Q. i fairi nécë “the pale phantoms”

Q. i fairi nécë “the pale phantoms”

[< Previous Phrase] Markirya [Next Phrase >]


The third line of the Markirya poem (MC/221). The first word is “the”, followed by the plural of fairë “phantom” and the plural form of the adjective néca “pale” in agreement with the noun.

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

i fair-i néc-ë = “*the phantom-(plural) pale-(plural)”

Conceptual Development: In the first draft, the adjective/noun order was reversed: néka fairi, and the adjective was not in the plural (MC/222).

References ✧ MC/221-222

Glosses

Variations

Changes

Elements

“the” ✧ MC/221; MC/222
fairë “spirit (disembodied), phantom; †radiance” plural ✧ MC/221 (fairi); MC/222 (fairi)
néca “pale, vague, faint, dim to see” plural ✧ MC/221 (néke); MC/222 (néka)

Element In


ᴱQ. níve qímari ringa ambar “the pale phantoms in her cold bosom”

[< Previous Phrase] Oilima Markirya [Next Phrase >]


The third line of the Oilima Markirya poem (MC/213). The first word is plural of the adjective níva “pale” modifying the plural of the noun qímar “phantom”. This is followed by the adjective ringa “cold” modifying the noun ambar² “bosom”. It seems that the words “her” and “in” do not appear in the Quenya phrase, although Gilson, Welden, and Hostetter suggested ambar might be an idiomatic dative form of a variant noun amba “bosom” (PE16/82, notes on line #3).

Decomposition: Broken into its constituent elements, this phrase would be:

nív-e qímar-i ringa ambar = “*pale-(plural) phantom-(plural) cold bosom”

Reference ✧ MC/213 ✧ “the pale phantoms in her cold bosom”

Elements

#níva “pale” plural ✧ MC/213 (níve)
#qímar “phantom” plural ✧ MC/213 (qímari)
ringa “cold, damp, chilly” ✧ MC/213
ambar² “breast, bosom” ✧ MC/213

Element In