Eldamo : Primitive Elvish : KWI

√KWI root. “suppose”

√KWI root. “suppose”: √KEY “*suppose”

A root Tolkien introduced in the late 1960s with the gloss “suppose”, appearing beside √KE “maybe” (PE22/158). It also had an extended (verbal) form √KWIS “inquire, suppose” in this same document. This late root may have been a restoration of much earlier ᴱ√IQI “request, ask for” from the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s, whose derivatives had to do with requests and requirements (QL/43).

The roots √KWI and √KE were in competition in the late 1960s as the basis for “if” words in hypthotheticals; see the entry on √KE/EKE for these alternatives.

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin I think it is best to use √KWI for “if” and √KE for “maybe”; I also think √KWI(S) “inquire” can be used to justify the restoration of some of the derivatives of early ᴱ√IQI, via a hypothetical Neo-Eldarin root ᴺ√IKWI(S) “request, ask for”.

References ✧ PE22/158; VT49/19

Glosses

“suppose” ✧ PE22/158; VT49/19

KWI “suppose” vs. KEY “*suppose”

Derivatives

> ᴺS. !pi “if”
⇒ √KWIS “inquire, suppose”
- ⇒ ^ᴺ√IKWI(S) “request, ask for”
  - > ᴺQ. iqu- “to beg, ‘pray’ [ask earnestly]”
    - ⇒ ᴺQ. !iquindo “beggar”
  - > ᴺQ. ^iquirya- “to ask for, request”
  - > ᴺQ. iquis “requirement”
  - > ᴺQ. iquista “request; ⚠️if you please, please”
- > ᴺS. !pista- “to suppose”
- > Q. quista- “to suppose” ✧ PE22/158
  - ⇒ ᴺQ. !nóquista- “to assume, make premature judgements”
> Q. qui “if” ✧ PE22/158; VT49/19
- ⇒ 11 compounds
> Q. quiquië “whenever”