mi prep. "in, within" (MI, VT27:20, VT44:18, 34, VT43:30; the latter source also mentions the variant imi); mí "in the" (Nam, RGEO:66; CO gives mi; the correct forms should evidently be mi = "in" and mí = mi i "in the"; VT49:35 also has mí with a long vowel, though the gloss is simply "in"). Used in PE17:71 (cf. 70) of people clad "in" various colours, e.g. mi mísë "in grey". Allative minna "to the inside, into" (MI), also mina (VT43:30). The forms mimmë and mingwë seem to incorporate pronominal suffixes for "us", hence ?"in us", inclusive and exclusive respectively. The pronoun -mmë denoted plural inclusive "we" when this was written, though Tolkien would later make it dual instead (see -mmë). Second person forms are also given: mil or milyë *"in you" (sg.), millë "in you" (pl.) (VT43:36). A special use of mi appears in the phrase Wendë mi Wenderon "Virgin of Virgins" (VT44:18); here mi appears superfluous to achieve the desired meaning, but this combination of singular noun + mi + plural genitive noun may be seen as a fixed idiom expressing that the initial noun represents the most prominent member of a class.
Quenya
imi
in
imi
preposition. in, in, [ᴱQ.] inside
mi
preposition. in, in, [ᴹQ.] within
Cognates
- S. mi “*in”
Derivations
Element in
- Q. Aina Wendë mi Wenderon “Holy Virgin of virgins” ✧ VT44/18
- Q. aistana elyë imíca nísi “blessed art thou amongst women” ✧ VT43/30; VT43/30
- Q. alcar mi Tarmenel na Erun “glory [be] to God in the highest” ✧ VT44/34
- Q. ar mi cemen rainë i hínin “and on earth peace, good will toward men” ✧ VT44/34; VT44/34
- Q. Átaremma i ëa han Eä “our Father who art in Heaven” ✧ VT43/13
- ᴺQ. micol- “to import”
- Q. mina “into, in, into, in, [ᴹQ.] to the inside”
- ᴺQ. minomë “instead, in place of, in exchange of”
- Q. mi oromardi lissë miruvóreva “of the sweet mead in lofty halls” ✧ LotR/0377; RGEO/58
- Q. lissë miruvóreva mí oromardi “of sweet nectar in the high-halls” ✧ RGEO/58
- Q. mirröanwë “incarnate”
- Q. Mírondina “Incarnate”
- Q. nai tiruvantes i hárar mahalmassen mi Númen “in the keeping of those who sit upon thrones of the West” ✧ UT/305
- Q. sanomë tarnë Olórin, Aracorno, Eomer, Imrahil, mi mísë, mi telepta yo morna, mi laiqua yo ninquë, mi luinë, ta Gimli mi lossëa “There stood Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Imrahil in grey, in silver and black, in green and white, and in blue, and also Gimli in white” ✧ PE17/071; PE17/071; PE17/071; PE17/071; PE17/071
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶mī > mĭ [mi] ✧ PE17/092 √mi > imi [imi] ✧ VT43/30 √mi > mi [mi] ✧ VT43/30 ✶mī > mĭ [mi] ✧ VT47/30 Variations
- mĭ ✧ PE17/092; VT47/30
- mī ✧ RGEO/58; VT49/35
- imi ✧ VT43/30
- mil ✧ VT43/30 (
mil)
mi
in, within
imi prep. "in"; see mi (VT43:30)