Eldamo : Primitive Elvish : TA

√TA root. “that, there, then; demonstrative”

√TA root. “that, there, then; demonstrative”: ᴱ√E “that (by you)”

Tolkien used the root √TA for Elvish demonstratives for much of his life, but in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, ᴱ√TA “demonstrative” (with variant ᴱ√TAMA²) had derivatives like ᴱQ. tāma “this” and ᴱQ. tamīne “today” (QL/87). This ᴱ√TA seems to be a near demonstrative “this”, as opposed to ᴱ√E “that (by you)” for far demonstratives (QL/87), the latter reappearing in later writings as a “very far” demonstrative ᴹ√EN “yonder, over there”.

By The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹ√TA had switch from “this” to “that”, with derivatives like ᴹQ. tana “that (anaphoric)” and ᴹQ. tar/ON. tō “thither” (Ety/TA). √TA continued to appear regularly in Tolkien’s later writings with senses like “that, there, then”.

References ✧ PE17/93, 186; PE18/84, 95; VT48/19

Glosses

“there, then” ✧ PE17/93 (TĀ); PE17/186 (TĀ)

Variations

TA ✧ PE18/84; PE18/95; VT48/19
TĀ ✧ PE17/93; PE17/186

tat(ă) “2” is probably in primitive counting [duplicated] pronominal ta ✧ VT48/19

Derivatives

> ᴺS. !taw “that”
⇒ ✶kenásĭta “if it be so, may be, perhaps”
- > Q. cenasta “if it be so, may be, perhaps” ✧ VT49/19
> ✶ta “that, then”
- > Q. ta³ “so, like that, also; and also, then; etcetera” ✧ PE17/70
  - ⇒ Q. arta¹ “etcetera” ✧ PE17/71
⇒ ✶tad(a) “thither, thereto, to that”
- > Q. tar(a) “thither” ✧ PE19/104
- > S. taw² “thither” ✧ PE19/104
⇒ √TAN² “indicate, show” ✧ PE18/84; PE18/95
- > ᴺS. !tana- “to show, indicate, point out”
- > ✶tanma “sign, token” ✧ PE17/186
  - ⇒ ᴺQ. !artanwa “award”
  - > Q. tanna¹ “sign, token” ✧ PE17/186
    - ⇒ [see above]
- > Q. tana- “to show, indicate”
  - ⇒ 4 compounds
- > Q. tanna¹ “sign, token” ✧ MR/385; PE17/186
  - ⇒ ᴺQ. !lantanna “banner, standard”
  - ⇒ ᴺQ. !vératanna “signature, (lit.) personal token”
  - ⇒ Q. Tannacolli “Signifer” ✧ MR/385
- > S. Tengyl “Signifer” ✧ MR/385; MR/385
⇒ Q. enta “another, one more”
- ⇒ Q. yunquentë “thirteen” ✧ VT47/15
> Q. tá “then”
- ⇒ Q. tenta “still, yet [past]”
> Q. ta¹ “that, there”
- ⇒ 15 compounds

ᴹ√TA root. “that”

See √TA for discussion.

References ✧ Ety/TA; PE18/33, 60

Glosses

“that” ✧ Ety/TA

Derivatives

> ᴹ✶tad “thither” ✧ Ety/TA
- > ᴹQ. tar “thither, beyond” ✧ Ety/TA; PE19/52; PE21/58
- > ON. tō “thither” ✧ PE19/52; PE21/58
⇒ ᴹ√TAN² “*show” ✧ PE18/33; PE18/60
> ᴹQ. ta “that, it” ✧ Ety/TA
- ⇒ ᴹQ. tanna “thither”
- ⇒ ᴹQ. tar “thither, beyond”
> ᴹQ. tana “that (anaphoric)” ✧ Ety/TA
> ON. tō “thither” ✧ Ety/TA