The verb menta- was used to mean “begin” in the Löa Yucainen poem written by Tolkien 1958 and first published in 2024 (CPT/1297-1298). The first draft of the poem had Q. fenta- instead (CPT/1296). The etymology of these words is unclear, but menta- “begin” might be tied to √MEN “proceed”, perhaps with an inceptive sense (= start to go). Compare also Ermenië “One Beginning” in notes from 1959 (NM/256) and menta- “have as object, (in)tend, make for” in notes from 1964 (PE17/93).

Conceptual Development: The Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s had ᴱQ. astuvu- “begin”, apparently a combination of ᴱQ. as- “on” and ᴱQ. tuvu- “take” (begin = take on) as suggested by the editors (QL/33).

Neo-Quenya: There is a very well established neologism for “to begin” as a verb: ᴺQ. yesta- based on the noun yesta “beginning” from Yestarë “first day of the year”. The oldest reference to this neologism that I am aware of is in Parma Penyanë Quettaron (PPQ) from the early 2000s where it was attributed to Ryszard Derdzinski. In the 1000 Words project (1000W) project, Robert Reynolds suggested it might also meaning “start”.

Until we have a better understanding of Tolkien’s 1958 verbs from Löa Yucainen, I’d stick with ᴺQ. yesta- “to begin, start”.