lothlann

place name. Wide and Empty

A great plain in northeast Beleriand translated “Wide and Empty” (S/123). This name is a combination of lost “empty” and land “wide” (Ety/LAD, LUS), where the [[s|[st] became [s] before a consonant]] and then the [[s|medial [s] became [θ] before [l]]].

Conceptual Development: This name first appeared as N. Lothland “Wide and Empty” in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (LR/264), but in The Etymologies it also appeared as N. Lhothlann or Lhothlann, reflecting the Noldorin phonetic rule that [[n|initial [r-], [l-] were unvoiced]]. In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the name Lothlann was used for the region south of Mordor along with variant N. Lostladen (TI/313, WR/426), but this use of the name was later abandoned.

Changes

• Lothland → Lothlann ✧ WJ/128

Elements

Word	Gloss
lost	“empty”
land	“wide, broad, wide, broad; [N.] open space, level”

Variations

• Lothland ✧ WJ/128; WJI/Lothlann (Lothland)