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MN#5 – Barraki to...Brander?


JRRT

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This (rather brief) entry focuses on the words in Group 2, as quoted from the start of the previous entry:

 

2) barraki, brakas, brutaka, brander

 

Group 2:

 

All of the words in Group 2 exhibit an element bar-, b(e)ra-, or some variation thereof. These variants all derive from an ancient compound consisting of the stem kae and the particle ār: kae-ār.

 

barraki, n.cmpd. “warlord, military leader”

 

barra, n. “war, conflict; instability, imbalance, chaos”

aki, n. “leader, lord” [from aka “power, ability, skill” (< kā) plus common nounal particle ]

 

The decomposition of barraki into barra and aki is very straightforward. The element barra originates from a stem-compound consisting of the elemental stem bae “gravity” and the particle ār “applied; application (of)” combined with the ancient stem “wild(ness), untamed”: bae-ār-rā. The compound bae-ār denotes the concept “stability, balance; lit. application of gravity”. In combination with , this yields a meaning of “imbalance, instability; lit. wildness-of-balance/stability” eventually acquiring the meaning “conflict, war”.

 

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brakas, n.cmpd. “Rahi-monkey; mischievous-kau” [brākas, brakashi, berakas]

 

b(e)rā, adj. “antagonistic, warlike, rogeuish, mischievous” [from bae-ār via metathesis: baeār > baar > brā]

-s, aff. “(rahi-)beast, spawn” [affix directly derived from shi “spawn, descendant” with eventual reduction to -s in final position; variants -shi -sh]

 

The term brakas dissolves into the element b(e)rā (an adjectival derivative of bae-ār) plus the onomotapoeic element kau (an imitation of the kau-kau call of the Brakas monkey) and the Rahi-designation affix -s, yielding the compound brā-kau-s, modern brakas.

 

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brutaka, n.cmpd. “warlike lesser-spirit of power”

 

b(e)rā, adj. “antagonistic, warlike, rogeuish, mischievous” [from bae-ār via metathesis: baeār > baar > brā]

uk(u)ta, n. “lesser-spirit, being-of-lesser-rank; (a) kuta-level being”

ka, n. “power, energy, force, ability”

 

The element b(e)rā combines straightforwardly with the elements uk(u)ta and ka to form the compound brā-uk(u)ta-ka, eventually reduced brā-ūta-ka > brautaka > brutaka. The ukuta-component of the name signifies a rank within the hierarchy of beings or “spirits” within Matoran cosmology. An ukuta or kuta-spirit was a being of middle-rank (uku “middle, in the middle of” ta “fire, spirit”), above the rank of Matoran and Toa but below the rank of Mata Nui. Interestingly, the Makuta were also classified as (perhaps higher-level) kuta-rank beings. The parallel in status is significant if only for the light it sheds on the subtle connection between these two different species; namely the extraordinary effects of antidermis (the incorporeal substance of the Makuta-species) upon members of the being Brutaka’s species.

 

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brander, n.cmpd. “mischief-maker, practical-joker; lit. application-of-cunning-mischief” [variant form branider, brandar]

 

b(e)rā, adj. “antagonistic, warlike, rogeuish, mischievous” [from bae-ār via metathesis: baeār > baar > brā]

nid(i), stm. “cunning”

-er, p. “application of ” [modifying particle, derived directly from older ār]

 

The elements b(e)rā, nid(i), and the particle -er combine in a relatively transparent manner to form the compound brā-nid(i)-er, modern form brander.

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