Elen: Difference between revisions
From Tolkien Gateway
No edit summary |
(→Examples: Added phrase) |
||
| (18 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''''elen''''' (pl. '''eleni''' or '''eldi''') means "star" in [[Quenya]]. | __NOTOC__ | ||
'''''elen''''' (pl. '''eleni''' or '''eldi''') means "star" in [[Quenya]].<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, ''elen''</ref> | |||
The [[Edain]], however, equated ''elen'' and ''[[elda]]'' ("[[Elves|Elf]]"), so in some situations ''elen'' translates as "Elf". | |||
==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
[[PQ]] [[ | [[PQ]] [[Sundocarmë|Root]] [[EL]].<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, '''EL'''</ref> | ||
It is said traditionally to come from the exclamation ''[[ele]]''! "behold" being the first word the first Elves spoke at [[Cuiviénen]], when they saw the stars.{{fact}} | |||
==Other forms== | ==Other forms== | ||
*[[elenna]] "to a star": allative, also a name for [[Númenor]].<ref>{{HM|UT}}, [[Cirion and Eorl]]</ref> | *''[[elenna]]'' "to a star": allative, also a name for [[Númenor]].<ref>{{HM|UT}}, [[Cirion and Eorl]]</ref> | ||
*elelli "stars": partitive plural<ref> | *''elelli'' "stars": partitive plural<ref>{{PE|17}}, p. 127</ref> | ||
*elenion "of stars": pl. genitive<ref>{{ | *''elenion'' "of stars": pl. genitive<ref>{{L|297}}, p. 385</ref> | ||
*elenillor "from stars": pl. ablative<ref>[[The Monsters and the Critics]], [[Markirya]]</ref> | *''elenillor'' "from stars": pl. ablative<ref>[[The Monsters and the Critics]], [[Markirya]]</ref> | ||
==Seen in== | ==Seen in== | ||
*[[ | *''[[Elemmírë]]'' | ||
*[[Elendur]] | *''[[Elendur (son of Isildur)|Elendur]]'' | ||
* [[Elenna]] = "Star-wards" | *''[[Eldar]]'' | ||
*[[Elentári]] | *''[[Elenna]]'' = "Star-wards" | ||
*[[Elenwe]] | *''[[Elentári]]'' | ||
*[[Elerrína]] | *''[[Elenwe]]'' | ||
*''[[Elerrína]]'' | |||
*''[[elenya]]'' | |||
===With the meaning "Elf"=== | |||
*''[[Elendil]]'' = "Friend of the Elves" | |||
*''[[Aragorn|Elessar]]'' = "Elf-stone" | |||
*''[[Elesser]]'' = "[[Elfwine]]" | |||
*[[ | ==Examples== | ||
*"'''''Elen''' [[Sil|síla]] [[lúme|lúmenn']] [[omentie|omentielvo]]''" ("'''a star''' shines on the hour of our meeting")<ref>{{FR|Three}}</ref> | |||
*"''[[Aiya]] [[Eärendil]] '''Elenion''' [[Ancalima]]!''"<ref>{{TT|Lair}}</ref> ("Hail Eärendil brightest '''of the Stars'''!") | |||
*"''Aiya '''elenion''' [[ancalima]]!''"<ref>{{RK|Tower}}</ref> ("Hail brightest '''of the stars'''!") | |||
==Inspiration== | ==Inspiration== | ||
Dante Alighieri in his ''De vulgari eloquentia'' suggests that the word ''El'' was the first sound emitted by Adam: While the first utterance of humans after birth is a cry of pain, Dante assumed that Adam could only have made an exclamation of joy, which at the same time was addressing his Creator. | ''El'' means "deity" in some Semitic languages, and is a common element in many Hebrew names, as happens with [[Elvish]] names. Dante Alighieri in his ''De vulgari eloquentia'' suggests that the word ''El'' was the first sound emitted by Adam: While the first utterance of humans after birth is a cry of pain, Dante assumed that Adam could only have made an exclamation of joy, which at the same time was addressing his Creator.{{fact}}<!-- How do we know Tolkien was inspired by this, or which scholar has suggested it, even if it's an interesting theory? Source needed! --> | ||
{{references}} | |||
* ''[[The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth]]'' by [[Ruth S. Noel]] | * ''[[The Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth]]'' by [[Ruth S. Noel]] | ||
* [http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/qlist.htm Quenya Corpus Wordlist] edited by [[Helge | * [http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/qlist.htm Quenya Corpus Wordlist] edited by [[Helge Fauskanger]] | ||
{{title|lowercase}} | |||
[[Category: Quenya nouns]] | [[Category: Quenya nouns]] | ||
Revision as of 23:04, 6 November 2016
elen (pl. eleni or eldi) means "star" in Quenya.[1]
The Edain, however, equated elen and elda ("Elf"), so in some situations elen translates as "Elf".
Etymology
It is said traditionally to come from the exclamation ele! "behold" being the first word the first Elves spoke at Cuiviénen, when they saw the stars.[source?]
Other forms
- elenna "to a star": allative, also a name for Númenor.[3]
- elelli "stars": partitive plural[4]
- elenion "of stars": pl. genitive[5]
- elenillor "from stars": pl. ablative[6]
Seen in
With the meaning "Elf"
Examples
- "Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo" ("a star shines on the hour of our meeting")[7]
- "Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima!"[8] ("Hail Eärendil brightest of the Stars!")
- "Aiya elenion ancalima!"[9] ("Hail brightest of the stars!")
Inspiration
El means "deity" in some Semitic languages, and is a common element in many Hebrew names, as happens with Elvish names. Dante Alighieri in his De vulgari eloquentia suggests that the word El was the first sound emitted by Adam: While the first utterance of humans after birth is a cry of pain, Dante assumed that Adam could only have made an exclamation of joy, which at the same time was addressing his Creator.[source?]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", elen
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", EL
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Cirion and Eorl
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 127
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien (eds.), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 297, (dated August 1967), p. 385
- ↑ The Monsters and the Critics, Markirya
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Three is Company"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Shelob's Lair"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"
