Re: Cirion's Oath

Daniel Andreasson wrote:
>James O'Connell wrote:
>
> > For those who like Tolkien's work I would be interested
> > in seeing their translations (if they have) of Cirion's
> > Oath. I include here the Elenyo version, plus the Quenya
> > and English below it.
>
>I sent in a version of it on May 26th in Cein (which was called
>Cen at that time). Cein has changed a bit since then, so this
>is a good opportunity for me to revise it. Remember that stress
>is on the final syllable.
>
>    Gwann Girion
>
>    Terfow gwann hen sen einalidd o'i alch o'i Ddur Elen
>    a'i 'woron o Elennil 'worono, tirin nen enth y ar sen
>    i falf sen Nyf a'i Eru y or i falf eil ia tennoi.
>
>In the original Quenya for comparison:
>
>    Vanda sina termaruva Elenna-nóreo alcar enyalien ar
>    Elendil Vorondo voronwë. Nai tiruvantes i hárar
>    mahalmassen mi Númen ar i Eru i or ilyë mahalmar eä
>    tennoio.
>
>And in English translation:
>
>    This oath shall stand in memory of the glory of the
>    Land of the Star, and of the faith of Elendil the
>    faithful, in the keeping of those who sit upon the
>    thrones of the West, and of the one who is above all
>    thrones for ever.
>
>Here's the interlinear, which I know you all love. :)
>
>    Gwann Girion
>    Oath  Cirion
>   'Cirion's Oath'
>
>    terf -ow  gwann hen  sen einalidd
>    stand-FUT oath  this in  memory
>   'This oath shall stand in memory'
>
>    o   i   alch  o   i   ddur elen
>    GEN the glory GEN the land star
>   'of the Starland's glory'
>
>    a   i   'woron o   Elennil 'worono
>    and the faith  GEN Elendil Faithful
>   'and the faith of Elendil the Faithful'
>
>    tirin     nen   enth y   ar  sen i      falf      sen nyf
>    guard:PPT INSTR 3PL  who sit on  the:PL throne:PL in  west
>   'guarded by those who sit on the thrones in the west'
>
>    a   i   Eru y   or   i      falf      eil ia    tennoi
>    and The One who over the:PL throne:PL all exist forever
>   'and The One who forever stands above all thrones.'
How come that the final -a of _Voronda_ gets retained as -o in _'worono_,
while it seems to've been lost everywhere else? Or is it an extra genitival
marker that's not indicated in the interlinear? Or did the Q genitive usurp
the place of the nominiative in this case?

In short, I demand an explanation of this most curious phenomenon! :-)

                                                    Andreas
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