Elen: Difference between revisions
From Tolkien Gateway
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
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. | 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. | ||
{{references}} | {{references}} |
Revision as of 19:45, 18 February 2010
elen (pl. eleni or eldi) means "star" in Quenya.
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.
Other forms
- elenna "to a star": allative, also a name for Númenor.[1]
- elelli "stars": partitive plural[2]
- elenion "of stars": pl. genitive[3]
- elenillor "from stars": pl. ablative[4]
Seen in
With the meaning "Elf"
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.