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)

mahta-

trade

[mahta-] (2) vb. "trade", changed by Tolkien to manca-, q.v. (VT45:33)

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

manca-

trade

manca- ("k")vb. "trade" (MBAKH, VT45:33)