an- (2) intensive or superlative prefix carrying the idea of "very" or "most", seen in ancalima "most bright" (cf. calima "bright"), antara "very high, very lofty" and #anyára "very old" or "oldest" (the latter form occurring in the so-called Elaine inscription [VT49:40], there with the dative ending -n). Assimilated to am- before p-, as in amparca ("k") "very dry", and to al-, ar-, as- before words in l-, r-, s- (though Tolkien seems to indicate that before words in l- derived from earlier d, the original quality of the consonant would be preserved so that forms in and- rather than all- would result). See also un-. (Letters:279, VT45:5, 36) Regarding the form of the superlative prefix before certain consonants, another, partially discrepant system was also set down in the Etymologies and first published in VT45:36. The prefix was to appear as um- or un- before labialized consonants like p-, qu-, v- (the consonant v preserving its ancient pronunciation b- following the prefix, thus producing a word in umb-), as in- (technically iñ-) before c- and g- (the latter presumably referring to words that originally had initial g-, later lost in Quenya but evidently preserved following this prefix), and as an- otherwise. However, this system would contradict the canonical example ancalima, which would have been *incalima if Tolkien had maintained this idea. In a post-LotR source, the basic form of the prefix is given as am- instead (see am- #2). In this late conception, the prefix still appears as an- before most consonants, but as ama- before r, l, and the form an- is used even before s- (whether original or from þ), not the assimilated variant as- described above. General principles would suggest that the form am- should also appear before y- (so the form #anyára probably presupposes an- rather than am- as the basic form of the prefix, Tolkien revisiting the earlier concept in the _Elaine inscription). (PE17:92)_
Quenya
ama-
prefix. *well, happily
Changes
ama-→ ala- ✧ PE17/172Derivations
- √MAN “good (morally), blessed, holy, unmarred, free from evil, good (morally), blessed, holy, unmarred, free from evil; [ᴹ√] holy spirit” ✧ PE17/172
Element in
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √AMA(N) > ama- [ama-] ✧ PE17/172
am-
signifying addition, increase
am(a)-
prefix. intensive prefix
an-
very
an-
prefix. intensive prefix
Changes
- an- → an ✧ PE17/090
Cognates
- S. an- “intensive prefix”
Derivations
Element in
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶and(a) > an- [an-] ✧ PE17/090 ✶and(a) > anda- [anda-] ✧ PE17/090 ✶am > an [am-] ✧ PE17/090 √AMA > ama [ama-] ✧ PE17/091 ✶am > an [am-] ✧ PE17/092 √ANA/NĀ > an- [an-] ✧ PE17/146 √ANA/NA > an- [an-] ✧ PE21/79 Variations
- an ✧ PE17/056; PE17/057; PE17/090; PE17/092; PE17/092
- ana ✧ PE17/056; PE17/057
- ana- ✧ PE17/056
- añ- ✧ PE17/090
- am ✧ PE17/090; PE17/091 (am)
- anda- ✧ PE17/090
- ama ✧ PE17/091 (ama)
- ama- ✧ PE17/092
ita
very, extremely
ita, íta adv. 2) "very, extremely" (PE17:112). Like #1 above, this element emerged as part of Tolkiens efforts to explain the initial element of the name Idril (Q Itaril), so it is questionable if #1 and #2 were ever meant to coexist in the "same" version of Quenya.
lai
very
[lai adverbial particle "very" (VT45:8)]
lai
adverb. very
Derivations
- √DAY “*great”
am- (2) prefix used in comparison, "signifying addition, increase" (PE17:90), or with genitive superlative: elenion ancalima "brightest of stars" (PE17:91). Originally identical with #1 above. The form am- as such is in late Quenya only used before p and (presumably) before vowels; the longer form ama- came to be preferred before r and l; before other consonants, the prefix assumes the form an- (pronounced, but not in Romanized Quenya orthography written, añ- before c) (PE17:90-92). Phonologically we would expect am- before y- (since my is an acceptable Quenya combination); however, Tolkien used an- in the word anyára (q.v.) See an- #2 and compare ar- #2.