A noun for “jaw” The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶nakma under the root ᴹ√NAK “bite” (Ety/NAK). It was possibly displaced by anca “jaw, jaws”, which was also introduced in The Etymologies of the 1930s, but continued to appear in later documents included The Lord of the Rings Appendix E (LotR/1123). However, it might be that nangwa refers to a single “jaw” (upper or lower), while anca refers collectively to both “jaws”.
Qenya
an-
prefix. intensive prefix
ana-
prefix. to, towards
an(a)
preposition. to, towards
anta-
verb. to give
anka
noun. jaw, row of teeth
an(ner)
adverb. at hand
anda
adjective. long
ando
adverb. long
lai
adverb. very
le
preposition. with, by
melin
adjective. dear, dear, [ᴱQ.] beloved
na
preposition. to, towards
nangwa
noun. jaw
ve
preposition. with
A word glossed “at hand” in the phrases Es sorni heruion an “the Eagles of the Lords are at hand” and Sorni Númevalion anner “the Eagles of the Powers of the West are at hand” (SD/290). Luinyelle suggested anner might be a plural past tense of anya- “arrive”, so that 2nd phrase might actually mean “✱the Eagles of the Powers of the West arrived”. This is consistent with the Adûnaic form of the phrase: Ad. narîka ’nBâri ’nAdûn yanâkhim (SD/251), where the last word in the phrase appears to be a form of the verb: nakh- “come”, so that yanâkhim = “✱are coming”.