maica (2) ("k") noun "blade of a cutting tool or weapon, especially sword-blade" (VT39:11)
Quenya
maica
sharp, piercing
maica
blade of a cutting tool or weapon, especially sword-blade
maica
adjective. sharp, piercing
Cognates
- S. maeg “sharp, piercing, piercing, sharp, *penetrating” ✧ SA/maeg
Derivations
Element in
- Q. hendumaica “sharp-eye[d]”
- ᴺQ. maicata- “to sharpen”
Variations
- maica- ✧ PE18/093
- maika ✧ SA/maeg
maica
noun. blade of a cutting tool or weapon (especially sword-blade)
A noun appearing in notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, glossed “blade of a cutting tool or weapon, especially sword-blade” derived from the root √MAK “cut, hew” (VT39/11). The Elves were somewhat uncertain of the ancient origin of this noun and Tolkien said:
> By some loremasters it was brought into relation with a small group of supposed ancient “desiderative” formations with intruded i ... Maika would [in ancient Elvish] thus be interpretted as “eager, fit, ready to cut”, and it might well be brought into relation with the idea often found in ancient tales that swords were greedy and thirsty (VT39/11).
Conceptual Development: Earlier “blade” words in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s include ᴱQ. valke (valki-) “edge, sharp blade” under the early root ᴱ√VḶKḶ (QL/101) and ᴱQ. hyanda “blade, share” under the early root ᴱ√HYAŘA [HYAÐA] “plough through” (QL/41). Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s had ᴱQ. tále as a cognate to ᴱN. dail “axe-blade”, both derived from primitive ᴱ✶daglé (PE13/141). The Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s had the similar noun ᴱQ. taila “blade” derived from primitive ᴱ✶dagla (PE14/66).
Derivations
Element in
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶maikā > maika [maikā] > [maika] ✧ VT39/11 Variations
- maika ✧ VT39/11; VT39/11
aica
sharp
aica (1) ("k") adj. "sharp" _(AYAK) or "fell, terrible, dire" (PM:347; according to PM:363 seldom applied to evil things)_. In Aicanáro, q.v.
ecya
sharp
#ecya adj. "sharp" in Ecyanáro ("k") "Sharp Flame", masc. name, Sindarin Aegnor(VT41:14, 19). The Quenya form of Aegnor is elsewhere given as Aicanáro instead.
nerca
sharp, angular
nerca adj. "sharp, angular" (PE17:55), variant nexa (reading uncertain).
nexa
sharp, angular
nexa adj. "sharp, angular" (PE17:55; the editor indicates that the reading is uncertain, so the variant nerca may be preferred.)
maica (1) ("k")adj. "sharp, piercing" (SA:maeg), cf. hendumaica and the noun maica below.