sak

root. draw, pull

The root ᴱ√SAKA first appeared in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s with derivatives having to do with “search” (QL/81). The root ᴹ√SAK also appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s with no gloss or derivatives (EtyAC/SAK). However, as pointed out by Lokyt in a Discord chat on 2019-07-26, the words ᴹQ. sak- “to be hurt” from Quendian & Common Eldarin Verbal Structure (EVS1) of the 1940s and Q. sahta “marred” (< ✶saknā?) from notes written in the late 1950s (MR/405) might be related.

The root appeared as √SAK “draw, pull” in notes associated with Quenya prayers from the 1950s as part of an alternate derivation of Q. úsahtië “inducement to do wrong, ✱temptation” (VT43/23); elsewhere this word was given as a derivative of √THAG “press” (VT43/22). The Sindarin cognate úthaes (VT44/30) is hard to explain as a derivative of √SAK, so it is likely that this was only a transient idea, especially since Tolkien indicates that the older form of the verb sahta- “to induce” was †þahta- (VT43/23).

Neo-Eldarin: For Neo-Eldarin writing, it is probably better to ignore the 1950s form of this root and assume its derivatives are from √THAG. For the senses “draw” and “pull” I mostly recommend using the roots √LUK or ᴹ√TUK instead, though I do accepted Hialmr’s neologism ᴺS. thag- “draw, pull”; see that entry for discussion. In place of ᴱ√SAKA “✱search”, it is probably better to use derivatives of √KETH “examine, ✱seek”. This leaves ᴹ√SAK to be the basis of “hurt, mar” words.