At one point (Let/427), Tolkien stated that the plural form Belain (and presumably its singular Balan) did not exist in Sindarin and its derivative Orbelain “Vala-day” was a phonetic translation of Q. Valanya. Elsewhere, though, Balan is well attested as a Sindarin word.
Sindarin
balan
noun. Vala, divine power, divinity
balan
Vala
balan
noun. Vala, Vala, [N.] Power, God
Cognates
- Q. Vala “(Angelic) Power, ‘God’, Authority, (Angelic) Power, Authority, God” ✧ PE17/048; SA/val
Derivations
Element in
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶Balaniā > Belain [balanjā] > [balanja] > [balania] > [belenia] > [beleni] > [belein] > [belain] ✧ Let/427
rodon
noun. Vala
A Sindarin term for the Vala (PE17/33), appearing in its plural form S. Rodyn as one of the days of the week (LotR/1110) and also in the Sindarin name for Valinor: Dor-Rodyn (MR/200). It is derived from the prefixal form rod- of raud “noble” (PE17/118, 186). Its final element might be the augmentative suffix -on, perhaps literally meaning “✱Most Noble”. It could also be the agental suffix -on, as suggested by David Salo (GS/283), but that suffix is usually masculine (WJ/400), whereas Rodon seems to apply to all Valar.
Element in
Elements
Word Gloss raud “noble, eminent; lofty, high, tall; excellent” -on “augmentative suffix”
tûr
power
tûr (i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. tuir (i thuir), coll. pl. túrath.
tûr
power
(i dûr, o thûr, construct tur) (victory, mastery, control; master, victor, lord), pl. t**uir (i th**uir), coll. pl. túrath.
balan
vala
(i Valan), pl. Belain (i Melain). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. form used with the article was "iMbelain" (LR:365 s.v. KIRIK).
rodon
vala
1) Rodon (pl. Rodyn, coll. pl. Rodonnath), 2) Balan (i Valan), pl. Belain (i Melain). In ”Noldorin”, the pl. form used with the article was "iMbelain" (LR:365 s.v. KIRIK).
rodon
vala
(pl. Rodyn, coll. pl. Rodonnath)
bâl
divine power
construct bal, pl. bail (divinity). Note: the word can also be used as an adj. "divine".
pl1. Belain** ** n. Vala.