-ion

suffix. -son, masculine patronymic

The usual patronymic for “son of” in Quenya, suffixal form of Q. yondo “son” (PE17/170, 190). Tolkien occasionally mentioned variants like -on or -yon, but in practice only -ion appears in actual names.

Conceptual Development: This patronymic dates all the way back to Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (QL/106) and was regularly mentioned in documents throughout the years such as the Early Qenya Grammar and English-Qenya Dictionary of the 1920s (PE14/45, 75; PE15/77), The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/YŌ) and Notes on Names (NN) from 1957 (PE17/170), always with a similar form, meaning and derivation from roots likes √YO(N). Thus it was very well established in Tolkien’s mind.

Cognates

• S. -ion “-son” ✧ PE17/170

Derivations

• ✶-(i)ondo ✧ PE17/170
  • √YON “son”

Element in

• Q. Aldarion “*Son of Trees”
• Q. Anárion “*Son of the Sun”
• Q. Aranwion “Son of Aranwë”
• Q. Calion “*Son of Light”
• Q. Eldarion “*Son of the Eldar”
• Q. Eruion “*Son of God”
• Q. Falassion “*Shore-son”
• Q. Finwion “Son of Finwë”
• Q. Ilion
• Q. Ingwion “Son of Ingwë”
• Q. Isildurioni “Heirs of Isildur”
• Q. Lómion “Son of Twilight”
• Q. Súrion “*Wind-son”
• Q. Vinyarion “*New Son”

Elements

Word	Gloss
yondo	“son, boy, son, boy; [ᴱQ.] male descendant, (great) grandson”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶-(i)ŏn/-(ĭ)ondo > -ion	[-ion]	✧ PE17/170

Variations

• -ŏn ✧ PE17/170
• -on ✧ PE17/170
• -yon ✧ PE17/190
• -iondo ✧ PE17/190

Yón

region, any (fairly extensive) region between obstacles such as rivers or mountains

yón (2), variant of yondë, q.v. Defined as "a region, any (fairly extensive) region _between obstacles such as rivers or mountains" (PE17:43)_

yón

noun. region

yondë

any fairly extensive region with well-marked natural bonds (as mountains or rivers)

yondë noun "any fairly extensive region with well-marked natural bonds (as mountains or rivers)", occurring as a suffix -yondë, -yon/-iondë, -ion in regional names. (PE17:43). Note: †yondë may also be an (archaic/poetic) past tense of the verb yor-, q.v.

yondë

noun. region, any fairly extensive region with well-marked natural bounds

Derivations

• √YON “wide, extensive” ✧ PE17/043

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√YŎNO > yōn	[jōn]	✧ PE17/043

Variations

• yōn ✧ PE17/043
• yonde ✧ PE17/043; PE17/043
• yon ✧ PE17/043

ména

region

ména noun "region" (MEN). Not to be confused with the present/continuative tense of #men- "go".

-ion

suffix. -son

The usual Sindarin patronymic suffix, meaning “son of” (PE17/170; Ety/YŌ), a suffixal form of ion(n) “son”. It was occasionally used for “descendants”, especially as a class plural, as in Hurinionath “Descendants of Húrin” (PM/202).

Conceptual Development: In Gnomish, the prefix G. go- or gon- (suffixal -iod, -ion, -ios) was initially used with the meaning “son of” as in Gon Indor “✱Son of Indor” (LT2/217), but in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s the prefix was revised to G. bo- or bon-, as in Tuor bo-Beleg, along with suffixal -von or -mon (GL/23, 40-41). Tolkien reintroduced suffixal N. -ion “son” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√YO(N) “son” (Ety/YŌ), and seems to have stuck with it thereafter.

Cognates

• Q. -ion “-son, masculine patronymic” ✧ PE17/170

Derivations

• ✶-(i)ondo ✧ PE17/170
  • √YON “son”

Element in

• S. Erchirion
• S. Ereinion “Scion of Kings”
• S. Galathilion “White Tree”
• S. Hurinionath “Descendants of Húrin”
• S. Inglorion “*Son of Inglor”
• ᴺS. sion “grandson”

Elements

Word	Gloss
ion(n)	“son, son, *boy”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶-(i)ŏn/-(ĭ)ondo > -(i)on	[-iondō] > [-iondo] > [-iond] > [-ionn] > [-ion]	✧ PE17/170

Variations

• -(i)on ✧ PE17/170

ardhon

noun. great region, province

ardhon

noun. world

gardh

noun. region

Cognates

• Q. arda “region, realm, particular land or region, region, realm, particular land or region; [ᴱQ.] place, spot” ✧ WJ/402

Derivations

• ✶gardā “region” ✧ WJ/402
  • ᴹ√GAR “keep, hold, possess; maintain, defend”

Element in

• S. Ard-galen “Green Region”
• S. Ardhon “The World”
• S. Calenardhon “Green Province”
• S. gardhon “province”
• S. Garthúrian “Hidden Realm”
• S. Lisgardh “Land of Reeds” ✧ UT/034

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶gardā > gardh	[gardā] > [garda] > [garða] > [garð]	✧ WJ/402

region

noun. holly-tree area

[HKF] reg (Dor. regorn “holly tree”) + ion (Dor. gen. pl. suffix) = Dor. Regornion [Etym. ERÉK-]

gardh

noun. world

gardh

noun. bounded or defined region

ardh

region

1) ardh (realm), pl. erdh, also in augmented form ardhon (great region, great province, world), pl. erdhyn, coll. pl. ardhonnath. 2) dôr (i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, land), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr) (WJ:413), 3) gardh (i **ardh) (bounded or defined place), pl. gerdh (i ngerdh = i ñerdh), 4) gwaith (i **waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people, wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith).

ardh

region

(realm), pl. erdh, also in augmented form ardhon (great region, great province, world), pl. erdhyn, coll. pl. ardhonnath.

dôr

region

(i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, land), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr) (WJ:413)

gardh

region

(i ’ardh) (bounded or defined place), pl. gerdh (i ngerdh = i ñerdh)

gwaith

region

(i ’waith) (manhood, manpower, troop of able-bodied men, host, regiment, people, wilderness), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gwaith).

aran

king of a region

(pl. erain)

gilwen

region of stars

(Quenya Ilmen), also Gilith. In the Etymologies, this word is derived from a root GIL (LR:358) and would then have the form ’Ilwen (’Ilwith) when lenited. But in a later source, Tolkien cited the relevant root as ÑGIL (MR:388), and the lenited form would then be Ngilwen (Ngilwith).

gardā

noun. region

Derivations

• ᴹ√GAR “keep, hold, possess; maintain, defend”

Derivatives

• Q. arda “region, realm, particular land or region, region, realm, particular land or region; [ᴱQ.] place, spot” ✧ WJ/402
• S. gardh “region” ✧ WJ/402