Q. [ij], [uw] became [i], [u]; [ijV|uwV] > [iV|uV]

Q. [ij], [uw] became [i], [u]; [ijV|uwV] > [iV|uV]

Just as [ji], [wu] became [i], [u], the semi-vowels, y, w vanished when they followed the vowels i, u respectively. Such combinations are relatively rare. They mainly arose:

  1. When spirants vocalized before y, w: Vʒj, Vʒw > Vij, Vuw (PE19/75-76).
  2. When intervocalic y diphthongized after long vowel: V̄jV > VijV (PE19/62).
  3. From ancient suffixes like the abstract noun/gerundal suffix ✶-(i)yē > Q. -ie (PE17/58; PE22/137) and the perfect suffix ✶-iyē > Q. -ie (PE18/086).

Examples include:

Conceptual Development: Tolkien mentioned similar reductions of semi-vowels in the Qenya Phonology of the 1910s:

i̯, u̯ vanished after e/i o/u respectively in certain frequent cases ... i̯ vanishes after i- (iı̯i > ī) ... u̯ vanishes after ú (uu̯u > ú) (PE12/12).

Phonetic Rule Elements

[ij] > [i]
[uw] > [u]

Phonetic Rule Examples

aija > aia ij > i √AYA > aiya > Q. aia ✧ PE17/149
-ijē > -ie ij > i ✶-(i)ı̯ē > Q. -ië ✧ PE17/58
laija > laia ij > i ✶lājā > Q. laia ✧ PE22/153
laija > laia ij > i ✶lājā > Q. laia ✧ VT49/13
maija > maia ij > i √MAY > máya > Q. maia ✧ PE17/163
maija > maia ij > i √MAY > máya > Q. maia ✧ PE17/163
maija > maia ij > i ✶magyā > maı̯ya > Q. maia ✧ PE19/94
maijar > maiar ij > i √MAY > Q. Maiar ✧ PE17/163
moija- > moia- ij > i ✶mōjă > Q. moia- ✧ VT43/31
sarnije > sarnie ij > i ✶sarniye > Q. sarnie ✧ VT42/11
nauwē > naue uw > u ✶ndagwē > ndau̯we > nau̯we > Q. naue ✧ PE19/94

ᴹQ. [ij], [uw] became [i], [u]; [ijV|uwV] > [iV|uV]

Phonetic Rule Elements

[ij] > [i]
[uw] > [u]

Phonetic Rule Examples

maija > maia ij > i ᴹ✶magyā > ᴹQ. mai(y)a ✧ PE19/46
maija > maia ij > i ᴹ✶māya > mā̆iya > ᴹQ. maia ✧ PE19/62
oija > oia ij > i ᴹ✶oı̯yā > ᴹQ. oia ✧ Ety/OY
waija > waia ij > i ᴹ✶wā́yā > ᴹQ. Vaiya ✧ Ety/GEY
waija > waia ij > i ᴹ✶wāyā > waia > ᴹQ. vaia ✧ Ety/WAY
waija > waia ij > i ᴹ✶wāyā > waiya > ᴹQ. vaiya ✧ Ety/WAY
waijaro > waiaro ij > i ᴹ✶wā́yārō̆/Vā́yārō̆ > ᴹQ. Vaiaro ✧ Ety/WAY
lauwe > laue uw > u ᴹ✶dagwe > ᴹQ. lau(w)e ✧ PE19/46

ᴱQ. [ij], [uw] became [i], [u]; [ij|uw] > [i|u]

References ✧ PE12/12-13

Order (02500)

Before 02900 [j], [w] became [i], [u] after a vowel

Phonetic Rule Elements

[ij] > [i]
[uw] > [u]
[ejV] > [eV]
[owV] > [oV]

Phonetic Rule Examples

lija > lia ij > i ᴱ√LI+ya > ᴱQ. lia ✧ QL/53
lija- > lia- ij > i ᴱ√LI+ya > ᴱQ. lia- ✧ QL/53
lijante > liante ij > i ᴱ√LI+ya > ᴱQ. liante ✧ QL/53
mije > mie ij > i ᴱ✶míye > ᴱQ. mie ✧ PE13/150
swijond > swiond ij > i ᴱ✶þẉ-iı̯on-d > ᴱQ. fion ✧ QL/87
wije > wie ij > i ᴱ✶wiı̯ḗ > ᴱQ. vie ✧ PE13/162
suwi > sui uw > u ᴱ√SUẈU > ᴱQ. SUI ✧ QL/87