thoniel

adjective. kindler (in the past)

An element in the name Gilthoniel “Star-kindler” which Tolkien explained as “an archaic perfect participle/adjective of √THAN, kindle” in a 1955 letter to David Masson (PE17/82).

Neo-Sindarin: This perfect participle implies the existence of a verb ✱than- “to kindle”, but since Tolkien said the participle was archaic, the verb may be as well, and it is probably better to use attested [N.] nartha- for “kindle” in Neo-Sindarin.

thoniel

verb. archaic perfect participle/adjective

_ v. _archaic perfect participle/adjective. >> Gilthoniel

toniel

noun. kindler

gilthoniel

feminine name. Star-kindler

A title of Elbereth (LotR/238) translated “Star-kindler” (RGEO/64, Let/278), the equivalent of Q. Tintallë (MR/388). This name is a combination of gil “star”, a derivative of the root √THAN “kindle” and the feminine suffix -iel (PE17/22-3, MR/388).

Conceptual Development: The name N. Gilthoniel appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s with essentially the same derivation as the one given above, except that the middle element was from the root ᴹ√TAN “make, fashion”, and the gloss was “Star-maker” (Ety/GIL, TAN). When this name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, it was Gilthonieth, a form that also appeared in The Etymologies, but it was soon revised to Gilthoniel (RS/68). In some notes from the 1950s, Tolkien considered the possibility that the final element thoniel was a special past-tense agental formation meaning “kindler (in the past)” (PE17/82).

a elbereth gilthoniel

o Elbereth who lit the stars

a elbereth gilthoniel

o Elbereth who lit the stars

thoniel

kindler

(feminine) #thoniel (pl. thonil). Isolated from Vardas title Gilthoniel, Star-kindler.

thoniel

kindler

(pl. thonil). Isolated from Varda’s title Gilthoniel, Star-kindler.

gimilnitîr

feminine name. Star-kindler

A title of the goddess Avradî (Q. Varda) translated “Star-kindler” (SD/428), and therefore the Adûnaic equivalent of S. Gilthoniel. The first element gimil means “stars”, and the second is an agental-formation for the verb nitir- “to kindle” (SD/427-8).

-ldë

kindler

-ldë (2) feminine agental suffix. Tolkien at one point commented that Vardas title Tintallë "Kindler" should be Tintaldë because the ending -llë was rather the suffix for plural "you" (PE17:69). Since this pronominal suffix -llë was later revised to -ldë, it is now the ending of Tintaldë itself that would be potentially problematic.

Tintallë

kindler

Tintallë noun "Kindler", a title of Varda who kindled the stars (TIN, Nam, RGEO:67). From tinta- "kindle, make to sparkle" (MR:388). According to PE17:69, the form "should be Tintalde", apparently because -llë was at the time the ending for plural "you" and Tintallë could be taken as meaning *"you kindle" rather than as a noun "Kindler". However, Tolkien later changed the pronominal suffix, eliminating the clash of forms while leaving Tintallë correct (after the revision, it was *tintaldë itself that would be the verb "you kindle").

Tintanië

kindler

Tintanië noun "Kindler" = Varda (TIN; Tintánië under TAN, which according to VT46:17 Tolkien interpreted both as "Star-maker" and "Star-making")