baranduin

place name. Brandywine, (lit.) Brown River

The Sindarin name of the Brandywine river in the Shire (LotR/210). It is a combination of baran “brown” and duin “river”, thus literally meaning “Brown River” (LotR/1138). As discussed by Tolkien at the end of Appendix F, the English name “Brandywine” is a punning alteration of the name rather than a translation, based on the similar Westron punning-form Bralda-hîm “Heady Ale”, a variation on the proper Westron form Branda-nîn.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Branduin (TI/61). In The Etymologies, it appeared in both forms Branduin and Baranduin, already with the etymology given above (Ety/BARÁN, EtyAC/DUI). At several point in the drafts, it was changed to Malevarn, but this was only a transient name (TI/66, PM/39).

Changes

• Branduin → Baranduin ✧ PMI/Baranduin

Element in

• S. anglennatha i Varanduiniant erin dolothen Ethuil “will approach the Bridge of Baranduin on the eighth day of Spring” ✧ AotM/062; SD/129

Elements

Word	Gloss
baran	“brown, golden-brown, brown, golden-brown; [N.] swart, dark brown”
duin	“(large) river, (large) river; [N.] water”

Variations

• Branduin ✧ PMI/Baranduin (Branduin)