A noun for “a large building of masonry used as a dwelling” added to Sindarin late in the First Age in imitation of the Quenya word Q. martan (martam-) “dwelling-house” of the same basic meaning (PE17/109). Barthan was an elaboration of bâr “house” from the root √MBAR. Its second element was √TAM “construct”, which in Sindarin was √TAN (PE17/107-8). In North Sindarin it was bartham.
Conceptual Development: G. brann or brand “dwelling, hall” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s likewise seems to refer to a large dwelling, most notably as its suffixal form -vran in the name G. Gilthavran “Hall of the Moon King” (GL/24, 38). This name was first given as Gilthauran where the second element u̯rand was derived from ᴱ✶gu̯ara- “to dwell” (GL/38). After its change to -vran, brann, it was probably derived instead from the early root ᴱ√MBARA (QL/60, 63).
A Sindarin name for Aulë. According to Christopher Tolkien, it appeared in a very late note, as a cognate of Q. Martamo (LT1A/Talka Marda). It is a combination of bâr “house, home, dwelling” and a mutated form -than of ✱tân “smith” (attested only in compounds).
Conceptual Development: The earliest form of this name was G. Martaglos “Smith of the World”, appearing in the Gnomish Lexicon from the 1910s (GL/18, LT1A/Talka Marda.026). A revised form ᴱN. Barthaglon “World Smith” appeared in Early Noldorin word lists from the 1920s (PE13/138). The name appeared as N. Barthan “Earth-smith” or “Earthbuilder” in The Etymologies from the 1930s, the source of the derivation given above (Ety/MBAR, TAN).