Otselen: Difference between revisions
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'''Otselen''' "''[[Seven Stars]]''", an [[Elvish]] ([[Quenya]]) name for [[Valacirca]] (or the Great Bear), one of the [[constellations]].<ref>{{HM|LR}}, "[[The Etymologies]]" (but it is not used in any of the stories).</ref> | '''Otselen''' "''[[Seven Stars]]''", an [[Elvish]] ([[Quenya]]) name for [[Valacirca]] (or the Great Bear), one of the [[constellations]].<ref>{{HM|LR}}, "[[The Etymologies]]" (but it is not used in any of the stories).</ref> | ||
==Etymology== | ==Etymology== | ||
The first element of the name is Quenya numeral ''otso'' | The first element of the name is Quenya numeral ''[[otso]]'' ("seven"), and the second Quenya ''[[elen]]'' ("star") and thus refers to the seven stars of [[Valacirca]]. | ||
==Cognates== | ==Cognates== | ||
*[[Noldorin]] ''[[Edegil]]'' | *[[Noldorin]] ''[[Edegil]]'' | ||
Revision as of 10:08, 27 September 2010
Otselen "Seven Stars", an Elvish (Quenya) name for Valacirca (or the Great Bear), one of the constellations.[1]
Etymology
The first element of the name is Quenya numeral otso ("seven"), and the second Quenya elen ("star") and thus refers to the seven stars of Valacirca.
Cognates
Real-world inspiration
J.R.R. Tolkien was perhaps inspired by otso, one of the many words for karhu ('bear') in Finnish. Karhu is also the name of the North Polar Bear, a frequent character in The Father Christmas Letters which Tolkien wrote to his children during the years 1920-1943.[2]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "The Etymologies" (but it is not used in any of the stories).
- ↑ Wayne G. Hammond, Christina Scull, J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator, "Art for Children" (see fig. 66)
