appeared in notes from 1965 as langa- “to cross, go over, pass over” and lanya- “to cross” derived from √LAŊ (PE17/65). In notes from 1967 it appeared as lahta- “to pass over, cross,