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'''-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.
'''-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 [[root]]s 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".
In general, ''-ma'' seems to be stuck to naked [[root]]s or stems to produce the nouns. Eg. [[RIL]] > ''[[rilma]]'' "glittering light"; verb stems ''[[par-]]'' "to learn" > ''[[parma]]'' "book". However, full nouns can also be suffixed with ''-ma'' to produce another object: Eg. ''[[líco]]'' "wax" > ''[[lícuma]]'' "candle".
==Etymology==
==Etymology==
''-ma'' derives from [[Primitive Quendian]] ''[[-mâ]]'' frequent in the names of implements.<ref>{{HM|WJ}} p.416</ref> Such PQ nouns have yielded Quenya -ma nouns, for example ''[[tuimâ]]'' > ''[[tuima]]'' or ''[[sjalmâ]]'' > ''[[hyalma]]''.
''-ma'' derives from [[Primitive Quendian]] ''[[-mâ]]'' frequent in the names of implements.<ref>{{HM|WJ}} p.416</ref> Such PQ nouns have yielded Quenya -ma nouns, for example ''[[tuimâ]]'' > ''[[tuima]]'' or ''[[sjalmâ]]'' > ''[[hyalma]]''.
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*([[AS]]) ''[[arma]]'' "sun ray"
*([[AS]]) ''[[arma]]'' "sun ray"
*([[KAY]]) ''[[caima]]'' "bed"
*([[KAY]]) ''[[caima]]'' "bed"
*([[KAL]]) ''[[calma (word)|calma]]'' "lamp"
*([[KAL]]) ''[[calma]]'' "lamp"
*([[KAR]]) ''[[carma]]'' "tool"
*([[KAR]]) ''carma'' "tool"
*([[KEL]]) ''[[celma]]'' "channel"
*([[KEL]]) ''[[celma]]'' "channel"
*([[KOR]]) ''[[corma]]'' "ring"
*([[KOR]]) ''[[corma]]'' "ring"
*([[KUL]]) ''[[culuma]]'' "orange"
*([[KUL]]) ''[[kuluma|culuma]]'' "orange"
*([[PHAL]]) ''[[falma]]'' "wave"
*([[PHAL]]) ''[[falma]]'' "wave"
*(*HAM? *KHAM?) ''[[hamma]]'' "chair"
*(*HAM? *KHAM?) ''[[hamma]]'' "chair"
*([[ȜAR]]) ''[[harma]]'' "treasure"
*([[ȜAR]]) ''[[harma]]'' "treasure"
*([[SYAL]]) [[sjalmā]] > ''[[hyalma]]'' "shell, conch"  
*([[SYAL]]) ''[[sjalmā]]'' > ''[[hyalma]]'' "shell, conch"  
*([[GIL]]) ''[[Ilma]]'' "starlight"
*([[GIL]]) ''[[Ilma]]'' "starlight"
*([[SKEL]]) [[skelmā]] > ''[[helma]]'' "skin"
*([[SKEL]]) ''[[skelmā]]'' > ''[[helma]]'' "skin"
*(*SLOY) ''[[hloima]]'' "poison"
*(*SLOY) ''[[hloima]]'' "poison"
*([[SKWAR]]) ''[[hwarma]]'' "crossbar"
*([[SKWAR]]) ''[[hwarma]]'' "crossbar"
*(*[[LAYAK|LAY]]) ''[[laima]]'' "plant"
*(*[[LAYAK|LAY]]) ''[[laima]]'' "plant"
*([[LABA]]) [[labmā]] > ''[[lamba]]'' "tongue"  
*([[LABA]]) ''[[labmā]]'' > ''[[lamba]]'' "tongue"  
*(*LAR) ''[[larma]]'' "raiment"
*(*LAR) ''[[larma]]'' "raiment"
*[[líco]] > [[lícuma]] "taper, candle"
*[[líco]] > ''[[lícuma]]'' "taper, candle"
*(*LOY) ''[[loima]]'' "mistake"
*(*LOY) ''[[loima]]'' "mistake"
*([[NAK]]) [[nakma]] > ''[[nangwa]]'' "jaw"
*([[NAK]]) ''[[nakma]]'' > ''[[nangwa]]'' "jaw"
*([[SNEW]]) ''[[neuma]]'' "snare"
*([[SNEW]]) ''[[neuma]]'' "snare"
*([[ÑGWAL]]) ''[[nwalma]]'' "pain"
*([[ÑGWAL]]) ''[[nwalma]]'' "pain"
*(*PAR) [[parmâ]] > ''[[parma]]'' "book"
*(*PAR) ''[[parmâ]]'' > ''[[parma]]'' "book"
*(*REM) ''[[remma]]'' "snare"
*(*REM) ''[[remma]]'' "snare"
*([[RIL]]) [[rilma]] "glittering light"  
*([[RIL]]) ''[[rilma]]'' "glittering light"  
*([[RĪ]]) ''[[ríma]]'' "edge, hem, border"
*([[RĪ]]) ''[[ríma]]'' "edge, hem, border"
*([[SAG]]) [[sagmā]] > [[sangwa]] "poison"
*([[SAG]]) ''[[sagmā]]'' > ''[[sangwa]]'' "poison"
*(*THEL) [[thelma|selma]] "a fixed idea, will"
*(*THEL) ''[[thelma|selma]]'' "a fixed idea, will"
*([[SIL]]) ''[[silma]]'' "silver, shining white"
*([[SIL]]) ''[[silma]]'' "silver, shining white"
*([[SUK]]) [[sukmā]] > ''[[sungwa]]'' "drinking-vessel"  
*([[SUK]]) ''[[sukmā]]'' > ''[[sungwa]]'' "drinking-vessel"  
*([[TAY]]) ''[[taima]]'' "lengthening, extension"  
*([[TAY]]) ''[[taima]]'' "lengthening, extension"  
*([[TAM]]) ''[[tamma]]'' "tool"
*([[TAM]]) ''[[tamma]]'' "tool"
*([[TAK]]) [[takmā]] > ''[[tangwa]]'' "hasp, clasp"
*([[TAK]]) ''[[takmā]]'' > ''[[tangwa]]'' "hasp, clasp"
*([[TAȜ]]) ''[[tarma]]'' "pillar"
*([[TAȜ]]) ''[[tarma]]'' "pillar"
*([[TEL]]) [[telmā]] > ''[[telma]]'' "conclusion, last item in a structure"
*([[TEL]]) ''[[telmā]]'' > ''[[telma]]'' "conclusion, last item in a structure"
*([[TEÑ]]) ''[[téma]]'' "series"
*([[TEÑ]]) ''[[téma]]'' "series"
*([[TEK]]) [[tekmâ]] > ''[[tengwa]]'' "letter"
*([[TEK]]) ''[[tekmâ]]'' > ''[[tengwa]]'' "letter"
*(*TOL) ''[[tolma]]'' "protuberance"
*([[TOL]]) ''[[tolma]]'' "protuberance"
*([[TUY]]) [[tuimā]] > ''[[tuima]]'' "sprout, bud"  
*([[TUY]]) ''[[tuimā]]'' > ''[[tuima]]'' "sprout, bud"  
*(*TYEL) ''[[tyelma]]'' "ending"
*(*TYEL) ''[[tyelma]]'' "ending"
*(*[[TYUL|KYUL]]) [[kjulumā]] > ''[[tyulma]]'' "mast"
*(*[[TYUL|KYUL]]) ''[[kjulumā]]'' > ''[[tyulma]]'' "mast"
*([[WIL]]) ''[[wilma]]'' "air, lower air"
*([[WIL]]) ''[[wilma]]'' "air, lower air"
*([[YUL]]) [[julmā]] > ''[[yulma]]'' "cup"
*([[YUL]]) ''[[julmā]]'' > ''[[yulma]]'' "cup"
 
==Other possible examples==
Many Quenya nouns might end in ''-ma'' however that does not indicate the existence of a suffixed ''-ma'' proper ending. For example, the word ''[[ráma]]'' derives from a root [[RAM]]<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entry RAM</ref>. Therefore it is not analyzed as **''rá-ma'' but as ''rám-a''.
 
There are other nouns of such ambiguous etymology, as for example ''[[lamma]]'' "sound" from root [[LAM]]. It could be analyzed as LAM + ''-ma'' but also the double ''mm'' might simply be the result of ''[[antoryame]]'' (q.v.) of the radical consonant LA'''M'''.
 
Nouns of ambiguous or unknown etymology that might contain ''-ma'' are:
 
''[[cauma]]'' "protection", ''[[emma]]'' "picture", ''[[erma]]'' "physical mater, ''[[farma]]'', ''[[lamma]]'' "sound", ''[[namma]]'' "claw, talon", ''[[orma]]'' "physical matter", ''[[querma]]'' "spinning wheel", ''[[síma]]'' "mind, imagination", ''[[solma]]'' (also [[sól]]) "helmet", ''[[súma]]'' "hollow cavity"
==Cognates==
Because of [[lenition]] and [[apocope]] of final vowels, all endings ''-ma'', ''-me'' and ''-mo'' have been reduced to a final ''-v'' in [[Sindarin]] which doesn't seem to work as a productive suffix. In some cases it even has disappeared according to the phonological environment. For example Q. ''tengwa'' > S. ''[[têw]]''


==Inspiration==
==Inspiration==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:ma}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:ma}}
{{references}}
{{references}}
[[category:Quenya suffixes]]
[[Category:Quenya suffixes]]

Latest revision as of 16:42, 11 March 2014

-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 seems 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 also be suffixed with -ma to produce another object: Eg. líco "wax" > lícuma "candle".

Etymology[edit | edit source]

-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[edit | edit source]

A list of most known Quenya nouns that include the suffix -ma, along with the words' root, and Primitive Quendian origins where they are known.

Other possible examples[edit | edit source]

Many Quenya nouns might end in -ma however that does not indicate the existence of a suffixed -ma proper ending. For example, the word ráma derives from a root RAM[3]. Therefore it is not analyzed as **rá-ma but as rám-a.

There are other nouns of such ambiguous etymology, as for example lamma "sound" from root LAM. It could be analyzed as LAM + -ma but also the double mm might simply be the result of antoryame (q.v.) of the radical consonant LAM.

Nouns of ambiguous or unknown etymology that might contain -ma are:

cauma "protection", emma "picture", erma "physical mater, farma, lamma "sound", namma "claw, talon", orma "physical matter", querma "spinning wheel", síma "mind, imagination", solma (also sól) "helmet", súma "hollow cavity"

Cognates[edit | edit source]

Because of lenition and apocope of final vowels, all endings -ma, -me and -mo have been reduced to a final -v in Sindarin which doesn't seem to work as a productive suffix. In some cases it even has disappeared according to the phonological environment. For example Q. tengwa > S. têw

Inspiration[edit | edit source]

-ma is a frequent ending of Greek neutral nouns, such as thelema, schema, stigma, enigma etc.[4]

References

  1. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels p.416
  2. ↑ Helge Fauskanger, Vicente Velasco (ed.) The Evolution from Primitive Elvish to Quenya
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entry RAM
  4. ↑ Lise Mann "Elvish Loanwords in Indo-European" An Introduction to Elvish
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