A noun for “gull” first appearing as N. maew in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√MIW “whine” (Ety/MIW). It appeared in later notes as an archaic genitive plural maewion in the phrase S. †glim maewion “(the) voices of gulls” (PE17/97). Its class plural mewrim seems to have appeared in S. Ras Mewrim “✱Cape of the Gulls”, an alternate name for S. Bar-in-Mŷl “Home of the Gulls” (WJ/190). If so, the vowel e would be the result of the sound change whereby ae sometimes became e in polysyllables.
Sindarin
mŷl
noun. gull
Derivations
- ᴹ√MIW “whine”
Element in
- S. Bar-in-Mŷl “Home of the Gulls” ✧ WJ/379
mŷl
noun. gull
maew
noun. gull
Cognates
- Q. maiwë “gull”
Derivations
- ᴹ√MIW “whine”
Element in
- S. glim maewion “(the) voices of gulls” ✧ PE17/097
- S. Ras Mewrim “*Cape of the Gulls” ✧ WJ/190
maew
gull
1) maew (i vaew), no distinct pl. except with article (i maew), coll. pl. maewrim; 2) gwael (i **wael), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwael), 3) mŷl (i vŷl, construct myl), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷl**).
gwael
noun. gull
cuen
small gull
(i guen, o chuen) (petrel), pl. ?cuin (?i chuin) (VT45:24)
gwael
gull
(i ’wael), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwael)
m
gull
ŷl (i vŷl, construct myl), no distinct pl. form except with article (i mŷl).
maew
gull
(i vaew), no distinct pl. except with article (i maew), coll. pl. maewrim
paen
small gull
(i baen, o phaen) (petrel), no distinct pl. form except with article (i phaen). Suggested Sindarin form of ”Noldorin” poen, VT45:24.
A word for “gull” in the name S. Bar-in-Mŷl “Home of the Gulls” (WJ/379); its singular and plural forms would be the same. It might be derived from ✱miulē < ᴹ√MIW “whine”, the basis for other “gull” words, since iu became ȳ in Sindarin. I’d recommend using the better attested S. maew “gull” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.