i

i (plural in in Sindarin) is the Quenya and Sindarin article "the" and relative pronoun "who".

Sindarin

Mutations

In Sindarin, the singular form causes lenition to the following word. For example tâl "foot" > i dâl "the foot".

The plural form causes nasal mutation, and the final -n is assimilated. For example Periain "Halflings" > in+Periain > i-Pheriain "the Halflings".

(The affection is usually noted with a hyphen or a dot between article and word.)

Related forms

These Sindarin prepositions contain the suffixed article -in:

• nan "to the"
• ben "according to the"
• nuin "under the"
• erin "on the"
• uin "of the"

The above combined articles when before a word, cause a peculiar phenomenon of lenition different from the above.

As a relative pronoun

In both Quenya and Sindarin, i is used for the relative pronoun "who" or a conjunction "that", introducing a secondary phrase. In Quenya it is usually the plural form of ya/ye but can also be used in the Singular.

For example:

• Perhael, i sennui "Panthael" estathar aen "Samwise, who ought to be called 'Fullwise'"
• Eru i or ilye mahalmar ea "the One, who is above all thrones"

In Quenya, it can also be declined as a noun:

• illon camnelyes "from whom you received it?"

References

• Dragon Flame 2.0