Q. maica² n. “blade of a cutting tool or weapon (especially sword-blade)” (Category: Blade, Share)
A noun appearing in notes associated with the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60, glossed “blade of a cutting tool or weapon, especially sword-blade” derived from the root √MAK “cut, hew” (VT39/11). The Elves were somewhat uncertain of the ancient origin of this noun and Tolkien said:
By some loremasters it was brought into relation with a small group of supposed ancient “desiderative” formations with intruded i ... Maika would [in ancient Elvish] thus be interpretted as “eager, fit, ready to cut”, and it might well be brought into relation with the idea often found in ancient tales that swords were greedy and thirsty (VT39/11).
Conceptual Development: Earlier “blade” words in the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s include ᴱQ. valke (valki-) “edge, sharp blade” under the early root ᴱ√VḶKḶ (QL/101) and ᴱQ. hyanda “blade, share” under the early root ᴱ√HYAŘA [HYAÐA] “plough through” (QL/41). Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s had ᴱQ. tále as a cognate to ᴱN. dail “axe-blade”, both derived from primitive ᴱ✶daglé (PE13/141). The Early Qenya Phonology of the 1920s had the similar noun ᴱQ. taila “blade” derived from primitive ᴱ✶dagla (PE14/66).
References ✧ VT39/11
Glosses
Variations
Element In
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ✶maikā > maika | [maikā] > [maika] | ✧ VT39/11 |
ᴱQ. taila n. “(axe) blade” (Category: Blade, Share)
References ✧ PE13/141; PE14/66
Glosses
Variations
Cognates
Derivations
ᴱQ. valke (valki-) n. “edge, sharp blade” (Category: Blade, Share)
References ✧ QL/101
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| valki- | stem | ✧ QL/101 |
Element In
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴱ√VḶKḶ > valke | [βḹki] > [βḹke] > [vḹke] > [valke] | ✧ QL/101 |