-il: Difference between revisions
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*''[[niphredil]]'' "little pallor" ([[niphred]])<ref name="E"/> | *''[[niphredil]]'' "little pallor" ([[niphred]])<ref name="E"/> | ||
*''[[ernil]]'' "prince" (perhaps understood as *"little noble"; [[arn]]) | |||
{{references}} | {{references}} | ||
[[Category:Sindarin affixes]] | [[Category:Sindarin affixes]] | ||
Revision as of 02:07, 25 November 2010
-il is a little-attested ending in the Sindarin language,[1] used sometimes to denote feminine gender. Its masculine counterpart is -on.
Its presence causes i-affection to the vowels of the stem (cf. brannon and brennil).
Etymology
Possibly it derives from a Common Eldarin ending *-illê. This is supported by several Quenya words which end in -illë with Sindarin cognates in -il; most notably compare the Quenya amille "mother" and the Sindarin emil.
Examples
- emil "mother"[2]
- odhril "parent (referring to mother)"
- melethril "lover"[3]
- brennil "lady"[3]
- hiril "lady"[3]
- Thuringwethil "Woman of secret shadow"[4]
In at least one case, -il is said to be a diminutive ending; compare how -on refers sometimes to "great" things.
References
- ↑ Some of the examples refer to Noldorin as well
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Addenda and Corrigenda to the Etymologies — Part One" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter and Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 45, November 2003 p.5
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, The Etymologies
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names"
