n. spark, star. Q. tinwe spark (Poet. star).
Sindarin
tin
noun. spark
tin
noun. spark, sparkle, twinkle of stars
tinu
noun. spark, small star
ti
pronoun. them
tîn
spark
tîn
noun. spark, sparkle, twinkle of stars
A word for “spark, sparkle, twinkle of stars” appearing as an element in S. ithildin “moon-star” (PE17/39, 66). Tolkien sometimes gave it the form tĭn (PE17/39) and sometimes tîn (PE17/66). It was derived from the root √TIN “sparkle, spark” (PE17/66). Primitive ✶tĭnĭ “spark” from Common Eldarin: Noun Structure of the early 1950s may be its ancient form (PE21/80).
In one place Tolkien gave the form tim “spark” as another name for (apparent) stars, but its final m is hard to explain (MR/388; PE17/22). In notes associated with The Shibboleth of Fëanor from 1968 Tolkien said “In the Northern dialect, however, in final position only, C.E. tw > dw, dw > ðw, thw > þw, nw became b, v, f, m” (VT41/8). Thus, tim may be the North Sindarin equivalent of Q. tinwë. However, in the document where it appeared, tim was clearly marked “S” for Sindarin. This form could also be a remnant of Gnomish or Ilkorin tim (see below).
Conceptual Development: The earliest precursor of this word was G. tim “spark, gleam, (star)” in the Gnomish Lexicon of 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√tin- (GL/70), cognate to ᴱQ. tinwe (QL/92). In the Gnomish period, [[g|final [nw] became [m]]], as discussed by Roman Rausch in his Historical Phonology of Goldogrin (HGP/§2.7). This was not true later, since in The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. tinw “spark, small star” was the cognate for ᴹQ. tinwe and the form tim was Ilkorin, all of these under the root ᴹ√TIN “sparkle” (Ety/TIN). In his later writings, Tolkien had the forms tin, tîn and tim, as noted above. Thus while the root and basic meaning of this word were quite stable, its form went through a number of variations.
Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I’d use the form tîn since short vowels generally lengthened in monosyllables. I think properly it has the meaning “spark(le)” but metaphorically can apply to stars. For the ordinary word for “star”, I’d use gil.
Cognates
Derivations
Element in
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √TIN > tîn [tin] > [tīn] ✧ PE17/066 Variations
- tin ✧ PE17/039
- tĭn ✧ PE17/039
- tîn ✧ PE17/066
dîn
noun. silence
Adjectival use seems to be attested in several place names (Amon Dín "Silent Hill", etc.), though an adjective dínen.1 is also attested (Rath Dínen "Silent Street"). When compared with other toponyms where lenition does occur (Taur-na-Chardhîn "Forest of the Southern Silence" in WJ/185,193 and Dor Dhínen in WJ/333,338), the forms dîn and dínen clearly seem to be unmutated. Absence of lenition in these examples from LotR was therefore tentatively explained by resistance to mutation (as in Nan Tathren, Ered Mithrin). However, Tolkien apparently changed his mind in his unfinished index of names from LotR, where he explains both words as mutated adjectives whose unlenited forms are respectively tîn.2
and tínen . Such hesitations between mutated and unmutated forms is not unusual, for instance a similar issue is met with gaear and aear . Of course, Taur-na-Chardhîn and Dor Dhínen would hardly be explainable in that alternate scenario
dîn
noun. silence
gil-
prefix. spark
tin
pronoun. them
Derivations
- ✶te “they”
tint
spark
1) tint (i dint, o thint), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thint), coll. pl. tinnath; 2) tinu (i dinu, o thinu; also -din at the end of compounds), analogical pl. tiny (i thiny). The word is also used =
tint
spark
(i dint, o thint), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thint), coll. pl. tinnath
tinu
spark
(i dinu, o thinu; also -din at the end of compounds), analogical pl. tiny (i thiny). The word is also used =
tim
small star
(MR:388). Archaic tinw, so the coll. pl. is likely tinwath. 3)
hain
them
hain (of inanimates) One entry in the Etymologies ( LR:385 s.v. S-) may be taken as implying that the pronouns ”they” (and ”them”?) are hein of inanimates, hîn of women and huin of men. For ”Noldorin” hein and huin we may have to read hain and hŷn, respectively, in Third Age Sindarin.
hain
them
(of inanimates) One entry in the Etymologies ( LR:385 s.v. S-) may be taken as implying that the pronouns ”they” (and ”them”?) are hein of inanimates, hîn of women and huin of men. For ”Noldorin” hein and huin we may have to read hain and hŷn, respectively, in Third Age Sindarin.
_ n. _spark, sparkle (esp. used of the twinkle of stars). >> ithildin