hên

noun. child

A word for “child” derived from the root √KHIN, more specifically from ✶khinā with short i which became e in Sindarin due to a-affection (WJ/403). It often appeared in its mutated plural form chîn in phrases like Narn i Chîn Húrin “Tale of the Children of Húrin” (WJ/160). This is pronounced with spirantal “ch” as in German Bach, not affricate “ch” as in English “church”.

Christopher Tolkien made the editorial decision to render this plural form as Hîn in The Silmarillion as published as well as in Unfinished Tales, where it “was improperly changed by me [Christopher Tolkien] to Narn i Hîn Húrin ... because I did not want Chîn to be pronounced like Modern English chin” (LR/322).

In the Quendi and Eldar (Q&E) essay of 1959-60, Tolkien said “S has hên, pl. hîn, mostly used as a prefix in patronymics or metronymics”, meaning this word was often used to mean “child of” in reference to one’s parents, for example Túrin hen-Chúrin [Húrin] or Túrin hen-Morwen [assuming nasal-mutation].

glaer nia chîn húrin

Tale of the Children of Húrin

An earlier Sindarin name for “Tale of the Children of Húrin”, revised to Narn i Chîn Húrin (WJ/160). It uses glaer “long lay, narrative poem” instead of narn “tale”, and the definite plural form nia of the preposition na(n) “of”, the latter also seen in Sarch nia Chîn Húrin.

sarch nia chîn húrin

proper name. Grave of the Children of Húrin

Name of the grave of Túrin and Nienor (UT/140), a combination of sarch “grave”, the definite plural form nia of the preposition na(n) “of” (also seen in Glaer nia Chîn Húrin), the mutated plural chîn of hên “child” and the name of their father Húrin. The unmutated form Hîn in the Unfinished Tales was an editorial decision by Christopher Tolkien (LR/322 note §25); the name was spelled correctly (with Chîn) in The Children of Húrin (CH/247).

Narn i Chîn Húrin (tale)

Narn i Chîn Húrin (tale)

Narn i Chîn Húrin is Sindarin, directly meaning "Tale of the Children of Húrin".

cên

gore

(i gên, o chên, construct cen) (wedge), pl. cîn (i chîn). Alternative sg. form cîn (i gîn, o chîn, construct cin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîn)  (VT45:20)

cên

wedge

(i gên) (gore), pl. cîn (i chîn). Alternative form cîn (i gîn, o chîn), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîn) (VT45:20)

hên

child

hên (i chên), pl. hîn (i chîn); also -chen, pl. -chín at the end of compounds (e.g. Eruchín ”Children of Eru”). _(WJ:403) _CHILDREN OF THE ONE (Elves and Men as children of God) Eruchín** **(sg. *Eruchen)

hên

child

(i chên), pl. hîn (i chîn); also -chen, pl. -chín at the end of compounds (e.g. Eruchín ”Children of Eru”). (WJ:403)

naith

gore

1. naith (spearhead, wedge, point, promontory); no distinct pl. form; 2) cên (i gên, o chên, construct cen) (wedge), pl. cîn (i chîn). Alternative sg. form cîn (i gîn, o chîn, construct cin), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîn) (VT45:20)

naith

wedge

1. naith (spearhead, gore, point, promontory); no distinct pl. form; 2) cên (i gên) (gore), pl. cîn (i chîn). Alternative form cîn (i gîn, o chîn), no distinct pl. form except with article (i chîn) (VT45:20) WEDGE-FORMATION, see MAN-SPEARHEAD: No general word for ”weed” is known, but cf.

Narn-i-Chîn Húrin

noun. tale of the children of Húrin

narn (“tale”) + in (pl. gen. article) + hîn (pl. of hên “child”), hûr (“vigour, fiery spirit”) + ind (“inner thought, heart”) This name is said by Ch. Tolkien to be have been “improperly changed” by him in UT to “Narn-i-Hîn Húrin”.

hên

noun. child (mostly used as a prefix in patronymics or metronymics)

i chîn húrin

*the children of Húrin

narn i chîn húrin

Tale of the Children of Húrin

eruchen

children of the one

)

mechor

noun. gore

naith

gore

(spearhead, wedge, point, promontory); no distinct pl. form

naith

wedge

(spearhead, gore, point, promontory); no distinct pl. form