Alcarondas
Alcarondas, the Castle of the Sea was the golden-and-black flagship of Ar-Pharazôn, the last King of Númenor. It had many oars and many masts, upon which were sails of gold and sable. In this ship he sailed to the shores of Aman, leading the Great Armament to challenge the Valar, leading to the Downfall of his kingdom.[1]
Etymology
In earlier texts the ship was the Aglarrâma, a word in Adûnaic which seems to incorporate the Sindarin word for "glory", aglar, perhaps adapted in Adûnaic.[2]
The name's form is obviously Quenya, which is curious, considering the royal spite for Elvish. It is said that "Castle of the Sea" is its translation, however it doesn't contain any recognizable elements for "castle" or "sea" (which in Quenya is eär).[3]
The only definitely recognizeable Quenya element is alcar "glory" (cf. Aglarrâma above). Andreas Moehn suggests that it means "Dome of Glory",[3] obviously containing a form of Quenya rondo "vaulted hall"[4][5]
The Adûnaic name, Moehn suggests, probably means "Sails of Glory", with -râma being an adaptation of Quenya ráma/ráme "wing",[3] seen also in the ship-name Eärrámë.[6]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth", p.156
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Andreas Moehn, "Etymologies of the Atani languages", Lalaith's Middle-earth Science Pages (accessed 19 April 2024)
- ↑ Vinyar Tengwar, Number 39, July 1998, p.9
- ↑ Vinyar Tengwar, Number 46, July 2004, p.12
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife"
