maetha-

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

A verb whose original sense seems to be “handle”, based on the root √MAH or √MAƷ for “hand”. It was variously glossed “to handle” (PE17/69), “to handle, treat, manage” (PE17/161), “use, wield” (PE17/162), and “handle, wield, manage, deal with” (VT47/6). It thus seems to be usable for both “handle, wield, use” a concrete physical item and “handle, manage, deal with” an abstract process or situation.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s Tolkien had G. maitha- “rule, govern, wield control, hold” (GL/56), probably based on the early root ᴱ√MAHA “grasp” that was the basis for “hand” words in the 1910s (QL/57). In Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s, ᴱN. maitha- came to mean “to ravish”, cognate to ᴱQ. mapta- and thus based on ᴱ√MAPA “seize” (PE13/149, 163). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. maetha- was glossed “to fight” under the root ᴹ√MAK “sword; fight with sword” (Ety/MAK), itself a later iteration of G. mactha- “slay, kill” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s based on the early root ᴱ√MAKA “slay” (GL/55).

Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use maetha- for both “handle” and “fight” as a blending of √MAH and √MAK.

maetha-

verb. to handle

v. to handle. Q. mahta-.

maetha-

verb. to handle

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

maetha-

verb. use

_ v. _use, wield. Q. mahta-. >> maw

maetha-

verb. to handle, wield, manage, deal with

maetha

fight

(verb) maetha- (i vaetha, i maethar). A later source defines maetha- as ”handle, wield, manage, deal with” (VT47:6)

maetha

fight

(i vaetha, i maethar). A later source defines maetha- as ”handle, wield, manage, deal with” (VT47:6)

maetha

handle

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

maeth

fight

(noun) (of two or a few, not a general host) maeth (i vaeth) (battle), no distinct pl. except with article (i maeth)

maeth

fight

(i vaeth) (battle), no distinct pl. except with article (i maeth)

matha

handle

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

iuith

use

(noun) iuith (no distinct pl. form). LONG IN USE, see brûn under .

iuitha

use

(verb) iuitha- (i iuitha, in iuithar)

brûn

long in use

under

iuith

use

(no distinct pl. form).

iuitha

use

(i iuitha, in iuithar)