imíca, preposition among. Undoubtedly this is to be derived from the stem mi- inside, the source of the Quenya preposition miin, within (LR:373). The #imí- part of the word before us would seem to represent a stemvowel-prefixed variant of this stem (an entry imi in, into actually occurs in the Qenya Lexicon p. 42). Notice that "where i is base vowel" (as in mi-), i- can function as an "intensive prefix" (LR:361 s.v. i-). This "prefix" actually amounts to reduplication of the base vowel itself; for an example with another vowel, cf. primitive akwâ as an "extension or intensification" of the stem kwa (WJ:392). Notice that akwâ from kwa would parallel #imí- (*imî-) from mi- also in the fact that the stem-vowel is lengthened in its normal position. This leaves the ending -ca to be accounted for. It would descend from -kâ, attested as a primitive adjectival suffix (as when the stem gaya- awe, dread yields primitive gayakâ, explicitly said to be "an adjectival form"; this was also the source of Quenya aika fell, terrible, dire – PM:363 cf. 347). Can an adjectival suffix be used to derive a preposition? This would not be wholly unheard of in Tolkien’s languages: The ancient ending -wâ is seen to be adjectival (e.g. primitive laik-wâ green from the undefined stem láyak-, LR:368, or primitive smalwâ fallow, pale from smal- yellow, LR:386). Yet in WJ:365 the same ending turns up on the primitive "adverb and preposition" hekwâ leaving aside, not counting, excluding, except (WJ:365; the root is heke- aside, apart, separate, WJ:361). If the adjectival ending -wâ can also be used to derive adverbs or prepositions, perhaps this is true of other adjectival endings, like -kâ, as well? Another interpretation is also possible: If imíca does not represent *imî-kâ, the c of the Quenya word may come from an extended form of the stem mi-. It is possible that mi- had an extended form *mik-. (Cf. other extensions in -k, like lep- having the longer form lepek or ot- being extended to otok: LR:368, 379. This *mik- would of course be distinct from mik pierce in WJ:337.) It may be noted that in the entry for mi- in the Etymologies (LR:373), a Quenya adjective mitya interior is listed. No primitive form is listed, but it could very well be *mikyâ (*-yâ being a well attested adjectival ending; for the development ky > ty, cf. for instance Quenya tyar- cause from the root kyar-, LR:366). This extended stem *mik- could then have a stemvowel-prefixed variant *imîk-, whence *imîkâ > Quenya imíca. This would only leave the ending -a (from *-â) to be accounted for. WJ:382 mentions an adjectival ending -â, and as demonstrated above, it may not be wholly unprecedented that a properly adjectival ending is used to derive a preposition.
indómelya, noun with a pronominal suffix: thy will. Removing -lyathy (concerning this ending, see esselya), we are left with #indóme as the noun will, a new word wholly different from earlier known words of the same meaning (like nirme, VT39:30, or þelma > *selma, WJ:319). Yet #indóme seems to be made up of familiar elements. It transparently incorporates indo heart, mood. This word is apparently not used of the physical heart, which is hón (LR:364 s.v. khô-n-); indo is rather the figurative "heart" representing feelings, moods and desires. In the Ósanwe-kenta, Tolkien defined indo as state (VT39:23) – evidently primarily state of mind, given both the context and the other glosses. When trying to connect #indóme will to indo heart, mood, state it is encouraging to notice that in the Etymologies, indo is derived from the base id- desire (LR:391); there is no great semantic leap from desire to will. Quenya indo might represent primitive *indô, formed from id- by means of nasal infixion and the nominal ending -ô. (This ending is often agental; perhaps the heart is perceived as a "desirer". For a formation that employs similar devices, cf. primitive mbandô custody, safe-keeping [MR:350] in relation to the root mbad- duress, prison [LR:371], though in this case the ending -ô and the nasal infixion add little to the meaning of the root itself.) Alternatively the primitive form might be *idnô, displaying another agental ending (cf. for instance primitive syadnô cleaver from the stem syad- cleave, LR:389); later this became Quenya indo by metathesis dn > nd (cf. Quenya ando gate from primitive adnô, LR:348 s.v. ad-). As for the derivation of Quenya indo there are also yet other alternatives; UT:400 mentions an "element" in(id)- mind in the discussion of the first element of Incánus (one of Gandalf’s more obscure names, which it is here hinted may be Quenya for Mind-leader). This in(id)- would be a basic stem *in that has an "extended" form inid (with reduplicated stem-vowel, so-called ómataina, and a suffixed -d). This could also be the source of Quenya indo heart, *mind; the primitive form would then be either *inidô or *indô yet again (for suppression of the reduplicated stem-vowel of an extended base in its actual derivatives, compare the stem gólob- in LR:359 yielding primitive golbâ branch – not **golobâ, though other examples indicate that this would be equally possible). In the latest material we have access to (early 1968), Tolkien proposed yet another derivation; now Quenya indo was referred to a base nid- force, press(ure), thrust, and again the primitive form must be either *indô or *inidô – in this version with a prefixed stem-vowel. The same source defines indo as "the mind in its purposing faculty, the will" (VT41:17): semantically very close to the use of #indóme here. The long final vowel of *inidô or *indô/*idnô has been shortened in the normal Quenya simplex indo, but in the word #indóme (where it receives the accent) it remains long. The ending -me that has here been added is attested in quite a few Quenya words. It may function as a verbal noun ending; hence we have melme as the noun love, derived from the corresponding verb mel- (LR:372 s.v. mel-). But it may also be added to a stem with a nominal rather than verbal meaning, as when nil- friend yields nilme friendship (LR:378): here -me can be seen to correspond to the English abstract ending -ship. In the case of #indóme, the ending seems to develop the sense of indo heart, mood, will (as a faculty) into an abstract *state of heart = will (as full abstract: purpose[19]).
19
According to VT43:16, Tolkien
in a note dating from 1957 derived indóme from