Quenya 

Lestanórë

doriath

Lestanórë place-name "Doriath", gen. Lestanórëo (WJ:369). If this name means the same as the Sindarin name Doriath, "Land of the Fence", #lesta ought to mean "fence" here (but it is obviously not a cognate of the Sindarin term iâth "fence").It may mean "girdle"; compare Sindarin Lest Melian as a name of the Girdle of Melian (WJ:XXX), suggesting*"Girdle-land" as the meaning of Lestanórë.

-ndor

land

-ndor, final element in compounds: "land" (Letters:308, UT:253)

nór

land

nór noun "land" (stem nor-, PE17:106) this is land as opposed to water and sea (nor in Letters:308). Cf. nórë.

nór

noun. land

A term for “land” as in “(dry) land as opposed to the sea”, mentioned in the Quendi and Eldar essay of 1959-60 (WJ/413) and again in notes from around 1968 (PE17/106-107).

Possible Etymology: In the Quendi and Eldar essay this term was derived from primitive ✶ndōro, but in the aforementioned 1968 notes Tolkien clarified that its stem form was nŏr-. This means it was probably derived from ancient ✱ndŏr-, where the long vowel in the uninflected form was inherited from the Common Eldarin subjective form ✱ndōr, a phenomenon also seen in words like nér (ner-) “man”. I prefer this second derivation, as it makes the independent word more distinct from the suffixal form -ndor or -nóre used in the names of countries.

Derivations

  • ndorē “land” ✧ PE17/106; PE17/107
    • NDOR “land; hard, firm; [ᴹ√] dwell, stay, rest, abide” ✧ PE17/106; PE17/107
    • DOR “hard, tough, dried up, unyielding”
    • DOR “hard, tough, dried up, unyielding” ✧ WJ/413
  • ndōro “land” ✧ WJ/413
    • DOR “hard, tough, dried up, unyielding” ✧ WJ/413

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ndōr > nōr[ndōr] > [nōr]✧ PE17/106
NDŌR/NDŎR- > nôr[ndōr] > [nōr]✧ PE17/107
ndōro > nór[ndōro] > [ndōr] > [nōr]✧ WJ/413

Variations

  • nōr ✧ PE17/106
  • nôr ✧ PE17/107
Quenya [PE17/106; PE17/107; WJ/413] Group: Eldamo. Published by

lestanórë

place name. Doriath, *(lit.) Land of the Girdle

Given as the Quenya name of Doriath in the essay Quendi and Eldar from 1959-60, attested only in its genitive form Lestanórëo in the phrase Elwe, Aran Lestanórëo “Elwe, King of Doriath” (WJ/369). Its final element is certainly nórë “land”. Its initial element lesta resembles S. lest “girdle” in the name S. Lest Melian “Girdle of Melian” and may have a similar meaning. In the earlier poem Fíriel’s Song from the 1930s, the instrumental form lestanen of ᴹQ. lesta was translated “in measure” (LR/72), though it isn’t clear whether the meaning “measure” remained valid when Quendi and Eldar was written.

Conceptual Development: The name ᴱQ. Artanor was given as the equivalent to the precursor of Doriath: G. Dor Athro “Land Beyond” (LT2A/Artanor).

Cognates

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
lesta“*girdle”
nórë“land, country; †people, race, tribe, land, country, [ᴹQ.] region where certain people live, [ᴱQ.] nation; [Q.] †people, race, tribe, [ᴹQ.] folk, [ᴱQ.] family”

nóre

noun. land

Quenya [PE 22:116, 124] Group: Mellonath Daeron. Published by

nórë

land

nórë noun "land" (associated with a particular people) (WJ:413), "country, land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live, race, clan" (NŌ, NDOR, BAL), also used = "race, tribe, people" (SA:dôr, PE17:169; however, the normal word for "people" is lië). Early "Qenya" hasnórë "native land, nation, family, country" (in compounds -nor) (LT1:272)

Sindarin 

Doriath

Doriath

topon.

Sindarin [(PE17 Sindarin Corpus) PE17:128] -. Group: Parma Eldalamberon 17 Sindarin Corpus. Published by

Doriath

noun. land of the fence

(n-)dôr (“land,dwelling”) + iâth (“fence”); genitival sequences with possessor or qualifier second in the later period became fixed compounds, as Dóriath; #probably reinterpreted by Tolkien from earlier ” land of the cave” < (n-)dôr (“land, dwelling-place”) + #i (sing or genitive article) + gath (“cavern”) [Etym. GATH-]

Sindarin [Tolkiendil] Group: Tolkiendil Compound Sindarin Names. Published by

doriath

place name. Land of the Fence

The land ruled by Thingol and Melian, so called because it was protected by the Girdle of Melian (S/97). This name was translated “Land of the Girdle” (S/97) or more literally “Land of the Fence” (WJ/370), and was a combination of dôr “land” and iath “fence” (SA/dôr, iâth).

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this land was first called G. Dor Athro “Land Beyond” (LT2A/Artanor), revised to G. Doriath (LT2/41), the form it retained thereafter. In The Etymologies from the 1930s, N. Doriath was translated “Land of the Cave”, with the second element being a lenited form of N. gath “cavern” (Ety/GAT(H)). The association of the name with the Girdle of Melian first appeared in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/16).

Cognates

  • Q. Lestanórë “Doriath, *(lit.) Land of the Girdle”

Elements

WordGloss
dôr“land, land, [N.] region where certain people live, [ᴱN.] country; [G.] people of the land”
iath“fence”

Variations

  • Dóriath ✧ WJ/370
  • Dôr Iâth ✧ WJI/Iathrim
Sindarin [LotRI/Doriath; LT2I/Doriath; MRI/Doriath; PMI/Doriath; SA/dôr; SA/iâth; SI/Doriath; UTI/Doriath; WJ/370; WJI/Doriath; WJI/Iathrim] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dor

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

Sindarin [Ety/376, S/430, WJ/413, Letters/417, VT/45:38, R] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dôr

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

Sindarin [Ety/376, S/430, WJ/413, Letters/417, VT/45:38, R] Group: SINDICT. Published by

dôr

noun. land, land, [N.] region where certain people live, [ᴱN.] country; [G.] people of the land

Cognates

  • Q. -ndor “land, country” ✧ SA/dôr

Derivations

  • ndorē “land” ✧ PE17/164; SA/dôr; WJ/413
    • NDOR “land; hard, firm; [ᴹ√] dwell, stay, rest, abide” ✧ PE17/106; PE17/107
    • DOR “hard, tough, dried up, unyielding”
    • DOR “hard, tough, dried up, unyielding” ✧ WJ/413

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ndor > -dor[-ndorē] > [-ndore] > [-ndor] > [-dor]✧ PE17/164
ndor > dôr[ndorē] > [ndore] > [dore] > [dor] > [dōr]✧ SA/dôr
ndorē > dôr[ndorē] > [ndore] > [dore] > [dor] > [dōr]✧ WJ/413
ndorē > -ndor > -nor/-nnor[-ndorē] > [-ndore] > [-ndor] > [-nnor]✧ WJ/413

Variations

  • Dor ✧ Let/417; MR/200; PE17/133; S/121; S/188; SI/Doriath; UT/245; UTI/Doriath; WJ/192
  • dor ✧ Let/427; RC/384
  • -dor ✧ PE17/164
  • Dôr ✧ WJ/370
Sindarin [Let/417; Let/427; MR/200; PE17/133; PE17/164; RC/384; S/121; S/188; SA/dôr; SI/Doriath; UT/245; UTI/Doriath; WJ/192; WJ/370; WJ/413] Group: Eldamo. Published by

arthórien

place name. Hidden Realm

A region between the rivers Aros and Celon, so labeled in the Silmarillion map from the 1950s but not in the published Silmarillion (WJ/183). It is also mentioned in Tolkien’s unfinished expansion of the Tale of the Children of Húrin (UT/77). A late isolated note indicates that Arthúrien (with a ú) was a name used by the Noldor, which was derived from the proper Sindarin form Garthúrian (WJ/189). The name is clearly not Quenya, so perhaps it is Noldorized Sindarin, dropping the initial g.

Conceptual Development: In The Etymologies from the 1930s, N. Arthoren is said to be a translation of Ilk. Garthurian, beside the “half translation” Arthurien (Ety/GAT(H), ƷAR, THUR), matching the later modification of Sindarin Garthúrian into Arthúrien/Arthórien.

Variations

  • Arthúrien ✧ WJ/189; WJI/Arthórien
Sindarin [UTI/Arthórien; WJ/189; WJI/Arthórien] Group: Eldamo. Published by

garthúrian

place name. Hidden Realm

A region between the rivers Aros and Celon, so labeled in the Silmarillion map from the 1950s but not in the published Silmarillion (WJ/183). A late isolated note translates it as “Hidden Realm” and indicates that it is the Sindarin form from which Arthúrien is derived (WJ/189). Most likely it is a combination of gardh “realm”, thurin “hidden” and the suffix -ian(d) “land”.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, G. Gar Thurion “Secret Place” was given as a name for Doriath (LT2/158), revised from earlier Gar Furion (LT2/202). In The Etymologies from the 1930s, Ilk. Garthurian is given as an Ilkorin name of Doriath, translated “Fenced Realm” or “Hidden Realm” (Ety/GAT(H), ƷAR, THUR). The name N. Arthurien is said to be a “half translation” of the Ilkorin name, matching the later modification of Sindarin Garthúrian into Arthúrien.

Elements

WordGloss
gardh“region”
thurin“secret, hidden”
-ian(d)“-land, country”
Sindarin [WJ/189; WJI/Garthúrian] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Doriath

place name. Land of the Fence

Doriath is a Sindarin name meaning "Land of the Fence" or "Land of the Girdle". The name consists of the elements dôr + iâth.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway "Doriath"] Published by

Doriath

Doriath

Doriath is a Sindarin name meaning "Land of the Fence" or "Land of the Girdle". The name consists of the elements dôr + iâth. The earlier name of Doriath, Eglador, probably means either "Land of the Forsaken" or "Land of the Elves"[source?] in Sindarin.

Sindarin [Tolkien Gateway] Published by

iathrim

doriath, people of

(”Fence-people”) (WJ:378)

dôr

land

1) dôr (i nôr, construct dor) (dwelling place, region), pl. dŷr (i ndŷr), coll. pl. dorath (WJ:413), 2) bâr (dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

dôr

land

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

parth

enclosed grassland

(i barth, o pharth) (field, sward), pl. perth (i pherth);

nand

wide grassland

(construct nan) (valley), pl. naind, coll. pl. **nannath **(VT45:36);

bâr

land

(dwelling, house, home, family; earth) (i mâr, o mbâr, construct bar), pl. bair (i mbair). Also -bar, -mar at the end of compounds.

Nandorin 

dóri-

noun. land

Isolated from Lindórinan. The independent form of the word may differ; it is unclear where the i of the compound Lindórinan comes from. In the Etymologies, the Eldarin words for "land" are derived from a stem NDOR "dwell, stay, rest, abide" (LR:376).

No Nandorin word is there listed, but Sindarin dor is derived from primitive ndorê. Notice, however, that Tolkien many years later derived the Eldarin words for "land" from a stem DORO "dried up, hard, unyielding" (WJ:413). However, this later source does confirm that the Primitive Quendian form was ndorê, now thought to be formed by initial enrichment d > nd. This is defined as "the hard, dry land as opposed to water or bog", later developing the meaning "land in general as opposed to sea", and finally also "a land" as a particular region, "with more or less defined bounds".

Whether dóri- actually comes from ndorê is highly doubtful (this would rather yield *dora in Nandorin), but it must be derived from the same set of stems.

Nandorin [H. Fauskanger (LR:376, WJ:413)] < Lindórinan. Published by

Adûnaic

thâni

noun. land

A noun translated “land” (SD/435) appearing in the Adûnaic names for the Blessed Realm: Amatthâni and thâni’nAmân. Its Primitive Adûnaic form was also ✶thāni, though its primitive was glossed “realm" (SD/420).

Derivations

Element in

Variations

  • thāni ✧ SD/435

zâyan

noun. land

An Adûnaic word for “land” (SD/423). It has an irregular plural form zâin which is the result of the phonetic change (SD/423): [[pad|medial [w] and [j] vanished before [u] and [i]]]. Thus, the archaic plural changed from †zâyîn > zâîn > zâin.

Conceptual Development: In earlier names this word appeared as zen (SD/378, 385).

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
Ad. zāyīn > *zāīn > zâin[zājīn] > [zāīn] > [zāin]✧ SD/423

Variations

  • zāyan ✧ SD/423
Adûnaic [SD/423; SD/429; SD/435] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Primitive elvish

ndorē

noun. land

Derivations

  • NDOR “land; hard, firm; [ᴹ√] dwell, stay, rest, abide” ✧ PE17/106; PE17/107
    • DOR “hard, tough, dried up, unyielding”
  • DOR “hard, tough, dried up, unyielding” ✧ WJ/413

Derivatives

  • Q. -ndor “land, country” ✧ SA/dôr
  • Q. nór “land” ✧ PE17/106; PE17/107
  • Q. nórë “land, country; †people, race, tribe, land, country, [ᴹQ.] region where certain people live, [ᴱQ.] nation; [Q.] †people, race, tribe, [ᴹQ.] folk, [ᴱQ.] family” ✧ PE19/076
  • S. dôr “land, land, [N.] region where certain people live, [ᴱN.] country; [G.] people of the land” ✧ PE17/164; SA/dôr; WJ/413

Element in

  • etlā-ndŏrē “Eglador” ✧ VT42/04; VT42/04
  • mbar-ndor “home land, native land” ✧ PE17/164
  • Q. Endórë “Middle-earth, (lit.) Middle Land” ✧ Let/384
  • Q. Valandor “Land of the Valar” ✧ WJ/413
  • S. Ennor “Middle-earth” ✧ Let/384
  • S. Eriador “Lonely Land” ✧ VT42/04
  • S. Thonador ✧ VT42/04

Variations

  • (n)dor ✧ Let/384
  • ndōr ✧ PE17/106
  • NDŌR/NDŎR- ✧ PE17/107
  • ndor ✧ PE17/164; SA/dôr
  • ndōrē ✧ PE19/076; VT42/04
Primitive elvish [Let/384; PE17/106; PE17/107; PE17/164; PE19/076; SA/dôr; VT42/04; WJ/413] Group: Eldamo. Published by

ndōro

noun. land

Derivations

  • DOR “hard, tough, dried up, unyielding” ✧ WJ/413

Derivatives

  • Q. nór “land” ✧ WJ/413
Primitive elvish [WJ/413] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Noldorin 

doriath

place name. Land of the Cave

Element in

Elements

WordGloss
dôr“land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live”
gath“cavern”

Variations

  • Dor-iath ✧ Ety/GAT(H)
Noldorin [Ety/GAT(H); Ety/NDOR; EtyAC/GAT(H); LR/180; LRI/Doriath; RSI/Doriath; SMI/Artanor; SMI/Doriath; TII/Doriath; WRI/Doriath] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dor

noun. land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live

The form dor in the Etymologies is a misreading, see VT/45. In composition and in toponyms, the word is nevertheless reduced to Dor

Noldorin [Ety/376, S/430, WJ/413, Letters/417, VT/45:38, R] Group: SINDICT. Published by

ardholen

place name. Hidden Realm

A Noldorin equivalent of Ilk. Garthurian “Fenced Realm, Hidden Realm” appearing in The Etymologies from the 1930s (Ety/GAT(H)). It seems to be a combination of ardh “realm” and the lenited form of dolen “hidden”. The related name Arthoren has a different meaning: “Fenced Realm”

Cognates

  • Ilk. Garthurian “Fenced Realm, Hidden Realm” ✧ Ety/GAT(H)

Elements

WordGloss
ardh“realm”
dolen“hidden, secret”
Noldorin [Ety/GAT(H)] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!

Doriathrin

dôr

noun. land

A Doriathrin noun for “land” (EtyAC/NDOR) apparently from primitive ᴹ✶ndorē (Ety/NDOR). If its primitive form indeed had a short [o], then this word may be an example of how short vowels sometimes lengthened in monosyllables in Ilkorin.

Cognates

  • N. dôr “land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live” ✧ Ety/NDOR

Derivations

  • ᴹ✶ndorē “land, dwelling-place, region where certain people live” ✧ Ety/NDOR
    • ᴹ√NDOR “dwell, stay, rest, abide” ✧ Ety/NDOR

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴹ✶ndorē > dôr[ndorē] > [ndore] > [ndor] > [ndōr] > [dōr]✧ Ety/NDOR

Variations

  • Dor ✧ Ety/THŌN
Doriathrin [Ety/THŌN; EtyAC/NDOR] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Middle Primitive Elvish

noun. land

Derivatives

  • ᴹQ. “land, region” ✧ PE21/38

Variations

  • mā- ✧ PE21/38
Middle Primitive Elvish [PE21/38] Group: Eldamo. Published by

Gnomish

doriath

place name. Doriath

Gnomish [LT1/196; LT1I/Artanor; LT1I/Doriath; LT2/041] Group: Eldamo. Published by

dôr

noun. land, country (inhabited), people of the land

Changes

  • dôrDor ✧ PE13/112

Cognates

  • Eq. nóre “(native) land, nation, family, country” ✧ PE15/22; LT1A/Valinor

Derivations

  • ᴱ✶ndore ✧ LT1A/Dor Faidwen

Element in

Phonetic Developments

DevelopmentStagesSources
ᴱ✶ndor- > dôr[ndore] > [ndor] > [dor] > [dōr]✧ LT1A/Dor Faidwen

Variations

  • dor ✧ GG/08; GG/09
  • Dor ✧ GL/30; LT2A/Dor-na-Dhaideloth; PE13/112; PE15/22
Gnomish [GG/08; GG/09; GL/30; LT1A/Dor Faidwen; LT1A/Valinor; LT2A/Dor-na-Dhaideloth; PE13/112; PE15/22] Group: Eldamo. Published by

redhos

noun. land

Early Noldorin

doriath

place name. Doriath

Early Noldorin [LBI/Artanor; LBI/Doriath] Group: Eldamo. Published by