feren (stem fern-, as in pl. ferni) noun "beech, beech-tree". Also fernë. (BERÉTH, PHER/PHÉREN)
Quenya
fernë
beech-tree
feren
beech, beech-tree
neldor
beech
neldor noun "beech" (LT2:343)
Sindarin
neldor
noun. beech
A Sindarin word for “beech” appearing in the names Taur-na-Neldor “Beech-forest” (LotR/469; RC/384) and Neldoreth, the name of a forest with beeches (S/55; PE17/81).
Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies of the 1930s, Ilk. neldor was an Ilkorin word based on ᴹ√NÉL-ED “three”, which Tolkien said was “properly name of Hirilorn the great beech of Thingol with three trunks = neld-orn ? [question mark from Tolkien]” (Ety/NEL). In the 1910s and 20s, ᴱQ. neldor “beech” was an Early Qenya word (PE16/139; QL/65), and its cognates in this period were G. deldron “beech” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/30), G. deil(i)an or delwen “beech” in Gnomish Lexicon Slips (PE13/112), and ᴱN. {de(i)lian >>} deilian “beech-tree” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/142).
Possible Etymology: The Ilkorin derivation from √NELED is no longer suitable in Sindarin, since we would expect [[s|[d] > [ð]]] as in S. neledh “three”. It is possible Tolkien simply never reexamined the etymology of this word after it became Sindarin. Alternately, it could be nel- “tri-” + taur “forest” or -dor “-lord” or something similar.
Element in
- S. Neldoreth ✧ SA/neldor
- S. Taur-na-Neldor “Beech-forest” ✧ LotR/0469
Elements
Word Gloss nel- “tri-” orn “(tall straight) tree”
brethil
noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch
fêr
beech
†fêr (stem feren-, pl. ferin) (mast);
fêr
beech
(stem feren-, pl. ferin) (mast);
neldor
beech tree
(pl. neldyr), also brethorn (i vrethorn), pl. brethyrn (i mrethyrn) (VT46:3). The mallorn or ”golden-tree” found in Lórien was supposedly beechlike: mallorn (i vallorn), pl. mellyrn (i mellyrn).
Noldorin
fêr
noun. beech-tree
fêr
noun. beech-tree
A word for “beech-tree” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√PHER(EN) “beech” (Ety/PHER). Tolkien said that “Exilic fêr was usually replaced by brethil”, indicating that fêr was probably archaic. In The Etymologies, N. brethil was “beech-tree” (Ety/BERÉTH).
Neo-Sindarin: In Tolkien’s later writings, he typically said S. brethil was a type of silver-birch. I would assume the ordinary Sindarin word for “beech” was instead neldor (LotR/469; RC/384), but would keep †fêr as an archaic word for “beech”.
Cognates
- ᴹQ. feren “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/PHER
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources On. pheren > fêr [ɸeren] > [ɸere] > [fere] > [fer] > [fēr] ✧ Ety/BERÉTH On. pheren > ferin [ɸereni] > [fereni] > [ferini] > [ferin] ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
brethel
noun. beech
brethil
noun. beech
Changes
brethil→ brethel ✧ Ety/NELCognates
- ᴹT. bredele “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
Derivations
- ᴹ√BERETH “beech” ✧ Ety/NEL; Ety/PHER
Element in
- N. Brethil ✧ Ety/NEL
- N. Brethilian(d) “Forest of Brethil” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
- N. Nimbrethil
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ᴹ√BERÉTH > brethel [berétʰele] > [bretʰel] > [breθele] > [breθel] ✧ Ety/NEL ᴹ√BERÉTH > brethil [berétʰelī] > [bretʰelī] > [bretʰeli] > [breθeli] > [breθili] > [breθil] ✧ Ety/NEL Variations
- brethel ✧ Ety/NEL
brethel
noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch
Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!
Qenya
ferne
noun. beech-tree
feren
noun. beech-tree
A word for “beech-tree” in The Etymologies of the 1930s with variants feren and ferne derived from primitive ᴹ✶pheren based on the root ᴹ√PHER(EN) “beech” (Ety/BERÉTH; PHER). Its plural form was ferni < ✱fer(e)nī due to the affect of the Quenya syncope. It is likely the variant singular ferne was based on this plural, with feren being the original singular form.
Conceptual Development: In Early Qenya of the 1910s and 20s, the word for “beech” was ᴱQ. neldor derived from the early root ᴱ√NELE point (QL/65; PE16/139). Later Tolkien decided S. neldor “beech” was Sindarin; see that entry for discussion.
Cognates
Derivations
Element in
- ᴹQ. ferinya “beechen” ✧ Ety/PHER
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ᴹ✶phéren > feren [pʰeren] > [ɸeren] > [feren] ✧ Ety/BERÉTH ᴹ√PHÉREN > feren [pʰeren] > [ɸeren] > [feren] ✧ Ety/PHER Variations
- ferne ✧ Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/PHER
Doriathrin
galbreth
noun. beech
A Doriathrin (and Falathrin) noun for “beech (tree)”, a combination of gald “tree” and breth “(beech) mast” (Ety/GALAD, BERÉTH). The second element originally meant “beech”, but later meant “mast”; this original meaning seems to be preserved in this compound.
Elements
Word Gloss gald “tree” breth “(beech) mast, *beech nut” Variations
- galdbreth ✧ Ety/NEL (Dor. galdbreth)
neldor
noun. beech
A Doriathrin noun for “beech (tree)”, properly referring to Hirilorn with a true meaning of “three trunks” (Ety/NEL). Tolkien indicated it was a combination of neld “three” and orn “tree”, though it is unclear why the final -n vanished. He marked this derivation with a “?” perhaps because of this uncertainty.
Conceptual Development: Tolkien seems to have coined this word to explain names like Neldoreth. Its most obvious precursor is ᴱQ. neldor (QL/65).
Element in
- Ilk. Neldoreth ✧ Ety/NEL
Elements
Word Gloss neld “three” orn “tree”
Old Noldorin
pheren
noun. beech-tree
Cognates
- ᴹQ. feren “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/PHER
Derivations
Derivatives
- N. fêr “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/PHER
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ᴹ✶phéren > pheren [pʰeren] > [ɸeren] ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
Middle Primitive Elvish
bereth
root. beech
A root in The Etymologies of the 1930s serving principally as the basis for N. brethil “beech” (Ety/BERÉTH). In the notes from the late 1950s or early 1960s Tolkien instead connected brethil to the root √BARATH and S. bereth “queen”, where it had the true meaning of “princess” (PE17/23). But that could be a later association rather that a genuine etymology, and doesn’t necessarily invalidate ᴹ√BERETH (especially given the other phonological issues with S. bereth < √BARATH).
Derivatives
Element in
- Ilk. galbreth “beech” ✧ Ety/GALAD; Ety/NEL
Variations
- BERÉTH ✧ Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/GALAD; Ety/NEL; Ety/PHER; EtyAC/BERÉTH
pheren
noun. beech-tree
Derivations
- ᴹ√PHER(EN) “beech” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
Derivatives
Variations
- phéren ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
pher(en)
root. beech
Derivatives
Variations
- PHER ✧ Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/PHER
- PHÉREN ✧ Ety/PHER
Middle Telerin
ferne
noun. beech
Cognates
- ᴹQ. feren “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/PHER
Derivations
- ᴹ√PHER(EN) “beech” ✧ Ety/PHER
bredele
noun. beech-tree
Cognates
- N. brethil “beech” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
Derivations
- ᴹ√BERETH “beech” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
Early Noldorin
deilian
noun. beech-tree
Changes
de(i)lian→ deilian “beech-tree” ✧ PE13/142deilian→ de(i)lian “beech” ✧ PE13/142Variations
- de(i)lian ✧ PE13/142 (
de(i)lian)
Early Quenya
neldor
noun. beech
Cognates
- G. deldron “beech (tree)”
Derivations
- ᴱ√NELE “point” ✧ QL/065
Element in
- Eq. líneneldora “having many beeches” ✧ QL/053
- Eq. neldorin “beech-tree” ✧ QL/065
- Eq. neldorion “beech wood” ✧ QL/065
- Eq. neldor nornelassea “*oakleaved beech” ✧ QL/065
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ᴱ√NELE > neldor [neldor] ✧ QL/065 Variations
- ňeldor ✧ PME/065
neldorin
noun. beech-tree
A word in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s glossed “beech tree”, an elaboration of ᴱQ. neldor “beech” (QL/65).
Variations
- ňeldorin ✧ PME/065
fernë noun "beech-tree" (pl. ferni given). Also feren. (PHER/PHÉREN)