Eldamo : Quenya : ëa-

Q. ëa- v. (irregular-verb) “to be, exist” (Category: Be)

Q. ëa-, v. (irregular-verb) “to be, exist, [ᴹQ.] have being, be found extant in the real world” (Category: Be): ᴱQ. ëa “a cry of pain or woe”; ᴹQ. -ië⁴ “stative suffix”

One of two Quenya verbs for “to be”, along with ná-. The verb ëa- is derived from the root √EÑ (PE22/147; VT49/28) and so has an unusual past form enge (VT49/29; PE22/147). Strictly speaking, this verb is used only in statements asserting the actual existence of a thing within the world, so “to exist” is a better translation than “to be”:

Verb nā- is used to assert qualities etc. of separate things in the Universe, verb eŋa (ëa) to assert their actual real existence extra-mentally (PE22/166 note #113).

As such, the verb ëa- is generally not followed by another assertion:

Stem of verb “exist” (have being in primary world of history) was √EŊE, distinct from √NA joining adjs./nouns/pronouns in statements (or wishes) asserting (or desiring) a thing to have a certain quality, or to be the same as another. eŋe is not followed by any adj. or noun but only by a[n] adverb (or negated adverb) mainly[?] of time (PE22/147).

Thus one might say Aracorno enge “Aragorn existed” or Aracorno enge andanéya “Aragorn existed long ago”, but to say “Aragorn was tall” or “Aragorn was a Man” you would need to use the verb ná-: Aracorno náne halla, Aracorno náne Atan. See the entry on the copula for a further discussion of how “to be” statements are expressed in Quenya.

Conceptual Development: The verb ᴱQ. ná- “be” dates all the way back to the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/64), but Tolkien often had a second “be” verb, sometimes coexisting with ná and sometimes replacing it. The earliest of these alternate “be” verbs was ᴱQ. ō- “am” under the early root ᴱ√Ō “be, exist” (QL/69), a document that also contained ᴱ√NĀ “be, exist” (QL/64). In the Early Qenya Grammar of the 1920s, the main “to be” verb was ᴱQ. e- (PE14/57).

By the time of The Etymologies of the 1930s, ᴹQ. ná- “be” was restored (Ety/NĀ²), but Tolkien mentioned another root ᴹ√YĒ for “to be” (EtyAC/YĒ), which in the 1930s was the basis for the so-called “stative suffix” ᴹQ. -ie seen in Fíriel’s Song from this period (LR/72). By the 1940s, ᴹQ. ye- seems to have become the ordinary verb for “to be”, most notably in the original layer of composition for the Quenya Verbal System (QVS) from 1948 (PE22/123 note #130).

In QVS Tolkien revised the verb for “to be” to ëa-, derived from a root ᴹ√Ē or more properly eʒe or eñe (PE22/122). In the revisions to QVS, ëa was used for all “to be” statements, both for existence and for equating to adjectives or other nouns, such as in parka ëa nyé “I am thirsty” (PE22/122). But Tolkien eventually restored ná- “be” again, perhaps in the Namárië poem (LotR/378) where namárië “farewell” = na + márië “be well” (PE17/59, 162).

Tolkien retained ëa-, most notably as the basis for the name of the universe Eä “the World That Is” (S/20; Let/286; MR/39; NM/231). It is not clear when Tolkien decided that ëa- was used for statements of existence only. Its root √EÑ was still glossed “be” in the Outline of Phonology (OP2) from the early 1950s (PE19/96), and its past form enge was used for “was” in the Alcar i Ataren prayer from later in the 1950s (VT43/36). However, its limitation to existence only was well established by the late 1960s, as described above (PE22/147; VT49/28).

References ✧ PE17/74; PE22/147, 152, 166; S/20; UT/305, 317; VT39/6-7; VT43/13-14, 38; VT49/28-30

Glosses

“exists” ✧ VT49/29
“it exists” ✧ PE22/147 (eä)

Variations

ëa ✧ PE22/166; VT49/29
eä ✧ PE22/147

ëa- “to be, exist” as opposed to ná- “to be”

Inflections

ëa	aorist	“exists”	✧ PE17/74; VT39/7
ëa	aorist	“is”	✧ UT/305; UT/317
ëa	aorist	“it is”	✧ VT39/6
ëa	aorist		✧ VT43/13; VT43/14
(e)uva	future		✧ PE22/147
euva	future		✧ VT49/29
Eä	imperative	“Let these things Be”	✧ S/20
eane	past		✧ VT49/30
enge	past		✧ PE22/147
enge	past; strong-past	“*was”	✧ VT43/38
enge	past; strong-past		✧ VT49/29
engne	past		✧ PE22/152
enne	past		✧ PE22/152
engie	perfect		✧ VT49/29: analogical
†éye	perfect		✧ VT49/29: rare
ëa	present	“it exists”	✧ VT49/28: present continuous

Element In

ᴺQ. ^ëasta “existence, being”
Q. Átaremma i ëa han Eä “our Father who art in Heaven” ✧ VT43/12; VT43/12
Q. Eä “Creation, the (Material) Universe, Cosmos, World; it is, let it be”
Q. ëala “spirit (not incarnate), being”
Q. ar i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar ëa tennoio “and of the One who is above all thrones for ever” ✧ UT/305
Q. Eru fai, sî, euva “*Eru (was) before, (is) now, will be (after)” ✧ PE22/147
Q. tambë engë i et... “as it was [in] the [beginning]...” ✧ VT43/36

Derivations

< √EÑ “be, exist” ✧ PE22/147 (EŊE); VT49/28 (eŋe)
< ✶eñ- “to exist” ✧ PE22/166 (eŋa); VT49/29 (eŋe); VT49/29 (e-ēŋiı̯ē)
- < ēiı̯ē < ēŋie < e-ēŋiı̯ē ✧ VT49/29
- < √EÑ “be, exist”

Phonetic Developments

√EŊE > eä	[eŋa] > [eɣa] > [ea]	✧ PE22/147
✶eŋa > ëa	[eŋa] > [eɣa] > [ea]	✧ PE22/166
√eŋe > ëa	[eŋa] > [eɣa] > [ea]	✧ VT49/28
✶eŋe > ea	[eŋa] > [eɣa] > [ea]	✧ VT49/29
✶e-ēŋiı̯ē > ēŋie > ēiı̯ē > †éye	[ēŋijē] > [ēɣijē] > [ēijē] ? [ējē] > [ēje]	✧ VT49/29

ᴹQ. ea- v. (irregular-verb) “to be; to exist, have being, be found extant in the real world” (Category: Be)

See Q. ëa- for discussion.

References ✧ PE19/48; PE22/119, 122-124

Glosses

“be” ✧ PE19/48; PE22/122
“to exist, to have being, to be found, extant, in the real world” ✧ PE22/123

Variations

ea ✧ PE19/48; PE22/122; PE22/122; PE22/122; PE22/123

Changes

vā >> ŭva ✧ PE22/123
ēva >> euva ✧ PE22/123

Inflections

ëa	aorist	“there is, there exists”	✧ PE22/124
ëa	aorist	“(there) is”	✧ PE22/124
ëat	aorist dual		✧ PE22/122
ëar	aorist plural		✧ PE22/122
ëan	aorist with-1st-sg-object	“there is to me”	✧ PE22/122
ëanye	aorist with-1st-sg-object	“there is to me”	✧ PE22/122
euva	future	“will exist”	✧ PE22/123
vā	future		✧ PE22/123
éva	future		✧ PE22/124
ëava	future	“will exist”	✧ PE22/123: late classical and TQ form
ēva	future	“will exist”	✧ PE22/123
ŭva	future		✧ PE22/123
vár	future plural	“shall be”	✧ PE22/124
ie	gerund	“existing”	✧ PE22/122
ie	gerund	“existence”	✧ PE22/124
ére	gerund	“existing”	✧ PE22/122
ëa	imperfect-participle	“existing”	✧ PE22/122
†eñge	past		✧ PE22/122; PE22/122
ne	past	“was”	✧ PE22/119
né	past		✧ PE19/48: from a different stem
né	past	“was”	✧ PE22/124
nē	past	“was”	✧ PE22/123
ëane	past	“existed”	✧ PE22/123
ëane	past		✧ PE22/124
ēne	perfect		✧ PE22/123
nea	perfect-participle	“existed”	✧ PE22/123
†énea	perfect-participle		✧ PE22/124
†ēnea	perfect-participle	“existed”	✧ PE22/123

Element In

ᴹQ. easte “being, essence” ✧ PE22/123
ᴹQ. angwion ie uman enwa “the existence of dragons at one time (is) a fact” ✧ PE22/124
ᴹQ. aran ie mólome “being a king is a burden” ✧ PE22/124
ᴹQ. Ea “all that is, the World” ✧ PE22/122
ᴹQ. enna¹ “fact” ✧ PE22/123
ᴹQ. enno “person, *being” ✧ PE22/123
ᴹQ. enwa “existent, real, true; fact” ✧ PE22/123
ᴹQ. évea “future” ✧ PE22/123
ᴹQ. i·nér né raiqa ar sí aphastat “the man was angry but now is in good humor (lit. it pleases him)” ✧ PE22/124
ᴹQ. †parka ëan “I am thirsty” ✧ PE22/122
ᴹQ. parka ëa nyé “I am thirsty” ✧ PE22/122
ᴹQ. qáqi me·vár tasse “we shall all be there” ✧ PE22/124
ᴹQ. vahaia nóre ëa i a-esta Valinor “far away (there) is a land called Valinor” ✧ PE22/124
ᴹQ. yára Túro mante ilqa masta ha mé·ne úmahtale “old Túro’s eating of all the bread was a nuisance to us” ✧ PE22/119

Derivations

< ᴹ√EƷ “be” ✧ PE19/48
< ᴹ✶eʒ- “to be” ✧ PE22/122 (e-ñ-ʒe); PE22/122 (e-ñ-ne); PE22/122 (ē̆ʒā); PE22/122 (eʒyā)
- < ᴹ√EƷ “be”

Phonetic Developments

ᴹ√EƷ > ea	[eɣa] > [ea]	✧ PE19/48
ᴹ✶e-ñ-ʒe > †eñge	[eŋɣe] > [eŋge]	✧ PE22/122
ᴹ✶ē̆ʒā > ëa	[eɣa] > [ea]	✧ PE22/122
ᴹ✶eʒyā > ëa	[eɣja] > [eja] > [ea]	✧ PE22/122

ᴹQ. ye- v. (irregular-verb) “to be” (Category: Be)

See Q. ëa- for discussion.

References ✧ LR/72; PE22/11, 107, 115, 117, 119-120, 123

Glosses

“be” ✧ PE22/123 (yē)

Variations

yē ✧ PE22/123

Changes

ie >> yē ✧ PE22/123
enie >> yénie ✧ PE22/123

Inflections

ye	aorist	“is”	✧ LR/72; LR/72; PE22/11; PE22/117; PE22/119
ye	aorist	“is”	✧ PE22/107
ye	aorist		✧ PE22/115
ye	aorist	“it is”	✧ PE22/120
yér	aorist plural		✧ PE22/123
vá	future		✧ PE22/123
yéva	future	“there will be”	✧ LR/72
yéva	future	“is”	✧ LR/72
yéva	future		✧ PE22/123
váya	future-participle		✧ PE22/123
yevalya	future-participle		✧ PE22/123
ie	gerund		✧ PE22/123
yē	gerund		✧ PE22/123
yea	imperfect-participle		✧ PE22/123
†yelya	imperfect-participle		✧ PE22/123
úye	negated	“[is] not”	✧ LR/72
né	past		✧ PE22/123
yene	past		✧ PE22/123
ener	past plural		✧ PE22/123
nér	past plural		✧ PE22/123
enie	perfect		✧ PE22/123
yénie	perfect; augmentless		✧ PE22/123
enea	perfect-participle		✧ PE22/123
†enelya	perfect-participle		✧ PE22/123
nea	perfect-participle		✧ PE22/123

Element In

ᴹQ. yeste “being, existence” ✧ PE22/123 (yeste)
ᴹQ. en ye tá “that is a tee” ✧ PE22/11
ᴹQ. etta matie the ye úmahta “his eating it is a nuisance” ✧ PE22/119
ᴹQ. íre ilqa yéva nótina, hostainiéva, yallume “when all is counted, and all numbered at last” ✧ LR/72
ᴹQ. írima ye Númenor “lovely is Númenor” ✧ LR/72
ᴹQ. karie ye mólome “making (things) is hard work” ✧ PE22/119
ᴹQ. matie ye mára “eating is (a) good (thing)” ✧ PE22/119
ᴹQ. nan úye sére indo-ninya símen, ullume “but my heart resteth not here for ever” ✧ LR/72
ᴹQ. ten sí ye tyelma, yéva tyel ar i narqelion “for here is ending, and there will be an end and the Fading” ✧ LR/72
ᴹQ. te ye matina “it is eaten” ✧ PE22/107
ᴹQ. yé karalya “to be making” ✧ PE22/123
ᴹQ. (ye) mólome nakie·nye “(it is) hard work to kill me” ✧ PE22/120
ᴹQ. ye ortalya “is raising” ✧ PE22/117
ᴹQ. ye sirinyella “*has flown” ✧ PE22/115

Derivations

< ᴹ√YĒ “to be” ✧ PE22/123 (YE)

Phonetic Developments

ᴹ√YE > yē

[jē]

✧ PE22/123

ᴱQ. e-² v. “to be” (Category: Be)

See Q. ëa- for discussion.

References ✧ PE14/51, 54, 57; PE16/62, 66, 140-141, 143

Changes

e >> i ✧ PE14/51
ie >> ien “it was” ✧ PE16/66
-ie >> -nye “past tense” ✧ PE16/141

Inflections

va	future		✧ PE14/57
va	future	“will be”	✧ PE14/57
van(da)	future active-participle		✧ PE14/57
vasta	future gerund		✧ PE14/57
var	future impersonal		✧ PE14/57
val	future plural		✧ PE14/57
vakto	future reflexive		✧ PE14/57
ī	infinitive	“be”	✧ PE16/140
hye	past		✧ PE14/57
ie	past		✧ PE14/57
ie	past		✧ PE16/66
ie	past	“was”	✧ PE16/143
inye	past		✧ PE16/141
ye	past		✧ PE14/57
ien	past active-participle		✧ PE14/57
ien	past active-participle	“it was”	✧ PE16/62
yen	past active-participle		✧ PE14/57
yenda	past active-participle		✧ PE14/57
iesta	past gerund		✧ PE14/57
yesta	past gerund		✧ PE14/57
ier	past impersonal		✧ PE14/57
iel	past plural		✧ PE14/57
iekto	past reflexive		✧ PE14/57
ielko	past reflexive plural		✧ PE14/57
ie	perfect	“had ... been”	✧ PE14/54
e	present	“is”	✧ PE14/51
e	present		✧ PE14/57
e	present	“is”	✧ PE14/57
ea	present		✧ PE16/140
i	present	“is”	✧ PE14/51
i	present		✧ PE14/57
in(d-)	present active-participle		✧ PE14/57
inda	present active-participle		✧ PE14/57
ista	present gerund		✧ PE14/57
ir	present impersonal		✧ PE14/57
il	present plural		✧ PE14/57
ikto	present reflexive		✧ PE14/57
ilko	present reflexive plural		✧ PE14/57
-ie	suffix		✧ PE16/141
-nye	suffix	“past tense”	✧ PE16/141

Element In

ᴱQ. en ilta n·ner ya me·qetsime ka húyo ne hwa·telpe ie-rautanéma ompa va húyo “thereupon in came the man {from whom we heard >>} by whom we were told his money had all been stolen from him” ✧ PE14/54
ᴱQ. e tulien “is having come, has come” ✧ PE14/57
ᴱQ. hue yullume i hualqe “twice nine is eighteen” ✧ PE14/51
ᴱQ. ná- “to be, exist” ✧ PE16/141 (nanye)
ᴱQ. oilim’ ambar ien oilin “it was the morning” ✧ PE16/62
ᴱQ. (tu·)méliel ielko “they loved themselves” ✧ PE14/57
ᴱQ. va tulien “will be having come” ✧ PE14/57

Derivations

< ᴱ√Ī “be” ✧ PE16/140