atta (1) cardinal "two" (AT(AT), Letters:427, VT42:26, 27, VT48:6, 19). Elen atta "two stars" (VT49:44); notice how a noun is indeclinable before this numeral, and any case endings are "singular" and added to the numeral rather than the noun, e.g. genitive elen atto "of two stars" (VT49:45). Attalyar "Bipeds" (sg. *Attalya) = Petty-dwarves (from Sindarin Tad-dail) (WJ:389). A word atta_ "again" was struck out; see the entry _TAT in Etym and cf. ata in this list.
Quenya
atta
cardinal. two
atta
cardinal. two
satto
cardinal. two
satto, "Qenya" numeral "two" (in Tolkiens later Quenya atta) (VT49:54)
satta
noun. part (of something)
yúyo
adjective. both
This is the Quenya word for “both” (VT49/10) derived from √YU of the same meaning (PE17/70). It is likely it can be used as either an adjective or a pronoun: antanes nin yúyo parma “he/she gave me both books” vs. antanes nin yúyo “he/she gave me both”. Yúyo may be contrasted with atta which is the counting word for “two”.
Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. aqi “a brace, a couple of, both” as an indeclinable adjective under the early root ᴱ√ATA used for duals (QL/33). In the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s, ᴱQ. {satta >>} satto meant “both” and ᴱQ. yúyo meant “two” (PE14/82). By The Etymologies of the 1930s, these meanings were reversed with ᴹQ. atta “two” appearing under ᴹ√ATTA and ᴹQ. yúyo “both” appearing under ᴹ√YŪ (Ety/ATTA, YŪ).
yu-
prefix. both, both, [ᴱQ.] twice
A prefix for “both” derived from the root √YU of similar meaning (VT48/10; EtyAC/YŪ; PE23/101). It appeared as both yu- and yú-. The short-vowel form seems to be used when it precedes a consonant cluster (yunquë) or a heavy syllable (yucainen), while the long-vowel form is used before a light syllable (yúcale).
In the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s, ᴱQ. yú was glossed “twice” (PE14/51, 84), because in that document ᴱQ. yúyo was “two” (PE14/50, 82) instead of “both” as it was later. I think as the prefix yu- might still be used for “twice” in Tolkien’s later writings based on words like yunquë “twelve” = “✱twice six” or yucainen “twenty” = “✱twice ten”.
Conceptual Development: There is a prefix ᴱQ. ui- appearing in the Qenya Lexicon as an element in ᴱQ. uiven “twenty” (QL/33) that might be a precursor to yu-. This element is also mentioned in the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon along with a variant uivi, but there it was deleted (GL/74).
yúyo
both
yúyo noun? adv.? "both" (YŪ, VT48:10). Used adjectivally in yúyo má "both hands"; notice that the noun following yúyo receives no plural or dual marker.
This is the usual Quenya counting number for “two”, derived from √ATATA (VT42/27; VT48/19), which in turn is based on √AT “bi-, double, again (a second time)” (PE17/148, 166). It may be contrasted with yúyo “both” referring to both elements of a pair.
Conceptual Development: There was no word for “two” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s. In the Early Qenya Grammar (EQG) of the 1920s, ᴱQ. yúyo meant “two” and ᴱQ. {satta >>} satto meant “both” (PE14/49, 82). By The Etymologies of the 1930s, these meanings were reversed with ᴹQ. atta “two” appearing under ᴹ√ATTA and ᴹQ. yúyo “both” appearing under ᴹ√YŪ (Ety/ATTA, YŪ).