Sindarin translation of Q. Elessar (SD/128), a compound of Edhel “Elf” and the lenited form harn of sarn “stone”.
Quenya
elessar
masculine name. Elfstone
Cognates
- S. Edhelharn “Elfstone”
Element in
- Q. savin Elessar ar i nánë aran Ondórëo “I believe that E[lessar] really existed and that he was a King of Gondor” ✧ PE22/158; VT49/27
- Q. savin Elessarno quetië “I believe the words of A[ragorn]” ✧ PE22/158; VT49/28
- Q. savin i Elessarno quetië naitë “I believe that the words of A[ragorn] are true” ✧ PE22/158; VT49/28
Elements
Word Gloss elen “star” sar “stone (small)”
A name of Aragorn (LotR/375), a compound of elen “star” and sar “stone”. The final -n of elen was assimilated to the s, which also happened in the name Elestirnë. The name was glossed “Elfstone”, no doubt due to the association of the words elen “star” and Elda “Elf”. A similar confusion is seen in the name Elendil “Elf-friend” (properly “Star-lover”).
Conceptual Development: As a name for Aragon, this name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s as ᴹQ. Eldamir with the variant Qendemir (TI/276). It was soon changed to ᴹQ. Elessar (TI/294) and kept that form thereafter. Tolkien also considered using Elessar for the name of the last king of Gondor, before changing that name to Eärnur (WR/153).