Gnomish
fwion
noun. nephew
Cognates
- Eq. súyon “nephew, daughter’s son”
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!
The word G. fwion “nephew” appeared in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, as a masculinized form of the feminine patronymic G. fwi-, so properly meaning “sister’s son” (GL/36). It is likely related to ᴱQ. súyon “nephew” (QL/87), where ✱su̯ion > swion > fwion with the (Gnomish) sound change of sw > fw.
Neo-Sindarin: Since ancient sw > hw in Sindarin, I would adapt this word as ᴺS. hwion, and would assume it is a now-obscure elaboration of -ion “son”. Since we have no other words for “nephew”, I’d use it for male children of any sibling, not just a sister’s son.