Primitive elvish

yānā

adjective. wide, large, extensive

Derivations

  • YAN “wide, extensive, large, vast, huge; extend” ✧ PE17/042; PE17/155; VT47/27

Derivatives

  • Q. yána “wide, vast, huge”
  • S. iaun “wide, extensive, large, roomy, vast, huge” ✧ PE17/042
    • S. -ion “-region, -land” ✧ PE17/042

Element in

Variations

  • yanā/yandā ✧ PE17/155
  • yāna/yanda ✧ VT47/27
Primitive elvish [PE17/042; PE17/155; VT47/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

yan

root. wide, extensive, large, vast, huge; extend

A root Tolkien introduced in the late 1950s to serve as the basis for various “land” suffixes in Sindarin. The most detailed explanation appeared in a set of documents labeled “Changes affecting Silmarillion nomenclature”:

> The endings -ion, -ien, -ian(d) in place names. These have various origins. In Sindarin -ion is usually from -ı̯aun. This in origin is from yānā, √YANA-, extension of yā- (cf. YAGA, gap) “wide, large, extensive”. S iaun “roomy, wide, extensive” ... -iand (-ian) is from yandē “a wide region, or country” ... This was often used in plural of a single country (especially if it contained a varied topographical apsect) > iend, ien (PE17/42).

Thus all three suffixes -ian(d), -ien(d), -ion originate in the root √YAN. The suffix -ian(d) “land” (Beleriand) is the simplest, just a reduction of ancient -yandē. The suffix -ien(d) “lands” (Anórien) is a plural variant of -ian(d). The suffix -ion (Eregion) is S. iaun “wide, extension” used as a suffix (so perhaps = “✱extent”), becoming -ion because of the usual sound change whereby au become o in polysyllables.

In this same document, Tolkien also considered introducing a root √YŎNO “wide, extensive”, going so far as (temporarily) rejected the very well established word Q. yondo “son”. This √YON was blended with √YOD “fence, enclose”, and served as the basis for the suffix -ion, but Tolkien ultimately marked these notes with an “X” to reject them, perhaps because they only explained the suffix -ion, whereas √YAN could explain all three suffixes.

YAN was mentioned in passing in other documents from this period, variously glossed “vast, huge” (PE17/99), “wide” (PE17/115), and “extend” (PE17/155), and in one place given a variant √YAD (PE17/115). In notes from December 1959 (D59) √YAN was contrasted with √ƷAN, the former meaning “wide” and the latter meaning “long”, both with the basic sense “extend” (PE17/115); see the entry on √HAN for further discussion.

Changes

  • NAYAYAN ✧ PE17/099

Derivatives

  • yānā “wide, large, extensive” ✧ PE17/042; PE17/155; VT47/27
    • Q. yána “wide, vast, huge”
    • S. iaun “wide, extensive, large, roomy, vast, huge” ✧ PE17/042
    • S. -ion “-region, -land” ✧ PE17/042
  • yandē “a wide region or country” ✧ PE17/042
    • S. -ian(d) “-land, country” ✧ PE17/042
  • Q. yána “wide, vast, huge” ✧ PE17/099; PE17/115
  • S. iaun “wide, extensive, large, roomy, vast, huge” ✧ PE17/099
    • S. -ion “-region, -land” ✧ PE17/042
  • S. iand “wide” ✧ PE17/115

Variations

  • YAN ✧ PE17/040; PE17/099; PE17/115; PE17/191; PE17/191
  • YANA ✧ PE17/042; PE17/191
  • NAYA ✧ PE17/099
  • YAD ✧ PE17/115; PE17/191
  • YĂN ✧ PE17/155; PE17/158; PE17/191
  • yăn ✧ VT47/27
Primitive elvish [PE17/040; PE17/042; PE17/099; PE17/115; PE17/155; PE17/158; PE17/191; VT47/27] Group: Eldamo. Published by

yad

root. wide

san-

noun. that

Derivatives

  • S. san “that” ✧ PE17/042
Primitive elvish [PE17/042] Group: Eldamo. Published by