Translation check for a place in Lorien, the "window upon mortals"

david wendelken #2726

I needed to name the spit of land in Lorien that sticks out between the Anduin and the Celebrant. It seems it would be a great vantage point to view river traffic upon the Anduin (which would have been much greater when it was named in the past).

I'm looking at "Henneth am Firiath", the "Window upon Mortals" as a name for it.

Is that a good translation for Window upon Mortals?

Got a better name?

Window upon Mortal Time or Window upon Time are other options I've considered.

Gwilithiel #2727

Am in itself means "up", so I interpret its use as the preposition "upon" in a more literal sense, e.g. "the apple is placed upon the table", rather than in the sense of "look upon" (which I think is what you're going for). And firiath is a class plural, and thus has the connotation of "all mortals". I'm not sure if that's what you intend to mean. If that is what you intend to mean, then replace the plural fîr with firiath in the phrases I've included below.

Here's what I offer:

  • Henneth fîr (window of mortals)
  • Henneth lû (window of time)
  • Henneth lû firin (window of mortal/dying time)
  • Henneth i phîr (window of the mortals)
david wendelken #2728

Thanks!

This site lists "*am" as "upon", which is what I used in my first try at this.

Perhaps "an", listed as "to, towards, for", as in window towards mortals.

Or "na", listed as "to, towards (of spacetime)", which is not inappropriate given the time distortion effects within Lorien, as in "window towards mortals and time" This location in peaceful times would be the best place to "watch the world go by" in all of Lorien as it would have the best view of the river traffic or those travelling by land on the far bank, so I'm leaning towards this.

What do you think?

Gwilithiel #2729

Based on attested forms, it seems (to me) that an means more like “to/for someone”, while na means “to/toward/at a place/thing”. Thus I feel that na is the better option.

I offer:

Henneth na lû a fîr

david wendelken #2738

Thanks!