n. star.
Sindarin
elen
star
elen
noun. star
el
star
gil-
noun. star
êl
noun. star (little used except in verses)
êl
star
pl1. elin, pl2. elenath** ** n. star. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni, pl2. elelli. >> elen
êl
noun. star
A Sindarin word for “star” that is largely archaic and poetic, and is mainly used as element in names like Elrond (Let/281; WJ/363; Ety/EL); the more usual word for “star” in ordinary speech was gil (RGEO/65). However, the collective form elenath is still used in common speech to refer to the entire host of stars (WJ/363). The plural of êl is elin, as this word was derived from ancient ✶elen, and the final n that was lost in the singular was preserved in the plural. In some cases Tolkien posited a restored analogical singular elen from the plural form (PE17/24, 67, 139), but this isn’t in keeping with the notion that the word was archaic, so I would ignore this for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.
Conceptual Development: This word and its root first appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s, where N. el “star” was derived from the root ᴹ√EL of similar meaning, but was “only [used] in names” (Ety/EL). It seems Tolkien introduced the root to give a new etymology for names like N. Elrond and N. Elwing, which initially appeared under the root ᴹ√ƷEL “sky” (Ety/ƷEL).
Cognates
- Q. elen “star” ✧ PE17/024; PE17/024; PE17/067; PE17/127; PE17/151; SA/êl; WJ/362
Derivations
Element in
- S. Anglachel “*Iron-of-the-flaming-star”
- S. Anguirel “*Iron-of-the-fiery-star”
- S. Eladar “Starfather”
- S. elanor “pimpernel, small golden star-shaped flower, (lit.) sun-star” ✧ PE17/055
- S. Elbereth “Queen of Stars, (lit.) Star-queen” ✧ PE17/022; RGEO/65
- S. Elrond “Star-dome”
- S. Elros “Star-foam”
- S. Elu ✧ PM/369
- ᴺS. elui “starry”
- S. Elwing “Star-spray” ✧ PM/369
- S. Nan Elmoth “*Valley of Starry Dusk”
- S. Narn en·Êl “*Tale of the Star” ✧ MR/373
- S. Narn e·Dant Gondolin ar Orthad en·Êl “*Tale of the Fall of Gondolin and the Raising of the Star” ✧ MR/373
- S. o menel aglar elenath “from heaven on high the glory of the starry host” ✧ LotR/0238; PE17/024; RGEO/63; RGEO/64
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √EL > êl [elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl] ✧ Let/281 ✶elen > êl [elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl] ✧ PE17/067 ✶ELEN > êl [elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl] ✧ PE17/139 ✶elenī > elin [elenī] > [eleni] > [elini] > [elin] ✧ PE22/150 √EL > êl [elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl] ✧ RGEO/65 √ele > êl [elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl] ✧ SA/êl ✶elen > êl [elen] > [ele] > [el] > [ēl] ✧ WJ/360 Variations
- Êl ✧ MR/373
- el- ✧ PE17/022
- elen ✧ PE17/024; PE17/067; PE17/139
- el(en) ✧ PE17/025
- el ✧ PE17/055; PM/369
gil
noun. star, bright spark
gill
noun. star
giliath
noun. all the host of stars
gilion
of stars
(lenited ngilion; pl. gilioen). Archaic ✱giliaun.
gîl
star
gîl (i ngîl = i ñîl, o n**gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath** (RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).
gîl
star
(i ngîl = i ñîl, o n’gîl, construct gil) (bright spark, silver glint), no distinct pl. form except with article (in gîl = i ñgîl), coll. pl. giliath **(RGEO, MR:388). Poetic †êl (elen-, pl. **elin, coll. pl. elenath) (RGEO, Letters:281, WJ:363).
pl1. elin, pl2. elenath _n._star. Its collective plural (pl2.) designates 'the (host of all the) stars, (all) the (visible) stars of the firmament'. Q. elen, pl1. eldi, eleni. o menel aglar elenath ! lit. 'from Firmament glory of the stars !'. >> êl