A noun for “a flash” appearing in The Shibboleth of Fëanor as part of a discussion the name Q. Itarillë, S. Idril from the late 1960s, derived from the root √IT (PM/363). It seems to be a bright and direct flash of light, as opposed to ᴹQ. tinde “glint” for a less brilliant and reflected flash of light.
Quenya
íta
flash
íta
noun. flash
Derivations
- √IT “glitter, shine, shimmer, twinkle” ✧ PM/363
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √it > íta [īta] ✧ PM/363 Variations
- íta ✧ PM/363
íta
adverb. very, extremely; (lit.) multiplied, increased
Cognates
- S. íd “extremely, very” ✧ PE17/112
Derivations
- √IT “repeat, multiply; (great) enhancement” ✧ PE17/112; PE17/112
Element in
- Q. Itarillë “*Sparkling Brilliance” ✧ PE17/112
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √IT > íta [īta] ✧ PE17/112 √IT > ítë [īta] ✧ PE17/112 √IT > ita [ita] ✧ PE17/112 Variations
- íta ✧ PE17/112 (íta); PE17/112
- ít- ✧ PE17/112 (ít-)
- íti ✧ PE17/112 (íti)
- ítë ✧ PE17/112 (ítë)
- ita ✧ PE17/112
ita
very, extremely
ita, íta adv. 2) "very, extremely" (PE17:112). Like #1 above, this element emerged as part of Tolkiens efforts to explain the initial element of the name Idril (Q Itaril), so it is questionable if #1 and #2 were ever meant to coexist in the "same" version of Quenya.
an-
very
an- (2) intensive or superlative prefix carrying the idea of "very" or "most", seen in ancalima "most bright" (cf. calima "bright"), antara "very high, very lofty" and #anyára "very old" or "oldest" (the latter form occurring in the so-called Elaine inscription [VT49:40], there with the dative ending -n). Assimilated to am- before p-, as in amparca ("k") "very dry", and to al-, ar-, as- before words in l-, r-, s- (though Tolkien seems to indicate that before words in l- derived from earlier d, the original quality of the consonant would be preserved so that forms in and- rather than all- would result). See also un-. (Letters:279, VT45:5, 36) Regarding the form of the superlative prefix before certain consonants, another, partially discrepant system was also set down in the Etymologies and first published in VT45:36. The prefix was to appear as um- or un- before labialized consonants like p-, qu-, v- (the consonant v preserving its ancient pronunciation b- following the prefix, thus producing a word in umb-), as in- (technically iñ-) before c- and g- (the latter presumably referring to words that originally had initial g-, later lost in Quenya but evidently preserved following this prefix), and as an- otherwise. However, this system would contradict the canonical example ancalima, which would have been *incalima if Tolkien had maintained this idea. In a post-LotR source, the basic form of the prefix is given as am- instead (see am- #2). In this late conception, the prefix still appears as an- before most consonants, but as ama- before r, l, and the form an- is used even before s- (whether original or from þ), not the assimilated variant as- described above. General principles would suggest that the form am- should also appear before y- (so the form #anyára probably presupposes an- rather than am- as the basic form of the prefix, Tolkien revisiting the earlier concept in the _Elaine inscription). (PE17:92)_
lai
very
[lai adverbial particle "very" (VT45:8)]
lai
adverb. very
Derivations
- √DAY “*great”
íta noun "a flash" (PM:363)