palar
flat field, 'wang', plain
nindalf
place name. Wetwang
The fens below the falls of Rauros, translated “Wetwang” (LotR/373). This name is a combination of nîn “wet” and the lenited form of talf “flat field” (PE17/52, 61; RC/779).
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this region was first named N. Palath Nenui “Wetwang” (TI/268), soon revised to N. Nindalf (TI/281).
Cognates
- Q. Nindatalma “Wetwang, Nindalf” ✧ PE17/052
Derivations
- ✶nēn-talma “Wetwang, Nindalf” ✧ PE17/167
Elements
Word Gloss nîn “wet, *watery” talf “wang, flat field, topographical flat area” Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ✶nēn-talma > nindalf [nēnatalma] > [nīnatalma] > [nīnatalm] > [nīnadalm] > [nīndalm] > [nindalm] > [nindalv] ✧ PE17/167 Variations
- Nin-dalf ✧ PE17/052; PE17/061
- nindalf ✧ PE17/052; PE17/167
talf
noun. wang, flat field, topographical flat area
A noun for a “topographical flat area” (PE17/52) or “flat field” (RC/779) in the name S. Nindalf “Wetwang”, where Tolkien indicated that “wang” was an archaic English word for “field, flat area” (RC/779). It was derived from the root √TALAM “flat space” (PE17/52).
Cognates
- Q. talma “flat space, platform” ✧ PE17/052
Derivations
Element in
- S. Nindalf “Wetwang” ✧ PE17/052; PE17/052; PE17/061; RC/779
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources √talam > talf [talma] > [talm] > [talv] ✧ PE17/052
nindalf
place name. Wetwang
Variations
- nindalf ✧ PE22/068
palath nenui
place name. Wetwang
Earliest Elvish name for the Wetwang appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/268), a combination of palath “surface” and otherwise unattested nenui “wet”, as suggested by Roman Rausch (EE/2.38).
Changes
- Palath Nenui → Nindalf “Wetwang” ✧ TII/Nindalf
Elements
Word Gloss palath “surface” nenui “wet”
Beware, older languages below! The languages below were invented during Tolkien's earlier period and should be used with caution. Remember to never, ever mix words from different languages!
palar
noun. flat field, ‘wang’, plain, plain, flat field, ‘wang’
A noun from The Etymologies of the 1930s given as {palad >>} palar “plain, flat field, ‘wang’” written in the margins next to the root ᴹ√PAL “wide (open)” (EtyAC/PAL). The deleted form palad is probably its primitive form, with the usual change of final -d to -r; indeed the primitive form ✶palad “plain” appears in Common Eldarin: Noun Structure (EVS2) from the early 1950s, indicating the ongoing validity of this word. As pointed out by Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne, the gloss “wang” is an archaic word for “field, flat area” which Tolkien used in names like “Wetwang” (RC/779).
Conceptual Development: The word ᴱQ. palume “a plain” and its variant {palanka >>} palante may be a precursor to ᴹQ. palar; it likewise was a derivative of the root ᴱ√PALA, probably an elaboration of ᴱQ. palo (palu-) “plane surface, plain, the flat” (QL/71-72).
Changes
palad→ palar ✧ EtyAC/PALDerivations
Phonetic Developments
Development Stages Sources ᴹ√PAL > palar [palad] > [palað] > [palar] ✧ Ety/PAL Variations
- palad ✧ EtyAC/PAL (
palad)
Wetwang
Wetwang
The archaic meaning of wang means "field, flat area". Wetwang is a real-life place-name in Yorkshire.
palar noun "flat field, 'wang', plain" (the editors indicate that the last gloss may also be read as "place", but "plain" seems more likely in light of the other glosses, VT46:8)