ista (1) noun "knowledge" (IS). Also istya.
Quenya
ista-
know
ista-
verb. to know
Derivations
- √IS “know” ✧ PE17/155; VT41/06; VT48/25
Element in
- Q. iluisa “omniscient” ✧ VT39/20
- ᴺQ. istalë “information”
- ᴺQ. istanómë “school, academy”
- Q. istan quetë “I can speak, I know how to speak” ✧ PE17/155; PE17/155
- Q. Istar “Wizard, (lit.) One Who Knows”
- Q. istima “wise (in sense knowing very much), knowledgeable, very well informed, learned”
- Q. laista “ignorance, (lit.) not-knowing”
- Q. lá istan “I suppose so, I don’t know” ✧ PE22/158
- Q. sinwa “known, certain, ascertained” ✧ PE17/068
- Q. sívë “knowing, knowledge”
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √ISI > istan [istan] ✧ PE17/155 √isi > istan [istan] ✧ VT41/06 √IS > is-ta [ista-] ✧ VT48/25 Variations
- ista ✧ PE17/052; PE22/164; VT49/16
- istā ✧ PE22/148 (istā)
- is-ta ✧ VT48/25
ista
knowledge
ista
verb. know
Istar
wizard
Istar noun "Wizard", used of Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast etc. Pl. Istari is attested. Gen. pl. in the phrase Heren Istarion "Order of Wizards" (UT:388). "The istari are translated wizards because of the connexion of wizard with wise and so with witting and knowing" (Letters:207); by this translation Tolkien tries to reproduce the relationship between Quenya istar and ista- #1, 2.
istya
knowledge
istya noun "knowledge" (IS). Also ista (#1).
istare
noun. knowledge
istanwa
known, generally recognized
isintë
knew
isintë pa.t. vb. "knew", irregular pa.t. of ista- (besides sintë) (VT48:25; in VT48:32 this is analyzed as being the same formation as oantë)
lerta-
can
lerta- vb. "can" in the sense "be free to do", being under no restraint (physical or other). Lertan quetë "I can speak (because I am free to do so, there being no obstacle of promise, secrecy, or duty)". Where the absence of a physical restraint is considered, this verb can be used in much the same sense as pol- (VT41:6)
issë
knowledge, lore
issë noun "knowledge, lore" (LT2:339; rather ista or istya in Tolkien's later Quenya)
sinwa
known, certain, ascertained
sinwa passive participle "known, certain, ascertained" (PE17:68), connecting with ista- and sintë. Also sína.
sína
known, certain, ascertained
sína passive participle "known, certain, ascertained" (PE17:68), connecting with ista- and sintë. Also sinwa.
curuvar
wizard
curuvar _("k")_noun "wizard" (LT1:269 but Gandalf, Saruman etc. were istari)
sairon
wizard
sairon noun "wizard" (SAY); according to LT2:337 and GL:29, Sairon is also the Quenya (or Qenya) name of Dairon (Daeron).
pol-
can
pol- (1) vb. "can" = have physical power and ability, as in polin quetë "I can speak (because mouth and tongue are free)". Cf. ista-, lerta- as verbs "can" with somewhat different shades of meaning. (VT41:6, PE17:181)
handë
knowledge, understanding, intelligence
handë noun "knowledge, understanding, intelligence" (KHAN). Note: *handë is (probably) also the past tense of the verb har- "sit".
Nolmë
knowledge, philosophy (including science)
Nolmë ("ñ")noun "knowledge, Philosophy (including Science)" (PM:360 cf. 344)
ista- (2) vb. "know", pa.t. sintë (IS, LT2:339, VT48:25). This past tense Tolkien called "certainly irregular" (VT48:25, where an alternative pa.t. isintë is also mentioned, but sintë is said to be the older form; compare editorial notes in VT48:32. Ista- is also used for "can" in the sense of "know how to", as in istan quetë "I can speak (because I have learned (a) language)" (VT41:6) Passive participle sinwa "known, certain, ascertained" (VT49:68)