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In some phonological environments, ''-ma'' appears in allomorphs in later Quenya: Nouns in ''-wa'' or ''-ba'' might conceal a primitive ''-mâ''. For example PQ ''[[labmâ]]'' > Q ''[[lamba]]'' (metathesis of ''bm'' to ''mb'') or PQ ''[[takmâ]]'' > Q ''[[tangwa]]'' (nasalization and strengthening of ''k'' before ''m'' and velarization of ''m'').<ref>[[Helge Fauskanger]], [[Vicente Velasco]] (ed.) ''[http://www.uib.no/people/hnohf/qevolution.pdf The Evolution from Primitive Elvish to Quenya]''</ref> | In some phonological environments, ''-ma'' appears in allomorphs in later Quenya: Nouns in ''-wa'' or ''-ba'' might conceal a primitive ''-mâ''. For example PQ ''[[labmâ]]'' > Q ''[[lamba]]'' (metathesis of ''bm'' to ''mb'') or PQ ''[[takmâ]]'' > Q ''[[tangwa]]'' (nasalization and strengthening of ''k'' before ''m'' and velarization of ''m'').<ref>[[Helge Fauskanger]], [[Vicente Velasco]] (ed.) ''[http://www.uib.no/people/hnohf/qevolution.pdf The Evolution from Primitive Elvish to Quenya]''</ref> | ||
| − | It is obviously related to similar endings like ''[[-mo]]'' (which indicates a person or doer) or ''[[-me]]'' (which form a more abstract noun) which behave and operate similarly. For example ''[[alma]]'' "wealth" vs ''[[alme]]'' "blessing", ''[[carma]]'' "tool" vs ''[[carme]]'' "art" | + | It is obviously related to similar endings like ''[[-mo]]'' (which indicates a person or doer) or ''[[-me]]'' (which form a more abstract noun) which behave and operate similarly. For example ''[[alma]]'' "wealth" vs ''[[alme]]'' "blessing", ''[[carma]]'' "tool" vs ''[[carme]]'' "art". |
==Examples== | ==Examples== | ||
*([[GALA]]) ''[[alma]]'' "wealth" | *([[GALA]]) ''[[alma]]'' "wealth" | ||
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*([[SYAL]]) ''[[hyalma]]'' "shell, conch" | *([[SYAL]]) ''[[hyalma]]'' "shell, conch" | ||
*([[GIL]]) ''[[Ilma]]'' "starlight" | *([[GIL]]) ''[[Ilma]]'' "starlight" | ||
| − | *([[SKEL]]) [[helma]] "skin" | + | *([[SKEL]]) ''[[helma]]'' "skin" |
| − | *(*SLOY) [[hloima]] "poison" | + | *(*SLOY) ''[[hloima]]'' "poison" |
| − | *([[SKWAR]]) [[hwarma]] "crossbar" | + | *([[SKWAR]]) ''[[hwarma]]'' "crossbar" |
| − | *(*[[LAYAK|LAY]]) [[laima]] "plant" | + | *(*[[LAYAK|LAY]]) ''[[laima]]'' "plant" |
| − | *([[NAK]]) [[nangwa]] "jaw" | + | *([[NAK]]) ''[[nangwa]]'' "jaw" |
| − | *([[SNEW]]) [[neuma]] "snare" | + | *([[SNEW]]) ''[[neuma]]'' "snare" |
| − | *([[ÑGWAL]]) [[nwalma]] "pain" | + | *([[ÑGWAL]]) ''[[nwalma]]'' "pain" |
| − | *([[RĪ]]) [[ríma]] "edge, hem, border" | + | *([[RĪ]]) ''[[ríma]]'' "edge, hem, border" |
| − | *([[SIL]]) [[silma]] "silver, shining white" | + | *([[SIL]]) ''[[silma]]'' "silver, shining white" |
==Inspiration== | ==Inspiration== | ||
Revision as of 14:25, 22 June 2011
-ma is a Quenya nominal (concretizing) ending denoting a thing (usually object) having something to do with the root meaning; either having its properties or being produced by the verbal action in question; or even being a tool used to accomplish it.
In general, -ma seem to be stuck to naked roots or stems to produce the nouns. Eg. RIL > rilma "glittering light"; verb stems par- "to learn" > parma "book". However, full nouns can be suffixed with -ma to produce another object: Eg. líco "wax" > lícuma "candle".
Etymology
-ma derives from Primitive Quendian -mâ frequent in the names of implements.[1] Such PQ nouns have yielded Quenya -ma nouns, for example tuimâ > tuima or sjalmâ > hyalma.
In some phonological environments, -ma appears in allomorphs in later Quenya: Nouns in -wa or -ba might conceal a primitive -mâ. For example PQ labmâ > Q lamba (metathesis of bm to mb) or PQ takmâ > Q tangwa (nasalization and strengthening of k before m and velarization of m).[2]
It is obviously related to similar endings like -mo (which indicates a person or doer) or -me (which form a more abstract noun) which behave and operate similarly. For example alma "wealth" vs alme "blessing", carma "tool" vs carme "art".
Examples
- (GALA) alma "wealth"
- (AS) arma "sun ray"
- (KAY) caima "bed"
- (KAL) calma "lamp"
- (KAR) carma "tool"
- (KEL) celma "channel"
- (KOR) corma "ring"
- (KUL) culuma "orange"
- (PHAL) falma "wave"
- (ȜAR) harma "treasure"
- (SYAL) hyalma "shell, conch"
- (GIL) Ilma "starlight"
- (SKEL) helma "skin"
- (*SLOY) hloima "poison"
- (SKWAR) hwarma "crossbar"
- (*LAY) laima "plant"
- (NAK) nangwa "jaw"
- (SNEW) neuma "snare"
- (ÑGWAL) nwalma "pain"
- (RĪ) ríma "edge, hem, border"
- (SIL) silma "silver, shining white"
Inspiration
-ma is a frequent ending of Greek neutral nouns, such as thelema, stigma, enigma etc.[3]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels p.416
- ↑ Helge Fauskanger, Vicente Velasco (ed.) The Evolution from Primitive Elvish to Quenya
- ↑ "Elvish elements in Proto-Indo-European" An Introduction to Elvish