Eldamo : Quenya : sa²

Q. sa² pron. and conj. “that [anaphoric]” (Category: That)

Q. sa², pron. and conj. “that [anaphoric]” (Category: That)

In Tolkien’s later writings, the word sa is typically used as a neuter pronoun “it”, but occasionally it is used instead as a demonstrative pronoun or subordinating conjunction “that”, in phrases like ecë nin care sa “I can do that” (VT49/20) or merin sa haryalyë alassë nó vanyalyë Ambarello “I hope that you have happiness before you pass from the world” (Merin Sentence). As a subordinating conjunction, I would limit its use to clauses describing facts serving as the object of the main clause: “I know that..., I say that..., I hope that...”.

As a demonstrative pronoun I would use sa to mean “that (previously mentioned)” as opposed to ta “that (over there, not previously mentioned)”. The latter use extends to correlative combinations, such as sanomë “that place (previously mentioned)” vs. tanomë “that place (over there)”. There may be occasional confusion with sa “it”, but in most cases the meaning will be the same: cenin sa “I see it” vs. “I see that (previously mentioned)”.

See the entries on relative pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, and correlatives for further discussion.

References ✧ MS/1; VT49/20, 34

Glosses

“that” ✧ MS/1; VT49/20; VT49/34

sa² “that [anaphoric]” vs. sa¹ “it (inanimate)”

Element In

ᴺQ. !saitë “such, of that kind (mentioned)”
ᴺQ. !sallë² “in that way (mentioned)”
ᴺQ. !sallini “that many (mentioned)”
ᴺQ. !sama “that thing/matter (mentioned)”
ᴺQ. !samo “that person (mentioned)”
ᴺQ. !sanaurë “on that day (mentioned)”
ᴺQ. ^sanen “by that means (mentioned)”
ᴺQ. !sanicca “that little, that small (mentioned)”
Q. san “*then, so, thus”
Q. sanomë “there”
Q. ecë nin care sa “I can do that” ✧ VT49/20
Q. ecuva nin carë sa nöa “I ‘may’ do that tomorrow, I have a chance of doing that [tomorrow]” ✧ VT49/20
Q. merin sa haryalyë alassë nó vanyalyë Ambarello “I hope that you have happiness before you pass from the world” ✧ MS/1

Cognates

ᴺS. !sa¹ “that”

Derivations

< ✶sa “3 sg. neuter [it], the thing, impersonal; this by me”

ᴹQ. sa² pron. and conj. “that [anaphoric]” (Category: That)

References ✧ PE16/96; PE22/119; PE23/96-98, 101-102, 104, 111-112

Glosses

“(of the fact) that” ✧ PE23/98
“[of things and persons] are the ordinary pronouns of the third person ... are not used with reference to persons or to nouns, but are reserved for reference to sentences, to facts, ideas, statements already mentioned or understood” ✧ PE23/98
“[of time] refers only to a time already in mind or under discussion” ✧ PE23/96
“demonstrative (objective)” ✧ PE23/104 (sā̆)
“refers to a place already discussed:” ✧ PE23/97
“refers to the same thing or person already mentioned or in thought” ✧ PE23/102 (sa-)
“that” ✧ PE22/119; PE23/104; PE23/104 (sá)

Variations

sa ✧ PE16/96; PE22/119; PE23/96; PE23/96; PE23/97; PE23/98; PE23/98; PE23/104; PE23/101 (sa); PE23/102 (sa-)
son ✧ PE23/104
sā̆ ✧ PE23/104
sá ✧ PE23/104

ha the subjective form of objective sa “that” ✧ PE22/119
ha “the fact that” subjective form [of] sa “[of things and persons] are the ordinary pronouns of the third person ... are not used with reference to persons or to nouns, but are reserved for reference to sentences, to facts, ideas, statements already mentioned or understood” ✧ PE23/98
ī̆ “relative” is less definite than sa “[of time] refers only to a time already in mind or under discussion” ✧ PE23/97

Changes

son >> sō “of that which was already mentioned” ✧ PE23/104

Inflections

sallo	ablative	“*thence (mentioned)”	✧ PE23/112
sanna	allative	“*thither (mentioned)”	✧ PE23/112
sō	genitive	“of that which was already mentioned”	✧ PE23/104
sainen	instrumental plural	“*by that means (mentioned)”	✧ PE23/111
sasse	locative	“*there (mentioned)”	✧ PE23/111
sandon	similative	“*like that (mentioned)”	✧ PE23/111

Element In

ᴹQ. sainen “*by that means (mentioned)” ✧ PE23/111
ᴹQ. sal(de) “*in that way (mentioned)”
ᴹQ. sallume “at that time [mentioned]” ✧ PE23/96
ᴹQ. sámen “*aiming for that (mentioned)”
ᴹQ. sanalka “*that much (mentioned)”
ᴹQ. san(an) “then, at that time mentioned, at that same time” ✧ PE23/96 (san)
ᴹQ. san(an)de “to the very degree”
ᴹQ. sanar(yas) “*on that day (mentioned)”
ᴹQ. sandon “*like that (mentioned)” ✧ PE23/111
ᴹQ. sane “that (mentioned), the same one (as before mentioned)”
ᴹQ. sanima “such, *of that kind (mentioned)”
ᴹQ. sanome(s) “*that place (mentioned)”
ᴹQ. saro “therefore, for that reason named, and so”
ᴹQ. sasse “there (already discussed)” ✧ PE23/111
ᴹQ. satwe “the same one (of two), the one (of two) mentioned”
ᴹQ. má le·qente? sa ela kenyuvas “[what did you say?] that he will not see it” ✧ PE23/104
ᴹQ. mana só “*what of that (would ask for a fresh opinion rather than a choice among those already expressed)” ✧ PE23/104
ᴹQ. me·láner fasta sa yára Túro “we were not pleased [that old Túro...]” ✧ PE22/119
ᴹQ. ni qente (sa) e·tule “I said he is coming, I said (that) he was coming” ✧ PE22/119
ᴹQ. ni qente (sa) e·tulle “I said he came, I stated that (at some time previous to my speaking) he came (but was no longer present)” ✧ PE22/119
ᴹQ. ni qente (sa) e·utúlie “I said he had come” ✧ PE22/119
ᴹQ. ni qete (sa) e·tule “I say (that) he is coming” ✧ PE22/119
ᴹQ. sa e sauten “(of the fact) that he disliked me (sc. I was aware)” ✧ PE23/98
ᴹQ. sá las “(introduce[s] a remarkable or incredible statement or reason)” ✧ PE23/104
ᴹQ. sallo “*thence (mentioned)” ✧ PE23/112
ᴹQ. sana “that (already mentioned), that very thing (already referred to)” ✧ PE16/97; PE23/101 (săna); PE23/102 (sana-)
ᴹQ. sanna “*thither (mentioned)” ✧ PE23/112

Derivations

< ᴹ√SA ✧ PE23/96

ᴱQ. sa pron. “that (there)” (Category: That)

References ✧ PE14/54-55, 59

Glosses

“that (there)” ✧ PE14/54

Variations

sa ✧ PE14/54
ta ✧ PE14/54
(es)sa ✧ PE14/59

Changes

sasta >> santa ✧ PE14/55

Inflections

sallo	ablative	✧ PE14/55
santa	allative	✧ PE14/55
sasta	allative	✧ PE14/55
sasse	locative	✧ PE14/55

Element In

ᴱQ. enta “that there (emphatic)” ✧ PE14/55
ᴱQ. i·liante sa “that vine” ✧ PE14/55
ᴱQ. san¹ “then, at that time” ✧ PE14/55
ᴱQ. sanda “that” ✧ PE14/55
ᴱQ. santo “that” ✧ PE14/55

Derivations

< ᴱ√SA “demonstrative”