Quenya 

noun. hand

hand

Quenya [PE 18:35] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

hand

noun "hand" (MA3, LT2:339, Narqelion, VT39:10, [VT45:30], VT47:6, 18, 19); the dual "a pair of hands" is attested both by itself as mát (VT47:6) and with a pronominal suffix as máryat "his/her (pair of) hands" (see -rya, -t) (Nam, RGEO:67). The nominative plural form was only máli, not **már (VT47:6), though plurals in -r may occur in some of the cases, as indicated by the pl. allative mannar "into hands" (FS). Mánta "their hand", dual mántat "their hands" (two hands each) (PE17:161). Cf. also the compounds mátengwië "language of the hands" (VT47:9) and Lungumá "Heavyhand" (VT47:19); also compare the adj. -maitë "-handed". See also málimë.

noun. hand

Quenya [PE 22:160] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

noun. hand

The most common Quenya word for “hand”, which Tolkien usually derived from a root √MAH or √MAƷ “hand; handle, wield”. The weak consonant h or ʒ in the root was lost very early, so that primitive ✶ was one of a rare set of ancient monosyllabic nouns ending in a vowel. Tolkien said that of the various hand words, was “the oldest (probably) and the one that retained a general and unspecialized sense — referring to the entire hand (including wrist) in any attitude or function” (VT47/6).

As a part of the body, “hand” was usually referred to in the singular () or dual (mát). This was true when referring to the hands of groups of people as well. For example, to say that “the Elves raised their hands”, you would say either i Eldar ortaner mánta (singular, one hand each) or i Eldar ortaner mántat (dual, both hands each), with the possessive suffix -nta “their”.

The plural form már “hands” (or archaic †mai) was almost never used, in part because it conflicted with Q. már “dwelling”. The singular form was also used in general statements and proverbs: “hand is cleverer than foot” má anfinya epe tál (ná). A collection of otherwise unrelated hands would likely use the partitive-plural form: máli “some hands”, which in this case could also serve as the general plural (VT47/12 Note 2). See the discussions on PE17/161 and VT47/6 for more information.

This word is also unusual in that it retains its long vowel before consonant clusters in inflected forms such as mánta “their hand” (PE17/161) or márya “his/her hand” (PE17/69). As Tolkien described it:

> is usually shortened to la before 2 consonants, according to the usual Q. procedure, but the long vowel can be retained, especially for additional emphasis, as in other cases where pronominal affixes follow a long vowel, as in márya “his hand” (PE22/160).

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to ᴱQ. “hand” from Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” (QL/57). ᴹQ. “hand” also appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√MAƷ “hand” (Ety/MAƷ). Tolkien mentioned this word with great frequency, usually derived from √MAH or √MAƷ (as noted above) though he sometimes considered deriving it from √MAG instead.

Cognates

  • S. maw “hand” ✧ PE17/162; VT47/06
  • T. “hand” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/06

Derivations

  • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE17/069; PE17/162; PE19/100; VT39/11; VT47/19
  • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ PE17/161; VT47/18
  • “hand” ✧ PE19/102; VT47/06
    • maha “hand, the manager” ✧ PE19/074; PE19/102; VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/35
    • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/18
    • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18
    • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE21/70
    • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18
  • maha “hand, the manager” ✧ PE19/106; VT47/18
    • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/18
    • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
MAƷ > [maɣa] > [mā]✧ PE17/069
MAG > [maga] > [maɣa] > [mā]✧ PE17/161
MAƷ > [mā]✧ PE17/162
MAƷ > [maɣa] > [mā]✧ PE19/100
māh > [māh] > [mā]✧ PE19/102
māʒ > [māɣ] > [mā]✧ PE19/106
maha > [maha] > [mā]✧ VT39/11
> [mā]✧ VT47/06
māʒ(ă) > [māɣa] > [mā]✧ VT47/18
mag > [māga] > [māɣa] > [mā]✧ VT47/18
MAƷA > [maɣa] > [mā]✧ VT47/19

Variations

  • ✧ PE17/069; PE17/161; VT39/09; VT39/11; VT47/18; VT47/18
  • ✧ PE19/102
  • ✧ PE19/106
Quenya [LotR/0377; PE17/069; PE17/070; PE17/130; PE17/135; PE17/161; PE17/162; PE19/100; PE19/102; PE19/106; PE22/160; RGEO/58; RGEO/59; VT39/09; VT39/11; VT47/03; VT47/06; VT47/12; VT47/18; VT47/19; VT49/10] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cambë

noun. hand, (hollow of) hand

Derivations

  • KAB “hold, contain, retain, possess, have in hand, hold, contain, retain, possess, have in hand; [ᴹ√] hollow”

mapa-

grasp, seize

mapa- vb. "grasp, seize" (MAP; according to LT2:339 this word was struck out in the "Gnomish Lexicon" [where it was quoted as the cognate of certain Gnomish words], but it reappears in the Etymologies.) Earlier material gives map- "take" (PE16:133) or map- "seize, take" with pa.t. nampë (QL:59); it is unclear if the pa.t. of map(a)- is still nampë in LotR-style Quenya.

nonda

hand, especially in [?clutching]

nonda noun "hand, especially in [?clutching]" (VT47:23; Tolkien's gloss was not certainly legible)

Sindarin 

mab-

noun. a hand-full, complete hand (with all five fingers)

Sindarin [Ety/371, VT/45:32, VT/47:6-7] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mâb

noun. a hand-full, complete hand (with all five fingers)

Sindarin [Ety/371, VT/45:32, VT/47:6-7] Group: SINDICT. Published by

mâb

noun. hand, hand, [N.] grasp

The typical Sindarin word for “hand” (VT47/7, 20), usable in almost any context. It is most notable as an element in the name Mablung “Heavy Hand” (VT47/8). See below for a discussion of its etymology.

Conceptual Development: This word dates all the way back to the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, where G. mab “hand” appeared as a derivative of the early root ᴱ√MAPA “seize” (GL/55). Tolkien then revised the gloss to “hands”, saying instead it was an irregular dual of G. “hand”. The word reverted to singular ᴱN. mab “hand” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/149). These early versions of the word were already an element of Mablung “Heavy Hand(ed)” (LT2/38; LB/311), but also of Ermabwed “One-handed” (LT2/34; LB/119).

In the 1930s it seems Tolkien decided Ilk. mâb “hand” was primarily an Ilkorin word, and the usual word for “hand” in Noldorin was N. cam. Compare Ilkorin Ermabuin “One-handed” and Mablosgen “Empty-handed” with Noldorin Erchamion and Camlost of the same meaning. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Tolkien had N. mab “grasp” under the root ᴹ√MAPA “seize”, but the version of the entry with that word was overwritten (EtyAC/MAP), leaving only the Ilkorin form mâb. In this period, Mablung may also have been an Ilkorin name.

After Tolkien abandoned Ilkorin in the 1950s, he kept S. Erchamion and Camlost based on cam, but also kept Mablung “Heavy Hand” which must have become Sindarin. In his later writings Tolkien again revisited the etymology of S. mâb “hand”. In a note from Jan-Feb 1968, he wrote:

> It [Q. = “hand”] did not survive in Telerin and Sindarin as an independent word, but was replaced by the similar-sounding but unconnected C.E. makwā, Q. maqua, T. mapa, S. mab, of uncertain origin, but probably originally an adjectival formation from MAK “strike” ... (VT47/19).

This sentence was struck through, however. In drafts of notes on Elvish Hands, Fingers and Numerals written in or after 1968, Tolkien again derived mâb from √MAP (VT47/20 note #13), but in the final version of these notes he made the remarkable decision to discard this root despite it being a stable part of Elvish for nearly 50 years, declaring it was used only in Telerin and not Quenya or Sindarin (VT47/7). He coined a new etymology for S. mâb “hand” based on ✶makwā “handful” = ✶ + ✶kwā (VT47/6-7), a variation on the above etymology from √MAK.

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I prefer to ignore Tolkien’s 1968 removal of √MAP “seize”, and so would continue to derive S. mâb “hand” from that root. However, its ancient meaning may have been “✱grasp”, and its eventual use as “hand” might have been influenced by ancient ✶makwā “handful”.

Cognates

  • Q. maqua “hand-full, group of five (similar) things; hand (colloquial); closing or closed [hand] (facing down) for taking” ✧ VT47/06; VT47/19; VT47/20

Derivations

  • makwā “a hand-full, complete hand with all five fingers” ✧ VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/19
    • MAK “cut, hew with a sharp edge; kill, slay; forge metal, cut, hew with a sharp edge, [ᴹ√] cleave; sword, fight (with a sword); ️[√] forge metal; kill, slay” ✧ VT47/19
  • MAP “take away, take hold of, grasp, take away, take hold of, grasp, [ᴹ√] lay hold of with hand, seize” ✧ VT47/20

Element in

  • ᴺS. mablanthos “sycamore”
  • S. Mablung “Heavy Hand” ✧ VT47/07
  • ᴺS. mabren “handed, having hands, dextrous”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
makwā > mâb[makwā] > [mapā] > [mapa] > [map] > [mab] > [māb]✧ VT47/06
makwā > mâb[makwā] > [mapā] > [mapa] > [map] > [mab] > [māb]✧ VT47/07
makwā > mâb[makwā] > [mapā] > [mapa] > [map] > [mab] > [māb]✧ VT47/19
MAP > măpo > mâb[mapo] > [map] > [mab] > [māb]✧ VT47/20
Sindarin [VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/19; VT47/20] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maw

noun. hand

Sindarin [VT/47:6] Group: SINDICT. Published by

maw

noun. hand

The Sindarin equivalent of Q. , likewise derived from the root √MAH or √MAƷ “hand; handle, wield” (PE17/162; VT47/6). However, in Sindarin this word was archaic, used only in poetry, having been replaced in ordinary speech by other words like S. mâb and (less often) cam. Other remnants of this word can be seen in compounds like molif “wrist, (orig.) hand link” and directional words like forvo and harvo for left and right hand side.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, G. from the early root ᴱ√MAHA was the normal word for “hand”, replacing mab “hand” (< ᴱ√MAHA) which in this document Tolkien decided was instead an irregular dual form of (GL/55). It had also had an irregular plural mabin based on this dual, replacing an older plural †maith. In the Gnomish Grammar, its archaic form was †, with the usual Gnomish sound change of ā to ō (GG/14), as opposed to later Sindarin/Noldorin ā to au, spelt -aw when final. Tolkien seems to have abandoned as a non-archaic word for “hand” early on, preferring ᴱN. mab “hand” by the 1920s and introducing N. cam “hand” in the 1930s.

Cognates

  • Q. “hand” ✧ PE17/162; VT47/06
  • T. “hand” ✧ VT47/18

Derivations

  • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE17/162
  • “hand” ✧ VT47/06
    • maha “hand, the manager” ✧ PE19/074; PE19/102; VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/35
    • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/18
    • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18
    • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE21/70
    • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18
  • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18

Element in

  • S. forvo “right hand, right side” ✧ VT47/06
  • S. harvo “left hand, left side” ✧ VT47/06
  • S. maed “handy, skillful, handy, skillful, [N.] skilled” ✧ VT47/06
  • ᴺS. mawedh “glove”
  • S. molif “wrist, (lit.) hand-link” ✧ VT47/06

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
MAƷ > maw[mā] > [mǭ] > [mau]✧ PE17/162
> maw[mā] > [mǭ] > [mau]✧ VT47/06
mag > maw[mā] > [mǭ] > [mau]✧ VT47/18
Sindarin [PE17/162; VT47/06; VT47/18] Group: Eldamo. Published by

cam

noun. hand

Sindarin [Ety/361, Ety/371, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

camm

noun. hand

mab

grasp

*mab*-[or maba-?] (i vâb, i mebir**) (seize). Only the ”Old Noldorin” form map- is cited in the source (LR:371 s.v. MAP)

mab

grasp

[or ✱maba-?] (i vâb, i mebir) (seize). Only the ”Old Noldorin” form map- is cited in the source (LR:371 s.v. MAP)****

mâb

hand

(i vâb; construct mab), pl. maib (i maib).

maw

hand

(i vaw), pl. moe (i moe). A homophone means ”soil, stain”. (VT47:6) 

cam

hand

1) cam (i gam, o cham), pl. caim (i chaim), coll. pl. cammath; 2) mâb (i vâb; construct mab), pl. maib (i maib). 3) Archaic †maw (i vaw), pl. moe (i moe). A homophone means ”soil, stain”. (VT47:6) 4) (fist) dond (i dhond; construct don), pl. dynd (i nynd), coll. pl. donnath (VT47:23).

cam

hand

(i gam, o cham), pl. caim (i chaim), coll. pl. cammath

dond

hand

(i dhond; construct don), pl. dynd (i nynd), coll. pl. donnath (VT47:23).

crûm

left hand

(i grûm, o chrûm, construct crum), pl. cruim (i chruim), coll. pl. crummath. Also ✱hair (i chair), no distinct pl. form (not even with article). Note: hair is also used = ”left” as adjective. Cited in archaic form heir (LR:365 s.v. KHYAR).

forgam

right-handed

(pl. fergaim, for archaic förgeim)

camlann

of the hand

(i gamlann, o chamlann), pl. cemlain (i chemlain).

fuir

right hand

pl. fŷr. Also used as adj. "right, north" (VT42:20). In ”Noldorin” the word appeared as (”foeir” =) föir, feir (LR:382 s.v. PHOR).

Telerin 

noun. hand

Cognates

  • Q. “hand” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/06
  • S. maw “hand” ✧ VT47/18

Derivations

  • “hand” ✧ VT47/06
    • maha “hand, the manager” ✧ PE19/074; PE19/102; VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/35
    • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/18
    • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18
    • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE21/70
    • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18
  • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18

Element in

  • T. forma “right-hand” ✧ VT47/06
  • T. málimë “wrist, (lit.) hand-link” ✧ VT47/06
  • T. þarma “left-hand” ✧ VT47/06

Variations

  • ✧ VT47/06 ()
  • māga ✧ VT47/18
Telerin [VT47/06; VT47/18] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mapa

noun. hand

Cognates

  • Q. maqua “hand-full, group of five (similar) things; hand (colloquial); closing or closed [hand] (facing down) for taking” ✧ VT47/06; VT47/19; VT47/20

Derivations

  • makwā “a hand-full, complete hand with all five fingers” ✧ VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/19
    • MAK “cut, hew with a sharp edge; kill, slay; forge metal, cut, hew with a sharp edge, [ᴹ√] cleave; sword, fight (with a sword); ️[√] forge metal; kill, slay” ✧ VT47/19
  • MAP “take away, take hold of, grasp, take away, take hold of, grasp, [ᴹ√] lay hold of with hand, seize” ✧ VT47/20

Derivatives

  • T. mapa- “to take hold of, grasp” ✧ VT47/07

Variations

  • mapo ✧ VT47/20
Telerin [VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/19; VT47/20] Group: Eldamo. Published by

camba

noun. hand

Cognates

  • S. cam “(cupped) hand, holding hand; handful” ✧ VT47/22

Adûnaic

noun. hand

A noun translated “hand”, given as an example of an apparent Adûnaic uniconsonantal noun, which had a biconsonantal-root but lost one of its consonants from its ancient form ✶Ad. paʒa (SD/416, 426).

Derivations

  • √Ad. PAƷ “hand” ✧ SD/416
  • ✶Ad. paʒa “hand” ✧ SD/426
    • √Ad. PAƷ “hand”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
✶Ad. pa3a > [paɣa] > [paa] > [pā]✧ SD/426

Variations

  • ✧ SD/426
Adûnaic [SD/416; SD/426] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive elvish

mab

root. lump, mass

Derivatives

  • Q. ambo “hill, rising ground, mount” ✧ PE17/090
  • S. mâf “pile or mass of rock or earth” ✧ PE17/090
Primitive elvish [PE17/090; PE17/161] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. hand

Derivations

  • maha “hand, the manager” ✧ PE19/074; PE19/102; VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/35
    • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/18
    • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18
  • MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE21/70
  • MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ VT47/18

Derivatives

  • Q. “hand” ✧ PE19/102; VT47/06
  • S. maw “hand” ✧ VT47/06
  • T. “hand” ✧ VT47/06

Element in

  • makwā “a hand-full, complete hand with all five fingers” ✧ VT47/07
  • mā-limi “wrist, (lit.) hand-link” ✧ VT47/06

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
maʒa > [maɣa] > [mā]✧ VT47/06

Variations

  • māh ✧ PE19/102
  • ✧ VT47/18; VT47/34 ()
Primitive elvish [PE19/074; PE19/102; PE21/70; VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/18; VT47/34; VT47/35] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mab

root. something nice

Derivatives

  • ᴺS. mam “grandmother, mother”
  • ᴺS. maus “pleasure; pleasant taste, pleasant”
  • ᴺS. mav- “to like”
  • ᴺS. mavor “appetite”
Primitive elvish Group: Eldamo - neologism/adaptations. Published by

Noldorin 

mab

noun. grasp

Cognates

  • Ilk. mâb “hand” ✧ EtyAC/MAP

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MAP “lay hold of with hand, seize” ✧ EtyAC/MAP

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√MAPA > mab[mapa] > [map] > [mab]✧ EtyAC/MAP
Noldorin [EtyAC/MAP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

camb

noun. hand

Noldorin [Ety/361, Ety/371, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

noun. hand

ON. hand

Noldorin [PE 18:35] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

cam

noun. hand

Noldorin [Ety/361, Ety/371, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

cam

noun. hand

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. kambe “hollow (of hand)” ✧ Ety/KAB; EtyAC/KAB

Derivations

  • ᴹ√KAB “hollow” ✧ Ety/KAB; EtyAC/KAB
  • On. kamba “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ
    • ᴹ√KAB “hollow” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
    • ᴹ✶kambā ✧ PE21/59; PE21/59
    • ᴹ√KAB “hollow”

Element in

  • N. Cambant “Full Hand” ✧ Ety/KAB
  • N. camland “palm of hand” ✧ Ety/LAD
  • N. Camlost “Empty-hand(ed)” ✧ Ety/KAB
  • N. Erchamui “One-handed” ✧ Ety/KAB
  • N. forgam “righthanded”
  • N. hargam “left-handed”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√KAB > camb > cam[kamba] > [kamb] > [kamb] > [kamm] > [kam]✧ Ety/KAB
On. kamba > camm[kamba] > [kamb] > [kamb] > [kamm]✧ Ety/MAƷ

Variations

  • camm ✧ Ety/MAƷ
Noldorin [Ety/KAB; Ety/LAD; Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/KAB; PE21/60] Group: Eldamo. Published by

camm

noun. hand

Noldorin [Ety/361, Ety/371, S/429] Group: SINDICT. Published by

camm

noun. hand


Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Primitive adûnaic

paʒ

root. hand

A Primitive Adûnaic root glossed “hand”, the basis for the noun of the same meaning (SD/416).

Derivatives

  • Ad. “hand” ✧ SD/416
  • ✶Ad. paʒa “hand”
    • Ad. “hand” ✧ SD/426

Variations

  • PA3 ✧ SD/416
Primitive adûnaic [SD/416] Group: Eldamo. Published by

paʒa

noun. hand

The Primitive Adûnaic form of the noun “hand” (SD/426).

Derivations

  • √Ad. PAƷ “hand”

Derivatives

  • Ad. “hand” ✧ SD/426

Variations

  • pa3a ✧ SD/426
Primitive adûnaic [SD/426] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Qenya 

noun. hand

Cognates

  • On. “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶māʒ “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; PE18/035
    • ᴹ√MAƷ “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ
  • ᴹ✶magā “hand” ✧ EtyAC/MAƷ
    • ᴹ√MAG “use, handle” ✧ EtyAC/MAƷ

Element in

  • ᴹQ. númessier “and he gave it into the hands of the Lords: they are in the West” ✧ LR/072
  • ᴹQ. Lunguma “Heavy Hand”
  • ᴹQ. maite “handy, skilled”

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶māʒ > [māɣ] > [mā]✧ Ety/MAƷ
ᴹ✶magā > [magā] > [maɣā] > [mā]✧ EtyAC/MAƷ
ᴹ✶ > [mā]✧ PE18/035

Variations

  • ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ (); PE18/035; PE21/40; PE22/021
Qenya [Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ; LR/072; PE18/035; PE21/40; PE22/021] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriathrin

mâb

noun. hand

An Ilkorin and Doriathrin noun for “hand” derived from primitive ᴹ✶mapā (Ety/MAP, EtyAC/MAP), where the [[ilk|voiceless stop [p] voiced to [b] after the vowel]]. Since its primitive form had a short [a] and its Ilkorin form a long [ā] (EtyAC/MAP), this word is an example of how short vowels sometimes lengthened in monosyllables in Ilkorin.

Cognates

  • N. mab “grasp” ✧ EtyAC/MAP

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶mapā “hand” ✧ Ety/MAP
    • ᴹ√MAP “lay hold of with hand, seize” ✧ Ety/MAP
  • ᴹ√MAP “lay hold of with hand, seize” ✧ EtyAC/MAP

Element in

  • Ilk. Mabluin “Pale-hand”
  • Ilk. Mablost “Empty-handed” ✧ Ety/KAB
  • Ilk. Mablosgen “Empty-handed” ✧ Ety/MAP
  • Ilk. Ermabuin “One-handed” ✧ Ety/MAP; EtyAC/MAP (Ermabin)
  • Ilk. Mablung “Heavy-hand” ✧ Ety/MAP

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶mapā > mâb[mapā] > [mapa] > [maba] > [mab] > [māb]✧ Ety/MAP

Variations

  • Mab ✧ Ety/KAB (Dor. Mab)
  • mab ✧ EtyAC/MAP; EtyAC/MAP (Dor. mab)
Doriathrin [Ety/KAB; Ety/MAP; EtyAC/MAP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Old Noldorin 

maga

noun. hand

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶magā “hand” ✧ EtyAC/MAƷ
    • ᴹ√MAG “use, handle” ✧ EtyAC/MAƷ

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶magā > maga[magā] > [maga]✧ EtyAC/MAƷ
Old Noldorin [EtyAC/MAƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

kamba

noun. hand

Derivations

  • ᴹ√KAB “hollow” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
  • ᴹ✶kambā ✧ PE21/59; PE21/59
    • ᴹ√KAB “hollow”

Derivatives

  • N. cam “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ√KAB > kamba[kamba]✧ Ety/MAƷ
Old Noldorin [Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ; PE21/59] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. hand

Cognates

  • ᴹQ. “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶māʒ “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; PE18/035
    • ᴹ√MAƷ “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶māʒ > [māɣ] > [mā] > [mǭ]✧ Ety/MAƷ
Old Noldorin [Ety/MAƷ; PE18/035] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

magā

noun. hand

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MAG “use, handle” ✧ EtyAC/MAƷ

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. “hand” ✧ EtyAC/MAƷ
  • On. maga “hand” ✧ EtyAC/MAƷ
Middle Primitive Elvish [EtyAC/MAƷ] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mapā

noun. hand

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MAP “lay hold of with hand, seize” ✧ Ety/MAP

Derivatives

  • Ilk. mâb “hand” ✧ Ety/MAP
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/MAP] Group: Eldamo. Published by

maʒ

root. hand

Derivatives

  • ᴹ✶māʒ “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ
    • ᴹQ. “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; PE18/035
    • On. “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; PE18/035
  • ᴹ✶maʒiti “handy, skilled” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
    • ᴹQ. maite “handy, skilled” ✧ Ety/MAƷ
    • On. maite “handy, skilled” ✧ Ety/MAƷ
    • N. moed “handy, skilled” ✧ Ety/MAƷ
  • ᴹ✶mahtā- “to handle, stroke, feel; to deal with, wield, treat” ✧ PE19/048
    • ᴹQ. mahta- “to handle, wield; to deal with, treat; to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; PE19/048
    • On. mattha- “to stroke, feel, handle” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
    • N. matha- “to stroke, feel, handle” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
  • ᴹ✶maʒtā- “to handle, stroke, feel” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; Ety/MAK; EtyAC/MAƷ
    • ᴹ✶mahtā- “to handle, stroke, feel; to deal with, wield, treat” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
    • ᴹQ. mahta- “to handle, wield; to deal with, treat; to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; PE19/048
    • On. mattha- “to stroke, feel, handle” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
      • N. matha- “to stroke, feel, handle” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; EtyAC/MAƷ
  • ᴹQ. masse “handful, share, just portion (in distribution), measure or capacity (of a person)” ✧ PE19/048
  • N. moed “handy, skilled” ✧ EtyAC/KHYAR

Element in

  • ᴹQ. formaite “righthanded, dexterous” ✧ Ety/PHOR
  • ᴹQ. hyarmaite “left-handed” ✧ Ety/KHYAR
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/KHYAR; Ety/MAƷ; Ety/MAK; Ety/PHOR; EtyAC/KHYAR; EtyAC/MAƷ; PE19/048] Group: Eldamo. Published by

māʒ

noun. hand

Derivations

  • ᴹ√MAƷ “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; PE18/035
  • On. “hand” ✧ Ety/MAƷ; PE18/035

Element in

  • On. dalma “palm of hand” ✧ Ety/DAL

Variations

  • ✧ Ety/DAL; PE18/035
  • mā̆ʒ ✧ PE18/035
Middle Primitive Elvish [Ety/DAL; Ety/MAƷ; PE18/035; PE21/58] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

mab

noun. hand(s)

Changes

  • mabmab “hand” ✧ GL/55

Derivations

  • ᴱ√MAPA “seize” ✧ LT2A/Ermabwed

Element in

Gnomish [GG/10; GG/11; GG/15; GL/34; GL/55; GL/57; LT2A/Ermabwed] Group: Eldamo. Published by

noun. hand

Cognates

  • Eq. “hand”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” ✧ GL/55

Variations

  • ✧ GG/14 ()
Gnomish [GG/14; GL/55; GL/57] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Noldorin

mab

noun. hand

Element in

Early Noldorin [LB/056; PE13/124; PE13/149; PE13/156] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Primitive Elvish

maha

root. grasp

Derivatives

  • Eq. “hand” ✧ LT2A/Ermabwed; QL/057
  • Eq. makte “hold, grip, power, possession” ✧ QL/057
  • Eq. maqa “handy, skilled (with hands)” ✧ QL/057
  • Eq. makte “hand” ✧ QL/057
  • Eq. mantl “glove” ✧ QL/057
  • Eq. mára “mighty, power[ful], doughty; good, excellent, useful (of things)” ✧ QL/057
  • En. maur “good”
  • G. mora “good”
  • G. maith “rule, power, permission”
  • G. maitha- “to rule, govern, wield control, hold”
  • G. manc “grip, grasp, hold” ✧ GL/55
  • G. “hand” ✧ GL/55
  • G. ma “with instrument or by agent” ✧ GL/55

Variations

  • maχā ✧ GL/55
Early Primitive Elvish [GL/55; LT2A/Ermabwed; QL/057] Group: Eldamo. Published by

mama

root. something nice

Early Primitive Elvish Group: Eldamo. Published by

maƀa

root. something nice

A root given as maƀ or mam in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “something nice”, with derivatives like G. mab(a) “mother”, G. mam “grandmother”, G. mav- “like”, and G. mavri “appetite” (GL/57). There are no signs of this root in Tolkien’s later writing, but I think it is worth positing a Neo-Sindarin root ᴺ√MAB to salvage some of these early words.

Derivatives

  • G. mam “grandmother, mother” ✧ GL/57
  • G. maus “pleasure; pleasant taste, pleasant” ✧ GL/57
  • G. mav- “to like” ✧ GL/57
  • G. mavri “appetite” ✧ GL/57
  • G. mavra “eager after” ✧ GL/57
  • G. mavros “desire, eager longing” ✧ GL/57
  • G. mavrog “eager” ✧ GL/57
  • G. mavwin “wish” ✧ GL/57
  • G. mavwin “ancestress, †mother” ✧ GL/57
  • G. mab(a) “mother” ✧ GL/57

Variations

  • maƀ ✧ GL/57
  • mam ✧ GL/57
Early Primitive Elvish [GL/57] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Early Quenya

noun. hand

Cognates

  • G. ma “with instrument or by agent” ✧ GL/55
  • G. “hand”

Derivations

  • ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” ✧ LT2A/Ermabwed; QL/057

Element in

  • Eq. malenka “left handed” ✧ QL/057
  • Eq. mavoite “having hands” ✧ LT2A/Ermabwed; QL/057
  • Eq. Makarnea “Red-handed”
  • Eq. marikta “wrist” ✧ QL/057
  • Eq. mapalin “plane [tree], sycamore” ✧ QL/057
  • Eq. maite “maple”
  • Eq. torwa pior má tarasse “*the dark-brown fruit in the hand of the hawthorns” ✧ VT40/08

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√MAHA > maha > [maxa] > [maxǝ] > [max] > [maɣ] > [mā]✧ QL/057

Variations

  • ✧ GL/55; PE15/73
  • ✧ LT2A/Ermabwed; PE16/137; QL/057
Early Quenya [GL/55; LT2A/Ermabwed; PE14/052; PE14/076; PE14/117; PE15/73; PE16/137; QL/057; VT40/08] Group: Eldamo. Published by

makte

noun. hand

An archaic word for “hand” in Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” (QL/57). There are no signs of it in Tolkien’s later writings.

Derivations

  • ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” ✧ QL/057

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√MAHA > makte[makti] > [makte]✧ QL/057

Variations

  • makte ✧ QL/057 (makte)
Early Quenya [QL/057] Group: Eldamo. Published by

tyúma

noun. lump, mass

A noun in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “lump, mass” and derived from the root ᴱ√TYU (QL/50).

Derivations

  • ᴱ√TYU ✧ QL/050

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ√TYU > tyūma[tʲūmā] > [tʲūma]✧ QL/050

Variations

  • tyūma ✧ QL/050
Early Quenya [QL/050] Group: Eldamo. Published by