AQ. later [j], [w] became [i], [u] before consonants; [VjC|VwC] > [ViC|VuC]

AQ. later [j], [w] became [i], [u] before consonants; [VjC|VwC] > [ViC|VuC]

Just as they did in Primitive Elvish, any y, w that came into contact with a following consonant became vocalic i, u and formed a diphthong with the preceding vowel. These Quenya-specific sound changes generally occurred after the Quenya Syncope. Examples include:

As indicated by the last example, this sound change must have been quite ancient, before voiced stops became spirants, but in all likelihood this remained an active phonetic rule for all of Quenya’s history. This sound change likely also applied to final y, w, but these were mostly vocalized already in Primitive Elvish.

Conceptual Development: In Early Quenya, these post-primitive sound changes were more common, since the phonetic inventory of Primitive Elvish in the 1910s included a number of weak palatal and labialized spirants [ç, ʝ, ɣʷ] that developed into y, w and then vocalized. In Qenya Phonology Tolkien denoted y, w that were derived from such spirants as ẏ, ẇ (PE12/15-16). He described their developments explicitly in many cases (with probable IPA values of the primitive sounds inserted):

χ̑ or þ͡y [ç] ... voiced to undergoing between vowels same changes as [ʝ] ... before voiced spirants or before semivowels it gave > ı̯ or i (PE12/18-19).
[ɣʷ] [became] w ... + consonant > u or ŭ [?] (PE12/23).
ʒ̑ [ʝ] [became] y ... + consonant > i or ı̯ (PE12/24).

There are plenty of examples of this changes in the Qenya Lexicon; most roots containing or have at least one example.

Order (00400)

After 00300 second short vowel of same quality lost glawarē > glaurē > ʒlaurē > Q. laurē PE19/79
Before 02900 voiced stops became spirants except after nasals glawarē > glaurē > ʒlaurē > Q. laurē PE19/79

Related

Phonetic Rule Elements

[VjC] > [ViC]
[VwC] > [VuC]

Phonetic Rule Examples

ajna- > aina- VjC > ViC ayanā > Q. aina ✧ PE17/149
ajnū > ainū VjC > ViC Val. ayanūz > Q. Ainu ✧ WJ/399
gajkā > gaikā VjC > ViC gayakā > Q. aika ✧ PM/363
glawrē > glaurē VwC > VuC glawarē > glaurē > ʒlaurē > AQ. alaurē ✧ PE19/79
glawrē > glaurē VwC > VuC (g)lawar- > Q. laure ✧ NM/351
glawrē > glaurē VwC > VuC glawarē > glaurē > ʒlaurē > Q. laurē ✧ PE19/79
glawre > glaure VwC > VuC glawarĭ > Q. laure ✧ PE21/81
glawre > glaure VwC > VuC glaware > Q. laure ✧ VT41/10

ᴹAQ. later [j], [w] became [i], [u] before consonants; [VjC|VwC] > [ViC|VuC]

Order (00400)

Before 03000 voiced stops became spirants except after nasals and liquids

Related

Phonetic Rule Elements

[VjC] > [ViC]
[VwC] > [VuC]

ᴱQ. later [j], [w] became [i], [u] finally or between a vowel and a consonant; [VjC|VwC|-j|-w] > [ViC|VuC|-i|-u]

Reference ✧ PE12/20

Order ()

After [ðʲ] became [j]
After [ɣʷ] became [w]
After final voiceless spirants were weakened and voiced

Phonetic Rule Elements

[VjC] > [ViC]
[VwC] > [VuC]
[-j] > [-i]
[-w] > [-u]

Phonetic Rule Examples

huj > hui -j > -i ᴱ√ǶUẎU > ᴱQ. hui ✧ QL/41
koj > koi -j > -i ᴱ√KOYO > ᴱQ. koi ✧ LT1A/Koivië-néni
maj > mai -j > -i ᴱ√MAẎA > ᴱQ. mai ✧ QL/60
mildj > mildi -j > -i ᴱ√MLŘL > mldẏǝ > ᴱQ. mildi ✧ QL/62
ŋartj > ŋarti -j > -i ᴱ√ŊARA > ‽narkẏǝ > ᴱQ. narte ✧ QL/64
vaj > vai -j > -i ᴱ√VAẎA > ᴱQ. Vai ✧ QL/100
piw > piu -w > -u ᴱ√PIẆI > ᴱQ. piu ✧ QL/74
aŋajno > aŋaino VjC > ViC ᴱ√NAẎA > ᴱQ. Angaino ✧ QL/34
aŋajsine > aŋaisine VjC > ViC ᴱ√NAẎA > ᴱQ. angaisine ✧ QL/34
aŋajtʲa- > aŋaitʲa- VjC > ViC ᴱ√NAẎA > ᴱQ. angaitya- ✧ QL/34
aŋajtʲa- > aŋaitʲa- VjC > ViC ᴱ√NAẎA > ᴱQ. angaitya ✧ QL/81
apajka > apaika VjC > ViC ᴱ√paẏa > ᴱQ. apaika ✧ QL/34
apajkja- > apaikja- VjC > ViC ᴱ√paẏa > ᴱQ. apaitya ✧ QL/34
apajre > apaire VjC > ViC ᴱ√paẏa > ᴱQ. apaire ✧ QL/34
kajkta- > kaikta- VjC > ViC ‽ᴱ√KAẎA > ᴱQ. kaïkta- ✧ QL/46
kajlen > kailen VjC > ViC ‽ᴱ√KAẎA > ᴱQ. kailen ✧ QL/46
kojle > koile VjC > ViC ᴱ✶koile > ᴱQ. koile ✧ PE13/141
kojle > koile VjC > ViC ᴱ√KOẎO > ᴱQ. koire ✧ QL/48
kojna > koina VjC > ViC ᴱ√KOẎO > ᴱQ. koina ✧ QL/48
kojte > koite VjC > ViC ᴱ√KOẎO > ᴱQ. koite ✧ QL/48
kojβa > koiβa VjC > ViC ᴱ√KOẎO > ᴱQ. koiva ✧ QL/48
lajkʷa > laikʷa VjC > ViC ᴱ√LAẎA > ᴱQ. laiqa ✧ QL/52
lajre > laire VjC > ViC ᴱ√laẏa > ᴱQ. laire ✧ PME/52
lajre > laire VjC > ViC ᴱ√LAẎA > ᴱQ. laire ✧ QL/52
lajto > laito VjC > ViC ᴱ√LAẎA > ᴱQ. laito ✧ QL/52
majra > maira VjC > ViC ᴱ√MAẎA > ᴱQ. maira ✧ QL/60
majru > mairu VjC > ViC ᴱ√MAẎA > ᴱQ. ‽mairu ✧ QL/60
ŋajke > ŋaike VjC > ViC ᴱ√NAẎA > ᴱQ. naike ✧ QL/65
ŋajkja- > ŋaikja- VjC > ViC ᴱ√NAẎA > ᴱQ. naitya- ✧ QL/65
ŋajra > ŋaira VjC > ViC ᴱ√NAẎA > ᴱQ. naira ✧ QL/65
ŋajsta- > ŋaista- VjC > ViC ᴱ✶ŋaistă- > ᴱQ. naista ✧ GL/37
ojne > oine VjC > ViC ᴱ√OẎO > ᴱQ. oine ✧ QL/71
ojwa > oiwa VjC > ViC ᴱ√OẎO > ᴱQ. oiwa ✧ QL/71
pajme > paime VjC > ViC ᴱ√PAẎA > ᴱQ. paime ✧ QL/72
pajremo > pairemo VjC > ViC ᴱ√PAẎA > ᴱQ. pairemo ✧ QL/72
pajtʲa- > paitʲa- VjC > ViC ᴱ√PAẎA > ᴱQ. paitya- ✧ QL/72
rijma > rīma VjC > ViC ᴱ√RIẎI > ᴱQ. rīma ✧ QL/80
rijna > rīna VjC > ViC ᴱ√RIẎI > ᴱQ. (-)rīna ✧ QL/80
rijsima > rīsima VjC > ViC ᴱ√RIẎI > ᴱQ. rīsima ✧ QL/80
rijsta > rīsta VjC > ViC ᴱ√RIẎI > ᴱQ. rista ✧ QL/80
rijsta- > rīsta- VjC > ViC ᴱ√RIẎI > ᴱQ. rista- ✧ QL/80
sajke > saike VjC > ViC ᴱ√SAẎA > ᴱQ. saike ✧ QL/82
sajkja- > saikja- VjC > ViC ᴱ√SAẎA > ᴱQ. saitya ✧ QL/82
sajkʷa > saikʷa VjC > ViC ᴱ√SAẎA > ᴱQ. saiqa ✧ QL/82
sajpo > saipo VjC > ViC ᴱ√saẏap- > ᴱQ. saipo ✧ PE12/26
sajpo > saipo VjC > ViC ᴱ√SAYAPA > ᴱQ. saipo ✧ QL/82
sajta- > saita- VjC > ViC ᴱ√SAẎA > ᴱQ. saita ✧ QL/82
sajwa > saiwa VjC > ViC ᴱ√SAH͡YA > ᴱQ. saiwa ✧ QL/81
sajwa- > saiwa- VjC > ViC ᴱ√SAH͡YA > ᴱQ. saiwa- ✧ QL/72
tujle > tuile VjC > ViC ᴱ√TUẎU > ᴱQ. tuile ✧ QL/96
tujsta > tuista VjC > ViC ᴱ√TUẎU > ᴱQ. tuista ✧ QL/96
tujta- > tuita- VjC > ViC ᴱ√TUẎU > ᴱQ. tuita- ✧ QL/96
vajle > vaile VjC > ViC ᴱ√VAẎA > ᴱQ. vaile ✧ QL/100
vajma > vaima VjC > ViC ᴱ√VAẎA > ᴱQ. vaima ✧ QL/100
vajne > vaine VjC > ViC ᴱ√VAẎA > ᴱQ. vaine ✧ QL/100
vajta- > vaita- VjC > ViC ᴱ√VAẎA > ᴱQ. vaita- ✧ QL/100
vajtʲa > vaitʲa VjC > ViC ᴱ√VAẎA > ᴱQ. Vaitya ✧ QL/100
kawka > kauka VwC > VuC ᴱ√KAẆA > ᴱQ. kauka ✧ QL/45
kawko > kauko VwC > VuC ᴱ√KAẆA > ᴱQ. kauko ✧ QL/45
kawre > kaure VwC > VuC ᴱ√KAẆA > ᴱQ. kaure ✧ QL/45
lewke > leuke VwC > VuC ᴱ√LEẆE > ᴱQ. leuke ✧ QL/53
lewme > leume VwC > VuC ᴱ√LEẆE > ᴱQ. leume ✧ QL/53
piwle > piule VwC > VuC ᴱ√PIẆI > ᴱQ. piule ✧ QL/74
rawka > rauka VwC > VuC ᴱ√RAẆA > ᴱQ. rauka ✧ QL/79
rawme > raume VwC > VuC ᴱ√RAẆA > ᴱQ. raume ✧ QL/79
sawle > saule VwC > VuC ᴱ√SAẆA > ᴱQ. saule ✧ QL/82
swni > suni VwC > VuC ᴱ✶sw(ǝ)nī́ > ᴱQ. suni ✧ PE12/26
swni > suni VwC > VuC ᴱ✶sẇǝnī́ > ᴱQ. suni ✧ QL/82
-wrand- > -urand- VwC > VuC ᴱ√ẆAÐA > ᴱQ. -urand- ✧ QL/102