Lebethron: Difference between revisions

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==History==
==History==
Lebethron was said to be fair, and beloved by the woodworkers of Gondor.<ref name="XR">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[Journey to the Cross-Roads]]"</ref> The staves given by [[Faramir]] to [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] were made of lebethron,<ref name="XR"/> as was the casket in which he brought the [[Crown of Gondor]] to the coronation of [[Aragorn|Elessar]].<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[The Steward and the King]]"</ref>
Lebethron was said to be fair, and beloved by the woodworkers of Gondor.<ref name="XR">{{TT|IV7}}</ref> The staves given by [[Faramir]] to [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] were made of lebethron,<ref name="XR"/> as was the casket, described as made of "black ''lebethron''", in which he brought the [[Crown of Gondor]] to the coronation of [[Aragorn|Elessar]].<ref>{{RK|VI5}}</ref>
 
==Etymology==
==Etymology==
''Lebethron'' was a [[Gondor Sindarin]] word. The fist element, ''[[lebeth]]'', was related to [[Quenya]] ''[[lepsë]]'',<ref name="PE17">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Christopher Gilson]] (ed.), "Words, Phrases & Passages in ''The Lord of the Rings''", published in [[Parma Eldalamberon]] [[Parma Eldalamberon 17|#17]] (July [[2007]]), page 89.</ref> "finger".<ref name="etym">[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], [[Christopher Tolkien]], ''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]'', "[[The Etymologies]]"</ref> The second element was said to be derived from ''[[oron]]'', "tree", though a later addition also ties it to the [[Sundocarmë|root]] [[RUN]], "rub, grind, smooth, polish". In this light, the tree was named ''lebethorn'', and the wood of the tree ''lebethron'', and the two words merged into one over time.<ref name="PE17"/> [[Didier Willis]] has speculated that it was the "finger-oak", or ''Quercus Digitata'',<ref>[[Didier Willis]], "[http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/site3/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=62 Un arbre mystérieux : le lebethron]" (original, in French), "[http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/site3/file/lebethron-part1.pdf Behind the leaves of the ''lebethron'': Tree and Oak]" (English draft), [http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/site3/index.php?lng=fr Hiswelokë], [[2003]]</ref> though the identification of the second element as ''oron'' rather than ''[[doron]]'', "oak", made that interpretation questionable.
The name was first invented by Tolkien at the time of writing as ''melinon'', then ''lebendron'' and finally ''lebethras''. It was replaced by ''lebethron'' on the fair manuscript copy.<ref>{{WR}}, pp. 180, 207</ref>
 
According to a later source, ''lebethron'' was a [[Númenórean Sindarin]] word. The first element, ''[[lebeth]]'', was related to [[Quenya]] ''[[lepsë]]''<ref name="PE17">{{PE|Eldarin}}, p. 89</ref> ("finger"<ref name="etym">{{LR|Etymologies}}</ref>). The second element was said to be derived from ''[[oron]]'' ("tree"), though a later addition also ties it to the [[Sundocarmë|root]] [[RUN]] ("rub, grind, smooth, polish"). In this light, the tree was named ''lebethorn'', and the wood of the tree ''lebethron'', and the two words merged into one over time. The [[Quenya]] cognate was '''''lepetta'''''.<ref name="PE17"/>


{{references}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Sindarin nouns]]
[[Category:Trees]]
[[Category:Trees]]
[[de:Lebethron]]
[[de:Lebethron]]
[[fr:encyclo/biologie/flore/lebethron]]
[[fr:encyclo/biologie/flore/lebethron]]
[[fi:Lebethron]]

Latest revision as of 14:24, 30 September 2021

Lebethron was a hardwood tree that grew in Ithilien.

History[edit | edit source]

Lebethron was said to be fair, and beloved by the woodworkers of Gondor.[1] The staves given by Faramir to Frodo and Sam were made of lebethron,[1] as was the casket, described as made of "black lebethron", in which he brought the Crown of Gondor to the coronation of Elessar.[2]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The name was first invented by Tolkien at the time of writing as melinon, then lebendron and finally lebethras. It was replaced by lebethron on the fair manuscript copy.[3]

According to a later source, lebethron was a Númenórean Sindarin word. The first element, lebeth, was related to Quenya lepsë[4] ("finger"[5]). The second element was said to be derived from oron ("tree"), though a later addition also ties it to the root RUN ("rub, grind, smooth, polish"). In this light, the tree was named lebethorn, and the wood of the tree lebethron, and the two words merged into one over time. The Quenya cognate was lepetta.[4]

References