Morphological Breakdown of "Nolwa Mahtar"

Valinórenna #2920

Hi all! I just read Bear McCreary's blog post for the Rings of Power soundtrack, and he posted the official lyrics for my favorite song, "Nolwa Mahtar." I was wondering if someone with more experience in Quenya grammar could do a breakdown of the grammar/vocabulary in the lyrics:

"Tel i ohta, i lúmë, metya sina naikele, / Alfárima, lumbulë roita cálë / Tel i ohta, i lúmë, / metya sina naikele / Calimehtar apa lúmë"

I also noticed that the lyrics in RoP like to use a mix of "k" and "c" in Quenya lyrics. I understand that "c" was more common in 3rd age Quenya orthography (right?). Are they archaizing since this is supposed to be 2nd age Quenya?

Thanks!

Tamas Ferencz #2921

As the Latin alphabet was not known and used in Middle-Earth (they used Tengwar and Cirth) so spelling Quenya words with c or k has nothing to do with archaizing. Both letters denote the same sound [k] and Tolkien used them interchangeably in his works (when writing Quenya). In published works he usually used c but in his private notes, drafts, essays he often reverted to spelling with k.

About the lyrics, here is a word-for-word translation. I assume tel is a typo and is actually ter as "tel" does not exist in that form and makes no sense in context.

Through the war, the time, put an end to this anguish,/ impossible to pursue, dark shadow chases light,/ through the war, the time,/ put an end to this anguish, /Calimehtar/Bright Warrior after time

I don't know whether the writer meant the actual Middle Earth character Calimehtar or the meaning of his name "bright warrior".