fen

door

_ n. _door. Q. fenna. >> fennas

fen

noun. door, threshold

fen hollen

place name. Closed Door, Shut Door

Door to the crypts of Minas Tirith, so called “for it was kept ever shut save at times of funeral” (LotR/826). This is name is translated “Shut Door” or “Closed Door”, a combination of fen(n) “door” and hollen “closed” (PE17/98, RC/550). As an adjective, the second element should undergo soft mutation to chollen, and in his “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien admitted that the proper form of this name would be Fen Chollen (RC/550). Tolkien published the name as Fen Hollen, no doubt motivated by the desire to prevent mispronunciation of the name, the same reasoning his son Christopher Tolkien used for changing the name Narn i Chîn Húrin to Narn i Hîn Húrin in the published version of The Silmarillion.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Fenn Forn(en) “Closed Door”, with the variation N. Fenn Uiforn “Ever Closed [Door]” (WR/338, 341).

fen(n)

noun. door, door; [N.] threshold

A word for “door” in the name Fen Hollen “Closed Door” (LotR/826; RC/550). In notes from December 1959 (D59), Tolkien based it on the root √PHEN and gave its Quenya equivalent as fenna, indicating a primitive form of ✱phennā (PE17/181). If so, its ordinary form should be fenn, and this was indeed the form in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (WR/341). Perhaps fen is a reduced pseudo-prefixal form.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien had N. fenn “threshold” derived from ON. phenda under the root ᴹ√PHEN (Ety/PHEN).

Neo-Sindarin: I don’t think the senses “door” and “threshold” are likely to coexist, so for purposes of Neo-Sindarin I would limit fenn to “door” and would use ᴺS. fend < ✱phenda for “threshold”, following the principle that nd remained “at the end of fully accented monosyllables” in Sindarin (LotR/1115).

fennas

noun. great door, doorway, gateway

A word that Tolkien variously glossed as “great door”, “doorway”, and “gateway” (PE17/45; RGEO/67). It is an elaboration of fen(n) “door” (PE17/45). The word fennas appeared in the Moria Gate Spell: fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen “doorway of the Dwarf-folk listen to the word of my tongue” (LotR/0307; PE17/45).

Fen Hollen

noun. closed door

fen (“door”), [His.] hollen, sollen? (p.p. from hol- or sol- “close”)

fennas

doorway

_ n. doorway. fennas nogothrim lasto beth lammen _'doorway of the Dwarf-folk listen to the words of my tongue'. >> fen

fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen

doorway of the Dwarf-folk listen to the word of my tongue

fennas

noun. doorway, gateway

Fen Hollen

Fen Hollen

Fen Hollen is a Sindarin name meaning "shut door", consisting of fen ("door") and hollen ("shut").

both

noun. fen, marsh, fen, marsh; [N.] puddle, small pool

The word N. both first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s with the gloss “puddle, small pool” as a derivative of the root ᴹ√MBOTH (Ety/MBOTH). It reappeared in Quenya Notes (QN) from 1957 as a derivative of √MOT “fen, marsh”, apparently of the same meaning, along with variants moth and amoth. For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I’d use the form both and retain the 1957 and 1930s senses as derivations of slightly different roots.

fend

door

(threshold), construct fen, pl. find, coll. pl. fennath, 2) fennas (gateway), pl. fennais, coll. pl. fennassath, 3) annon (great gate), pl. ennyn

fend

treshold

fend (door), construct fen, pl. find, coll. pl. fennath

fend

treshold

(door), construct fen, pl. find, coll. pl. fennath

fennas

gateway

fennas (door), pl. fennais, coll. pl. fennassath

fennas

gateway

(door), pl. fennais, coll. pl. fennassath

(a)moth

noun. fen, marsh

haedh

noun. fenced enclosure

A noun for a “fenced enclosure” in revisions to the Outline of Phonology (OP2) derived from primitive ✶khagdā “fence (of stakes), palisade” (PE19/91). While the original composition of OP2 was the early 1950s, the revisions were written in 1959 or later (PE19/91 note #110).

pelennor

place name. Fenced Land

The walled region around Minas Tirith (LotR/749), translated “Fenced Land” (PE17/65, 95; RC/512), a combination of pêl “fenced field” (SA/pel) and dôr “land”.

Possible Etymology: David Salo suggested that its initial element could have developed from an archaic older form of pêl: ✶peles- ⇒ OS. peleh-ndore (GS/388), which explains its initial form Pelen-. See below for possible phonetic developments.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Pelennor (WR/268).

Ephel Dúath

noun. fence of shadow

ephel (“outer fence, encircling fence”) < ed (“outer”) + pel (“fenced field”), dû (“nightfall, dimness”) + gwath (“shade”)

haedh

noun. fenced enclosure

fenced enclosure

pelennor

noun. fenced land

_ n. _fenced land.

pelennor

fenced land

n. fenced land. . This gloss was rejected.

cail

noun. fence, palisade of spikes or sharp stakes

iath

noun. fence

pelennor

noun. fenced inner land

pel (from stem pel- “go round, revolve”) + end (from enedh “middle”) + (n-)dor (“land, dwelling”)

cail

noun. fence or palisade of spikes and sharp stakes

iath

noun. fence

iâth

noun. fence

iâth

noun. fence

l(h)ô

noun. flood, fenland, flood, fenland; [G.] pool, lake

A noun that served as the final element in various river names. Tolkien was uncertain whether the primitive form of this word began with simple l- or s-prefixed sl-, hence the variation between lô and lhô. In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien said the non-suffixal form of this word was hlô “flood” (PE17/96). In notes from 1966-67 he gave a bewildering variety of derivations for this word, but mostly represented it as lhô or hlô in various attempts to connect it to the river name S. Lhûn (PE17/136-137; VT48/27-28).

In notes on The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from the late 1960s, while discussing the river name S. Gwathló Tolkien said:

> The element -ló was also of Common Eldarin origin, derived from a base (s)log: in Common Eldarin sloga had been a word used for streams of a kind that were variable and liable to overflow their banks at seasons and cause floods when swollen by rains or melting snow; especially such as the Glanduin (described above) that had their sources in mountains and fell at first swiftly, but were halted in the lower lands and flats. ✱sloga became in Sindarin lhô; but was not in later times much used except in river or marsh names. The Quenya form would have been hloä (VT42/9).

Tolkien rejected this etymology, however, replacing it with the following:

> Lô was derived from Common Eldarin base LOG “wet (and soft), soaked, swampy, etc.” The form ✱loga produced S. lô and T. loga; and also, from ✱logna, S. loen, T. logna “soaking wet, swamped”. But the stem in Quenya, owing to sound-changes which caused its derivatives to clash with other words, was little represented ... the Quenya form of S. lô would have been ✱✱loa, identical with Q. loa < ✱lawa “year”; the form of S. loen, T. logna would have been ✱✱lóna identical with [Q.] lóna “pool, mere” (VT42/10).

This final etymology appears to be the last one Tolkien wrote on the topic; later in the same document he used the form lô in discussions of the river name S. Ringló (VT42/13-14). As for the meaning of the word, it seems it applied both to wide rivers with a tendency to flood their banks, as well as fenlands or wetlands in general.

Conceptual Development: As an element in river names, -lo first appeared in the river names N. Gwathlo and N. Ringlo in Lord of the Rings drafts (TI/304; WR/287). G. lô “pool, lake” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s is possible precursor (GL/54).

Neo-Eldarin: For purposes of Neo-Eldarin, I prefer the pre-1968 form of the word lhô, as this is both more distinctive and also allows us to salvage Q. hloä of similar meaning.

pêl

noun. *fenced field, [N.] fenced field

A noun appearing as an element is several later names such as Pelargir “Garth of Royal Ships” (RC/535) and Pelennor “Fenced Land” (PE17/65). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. pêl was glossed “fenced field, [Old English] tūn” under the root ᴹ√PEL(ES) (Ety/PEL(ES); EtyAC/PEL(ES)). The Old English word “tūn” means “enclosure” and was the ancestor of modern English “town”. It seems that as a suffix, -bel (mutated pel) could likewise refer to a settlement analogous to English “-ton, -ham”, such as in Calembel “Greenham” (RC/537).

In The Etymologies as published in The Lost Road the form was pel (LR/380), but Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne indicated the actual form was pêl in their Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies (VT46/8), in keeping with the principle that short vowels generally lengthened in monosyllables. This word has an unusual plural peli, where the final i was retained because it was originally non-final, preserved before an s &gt; h that was ultimately lost: ancient plural pelesi > pelih(i) > modern plural peli.

Conceptual Development: Similarly derived words in Tolkien’s early iterations of the language include G. pless “fence, hedge” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s derived from the early root ᴱ√PELE “fence in” (GL/64; QL/73) and ᴱN. helai “fence” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s derived from primitive ᴱ✶pelesa (PE13/147).

Doriath

noun. land of the fence

(n-)dôr (“land,dwelling”) + iâth (“fence”); genitival sequences with possessor or qualifier second in the later period became fixed compounds, as Dóriath; #probably reinterpreted by Tolkien from earlier ” land of the cave” < (n-)dôr (“land, dwelling-place”) + #i (sing or genitive article) + gath (“cavern”) [Etym. GATH-]

ephel

noun. outer fence, encircling fence

lô

noun. shallow lake, fenland

lô

noun. flood, fenland

iâth

fence

(noun) 1) iâth (construct iath, pl. iaith) (WJ:370, 378), also ?iâd (construct iad), pl. iaid. 2) lest (girdle, boundary), pl. list, 3) (outer/encircling fence) ephel (pl. ephil), 4) (with spikes and sharp stakes) cail (i gail, o chail) (palisade); no distinct pl. form except with article (i chail).

thora

fence

(verb) *thora- (the curious form ”thoro-” occurs in the primary source, LR:393 s.v. THUR). The passive participle thoren ”fenced, guarded, hidden” is cited (pl. thorin).

thora

fence

(the curious form ”thoro-” occurs in the primary source, LR:393 s.v. THUR). The passive participle thoren ”fenced, guarded, hidden” is cited (pl. thorin).

cail

fence

(i gail, o chail) (palisade); no distinct pl. form except with article (i chail).

ephel

fence

(pl. ephil)

iâd

noun. fence

iâth

fence

(construct iath, pl. iaith) (WJ:370, 378), also ?iâd (construct iad), pl. iaid.

lest

fence

(girdle, boundary), pl. list

lô

fenland

lô (shallow lake), pl. lŷ

lô

fenland

lô (shallow lake), pl. lŷ;

lô

fenland

(shallow lake), pl. lŷ

pêl

fence, fenced field

(i bêl, construct pel) (enclosure, garth), pl. peli (i pheli), the latter forms reflecting the stem pele- (root PEL(ES), LR:380)

pêl

fence, fenced field

pêl (i bêl, construct pel) (enclosure, garth), pl. peli (i pheli), the latter forms reflecting the stem pele- (root __, LR:380)

thoren

fenced

thoren (guarded, hidden), pl. thorin; also thaur, pl. thoer. Note: a homophone means ”detestable, abhorrent, abominable, foul”.

thoren

fenced

(guarded, hidden), pl. thorin; also thaur, pl. thoer. Note: a homophone means ”detestable, abhorrent, abominable, foul”.

Doriath

place name. Land of the Fence

Doriath is a Sindarin name meaning "Land of the Fence" or "Land of the Girdle". The name consists of the elements dôr + iâth.

pel-

verb. to fence, enclose

pelu-

verb. to fence, enclose

thangail

shield fence

(shield wall). No distinct pl. form? (UT:281)

Doriath

Doriath

Doriath is a Sindarin name meaning "Land of the Fence" or "Land of the Girdle". The name consists of the elements dôr + iâth. The earlier name of Doriath, Eglador, probably means either "Land of the Forsaken" or "Land of the Elves"[source?] in Sindarin.

lô

shallow lake

(fenland), pl. lŷ.

pêl

enclosure

pêl (i bêl, construct pel) (fence, fenced field, garth), pl. peli (i pheli), the latter forms reflecting the stem pele- (root __, LR:380).

pêl

enclosure

(i bêl, construct pel) (fence, fenced field, garth), pl. peli (i pheli), the latter forms reflecting the stem pele- (root PEL(ES), LR:380).

cai

noun. hedge

(h)law

noun. flood

Doriath

Doriath

topon.

ael

noun. lake, pool, mere

annon

noun. great door or gate

cai

noun. hedge

cerin

noun. circular enclosure

cerin

noun. mound

duinen

noun. flood, high tide

hlô

noun. flood

n. flood.

laeg

adjective. keen, sharp, acute

leweg

noun. snake

_ n. _snake.

lhoer

noun. venom

n. venom, poison(ousness). Q. hloire.

lhûg

noun. snake, serpent

limlug

noun. fish-dragon, sea-serpent

lisg

noun. reed, reed, [G.] sedge

A word appearing as an element in the name Lisgardh “Land of Reeds” (UT/34).

Conceptual Development: An earlier version of this name was G. Arlisgion or Garlisgion “Place of Reeds” (LT2/153; GL/67), which contained G. lisg or lisc “reed, sedge” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/54). This became ᴱN. lhesg “sedge” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/148).

lô

flood

n. flood.

lýg

noun. snake

_ n. Zoo. _snake. Q. leuka.

lŷg

noun. snake

lŷg

noun. snake

The best known Sindarin word for “snake”, appearing in Appendix E of The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1115). In 1964 notes on Dalath Dirnen (DD), Tolkien said it was derived from the root √LEWEK “worm” (PE17/160), likely from ✱leukā where the ancient eu became ȳ as was usual in Sindarin (LotR/1115).

parth

noun. field, enclosed grassland, sward

rest

noun. *cut, [N.] cut

talf

noun. flat field, flat land

ael

lake

(aelin-, pl. aelin) (pool, mere). In ”Noldorin” oel, pl. oelin.

cai

hedge

cai (i gai, o chai), pl. cî (i chî);

cai

hedge

(i gai, o chai), pl. cî (i chî);

caraes

hedge of spikes

(i garaes, o charaes). No distinct pl. form except with article (i charaes).

cerin

circular enclosure

(i gerin, o cherin) (circular raised mound), no distinct pl. form except with article (i cherin).

laeg

keen

laeg (sharp, acute). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fresh, green”.

laeg

keen

(sharp, acute). No distinct pl. form. Note: a homophone means ”fresh, green”.

lhûg

dragon

lhûg (construct lhug; with article ?i thlûg or ?i lûg the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (snake, serpent), pl. lhuig (?i luig), also amlug (pl. emlyg).

lhûg

dragon

(construct lhug; with article ?i thlûg or ?i lûg – the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (snake, serpent), pl. lhuig (?i luig), also amlug (pl. emlyg).

lhûg

serpent

lhûg (construct lhug, with article ?i thlûg or ?i lûg the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (snake, dragon), pl. lhuig (?i luig).

lhûg

serpent

  (construct lhug, with article ?i thlûg or ?i lûg – the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (snake, dragon), pl. lhuig (?i luig).

limlug

fish-dragon

(sea serpent), pl. limlyg

lisc

reed

lisc, no distinct pl. form.

lisc

reed

no distinct pl. form.****

lâd

lowland

(valley, plain), construct lad, pl. laid

lîn

lake

1) lîn (pool), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. #liniath (isolated from Hithliniath, WJ:194). 2) ael (aelin-, pl. aelin) (pool, mere). In ”Noldorin” oel, pl. oelin. 3) nên (water, pool, stream, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn**. **

lîn

lake

(pool), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. #*liniath*** (isolated from Hithliniath**, WJ:194).

lŷg

snake

1) lŷg (constuct lyg), no distinct pl. form. 2) lhûg (construct lhug, with article ?i thlûg or ?i lûg the lenition product of lh is uncertain) (dragon, serpent), pl. lhuig (?i luig). See SERPENT.

nên

lake

(water, pool, stream, waterland), construct nen, pl. nîn.

nên

waterland

(water, lake, pool, stream), construct nen, pl. nîn;

parth

field

1) parth (i barth, o pharth) (sward, enclosed grassland), pl. perth (i pherth), 2) (low, flat field, or wetland) talf (i dalf, o thalf), pl. telf (i thelf), coll. pl. talvath. _(Names:195). Note: a homophone means ”palm”. 3) sant (i hant, o sant) (garden, yard, or other privately owned place), pl. saint (i saint) (VT42:20)_

parth

field

(i barth, o pharth) (sward, enclosed grassland), pl. perth (i pherth)

pilimbes

noun. arrow feathering

plinn

noun. arrow

rim

cold pool or lake

; no distinct pl. form except with article (idh rim), coll. pl. rimmath. Note: a homophone means ”crowd, great number, host”.

rîdh

sown field

(acre);  no distinct pl. form except possibly with article (idh rîdh)

sant

field

(i hant, o sant) (garden, yard, or other privately owned place), pl. saint (i saint) (VT42:20) 

talf

field

(i dalf, o thalf), pl. telf (i thelf), coll. pl. talvath. (Names:195). Note: a homophone means ”palm”.