taur-na-fuin

place name. Forest of Night

Earlier name of S. Taur-nu-Fuin, this form of the name first appeared in The Lays of Beleriand (LB/34). Early in this period, Tolkien often translated this name as “Deadly Nightshade” (LB/34, SM/103, SM/299), but he eventually decided that this translation was actually a second name for the forest, whose Elvish form was N. Deldúwath.

In The Etymologies, Tolkien also posited that this name was a punning alteration of N. Dor-na-Thuin, the proper Noldorin form of Ilk. Dorthonion, the name of the region before it was corrupted by Morgoth (Ety/THŌN). When the Noldorin language became Sindarin, this development no longer made sense.

Changes

• Dor-na-Fuin → Taur-na-Fuin ✧ Ety/ÑGOROTH
• Taur-na-Fuin → Taur-nu-Fuin ✧ LB/348
• Taur-na-Fuin → Taur-nu-Fuin ✧ LR/300
• Taur-na-Fuin → Taur-nu-Fuin “Forest of Night” ✧ LRI/Taur-na-Fuin
• Taur-na-Fuin → Taur-nu-Fuin ✧ WJ/126
• Taur-na-Fuin → Taur-nu-Fuin ✧ WJI/Taur-nu-Fuin

Cognates

• ᴹQ. Taure Huinéva “*Forest of Shadow” ✧ Ety/PHUY

Variations

• Taur na Fuin ✧ Ety/PHUY
• Dor-na-Fuin ✧ EtyAC/ÑGOROTH (Dor-na-Fuin)
• Taur na Phuin ✧ PE22/041