_ v. _archaic perfect participle/adjective. >> Gilthoniel
Sindarin
thoniel
adjective. kindler (in the past)
thoniel
verb. archaic perfect participle/adjective
toniel
noun. kindler
gilthoniel
feminine name. Star-kindler
A title of Elbereth (LotR/238) translated “Star-kindler” (RGEO/64, Let/278), the equivalent of Q. Tintallë (MR/388). This name is a combination of gil “star”, a derivative of the root √THAN “kindle” and the feminine suffix -iel (PE17/22-3, MR/388).
Conceptual Development: The name N. Gilthoniel appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s with essentially the same derivation as the one given above, except that the middle element was from the root ᴹ√TAN “make, fashion”, and the gloss was “Star-maker” (Ety/GIL, TAN). When this name first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, it was Gilthonieth, a form that also appeared in The Etymologies, but it was soon revised to Gilthoniel (RS/68). In some notes from the 1950s, Tolkien considered the possibility that the final element thoniel was a special past-tense agental formation meaning “kindler (in the past)” (PE17/82).
a elbereth gilthoniel
o Elbereth who lit the stars
a elbereth gilthoniel
o Elbereth who lit the stars
thoniel
kindler
(feminine) #thoniel (pl. thonil). Isolated from Vardas title Gilthoniel, Star-kindler.
thoniel
kindler
(pl. thonil). Isolated from Varda’s title Gilthoniel, Star-kindler.
An element in the name Gilthoniel “Star-kindler” which Tolkien explained as “an archaic perfect participle/adjective of √THAN, kindle” in a 1955 letter to David Masson (PE17/82).
Neo-Sindarin: This perfect participle implies the existence of a verb ✱than- “to kindle”, but since Tolkien said the participle was archaic, the verb may be as well, and it is probably better to use attested [N.] nartha- for “kindle” in Neo-Sindarin.