8.655 Tree (other)
- S. faran n. “rowan, *ash”
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A Sindarin word for a “rowan” [a species of ash tree], cognate to Q. farnë and derivative of √PHAR(AN) (PE17/83), possibly a later iteration of N. †fêr “beech-tree” from the root ᴹ√PHER(EN) (Ety/PHER).
Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. soros “ash-tree” of unclear derivation (GL/68).
- G. gwindod n. “elder tree; elderberry”
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A word appearing as G. gwindod “elder tree; elderberry” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, a combination of G. gwin “woman” and G. dod “berry”, hence more literally “*woman berry” (GL/45).
Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would update this word to ᴺS. gwennod “elder tree; elderberry, *(lit.) maiden berry” using the later word S. gwend “maiden”.
- S. huorn n. “?spirit tree”
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Ent-like creatures from the forest of Fangorn (LotR/705).
Possible Etymology: Clearly the final element of this word is orn “tree”, but Tolkien was unsure of the initial element. In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien considered first considered hû “spirit, shadow” < ✶hyōba (PE17/86). He then considered hû derived from ✶khōgo with a new gloss that might be “hound” or might be “heart” according to Christopher Gilson; compare N. hû “dog” from The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from the root ᴹ√KHUG (Ety/KHUG). This was followed by unglossed forms hôn or hûn derived from primitive ✶khōn-, which obviously resemble N. hûn “heart” from The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√KHŌ-N (Ety/KHŌ-N).
Thus Tolkien may have considered the possible meanings: “spirit-tree”, “shadow-tree”, “hound-tree”, “heart-tree”.
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s, Tolkien gave these creatures Quenya names ᴹQ. Lamorni >> ᴹQ. Ornómi “Talking Trees” (WR/50).
- S. lebethron n. “Gondorian hardwood, *(lit.) finger tree”
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A species of Gondorian hardwood (LotR/694).
Possible Etymology: In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s (PE17/89), Tolkien said that the final element -ron was a variant of orn “tree”. However, in an undated note probably from the late 1960s (also PE17/89), Tolkien said this word was originally †lebethorn, but became lebethron under the influence of S. ron “smooth by polishing” < *runda, but Tolkien then deleted the adjective ron. Tolkien said the initial element was related to Q. lepse [finger] in the earlier note, but in the late 1960s note said it was related to Q. lepetta, the Quenya word for the tree, so called “probably because its leaves (like chestnut) [were] shaped like a fingered hand”.
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s, Tolkien wrote ᴹQ. {melinon >> lebendron >>} lebethras when he first mentioned this tree (WR/176).
- S. mallorn n. “gold tree, yellow tree”
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Name of the golden trees of Lórien (LotR/346).
Possible Etymology: In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien considered a couple etymologies for this word. Initially he derived this word as a combination of malt “gold” and orn “tree”, saying it was “a later Sindarin word (since in earlier times the word malta was only used literally of the metal ‘gold’): older form malh-orn with long voiceless l” (PE17/51). He then considered it as the equivalent of Q. malinornë or maldorne where the initial element was based on ✶malnā “yellow”, with ln becoming ll in Sindarin as opposed to becoming ld in Quenya (PE17/51).
This second etymology seems to have been a transient idea. In notes from the late 1960s Tolkien said: “in The Lord of the Rings ll is used in the manner of modern Welsh for the medial voiceless l; as in mallorn < malhorn < malþorn < malt ‘gold’ and orn ‘tree’ (VT42/27)”. Thus mallorn is the best example of how ancient lt became ll (via lþ) in Sindarin. Whether or not the ll was voiceless in modern Sindarin is an open question, however; in other places Tolkien said ll was eventually voiced (PE17/131).
Conceptual Development: This word was already N. mallorn when it first appeared in Lord of the Rings drafts of the 1940s (TI/226).
- G. mavlantos n. “sycamore”
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A word appearing as G. mavlantos “sycamore” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, apparently a blending of G. mavlant “palm” and G. blantos “sycamore” (GL/23, 55). This word likely refers to the sycamore’s flat and palm-like leaves.
Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin I would adapt this word as ᴺS. mablanthos, a noun formation based on mâb and [ᴺS.] plant “flat”.
- G. omlos n. “chestnut tree, *chestnut”
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A noun appearing as G. omlos “(horse) chestnut tree” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, an elaboration of G. omla “a horse chestnut” (GL/62).
Neo-Sindarin: Its etymology was obscure even in the 1910s, but since there are no later alternatives I would retain ᴺS. omlos “chestnut tree” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin. Its initial element would have to be based on something like omb- for the m to have survived; compare to S. imlad < ✶imbi-lătă (PE17/87). Since I don’t see a way to salvage G. omla, I would use ᴺS. omlos for a “chestnut” as well.
- S. rîf n. “bark”
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A word for “bark” (or possibly “skin”) appearing only in the name S. Fladrif “Skinbark” (LotR/474).
Conceptual Development: Earlier “bark” words include G. padhwen “bark” (GL/63) and G. dafros “bark, skin, peel” (GL/29) from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, G. {daus >>} dâf “bark” in Gnomish Lexicon Slips (PE13/112), and ᴱN. {gwath “bark” >>} gwadh “bark, skin, peel” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/146).
- S. tathar n. “willow (tree)”
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The Sindarin word for “willow”, derived from the same root √TATHAR as its Quenya cognate tasarë (SA/tathar; PE17/81). Its adjectival form tathren “of willow(s)” is an element in the name Nan-tathren “Land of Willows” (S/120).
Conceptual Development: The earliest form of this word was G. tathrin “willow” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/69), cognate to ᴱQ. tasarin derived from the early root ᴱ√TASA (QL/53). This was an element in the early names G. Nan Tathrin and G. Dor-tathrin “Land of Willows”, but as a noun rather than an adjective. ᴱN. tathrin “willow” reappeared in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/153), but in The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien split it into two words: noun N. tathor “willow” and adjective N. tathren “of willow” under the root ᴹ√TATHAR (Ety/TATHAR).
In notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s, Tolkien revisited the noun, first having [deleted] S. taur or taor derived from √TASĀR, which he revised to S. tathar derived from √TAÞAR, as noted above (PE17/81). The adjectival form S. tathren continued to appear in Silmarillion drafts of the 1950s and 60s as well (WJ/80).
- N. tulus n. “poplar-tree”
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A noun in The Etymologies of the 1930s glossed “poplar-tree”, cognate to ᴹQ. tyulusse, both derived from the root ᴹ√TYUL “stand up (straight)” (Ety/TYUL).
Conceptual Development: Earlier words for a poplar tree include G. cwithwiros “poplar” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s based on G. cwitha- “murmur” (GL/29) and ᴱN. {aigir >> lalath >>} loloth “poplar-tree” in Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/136, 149).
In Tolkien’s later writings he decided that initial palatized dentals like ty- were no longer a feature of Primitive Elvish, and he revised other derivatives of the root ᴹ√TYUL to use kyul- instead, most notably ✶kyul(u)mā > Q. tyulma “mast” (SD/419; PE21/74, 80).
Neo-Sindarin: I ignore this particular change for purposes of Neo-Eldarin as it requires us to abandon too many words; see the entry on how [j] was lost after initial dentals for further discussion. As such, I would retain tulus “poplar-tree” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin. If, however, you want to follow the later paradigm, you should adopt this Noldorin word as ᴺS. *culus “poplar-tree”.