Quenya/Inflected adjectives
Usage
editAdjectives used as a noun
editWe translate this in English by using the word "one" with the adjective:
- jlDaD laica "a keen one"; `B jlDaD i laica "the keen one"
- aD65$ carnë "a red one"; `B aD65$ i carnë "the red one"
- cE7T5 hwarin "a crooked one `B cE7T5 i hwarin "the crooked one"
In this case the adjective is inflected with the noun endings:
- jlDaD6 laicar "keen ones"
- aD65% carni "red ones"
- cE7T2% hwarindi "crooked ones"
Dual and partitive plural are also possible:
- jlDaD1 laicat "a pair of keen ones"
- jlDaDj% laicali "some keen ones"
- aD65%1 carnit "a pair of red ones"
- aD65%j% carnili "some red ones"
- `B cE7T2& i hwarindu "both crooked ones, the crooked pair ones"
- cE7T2$j% hwarindeli "some crooked ones"
These nouns can of course take all case endings, e.g.
- jlDaD7Y5 laicaron (genitive plural); aD65%j°^ carnillo (ablative singular); `B cE7T2&5 i hwarindun (dative dual) ...
Adjectives following the noun
editWhen the adjective is put behind its noun, the rule of the last declinable word applies.
This means that the adjective takes the case endings and the noun loses them:
- aY`C aD65%5"# coa carninna "to a red house" (allative)
- aY`C aD65%j°^ coa carnillo "from a red house" (ablative)
In the plural the adjective has the plural case-endings and the noun is in the nominative plural:
- aY`C6 aD65%5"#6 coar carninnar "to red houses" (allative)
In the dual the adjective has the dual case-endings and the noun is in the nominative dual:
- aU`C1 aD65%j1Y coat carnilto "from a pair of red houses" (ablative)
Note: adjectives only have t-duals even if they contain a d- or t-sound:
- `B `Cm& 1.GaD1R+ i aldu tiucatsë "in both thick trees" (locative)
The other types of words that are inflected in this way are:
- participles when they follow the noun (see Verbal forms)
- demonstrative pronouns
- titles also always follow the noun, so it is also the title and not the noun itself that is inflected:
- `Vj$2%j yY7Y2# Elendil Voronda "Elendil the Faithful"
- `Vj$2%j yY7Y2#5 Elendil Vorondan "to Elendil the Faithful" (dative)
- `Vj$2%j yY7Y2#j°^ Elendil Vorondallo "from Elendil the Faithful" (ablative)
But there are two cases in which this rule isn't followed:
- When the noun is in the partitive plural, the case ending remains with the noun and the adjective has its original (plural) form:
- aU`Cj%,R aD65% coalissë carni "in some red houses" (locative)
- The adjectives on \`V`C –ëa only have a plural form and no other cases so the ending remains with the noun:
- aY`C5"# j.D7R`C coanna laurëa "to a golden house" (allative)
- aY`C5"#6 j.D7T`V coannar laurië "to golden houses" (allative)
Paradigms
editA few remarks:
- The forms of the plural can only be used when the adjective follows the noun, not when it is used as a noun. But in that case it follows the ordinary rules of Quenya/Declension Paradigms.
- Adjectives on \`V`C -ëa cannot be inflected so they aren't included in these tables. They can be used as nouns but in that case they are inflected like the nouns `Cr# ampa "hook" or `Cm# alda "tree".
- The partitive plural can only be used when the adjective is used as a noun so it isn't included in the table.
Adjectives on \`C -a (but not \`V`C -ëa) are inflected as follows (`C2# anda "long"):
| Singular | Plural | Dual | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | `C2# anda |
`C2$ andë |
`C2#1 andat | |
| Genitive | `C2^ ando |
`C2$`N5 andëon |
`C2#1Y andato | |
| Possessive | `C2#yE andava |
`C2lDyE andaiva |
`C2#1nE andatwa | |
| Dative | `C2#5 andan |
`C2lD5 andain |
`C2#4 andant | |
| Ablative | `C2#j°^ andallo |
`C2#j°^5 andallon |
`C2#j°^6 andallor |
`C2#j1Y andalto |
| Allative | `C2#5"# andanna |
`C2#5"#6 andannar |
`C2#4# andanta | |
| Locative | `C2#,R andassë |
`C2#,R5 andassen |
`C2#1R+ andatsë | |
| Instrumental | `C2#5$5 andanen |
`C2lD5$5 andainen |
`C2#4$5 andanten | |
| Respective | `C2#8 andas |
`C2lD8 andais |
`C2#1R8 andates | |
Adjectives on -ë are inflected as follows (ninquë "white"):
| Singular | Plural | Dual | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | 5%v$ ninquë |
5%v% ninqui |
5%v%1 ninquit | |
| Genitive | 5%v%`N ninquio |
5%v%`N5 ninquion |
5%v%1Y ninquito | |
| Possessive | 5%v%yE ninquiva |
5%v~ByE ninquíva |
5%v%1nE ninquitwa | |
| Dative | 5%v%5 ninquin |
5%v~B5 ninquín |
5%v%4 ninquint | |
| Ablative | 5%v%j°^ ninquillo |
5%v%j°^5 ninquillon |
5%v%j°^6 ninquillor |
5%v%j1Y ninquilto |
| Allative | 5%v%5"# ninquinna |
5%v%5"#6 ninquinnar |
5%v%4# ninquinta | |
| Locative | 5%v%,R ninquissë |
5%v%,R5 ninquissen |
5%v%1R+ ninquitsë | |
| Instrumental | 5%v%5$5 ninquinen |
5%v~B5$5 ninquínen |
5%v%4$5 ninquinten | |
| Respective | 5%v%8 ninquis |
5%v~B8 ninquís |
5%v%1R8 ninquites | |
Adjectives on -n are inflected as follows (melin "dear"):
| Singular | Plural | Dual | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | t$j%5 melin |
t$j%5% melini |
t$j%2% melindi |
t$j%2$1 melindet |
| Genitive | t$j%2^ melindo |
t$j%2%`N5 melindion |
t$j%2$1Y melindeto | |
| Possessive | t$j%5nE melinwa |
t$j%2%yE melindiva |
t$j%2$1nE melindetwa | |
| Dative | t$j%2$5 melinden |
t$j%2%5 melindin |
t$j%2$4 melindent | |
| Ablative | t$j%2$j°^ melindello |
t$j%2%j°^5 melindillon |
t$j%2%j°^6 melindillor |
t$j%2$j1Y melindelto |
| Allative | t$j%2$5"# melindenna |
t$j%2%5"#6 melindinnar |
t$j%2$4# melindenta | |
| Locative | t$j%2$,R melindessë |
t$j%2$,R5 melindissen |
t$j%2$1R+ melindetsë | |
| Instrumental | t$j%2$5$5 melindenen |
t$j%2%5$5 melindinen |
t$j%2$4$5 melindenten | |
| Respective | t$j%2$8 melindes |
t$j%2%8 melindis |
t$j%2$1R8 melindetes | |
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