mahta-

wield a weapon

mahta- (1) vb. "wield a weapon", "fight" (MAK), "to handle, wield, manage" (VT39:11, VT47:18), also "deal with" (VT47:6, 19, VT49:10). Past tense mahtanë is attested (VT49:10). In an earlier version of the entry MAK in the Etymologies, Tolkien first glossed mahta- as "slay [or kill] with sword", then changed it to "fight with sword" (VT45:30-32)

tur-

wield, control, govern

tur- vb. "wield, control, govern" (1st pers. aorist turin "I wield" etc.), pa.t. turnë (TUR). The verb is elsewhere defined "master, conquer, win" (PE17:115), virtually the same meanings are elsewhere assigned to turu- #1, q.v.

mahta-

verb. handle

handle, deal with, manage, wield, treat

mahta-

verb. to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control, to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control; [ᴹQ.] to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight

Cognates

• S. maetha- “to handle, manage, wield, use, treat, deal with” ✧ PE17/069; PE17/161; PE17/162; VT47/06
• T. matta- “to handle, wield, manage, deal with” ✧ 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; PE21/70; VT39/11; VT47/18; 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
• ✶maha “hand, the manager” ✧ PE19/074
  • √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
• ✶magtā- “to handle, wield, manage, deal with” ✧ PE19/100; VT47/06; VT47/18
  • √MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE19/100; 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

• ᴺQ. mahtalë “fighting, battle”
• ᴺQ. mahtando “manager”
• Q. mahtanë yúyo má véla “*wield both hands alike” ✧ VT49/10
• ᴺQ. mahtasta “management”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MAƷ > mahta	[maɣta-] > [maxta-]	✧ PE17/069
√MAG > mahta-	[magta-] > [makta-] > [maxta-]	✧ PE17/161
√MAƷ > mahta-	[maɣta-] > [maxta-]	✧ PE17/162
✶mā̆ha > mahta-	[maxta-]	✧ PE19/074
✶maʒ-tā > mahtā > mahta-	[maɣta-] > [maxta-]	✧ PE19/100
√MAH > mahta	[maxta-]	✧ PE21/70
√maha > mahta-	[maxta-]	✧ VT39/11
✶maʒtā > maχtā > mahta-	[maɣta-] > [maxta-]	✧ VT47/06
√maʒ > mahta	[maɣta-] > [maxta-]	✧ VT47/18
✶magta > makta > mahta	[magta-] > [makta-] > [maxta-]	✧ VT47/18
√MAƷA > mahta-	[maɣta-] > [maxta-]	✧ VT47/19

Variations

• mahta ✧ PE17/069; PE21/70; VT47/18; VT47/18

tur-

verb. to master, conquer, dominate, win, to master, conquer, dominate, win; [ᴹQ.] to control, govern, *rule; to wield; [ᴱQ.] can, to be able

Cognates

• ᴺS. tor- “to win, have victory”

Derivations

• √TUR “dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power, dominate, master, conquer; power [over others], mastery (legitimate or illegitimate), control (of other wills); strong, mighty in power; [ᴹ√] victory; [ᴱ√] am strong” ✧ PE17/115

Element in

• Q. túrindië “*kingdom”
• Q. túrinasta “*kingdom”
• ᴺQ. immoturië “self-control”
• ᴺQ. ortur- “to overpower, conquer, prevail”
• Q. Turambar “Master of Doom, Master of Fate” ✧ PE17/124
• ᴺQ. útúrima “unruly”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√TUR > tur-	[tur-]	✧ PE17/115

maetha-

verb. to handle, wield, manage, deal with

maetha-

verb. to handle, manage, wield, use, treat, deal with

Cognates

• Q. mahta- “to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control, to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control; [ᴹQ.] to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight” ✧ PE17/069; PE17/161; PE17/162; 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
• √MAG “good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state, good (physically); to thrive, be in a good state; [ᴹ√] use, handle” ✧ PE17/161
• ✶magtā- “to handle, wield, manage, deal with” ✧ VT47/06
  • √MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE19/100; 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

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√MAG > maetha-	[magta-] > [makta-] > [maktʰa-] > [maxθa-] > [maiθa-] > [maeθa-]	✧ PE17/161
✶maʒtā > maχtā > maetha	[maɣtā] > [maxtā] > [maxta] > [maxtʰa] > [maxθa] > [maiθa] > [maeθa]	✧ VT47/06

Variations

• maetha ✧ PE17/069; VT47/06

maetha-

verb. to handle

v. to handle. Q. mahta-.

maetha-

verb. to handle

_ v. _to handle, treat, manage, etc. Q. mahta-. >> maeth

maetha

wield

(i** vaetha, i** maethar) (handle, manage, deal with). In Tolkien’s earlier material, the verb maetha- meant ”fight”.

matha

wield

1) matha- (i vatha, i mathar) (stroke, feel, handle), 2) maetha- (i vaetha, i maethar) (handle, manage, deal with). In Tolkiens earlier material, the verb maetha- meant ”fight”. 3) tortha- (i dortha, i thorthar) (control)

matha

wield

(i** vatha, i** mathar) (stroke, feel, handle)

tortha

wield

(i** dortha, i** thorthar) (control)

maetha

handle

(i vaetha, i maethar) (wield, manage, deal with). In Tolkien’s earlier material, the verb maetha- meant ”fight”.

matha

handle

(i vatha, i mathar) (stroke, feel; wield)

matta-

verb. to handle, wield, manage, deal with

Cognates

• Q. mahta- “to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control, to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control; [ᴹQ.] to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight” ✧ VT47/06

Derivations

• ✶magtā- “to handle, wield, manage, deal with” ✧ VT47/06
  • √MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE19/100; 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

Variations

• matta ✧ VT47/06

magtā-

verb. to handle, wield, manage, deal with

Changes

• maʒtā → magta ✧ VT47/18

Derivations

• √MAH “handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp” ✧ PE19/100; 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

Derivatives

• Q. mahta- “to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control, to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control; [ᴹQ.] to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight” ✧ PE19/100; VT47/06; VT47/18
• S. maetha- “to handle, manage, wield, use, treat, deal with” ✧ VT47/06
• T. matta- “to handle, wield, manage, deal with” ✧ VT47/06

Variations

• maʒ-tā ✧ PE19/100 (maʒ-tā)
• maʒtā ✧ VT47/06; VT47/18 (maʒtā)
• magta ✧ VT47/18

mah

root. handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand; [ᴱ√] grasp

This root was connected to hand words for all of Tolkien’s life. Its periodic shifts between √MAH and √MAƷ had more to do with Tolkien’s ongoing vacillation on the form of the ancient velar spirant (voiced vs. voiceless) in Primitive Elvish. The earliest appearance of this root was as ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, with derivatives like ᴱQ. má “hand”, ᴱQ. maqa “handy, skilled”, and ᴱQ. māra “mighty, power, doughty; (of things) good, useful” (QL/57). In the contemporaneous Gnomish Lexicon the root was maχā with derivatives G. mô “hand” and G. manc “grip, grasp, hold” (GL/55); G. mora “good” may have also been related (GL/57).

In The Etymologies of the 1930s it appeared as ᴹ√MAƷ “hand” along with a related root ᴹ√MAG “use, handle”, with ᴹQ. mára “useful, fit, good (of things)” derived from the latter (Ety/MAƷ). In Tolkien’s later writings, the root √MAG was further differentiated from √MAƷ, becoming the basis for “good, useful”; see the entry on √MAG for further details. As for ᴹ√MAƷ “hand”, it was also mentioned in the Outline of Phonetic Development from the 1930s (OP1: PE19/48) and Outline of Phonology from the early 1950s (OP2: PE19/100 note #154).

In revisions to OP2, Tolkien decided the primitive velar spirant was unvoiced, a weak χ [x] rather than voiced ʒ [ɣ] (PE19/69 note #3; 72-73 note #22; 74 note #33). From this point forward, Tolkien sometimes rendered this root as √MAH (PE21/70; VT39/11), but it continued to appear often as √MAƷ even into the late 1960s (VT47/18-19) reflecting ongoing vacillation on the nature of the primitive velar spirant. As for its meaning in later writings, in Definitive Linguistic Notes (DLN) from 1959 Tolkien said it meant “serve, be of use” as opposed to words for “well” and “good” derived from √MAY or √MAG (PE17/162), and in another section of the same notes it was defined as “handle, manage, control, wield” (PE17/163).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I think the last meaning is best for √MAH or √MAƷ. I think words for “good” and “useful” are better assigned to √MAG, and “excellence” to √MAY, though Tolkien often intermingled the meanings and derivatives of these three roots.

Changes

• MAƷ → MAH ✧ PE21/70
• maʒ → mag ✧ VT47/18

Derivatives

• Ad. mag- “to build”
• ✶mā “hand” ✧ PE21/70
  • Q. má “hand” ✧ PE19/102; VT47/06
  • S. maw “hand” ✧ VT47/06
  • T. má “hand” ✧ VT47/06
• ✶maha “hand, the manager” ✧ VT47/18; VT47/18
  • ✶mā “hand” ✧ PE19/074; PE19/102; VT47/06; VT47/07; VT47/35
  • Q. má “hand” ✧ PE19/102; VT47/06
  • S. maw “hand” ✧ VT47/06
  • T. má “hand” ✧ VT47/06
  • Q. má “hand” ✧ PE19/106; VT47/18
  • Q. mahta- “to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control, to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control; [ᴹQ.] to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight” ✧ PE19/074
  • Q. massë “handful, portion, share, capacity; the personal measure or capacity of a man, a talent, portion, share; capacity, [ᴹQ.] measure; the personal measure or capacity of a man, a talent; [Q.] †handful” ✧ PE19/074
• ✶magtā- “to handle, wield, manage, deal with” ✧ PE19/100; VT47/18
  • Q. mahta- “to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control, to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control; [ᴹQ.] to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight” ✧ PE19/100; VT47/06; VT47/18
  • S. maetha- “to handle, manage, wield, use, treat, deal with” ✧ VT47/06
  • T. matta- “to handle, wield, manage, deal with” ✧ VT47/06
• ✶mahsi “handiness” ✧ PE21/70
  • Q. maxë “handiness” ✧ PE21/70
• ✶maʒsē “handful” ✧ PE19/100; PE21/70
  • Q. massë “handful, portion, share, capacity; the personal measure or capacity of a man, a talent, portion, share; capacity, [ᴹQ.] measure; the personal measure or capacity of a man, a talent; [Q.] †handful” ✧ PE19/101
  • Q. maxë “handiness” ✧ PE21/71
• Q. má “hand” ✧ PE17/069; PE17/162; PE19/100; VT39/11; VT47/19
• Q. mahta- “to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control, to handle, wield, use, make use of; to manage, deal with, treat, control; [ᴹQ.] to stroke, feel; to wield a weapon, fight” ✧ PE17/069; PE17/162; PE21/70; VT39/11; VT47/18; VT47/19
• ᴺQ. mahtë “hold, grip, *grasp; power, possession”
• ᴺQ. mantal “glove”
• S. maetha- “to handle, manage, wield, use, treat, deal with” ✧ PE17/069; PE17/162
• ᴺS. manc “grip, grasp, hold”
• S. maw “hand” ✧ PE17/162

Variations

• MAƷ ✧ PE17/069; PE17/162; PE17/162; PE19/100 (MAƷ); PE21/70 (MAƷ)
• MAG/MAƷ ✧ PE17/162; PE17/163
• maha ✧ VT39/11
• maʒ ✧ VT47/18; VT47/18 (maʒ); VT47/18
• maʒa ✧ VT47/18
• MAƷA ✧ VT47/19

maʒ

root. handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use, handle, manage, control, wield; serve, be of use; [ᴹ√] hand

tortha-

verb. to wield, control

tortha-

verb. to wield, control

Derivations

• ᴹ√TUR “power, control, mastery, victory” ✧ Ety/TUR

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√TUR > tortho	[turta-] > [turtʰa-] > [turθa-] > [torθa-]	✧ Ety/TUR