Adjectival use seems to be attested in several
place names (Amon Dín "Silent Hill", etc.),
though an adjective dínen.1 is also attested
(Rath Dínen "Silent Street"). When compared with other toponyms where
lenition does occur (Taur-na-Chardhîn "Forest of the Southern Silence"
in WJ/185,193 and Dor Dhínen in WJ/333,338), the forms dîn and
dínen clearly seem to be unmutated. Absence of lenition in these
examples from LotR was therefore tentatively explained by resistance to
mutation (as in Nan Tathren, Ered Mithrin).
However, Tolkien apparently changed his mind in his unfinished
index of names from LotR, where he explains both words as mutated adjectives
whose unlenited forms are respectively tîn.2
and tínen . Such hesitations between mutated and
unmutated forms is not unusual, for instance a similar issue is met
with gaear and aear .
Of course, Taur-na-Chardhîn and Dor Dhínen would hardly be
explainable in that alternate scenario
Sindarin
dîr
adjective. hard, difficult
dîr
noun. man, man, [N.] adult male; agental suffix
dîn
noun. silence
dîn
noun. silence
dîr
adjective. hard
_ adj. _hard, difficult. dērā << dīrā. >> dír-
dîn
noun/adjective. silence; silent, quiet
@@@ variation reflects Tolkien’s vacillation on whether or not Sindarin genitives are lenited
di-
prefix. beneath, under
The only known usage of this word is as prefix, but VT/45:37 lists it as a unitary word di
în
adjective. his (referring to the subject)
dî
under
unstressed di (beneath, in) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.
dî
in
unstressed di (beneath, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.
dî
beneath
dî, unstressed di (in, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.
dî
beneath
unstressed di (in, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.
dî
lady
(i nî, o ndi) (bride), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî).
dî
bride
1) dî (i nî, o ndi) (lady), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî), 2) díneth (i níneth, o ndineth), pl. dínith (i ndínith)
dî
bride
(i nî, o ndi) (lady), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî)
dî
noun. woman, lady, bride
dîs
Dís
dîl
stuffing
dîl (i dhîl) (stopper, stopping), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîl), coll. pl. díliath
dîl
stopper, stopping
dîl (i dhîl) (stuffing), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîl), coll. pl. díliath
dîn
mountain pass
dîn (i dhîn) (opening, gap), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”.
dîn
mountain pass
dîn (i dhîn) (opening, gap), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”.
dîn
gap
1) dîn (i dhîn) (opening, mountain pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”. 2) gass (i **ass, construct gas) (hole), pl. gais (i ngais** = i ñais)
dîn
opening
dîn (i dhîn) (gap, mountain pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”.
dîr
man
1) (adult male of any speaking race) dîr (dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”. 2) (mortal human as opposed to Elf) Adan (pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.
dîl
stopper, stopping
(i dhîl) (stuffing), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîl), coll. pl. díliath
dîl
stuffing
(i dhîl) (stopper, stopping), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîl), coll. pl. díliath
dîn
mountain pass
(i dhîn) (opening, gap), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”.
dîn
gap
(i dhîn) (opening, mountain pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”.
dîn
opening
(i dhîn) (gap, mountain pass), no distinct pl. form except with article (i nîn); coll. pl. díniath. Note: a homophone means ”silence”.
dîr
man
(dír-, also agentive ending -dir or -nir; with article, i nîr, hard mutation as in o ndîr), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndîr); coll. pl. díriath. Also benn (i venn, construct ben), pl. binn (i minn). The latter is in archaic language used = "husband" (the etymological meaning). The ending -we in names may also express ”being, man, person”.
tî
line
(i** dî, o thî) (row), no distinct pl. form except with article (i** thî), coll. pl. tíath.
gor-
prefix. hard, difficult
dêl
disgust
(noun) dêl (i dhêl, construct del) (fear, loathing, horror), pl. dîl (i nîl).
dêl
disgust
(i dhêl, construct del) (fear, loathing, horror), pl. dîl (i nîl).
thos
noun. fear
_ n. _fear. O.Q. þosse. >> di'nguruthos
dêl
noun. disgust
fuia
feel disgust at
(i fuia, in fuiar) (abhor)
gosta
fear exceedingly
(i ’osta, i ngostar = i ñostar)
-deid
suffix. his
-deith
suffix. his
-dyn
suffix. his
achas
fear
(noun) 1) achas (dread), pl. echais. It is possible that the word is lenited in the source, and that it should have an initial g-; if so read gachas (i **achas), pl. gechais (i ngechais = i ñechais), 2) dêl (i dhêl, construct del) (disgust, loathing, horror), pl. dîl (i nîl), 3) delos (i dhelos) (horror, abhorrence, dread, detestation, loathing), pl. delys (i nelys), coll. pl. delossath. Note: a side-form ends in -oth (pl. -yth) instead of -os (-ys). 4) gôr (i ngôr = i ñor, o n**gôr = o ñgôr, construct gor) (dread, horror), pl. gŷr (i ngŷr = i ñŷr). Note: a homophone means ”vigour” but has different mutations. 5) niphred (pallor); pl. niphrid.
angos
horror
1) angos (pl. engys) (VT45:15), 2) dêl (i dhêl, construct del) (disgust, fear, loathing), pl. dîl (i nîl), 3) delos (i dhelos) (fear, abhorrence, dread, detestation, loathing), pl. delys (i nelys), coll. pl. delossath. A side-form ends in -oth (pl. -yth) instead of -os (-ys). 4) girith (i **irith) (shuddering), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngirith = i ñirith), 5) gôr (i ngôr = i ñôr, o n**gôr = o ñgôr, construct gor) (fear, dread), pl. gŷr (in gŷr = i ñgŷr). Note: a homophone means ”vigour” but has different mutations. 6) gorog (i ngorog = i ñorog, o n**gorog = o ñgorog), pl. geryg (in geryg = i ñgeryg) (WJ:415). Archaic pl. göryg. 7) goroth (i ngoroth = i ñoroth, o n**goroth = o ñgoroth) (dread), pl. geryg (in geryg = i ñgeryg) (WJ:415). Archaic pl. göryth. 8) gorth (i ngorth = i ñorth, o n**gorth = o ñgorth) (dread), pl. gyrth (in gyrth = i ñgyrth). _(WJ:415) _Note: a homophone means ”dead; dead person”, 9) goss (i **oss, construct gos) (dread), pl. gyss (i ngyss = i ñyss).
delos
loathing
(noun) 1) delos (i dhelos) (fear, horror, abhorrence, dread, detestation), pl. delys (i nelys), coll. pl. delossath. A side-form ends in -oth (pl. -yth) instead of -os (-ys). 2) dêl (i dhêl, construct del) (disgust, fear, horror), pl. dîl (i nîl)
dêl
fear
(i dhêl, construct del) (disgust, loathing, horror), pl. dîl (i nîl)
dêl
horror
(i dhêl, construct del) (disgust, fear, loathing), pl. dîl (i nîl)
dêl
loathing
(i dhêl, construct del) (disgust, fear, horror), pl. dîl (i nîl)
nu
under
1) (prep.) nu, followed by lenition (with article nuin ”under the”, followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salos reconstructions), 2) dî, unstressed di (beneath, in) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.
vi
in
(prep.) 1) vi (VT44:23), with article vin; 2) ne, ned (used of time in the source), possibly followed by hard mutation (SD:129); 3) dî, unstressed di (beneath, under) (VT45:37). Note: a homophone means ”bride, lady”.
tîn
pronoun. his
Non-lenited form suggested by Carl Hostetter (VT31/21).
curunír
man of craft
(i gurunír, o churunír) (wizard), no distinct pl. form except with article (i churunír), coll. pl. ?curuníriath.
daedhelos
great fear
(i naedhelos, o ndaedhelos), pl. daedhelys (i ndaedhelys). Coll. pl. daedhelossath. A side-form ends in -oth instead of -os. The word appears in the mutated form "ndaedelos" in LotR Appendix F, but since the second element must be delos "abhorrence" and it would surely be lenited following a vowel, this would seem to be one of the cases where Tolkien wrote d even though dh would be technically correct. Another term for
dess
young woman
(i ness, o ndess, constuct des), pl. diss (i ndiss).
díneth
bride
(i níneth, o ndineth), pl. dínith (i ndínith)
girith
horror
(i ’irith) (shuddering), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngirith = i ñirith)
glam
shouting
glam (i **lam) (din, uproar, confused yelling of beasts; tumult, confused noise; a body of Orcs), pl. glaim (in glaim), coll. pl. glammath**
goe
great fear
(i ’oe) (terror), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ngoe = i ñoe).
gôr
fear
(i ngôr = i ñor, o n’gôr = o ñgôr, construct gor) (dread, horror), pl. gŷr (i ngŷr = i ñŷr). Note: a homophone means ”vigour” but has different mutations.
gôr
horror
(i ngôr = i ñôr, o n’gôr = o ñgôr, construct gor) (fear, dread), pl. gŷr (in gŷr = i ñgŷr). Note: a homophone means ”vigour” but has different mutations.
heryn
lady
1) heryn (i cheryn, o cheryn), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cheryn), 2) hiril (i chiril, o chiril), no distinct pl. form even with article (i chiril), coll. pl. hirillath. 3) brennil (i vrennil), pl. same as sg. except with article: i mrennil. Coll. pl. brenillath. 4) bassoneth (bread-giver) (i massoneth, o mbassoneth), pl. bassonith (i mbassonith). Archaic *bassauneth. 5) dî (i nî, o ndi) (bride), no distinct pl. form except with article (i ndî).
heryn
lady
(i cheryn, o cheryn), no distinct pl. form, not even with article (i cheryn)
hiril
lady
(i chiril, o chiril), no distinct pl. form even with article (i chiril), coll. pl. hirillath.
lîr
line
1) lîr (row), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. líriath. 2) tê (i dê, o thê) (way), pl. tî (i thî), coll. pl. ?teath, 3) tî (i dî, o thî) (row), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thî), coll. pl. tíath.
lîr
line
(row), no distinct pl. form, but coll. pl. líriath.
nothlir
family line
(family tree); no distinct pl. form; coll. pl. nothliriath.
nu
under
followed by lenition (with article nuin ”under the”, followed by ”mixed mutation” according to David Salo’s reconstructions)
taeg
boundary line
(i daeg, o thaeg) (limit, boundary), no distinct pl. form except with article (i thaeg).
thurin
secret
(adjective) 1) thurin (hidden); no distinct pl. form, 2) dolen (hidden), lenited dholen, pl. dolin;
thurin
secret
(hidden); no distinct pl. form
tilias
line of peaks
(i** dilias, o thilias), pl. tiliais (i** thiliais), coll. pl. tiliassath.
tín
his
*tín (only attested in lenited form dín, following a noun with article). Possibly, the word also covers ”her(s)” and ”its” as a general 3rd person form. If ”his” refers to the same person as the subject, the form ín* is used instead (e.g. i venn sunc i haw ín** ”the man drank his (own) juice”, but *i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his (somebody elses) juice”.
tín
his
(only attested in lenited form dín, following a noun with article). Possibly, the word also covers ”her(s)” and ”its” as a general 3rd person form. If ”his” refers to the same person as the subject, the form ín is used instead (e.g. ✱i venn sunc i haw ín ”the man drank his (own) juice”, but ✱i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his (somebody else’s) juice”.
ín
his
(pronoun referring to the subject, e.g. ✱i venn sunc i haw ín ”the man drank his [own] juice”, as opposed to ✱i venn sunc i haw dín ”the man drank his [= another’s] juice”)
dael
noun. horror
gorog
noun. horror
heryn
noun. lady
thoss
noun. fear
thurin
masculine name. Secret
tîn
adjective. his
Dúnadan
noun. Man of the west, Númenórean
adan
noun. man, one of the Second People (elvish name for men)
adanadar
noun. man, one of the Fathers of Men
adanath
noun. men
adaneth
noun. (mortal) woman
arwen
noun. noble woman
bess
noun. (young) woman
bess
noun. wife
dael
noun. horror
_ n. _horror.
del
noun. horror
dern
hard
adj. hard, thrawn. Also used for Dwarves, esp. in pl2. dernlir. >> gorn
drúadan
noun. wild man, one of the Woses
drû
noun. wild man, Wose, Púkel-Man
In PE/11:31, an older Gnomish word drû, drui meant "wood, forest", and in PE/13:142, the early Noldorin word drú was assigned the meaning "dark". Drû pl. Drúin later came to be used for the name of the Woses, with other derivatives (Drúadan, etc.). "Wose" is actually the modernization of an Anglo-Saxon word wasa only found in the compound wudu-wasa "wild man of the woods", cf. UT/385 sq. In the drafts of the "Ride of the Rohirrim" in WR/343-346, the Woses first appeared as "the dark men of Eilenach". Though internally said to derive from drughu in their own tongue, Tolkien's choice for the Sindarin name of the Woses was apparently influenced by earlier meanings assigned to this word
gorgor
noun. extreme horror, terror, haunting fear
gorn
hard
adj. hard, thrawn. Also used for Dwarves, esp. in pl2. gornhoth (hostile implication). >> dern
gorn
hard
gorog
noun. horror
gorth
noun. horror
gorth
noun. horror
heruin
noun. lady
heruin
noun. lady
heryn
noun. lady
heryn
noun. lady
híril
noun. lady, lady; [G.] princess, †queen
lîr
noun. line, line, [N.] row
min-
preposition. (in) between (referring to a gap, space, barrier or anything intervening between two other things)
mîn
preposition. (in) between (referring to a gap, space, barrier or anything intervening between two other things)
ned
preposition. (uncertain meaning) in, of (about time, e.g. giving a date)
[Another possible interpretation: "another, one more" (related to Q. net(e)), VT/47:40]
nu
preposition. under
With suffixed article, see also nuin
nu
preposition. under
nuin
preposition. under the
rodel
lady
1a _n._lady, high lady. >> Nimrodel
vi
preposition. in
vi
preposition. in
achas
fear
(dread), pl. echais. It is possible that the word is lenited in the source, and that it should have an initial g-; if so read gachas (i ’achas), pl. gechais (i ngechais = i ñechais)
adan
man
(pl. Edain; the coll. pl. Adanath is attested). The word Adan came to be used primarily of a member of the Three Houses of the Edain, not of the mortal race of Men in general.
adaneth
mortal woman
(pl. edenith), also firieth (pl. firith).
angos
horror
(pl. engys) (VT45:15)
bassoneth
lady
(bread-giver) (i massoneth, o mbassoneth), pl. bassonith (i mbassonith). Archaic ✱bassauneth.
bess
woman
bess (i vess, construct bes) (wife), pl. biss (i miss). The word etymologically means ”wife”, but the meaning was generalized.
bess
woman
(i vess, construct bes) (wife), pl. biss (i miss). The word etymologically means ”wife”, but the meaning was generalized.
brennil
lady
(i vrennil), pl. same as sg. except with article: i mrennil. Coll. pl. brenillath.
bôr
trusty man
(boron-) (i vôr, construct bor) (steadfast man, faithful vassal), pl. *b**ŷr* for older beryn, i meryn (archaic böryn, i möryn). In ”Noldorin”, the older pl. forms were berein, beren.
delos
fear
(i dhelos) (horror, abhorrence, dread, detestation, loathing), pl. delys (i nelys), coll. pl. delossath. Note: a side-form ends in -oth (pl. -yth) instead of -os (-ys).
delos
horror
(i dhelos) (fear, abhorrence, dread, detestation, loathing), pl. delys (i nelys), coll. pl. delossath. A side-form ends in -oth (pl. -yth) instead of -os (-ys).
delos
loathing
(i dhelos) (fear, horror, abhorrence, dread, detestation), pl. delys (i nelys), coll. pl. delossath. A side-form ends in -oth (pl. -yth) instead of -os (-ys).
dolen
secret
(hidden), lenited dholen, pl. dolin
dúnadan
man of the west
(i Núnadan), pl. Dúnedain (i Ndúnedain) (WJ:378, 386).
falas
line of surf
(pl. felais) (beach, shore, coast, strand, foaming shore; the word was especially used of the western seaboard of Beleriand). *(VT42:15)*****
firion
mortal man
(pl. firyn).
gass
gap
(i ’ass, construct gas) (hole), pl. gais (i ngais = i ñais)
golu
secret lore
(i ngolu = i ñolu, o n’golu = o ñgolu) (secret lore), analogical pl. gely (in gely = i ñgely) if there is a pl. Archaic golw, hence golwath as the likely coll. pl.
gorgoroth
deadly fear
(i ngorgoroth = i ñorgoroth, o n’gorgoroth = o ngorgoroth) (terror), pl. gergeryth (in gergeryth = i ñgergeryth). Archaic pl. görgöryth. Also in shorter form gorgor (i ngorgor = i ñorgor, o n’gorgor = o ñgorgor) (extreme horror), pl. gergyr (in gergyr = i ñgergyr), coll. pl. *gorgorath*** (WJ:415). Archaic pl. ✱görgyr**.
gorog
horror
(i ngorog = i ñorog, o n’gorog = o ñgorog), pl. geryg (in geryg = i ñgeryg) (WJ:415). Archaic pl. göryg.
goroth
horror
(i ngoroth = i ñoroth, o n’goroth = o ñgoroth) (dread), pl. geryg (in geryg = i ñgeryg) (WJ:415). Archaic pl. göryth.
gorth
horror
(i ngorth = i ñorth, o n’gorth = o ñgorth) (dread), pl. gyrth (in gyrth = i ñgyrth). (WJ:415) Note: a homophone means ”dead; dead person”
goss
horror
(i ’oss, construct gos) (dread), pl. gyss (i ngyss = i ñyss).
gwanur
kinsman
(i ’wanur) (brother), pl. gwenyr (in gwenyr). Note: a homophone of the sg. means ”pair of twins”.
ne
in
ned (used of time in the source), possibly followed by hard mutation (SD:129)
ne
in, inside
(prefix) (mid-)
niphred
fear
(pallor); pl. niphrid.
norn
hard
norn (twisted, knotted, crabbed, contorted), pl. nyrn. Also used as noun = ”Dwarf”. (MR:93, WJ:205)
norn
hard
(twisted, knotted, crabbed, contorted), pl. nyrn. Also used as noun = ”Dwarf”. (MR:93, WJ:205)
rhavan
wild man
(?i thravan or ?i ravan – the lenition product of rh is uncertain), pl. rhevain (?idh revain) (WJ:219). – The following terms apparently apply to ”men” of any speaking race:
thalion
dauntless man
(hero), pl. thelyn. Also used as an adj. ”dauntless, steadfast, strong”.
tê
line
(i dê, o thê) (way), pl. tî (i thî), coll. pl. ?teath
vi
in
(VT44:23), with article vin
A word for “man” as a male person, attested only as an element in compounds or as (archaic?) ndir (PE17/60). This word likely refers to male individuals of all races including Elves, Men, Dwarves and so forth, much like its Quenya cognate Q. nér. This word must have been derived from the primitive subjective form ✶ndēr of the root √N(D)ER “male person”, where the ancient long ē became ī, and the initial cluster nd- became d-, though the ancient cluster would still be reflected in mutated forms, such as in i nîr “the man” rather than ✱✱i dhîr.
Conceptual Development: Perhaps the earliest precursor to this word is (archaic) G. †drio “hero, warrior” with variants driw, driodweg and driothweg, a cognate of ᴱQ. nēr (GL/22). This Gnomish word was derived from primitive ᴱ✶n’reu̯, where the initial nr- became dr-. At this early stage, the root was unstrengthened ᴱ√NERE (QL/65), as reflected in (archaic) ᴱN. nîr “hero, prince, warrior-elf” in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s (PE13/164).
In The Etymologies of the 1930s the root became ᴹ√DER “adult male, man” of any speaking race and the derived form was N. dîr (Ety/DER). However, in this document Tolkien said:
> EN †dîr surviving chiefly in proper names (as Diriel older Dirghel [GYEL], Haldir, Brandir) and as agental ending (as ceredir “doer, maker”) ... In ordinary use EN has benn [for “man”] (properly = “husband”).
Thus in the scenario described in The Etymologies, dîr “man” was archaic and used only as an element in names or as a suffix. In ordinary speech it was replaced by N. benn, which used to mean “husband” but now meant “man”, while the word for “husband” became N. hervenn (Ety/BES). It is unlikely Tolkien imagined this exact scenario in later Sindarin, however, since the 1930s root for benn was ᴹ√BES “wed”, but by the 1960s the root for husband/wife/marry words had become √BER.
Neo-Sindarin: Since the status of N. benn is questionable given ᴹ√BES >> √BER, many Neo-Sindarin writers prefer to use S. ✱dîr as the Sindarin word for man. I am of the opinion that both dîr and benn are acceptable for “man, male person”. This is because I prefer to retain ᴹ√BES as the root for “marry, wed”, since it is the best basis for attested husband/wife words in (Neo) Sindarin.