Eilenach: Difference between revisions

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'''Eilenach''' was the second of the seven beacon-hills of [[Gondor]], after [[Amon Dîn]] in the east, it lay in the [[Drúadan Forest]]. Following is an article from the [http://www.quicksilver899.com/Tolkien/Tolkien_Dictionary.html Tolkien Linguistic Dictionary] concerning its name:
'''Eilenach''' was the second of the seven beacon-hills of [[Gondor]], after [[Amon Dîn]] in the east, and it was the highest point of the [[Drúadan Forest]]. It had a sharp summit, uncapable of sustaining a large fire. Its main purpose was to relay the fire of [[Amon Dîn]] to [[Nardol]].


:'''Eilenach''' — said to be 'pre-Númenórean' or M; ?''Fire Tooth''; [perhaps the most researched Tolkien term by this author]; little is known of this beacon except that it is closely related etymologically to '''Halifirien''', which was once called ''Eilenear''; Halifirien ['holy mountain'] was a religious site of old, and further sanctified by the secret entombing of Isildur; the name could relate loosely to the Elvish '''3EL'''- sky, Nol ''elle'', ''eilian'' [Etym], and '''AK'''- narrow, confined [Etym] - ''narrow sky'', as the hill rose steeply out of the midst of the Druadan Forest; relating ''eilen''- to AS ''halig'' 'holy', it might point back to Old Norse ''heilag''; it would seem, however, that the term relates more closely to modern 'heal(-ing)', of similar derivation as 'holy'; the AS was ''hælan'', Old Saxon ''helian'', German ''heilen'' [see Old Norse ''heill'', ''heilan'' healing]; perhaps distantly related is the Greek ''ailin'' dirge; also possible is AS ''æling'' burning, perhaps here relating to funeral pyres; Gaelic ''eilean'' means an 'island' [above the forest cover?], Early Irish ''ailén'' [Gaelic ''ail'' = rock, stone]; -''nach'' could relate to Middle Dutch ''nocke'' summit, Middle English ''nocke'', from a root *''hnukk''- 'sharp projection, tip', or may be an adjectival or agental suffix in Gaelic: ?'The Rock (place)'; one of the beacon hills of Gondor, although the summit was said to be too small for a large fire.
On the origin of the name, Tolkien writes ''Eilenach'' is "probably an alien name, not Sindarin, not Númenórean, or Common speech."
 
==References==
[[The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion]], page 810.


[[Category:Beacons of Gondor]]
[[Category:Beacons of Gondor]]

Revision as of 21:24, 14 January 2008

Eilenach was the second of the seven beacon-hills of Gondor, after Amon Dîn in the east, and it was the highest point of the Drúadan Forest. It had a sharp summit, uncapable of sustaining a large fire. Its main purpose was to relay the fire of Amon Dîn to Nardol.

On the origin of the name, Tolkien writes Eilenach is "probably an alien name, not Sindarin, not Númenórean, or Common speech."

References

The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, page 810.