_ suff. a suffix in names of regions. Reduced from -iand(a). Tolkien proposed but finally rejected a borrowing to the Q. gen. pl1. -ion_. >> -iand, -ianda
Sindarin
iand
suffix. iand
iand
adjective. wide
-ian
a suffix in names of regions
-ian
regional ending
land
adjective. wide, broad
-ian(d)
suffix. -land, country
A suffix meaning “-land” or “country” appearing often in the names of regions and countries along with its plural variant -ien(d) “-lands”, mentioned in a number of places in Tolkien’s later writings (Let/383; UT/318). In notes from the late 1950s Tolkien derived it from primitive ✶yandē “a wide region or country” from the root √YAN “wide”, which replaced another root √YON of similar meaning (PE17/42-43). In notes having to do with “large & small” words, probably from the late 1960s, Tolkien connected it instead to an apparent adjective S. iand “wide”, still derived from √YAN (PE17/115).
Conceptual Development: This suffix seems to have first appeared in ᴱN. Broseliand in the Lays of Beleriand of the 1920s, precursor to the name S. Beleriand and almost certainly inspired by the legendary medieval French forest Brocéliande. Tolkien used this suffix widely in names starting with Lord of the Rings drafts, but it seems he did not develop a clear etymology for the suffix until quite late. Tolkien himself mentioned the connection between this suffix and the French name Brocéliande in a 1967 letter (Let/383). It is thus an interesting case study in how Tolkien would gradually integrate elements inspired by real-world languages into his Elvish corpus.
-ianda
a suffix in names of regions
-iand
a suffix in names of regions
-iand
regional ending
land
wide
(plain), pl. laind. Also used as noun ”open space, level”.
-ien
a suffix in names of regions
-iend
a suffix in names of regions
-iende
a suffix in names of regions
-ion
suffix. regional ending
_ suff. _regional ending. In older names, it usually applied only to a single feature (e.g.Sirion 'the Great Stream'). It was esp. applied to topographical features of large extent, esp. long, wide river, long (and wide) ranges. It was mostly used in post-Exilic times and so was probably partly due to Quenya influences. >> -on, Eregion, Nanduhirion, Sirion
laden
wide
1) laden (plain, flat, open, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT), 2) land (plain), pl. laind. Also used as noun ”open space, level”. 3) pann (i bann, o phann, construct pan), pl. pain (i phain). Since the pl. form clashes with *pain ”all” (mutated phain, SD:129), other terms may be preferred for clarity. 4) ûr (pl. uir). Notice the homophone ûr ”fire, heat”.
laden
wide
(plain, flat, open, cleared), pl. ledin (for ”N” lhaden pl. lhedin, LR:368 s.v. LAT)
palan
over a wide area
(far off)
pann
wide
(i bann, o phann, construct pan), pl. pain (i phain). Since the pl. form clashes with ✱pain ”all” (mutated phain, SD:129), other terms may be preferred for clarity.
ûr
wide
(pl. uir). Notice the homophone ûr ”fire, heat”.
suff. >> -iann, -ion