satta

noun. two

The Adûnaic number “two” (SD/428). It seems likely that it is related to Q. atta “two”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne (AAD/22), though it is unclear how the initial s- might have developed in the Adûnaic. It may also be related to the Adûnaic dual suffix -at, as suggested by Andreas Moehn (EotAL/SAT).

atta

cardinal. two

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).

atta

cardinal. two

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.

satto

cardinal. two

satto, "Qenya" numeral "two" (in Tolkiens later Quenya atta) (VT49:54)

satta

noun. part (of something)

A neologism for “part (of something)” posted by Orondil on 2023-01-07 in the Vinyë Lambengolmor Discord (VLDS) based on the root √SAT “divide, apportion” and inspired by ᴺS. sath “part”.

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.

atta

cardinal. two

atata

root. two, two; [ᴹ√] again, back

(a)tata

cardinal. two

tata

masculine name. Two

yu

root. both, both, [ᴹ√] two

This Elvish root was connected to the sense “two” or “both” throughout Tolkien’s life. The first clear manifestation of this root was ᴱQ. yú “twice” and ᴱQ. yúyo “two” from the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s (PE14/49-51, 82-84). The root ᴹ√YŪ “two, both” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with derivatives like ᴹQ. yúyo “both” and ᴹQ. yúkale/N. uial “twilight” (Ety/KAL, YŪ). The root √YU appeared several times in Tolkien’s later writings, generally with the sense “both” (PE17/70; PE21/74; VT48/8, 10). It was likely related to the ancient dual suffix ✶-ū.

yŭ

conjunction. both

tad

cardinal. two

tâd

cardinal. two

tâd

cardinal. two

tata

cardinal. two

tad

cardinal. two

tâd

cardinal. two

tâd

cardinal. two

The usual Sindarin word for “two” derived from ✶tata, a variant of √ATATA that was the basis for Q. atta “two” (PE17/14; VT42/27; Ety/TATA). It appears with both a short vowel as tad and a long vowel as tâd. I think the long-vowel form is the most correct one, but the short-vowel form is used for prefixes or when the word is not emphasized in a phrase.

Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. atha “two”, but this was deleted and revised to G. atha as the “pl. 3rd person pronoun” (GL/20) and no new word for “two” was given.

ath

on both sides

(across)

tad-dal

two-legged

(lenited dad-dal), pl. tad-dail.

tâd

cardinal. two

1. tâd (in compounds tad-, as in tad-dal ”two-legged”), 2) (adjectival prefix) ui- (twi-, both).

tâd

two

(in compounds tad-, as in tad-dal ”two-legged”)

ui

two

(twi-, both).

ui

both

(adjectival prefix) ui- (two, twi-);

ui

both

(two, twi-);