Quenya/Stem-forms

A number of changes in modern Quenya seem rather irregular at first sight, when we look at the evolution from Old-Elvish to Quenya however, they can be explained. Let’s look at an example: `C7E5 aran "king" → `C7E5% arani "kings" `Vj$5 elen "star" → `Vj$5% eleni "stars" but... 1Ej#5 talan "floor" → 1Dj#t% talami "floors" Notice how 1Ej#t% talami has an t m in the plural, and not an 1Ej#t% n. On the page ../Nouns/ we have said that 1Ej#t\ talam- was the stem of 1Ej#5 talan and we find the word as 1Ej#5 ›1Ej#t\› talan (talam-) in the word-lists. This makes for the word 1Ej#5 talan to be an irregular noun as it doesn't end with t m. The reason for this irregularity is that modern Quenya no longer allows an t m to appear at the end of a word (see ../Phonology/). So during the evolution of the language this t m turned into an 5 n in the nominative form. In all other cases it kept the t m, as it wasn't the final sound at the end of the word, thus allowing t m to stay. All nouns with a u-dual that belong to one of the categories on this page, use their stem-forms but are otherwise regular (we use 9C7E5 haran, 9C65\ harn- "leader"): CaseDualQuenyaNominative9C65&harnuGenitive9C65&`NharnuoPossessive9C65&yEharnuvaDative9C65&5harnunAblative9C65&j°^harnulloAllative9C65&5:#harnunnaLocative9C65&,FharnussëInstrumental9C65&5$5harnunenRespective9C65&8harnus The irregular stem-forms can be found on a separate page: ../Exceptional stems/. d-/t- stems The first group of words ends in \5 –n, \6 –r or \j –l. Their stem-forms are made by adding a \2\ –d–. The second group ends in \5 –n, \6 –r or \8 –s and add \1 -t to form the stem. A list of the known Quenya-words belonging to this group can be found on following page: ../Nouns: d/t-stems. The adjectives on \5 –n probably also belong to the 2\ d- stems (PE 14 pg. 77): `B cE7T2% i hwarindi "the crooked (ones)" cE7T2% 5$7T hwarindi neri "crooked men" When they are used as final declinable words (see ../Inflected adjectives/), they get the vowels \`V\ –e– or \`B\ –i– between the stem and the case-ending: 9C6t# eU7T2$,F harma furindessë "in a concealed treasure" `M7U6 ~M7T2$5 urur úrindinen "with blazing hot fires" The declension of 2\ d- and 1\ t- stems is regular except in the possessive singular. In this case we use the suffix \nE –wa with the nominative (all nouns in this group have u-duals): CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominativeeG`N5fioneG`N2%fiondieG`N2&fiondueG`N2$j%fiondeliGenitiveeG`N2^fiondoeG`N2%`N5fiondioneG`N2&`NfionduoeG`N2$j%`N5fiondelionPossessiveeG`NnEfionwaeG`N2%yEfiondivaeG`N2&yEfionduvaeG`N2$j~ByEfiondelívaDativeeG`N2$5fiondeneG`N2%5fiondineG`N2&5fionduneG`N2$j%5fiondelinAblativeeG`N2$j°^fiondelloeG`N2%j°^5fiondilloneG`N2%j°^6fiondilloreG`N2&j°^fiondulloeG`N2$j%j°^5fiondelilloneG`N2$j%j°^6fiondelillorAllativeeG`N2$5:#fiondennaeG`N2%5:#6fiondinnareG`N2&5:#fiondunnaeG`N2$j%5:#fiondelinnaeG`N2$j%5:#6fiondelinnarLocativeeG`N2$,FfiondessëeG`N2%,F5fiondisseneG`N2&,FfiondussëeG`N2$,FfiondelissëeG`N2$,F5fiondelissenInstrumentaleG`N2$5$5fiondeneneG`N2%5$5fiondineneG`N2&5$5fionduneneG`N2$j~B5$5fiondelínenRespectiveeG`N2$8fiondeseG`N2%8fiondiseG`N2&8fionduseG`N2$j%8fiondelis Contracted stems Another group of stems lose the vowel of the second syllable. So the stem-form is a contracted form of the nominative. Following nouns belong to this group: aH7Y5 coron, aH65\ corn- "ball" eR7R5 feren, eR65\ fern- "beech" 9C7E5 haran, 9C65\ harn- "leader" 9U`C5 huan, 9~M5\ hún- "dog" j#t#5 laman, j#t5\ lamn- "animal" iH7Y5 soron, iH65\ sorn- "eagle" In quite a number of cases of the singular these words use the nominative to produce these cases. In the partitive plural they also use the nominative: CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominative9C7E5haran9C65%harni9C65$1harnet9C7Ej°%haralliGenitive9C65^harno9C65%`N5harnion9C7E4^haranto9C7Ej°%`N5harallionPossessive9C7E5nEharanwa9C65%yEharniva9C65$1nEharnetwa9C7Ej°%yEharallivaDative9C65$5harnen9C65%5harnin9C65$4harnent9C7Ej°%5harallinAblative9C7Ej°^harallo9C65%j°^5harnillon9C65%j°^6harnillor9C7Rj1Yharelto9C7Ej°%j°^5harallillon9C7Ej°%j°^6harallillorAllative9C7E5:#haranna9C65%5:#6harninnar9C65$4#harnenta9C7Ej°%5:#harallinna9C7Ej°%5:#6harallinnarLocative9C7E2$harandë9C65%,F5harnissen9C65$1R+harnetsë9C7Ej°%,Fharallissë9C7Ej°%,F5harallissenInstrumental9C7E5:$5harannen9C65%5$5harninen9C65$4$5harnenten9C7Ej°%5$5harallinenRespective9C65$8harnes9C65%8harnis9C65$1R8harnetes9C7Ej°%8harallis There is a second group that have lost the final vowel + n in the nominative aDjt#6 calmar, aDjt#65\ calmarn- "child of light" 9Cj#1T6 halatir, 9Cj#1T65\ halatirn- "kingfisher" t$`C6 mëar, t$`C65\ mëarn- "gore, blood" qU6 pur, qU65\ purn- "(artificial) fire" 1EyE6 tavar, 1EyE65\ tavarn- "dale sprite" and also iFj$6 seler, iFj°\ sell- "sister" They have in the singular only two exceptional cases: CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominativeiFj$6seleriFj°%selliiFj°$1selletiFj°$j%selleliGenitiveiFj°^selloiFj°%`N5sellioniFj$61YselertoiFj°$j%`N5sellelionPossessiveiFj$6nEselerwaiFj°%yEsellivaiFj°$1nEselletwaiFj°$j~ByEsellelívaDativeiFj°$5selleniFj°%5selliniFj°$4sellentiFj°$j%5sellelinAblativeiFj°$j°^sellelloiFj°%j°^5sellilloniFj°%j°^6sellilloriFj°$j1YselleltoiFj°$j%j°^5sellelilloniFj°$j%j°^6sellelillorAllativeiFj°$5:#sellennaiFj°%5:#6sellinnariFj°$4#sellentaiFj°$j%5:#sellelinnaiFj°$j%5:#6sellelinnarLocativeiFj°$,FsellessëiFj°%,F5sellisseniFj°$1R+selletsëiFj°$j%,FsellelissëiFj°$j%,F5sellelissenInstrumentaliFj$65$5selerneniFj°%5$5sellineniFj°$4$5sellenteniFj°$j%5$5sellelinenRespectiveiFj°$8sellesiFj°%8sellisiFj°$1R8selletesiFj°$j%8sellelis Doubled stems There are also words in -t that have a doubled stem but they can be found on the page about ../Exceptional stems/. doubled stems in ss- A number of stems double their final -s: aDj#8 calas, aDj#,\ calass- "brass" alYt#8 coimas, alYt#,\ coimass- "lembas" alYt#8 coimas also has the stem-form alYt#81\ coimast-. `VzF8 eques, `VzF,\ equess- "saying" eDj#8 falas, eDj#,\ falass- "shore, beach" `B2%8 indis, `B2%,\ indiss- "bride" `B5nTj%8 inwilis, `B5nTj%,\ inwiliss- "fairy" `B8 is, `B,\ iss- "light snow" `B1T8 itis, `B1T,\ itiss- "fly bite" j%8 lis, j%,\ liss- "honey" 5$8 nes, 5$,\ ness- "mead, valley, land" 5%zG8 niquis, 5%zG,\ niquiss- "frost-pattern" 5~B8 nís, 5~B,\ niss- "woman" The long ~B í shortens before a double consonant. lY5#j%8 oinalis, lY5#j%,\ oinaliss- "ointment" `Nj^8 olos, `Nj^,\ oloss- "snow" This word also has the nominative `Nj^,R olossë. It should not be confused with `Nj^8 olos "dream" which has an irregular stem-form (see ../Exceptional stems/). iG4%j%8 sintilis, iG4%j%,\ sintiliss- "sparkling (of crystal)" 1T7T8 tiris, 1T7T,\ tiriss- "watch" 1Yj^8 tolos, 1Yj^,\ toloss- "knob, lump" 1ÎY8 tyos, 1ÎY,\ tyoss- "cough" The proper name 1UjaD8 Tulcas also belongs to this group. CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominativeeDj#falaseDj#,GfalassieDj#,F1falasseteDj#,Fj%falasseliGenitiveeDj#,HfalassoeDj#,G`N5falassioneDj#81YfalastoeDj#,Fj%`N5falasselionPossessiveeDj#,FyEfalassevaeDj#,GyEfalassivaeDj#,F1nEfalassetwaeDj#,Fj~ByEfalasselívaDativeeDj#,F5falasseneDj#,G5falassineDj#,F4falassenteDj#,Fj%5falasselinAblativeeDj#,Fj°^falasselloeDj#,Gj°^5falassilloneDj#,Gj°^6falassilloreDj#,Fj1YfalasseltoeDj#,Fj%j°^5falasselilloneDj#,Fj%j°^6falasselillorAllativeeDj#,F5:#falassennaeDj#,G5:#6falassinnareDj#,F4#falassentaeDj#,Fj%5:#falasselinnaeDj#,Fj%5:#6falasselinnarLocativeeDj#,FfalassëeDj#,F5falasseneDj#,F1R+falassetsëeDj#,Fj%,FfalasselissëeDj#,Fj%,F5falasselissenInstrumentaleDj#,F5$5falasseneneDj#,G5$5falassineneDj#,G4$5falassenteneDj#,Fj~B5$5falasselínenRespectiveeDj#,F8falasseseDj#,G8falassiseDj#,F1R8falasseteseDj#,Fj%8falasselis The word iHj^6 solor "surf" has stem-form iHj^,\ soloss- and uses the same forms as these words except the possessive singular which is iHj^6nE solorwa. doubled stems in ll-/nn- Final j l and 5 n can also be doubled: `Ct%j amil, `Ct%j°\ amill- "mother" `C7E5$j aranel, `C7E5$j°\ aranell- "princess" 9Y7T5$j horinel, 9Y7T5$j°\ horinell- "pine-needle" t%7Tj miril, t%7Tj°\ mirill- "jewel" 7T`Vj riel, 7T`Vj°\ riell- "flower-girl" `BiGj isil, `BiGj°\ isill- "moon" 1Yj tol, 1Yj°\ toll- "island" The cases of 1Yj tol are formed with an \`N\ –o– between stem and ending (see ../Exceptional stems/). lDj%5 ailin, lDj%5:\ ailinn- "lake" alDj$5 cailen, alDj$5:\ cailenn- "throat" aDj%w#5 calimban, aDj%w#5:\ calimbann- "barbarian land" aDr%5 campin, aDr%5:\ campinn- "hips" aHjt#5 colman, aHjt#5:\ colmann- "summit" `VjnR5 elwen, `VjnR5:\ elwenn- "heart" 9Rj%5 helin, 9Rj%5:\ helinn- "pansy" `B7T5 irin, `B7T5:\ irinn- "town" `B6t%5 irmin, `B6t%5:\ irminn- "inhabited world" j#1~MaF5 latúcen, j#1~MaF5:\ latúcenn- "tin" j%aG5 licin, j%aG5:\ licinn- "horn" t%2^5 mindon, t%2^5:\ mindonn- "turret" `NjnR5 olwen, `NjnR5:\ olwenn- "branch, wand" `N5%5 onin, `N5%5:\ oninn- "anvil" qRzF5 pequen, qRzF5:\ pequenn- "comb" 1Et%5 tamin, 1Et%5:\ taminn- "forge" 1~M7T5 túrin, 1~M7T5:\ túrinn- "province" nTj%5 wilin, nTj%5:\ wilinn- "bird" The proper name iGjt#7Tj Silmaril also belongs to these words. The exceptional cases are: the possessive singular and the allative or ablative in singular and plural forms. CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominative`Ct%jamil`Ct%j°%amilli`Ct%j°$amillet`Ct%j°$j%amilleliGenitive`Ct%j°^amillo`Ct%j°%`N5amillion`Ct%j1Yamilto`Ct%j°$j%`N5amillelionPossessive`Ct%jnEamilwa`Ct%j°%yEamilliva`Ct%j°$1nEamilletwa`Ct%j°$j~ByEamillelívaDative`Ct%j°$5amillen`Ct%j°%5amillin`Ct%j°$4amillent`Ct%j°$j%5amillelinAblative`Ct%j°%j°^amillello`Ct%j°^5amillon`Ct%j°^6amillor`Ct%j°$j1Yamillelto`Ct%j°%j°^5amillillon`Ct%j°%j°^6amillillorAllative`Ct%j°$5:#amillenna`Ct%j°%5:#6amillinnar`Ct%j°$4#amillenta`Ct%j°$j%5:#amillelinna`Ct%j°$j%5:#6amillelinnarLocative`Ct%j°$,Famillessë`Ct%j°%,F5amillissen`Ct%j°$1R+amilletsë`Ct%j°$j°%,Famillelissë`Ct%j°$j°%,F5amillelissenInstrumental`Ct%j°$5$5amillenen`Ct%j°%5$5amillinen`Ct%j°$4$5amillenten`Ct%j°$j~B5$5amillelínenRespective`Ct%j°$8amilles`Ct%j°%8amillis`Ct%j°$1R8amilletes`Ct%j°$j%8amillelis CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominative`NjnR5olwen`NjnR5:%olwenni`NjnR5:$1olwennet`NjnRj°%olwelliGenitive`NjnR5:^olwenno`NjnR5:%`N5olwennion`NjnR4^olwento`NjnRj°%`N5olwellionPossessive`NjnR5nEolwenwa`NjnR5:%yEolwenniva`NjnR5:$1nEolwennetwa`NjnRj°%yEolwellivaDative`NjnR5:$5olwennen`NjnR5:%5olwennin`NjnR5:$4olwennent`NjnRj°%5olwellinAblative`NjnR5:$j°^olwennello`NjnR5:%j°^5olwennillon`NjnR5:%j°^6olwennillor`NjnR5:$j1Yolwennelto`NjnRj°%j°^5olwellillon`NjnRj°%j°^6olwellillorAllative`NjnR5:#olwenna`NjnR5:#6olwennar`NjnR5:$4#olwennenta`NjnRj°%5:#olwellinna`NjnRj°%5:#6olwellinnarLocative`NjnR5:$,Folwennessë`NjnR5:%,F5olwennissen`NjnR5:$1R+olwennetsë`NjnRj°%,Folwellissë`NjnRj°%,F5olwellissenInstrumental`NjnR5:$5$5olwennenen`NjnR5:%5$5olwenninen`NjnR5:$4$5olwennenten`NjnRj°%5$5olwellinenRespective`NjnR5:$8olwennes`NjnR5:%8olwennis`NjnR5:$1R8olwennetes`NjnRj°%8olwellis doubled stems in rr- A list of words that have the rr- stem: aH2^6 condor, aH2^7;\ condorr- "warrior" 9Y81E6 hostar, 9Y81E7;\ hostarr- "tribe" `B2^6 indor, `B2^7;\ indorr- "groom" j#t#2#6 lamandar, j#t#2#7;\ lamandarr- "herdsman" j#6 lar, j#7;\ larr- "place, region" t#zD6 maquar, t#zD7;\ maquarr- "(human) jaw" t%j5#6 milnar, t%j5#7;\ milnarr- "sown field" 5$m^6 neldor, 5$m^7;\ neldorr- "beech" They are declined as follows: CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominativej#6larj#7;Tlarrij#7;R1larretj#j°%lalliGenitivej#7;Ylarroj#7;T`N5larrionj#61Ylartoj#j°%`N5lallionPossessivej#6nElarwaj#7;TyElarrivaj#7;R1nElarretwaj#j°%yElallivaDativej#7;R5larrenj#7;T5larrinj#7;R4larrentj#j°%5lallinAblativej#7;Rj°^larrelloj#7;Tj°^5larrillonj#7;Tj°^6larrillorj#7;Rj1Ylarreltoj#j°%j°^5lallillonj#j°%j°^6lallillorAllativej#7;R5:#larrennaj#7;T5:#6larrennarj#7;R4#larrentaj#j°%5:#lallinnaj#j°%5:#6lallinnarLocativej#7;R,Flarressëj#7;T,F5larrissenj#7;R1R+larretsëj#j°%,Flallissëj#j°%,F5lallissenInstrumentalj#7;R5$5larrenenj#7;T5$5larrinenj#7;R4$5larrentenj#j°%5$5lallinenRespectivej#7;R8larresj#7;T8larrisj#7;R1R8larretesj#j°%8lallis m- stems As told in the introduction, the letter t m is no longer allowed at the end of a word and has changed into 5 n in the nominative: `C61E5 artan, `C61Et\ artam- "hammer" `Bj%5 ilin, `Bj%t\ ilim- "milk" t$5 men, t$t\ mem- "nose, beak" zG5 quin, zGt\ quim- "female" 7E5 ran, 7Et\ ram- "noise" 1Ej#5 talan, 1Ej#t\ talam- "floor" These words have exceptional locatives, instrumentals and partitive plurals: CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominativet$5ment$t%memit$t$1memett$j°%melliGenitivet$t^memot$t%`N5memiont$4^mentot$j°%`N5mellionPossessivet$t$yEmemevat$t%yEmemivat$t$1nEmemetwat$j°%yEmellivaDativet$t$5mement$t%5memint$t$4mementt$j°%5mellinAblativet$t$j°^memellot$t%j°^5memillont$t%j°^6memillort$t$j1Ymemeltot$j°%j°^5mellillont$j°%j°^6mellillorAllativet$t$5:#memennat$t%5:#6meminnart$t$4#mementat$j°%5:#mellinnat$j°%5:#6mellinnarLocativet$2$mendët$t%,F5memissent$t$1R+memetsët$j°%,Fmellissët$j°%,F5mellissenInstrumentalt$t5$5memnent$t%5$5meminent$t$4$5mementent$j°%5$5mellinenRespectivet$t$8memest$t%8memist$t$1R8memetest$j°%8mellis The words with stem on \s -ng also behave like these words: eDj#8nT5 falaswin, eDj#8nTs\ falaswing- "wavecrest" eF5 fen, eFs\ feng- "reed" The locative is eF2$ fendë and the partitive plural eFj°% felli (but the instrumental is regular: eFs$5$5 fengenen). c- stems Four words originally ended in \a -c, and this letter is also not allowed at the end of a word: eGj%1 filit, eGj%a\ filic- "little bird" 5$j$1 nelet, 5$ja\ nelc- "tooth" `N7ÎD1 oryat, `N7ÎDa\ oryac- "badger" zF,F1 quesset, zF,Ra\ quessec- "pillow" They are declined as follows: CaseSingularPluralDualPartitive PluralNominativeeGj%1filiteGj%aGfilicieGj%aJfilicueGj%aFj%filiceliGenitiveeGj%aHfilicoeGj%aG`N5filicioneGj%aJ`NfilicuoeGj%aFj%`N5filicelionPossessiveeGj%zDfiliquaeGj%aGyEfilicivaeGj%aJyEfilicuvaeGj%aFj~ByEfilicelívaDativeeGj%aF5filiceneGj%aG5filicineGj%aJ5filicuneGj%aFj%5filicelinAblativeeGj%aFj°^filicelloeGj%aGj°^5filicilloneGj%aGj°^6filicilloreGj%aJj°^filiculloeGj%aFj%j°^5filicelilloneGj%aFj%j°^6filicelillorAllativeeGj%aF5:#filicennaeGj%aG5:#6filicinnareGj%aJ5:#filicunnaeGj%aFj%5:#filicelinnaeGj%aFj%5:#6filicelinnarLocativeeGj%a|FfilixëeGj%aG,F5filicisseneGj%aJ,FfilicussëeGj%aFj%,FfilicelissëeGj%aFj%,F5filicelissenInstrumentaleGj%f$5filinceneGj%aG5$5filicineneGj%aJ5$5filicuneneGj%aFj~B5$5filicelínenRespectiveeGj%aF8filiceseGj%aG8filiciseGj%aJ8filicuseGj%aFj%8filicelis The locative of 5$j$1 nelet is 5$j$1R+ neletsë, but otherwise it is declined the same as the other three nouns. >> Neo-Quenya >> ../Nouns/ >> ../Stem-forms/