The prefix for singular “some” in Demonstrative, Relative, and Correlative Stems (DRC) from 1948 (PE23/99), used in formations like ᴹQ. umallume “some time” and ᴹQ. umas(se) “✱somewhere”. It is probably related to the interrogative root √MA, which is also the based for (later) ma “something”. See the entry on correlatives for further discussion.
Qenya
-ma
suffix. instrumental
ma
adverb. interrogative particle
-(u)ma
suffix. some, a, a certain
mat-
verb. to eat
-nen
suffix. instrumental
atar·(u)ma
a certain father
eane sasse maire ma
*there was a rose
e·kestane ma leqente tana
he asked if you (had) said that
kala
noun. light
kalina
adjective. light
ma le·qente tana
did you say that?
má
noun. hand
má
noun. land, region
má
what; when
o-
prefix. together
taura
adjective. mighty
tekil
noun. pen
tyulma
noun. mast
uma-
prefix. some, a, a certain
ve
preposition. with
wa-
prefix. together
@@@ ma may be indefinite marker = English “a”