Quenya/Old-Elvish influences

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We have met the prefix `C5\ an- for the superlative. We also said that this prefix can change under the influence of the beginning consonant of the adjective. But in all these cases the changes are in the prefix `C5\ an- itself, the original adjective is not influenced.

With the Old-Elvish influences however we are getting the original forms of the adjectives back in the superlative. Most of these forms are analogous to the changes in the perfect tense.

Adjectives in mb-/nd-/ng-[edit | edit source]

Let’s first look at adjectives that started with the combinations w\ mb-, 2\ nd- and s\ ng- in Old-Elvish:

  • w\ mb-:
  • t#61E marta "fated" → `Cw#61E ambarta
  • t$7ÎE merya "festive" → `Cw$7ÎE amberya
  • 2\ nd-:
  • 5&j°# nulla "obscure" → `C2&j°# andulla
  • 5~Mt$5Ì# númenya "western" → `C2~Mt$5Ì# andúmenya
  • s\ ng-:
  • g~Nj# \ 5~Nj# nóla "learned" → `Cs~Nj# angóla
  • b#jaD nwalca "cruel" → `Cx#jaD angwalca

Adjectives in d-[edit | edit source]

Also an j\ l- that has evolved from d- has such influences:

  • jlD7E laira "shady" → `C2lD7E andaira
  • j~C7E lára "flat" → `C2~C7E andára
  • j~Nt$`C lómëa "gloomy" → `C2~Nt$`C andómëa
  • j~N7E lóra "dark" → `C2~N7E andóra
  • j&t5# lumna "oppressive" → `C2&t5# andumna

Adjectives in b-/w-[edit | edit source]

A large number of adjectives that begin in y\ v- in Neo-Quenya, had a b- in Old-Elvish. Here we find that `C5 an + y v gives rise to the original `Cw\ amb-:

  • yE5ÌE vanya "beautiful" → `Cw#5Ì# ambanya
  • yEjlD5# valaina "divine" → `Cw#jlD5# ambalaina
  • yEj´# valya "powerful" → `Cw#j´# ambalya
  • yE5%t# vanima "fair" → `Cw#5%t# ambanima
  • yE65# varna "safe" → `Cw#65# ambarna
  • yE65$ varnë "brown" → `Cw$65$ ambarnë
  • yR6aD verca "wild" → `Cw$6aD amberca
  • yR7ÎE verya "bold" → `Cw$7ÎE amberya
  • yY7Tt# vorima "continual" → `Cw^7Tt# amborima
  • yY7Y5nE voronwa "enduring" → `Cw^7Y5nE amboronwa


In some the v- evolved from w-:

  • y~C7E vára "dirty" → `C5n~C7E anwára
  • yR`C vëa "manly" → `C5nR`C anwëa
  • y~V7E véra "personal" → `C5n~V7E anwéra
  • yT2$ vindë "blue-grey" → `C5nT2$ anwindë


The adjective wenya "green, fresh" has evolved from 'gwen', so it has following superlative:

  • nR5Ì# wenya "green, fresh" → `Cx$5Ì# angwenya



>> Neo-Quenya >> Adjectives >> Old-Elvish influences