fêr

noun. beech-tree

fêr

noun. beech-tree

A word for “beech-tree” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√PHER(EN) “beech” (Ety/PHER). Tolkien said that “Exilic fêr was usually replaced by brethil”, indicating that fêr was probably archaic. In The Etymologies, N. brethil was “beech-tree” (Ety/BERÉTH).

Neo-Sindarin: In Tolkien’s later writings, he typically said S. brethil was a type of silver-birch. I would assume the ordinary Sindarin word for “beech” was instead neldor (LotR/469; RC/384), but would keep †fêr as an archaic word for “beech”.

Cognates

• ᴹQ. feren “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/PHER

Derivations

• On. pheren “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH; Ety/PHER
  • ᴹ✶pheren “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
  • ᴹ√PHER(EN) “beech” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
  • ᴹ√PHER(EN) “beech” ✧ Ety/PHER

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
On. pheren > fêr	[ɸeren] > [ɸere] > [fere] > [fer] > [fēr]	✧ Ety/BERÉTH
On. pheren > ferin	[ɸereni] > [fereni] > [ferini] > [ferin]	✧ Ety/BERÉTH

brethel

noun. beech

brethil

noun. beech

Changes

• brethil → brethel ✧ Ety/NEL

Cognates

• ᴹT. bredele “beech-tree” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH

Derivations

• ᴹ√BERETH “beech” ✧ Ety/NEL; Ety/PHER

Element in

• N. Brethil ✧ Ety/NEL
• N. Brethilian(d) “Forest of Brethil” ✧ Ety/BERÉTH
• N. Nimbrethil

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√BERÉTH > brethel	[berétʰele] > [bretʰel] > [breθele] > [breθel]	✧ Ety/NEL
ᴹ√BERÉTH > brethil	[berétʰelī] > [bretʰelī] > [bretʰeli] > [breθeli] > [breθili] > [breθil]	✧ Ety/NEL

Variations

• brethel ✧ Ety/NEL

brethel

noun. beech, beech-tree, silver birch