s

root. demonstrative stem

An element described as a “demonstrative stem” in The Etymologies of the 1930s serving as the basis for gendered primitive and Noldorin pronouns like ᴹ✶sī̆/sē̆/N. he “she”, ᴹ✶sū̆/sō̆/N. ho “he”, and N. ha “it” (Ety/S). It was a later iteration of the demonstrative root ᴱ√SA from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/81), and primitive ✶sa appeared in Tolkien’s later writings as a neuter pronoun (VT49/51-52), also sometimes used as a demonstrative (PE22/119). Genders based on sex were a feature of the Early Noldorin Grammar of the 1920s (PE13/131), but in Tolkien’s later writings the Elvish grammatical genders were animate ✶se (= both “he” and “she”) vs. inanimate ✶sa “it” (VT49/37).

Derivatives

• ᴹ✶sī̆/sē̆ “she” ✧ Ety/S
  • N. he “she” ✧ Ety/S
• ᴹ✶sū̆/sō̆ “masc., he” ✧ Ety/S
  • N. ho “he” ✧ Ety/S
• N. ha “it” ✧ Ety/S