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In [[Quenya]] '''Alalminórë''' is glossed [[Land of Elms]], which the [[Gnomes]] also call [[Gar Lossion]], or the [[Place of Flowers]].
__NOTOC__
{{location infobox
| name=Alalminórë
| image=
| caption=
| pronun=
| othernames=''Dor Lalmin'', ''Gar Lossion'' ([[Gnomish|G]])</br>''Warwickshire'' ([[wikipedia:English language|E]])
| location=[[Tol Eressëa]]
| type=Region
| description=
| regions=
| towns=[[Kortirion]]
| inhabitants=[[Elves]]</br>After the [[Faring Forth]], [[Men]]
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=Wanderings of [[Eriol]]
}}


This region is accounted the centre of the island of [[Tol Eressëa]] and its fairest realm; one of the provinces of [[Inwinórë]] in which is situated [[Kortirion]].
'''Alalminórë''' was the central region of the island of [[Tol Eressëa]], according to the early version of the [[legendarium]] in ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]''.<ref name="Ala">{{LT1|I}}, p. 16</ref>


The region was regarded as the fairest part of the island, where many towns and villages of the [[Elves]] were located. It was also where [[Kortirion]], the chief city of Tol Eressëa was situated in,<ref name="Ala"/> on the banks of the [[Gliding Water]].<ref>{{LT1|Kortirion1}}, p. 33</ref>
== History ==
After the [[March of Liberation]] and the defeat of [[Melko]], many of the exiled Elves and [[Gnomes]] moved to Alalminórë, led by [[Ingil]] son of [[Inwë]]. There, they built the city of Koromas, later known as ''Kortirion'' due to the [[Tirin na Gilweth|great tower]] that Ingil built there at the topmost part of the city.<ref name="Ala"/>
It was also where the [[Cottage of Lost Play]] could be found, which [[Eriol]], the [[Men|Mannish]] mariner, visited on his sojourn in Tol Eressëa.<ref name="Ala"/> Another place in the city that he visited was the home of [[Meril-i-Turinqi]]<ref group="note">According to one rejected text, the [[Valar|Vala]] [[Erinti]] also dwelt in Alalminórë after the arrival of Elves to Tol Eressëa. She served as a literary precursor to Meril-i-Turinqi.</ref><ref>{{PE|12}}, p. 36</ref>, the Lady of Tol Eressëa, at the foot of Ingil's tower in a ''[[korin]]'' of [[elms]].<ref>{{LT1|IV}}, p. 95</ref> A famous half-[[Fays|fay]] [[Minstrels|minstrel]], [[Tinfang]], loved to visit Alalminórë above all the other parts of the island.<ref>{{LT1|IV}}, p. 94</ref>
Sometime during the [[wikipedia:5th century|5th century AD]], following the disastrous [[Faring Forth]] and the dragging of Tol Eressëa across the Ocean to be anchored off the coast of the [[Great Lands]], [[Men]] invaded the island, along with other evil creatures, such as [[Orcs]] and [[Trolls]], which resulted in the displacement and eventual fading of the Elves on the island.<ref>{{LT1|In}}, p. 26</ref>
However, not all Men were hostile to the Elves, and these became the ancestors of the [[wikipedia:English people|English]]. One of them was [[Hengest]] son of [[Eriol]], who invaded Kortirion, and made it his capital, afterwards known as ''Warwíc'' and eventually as ''Warwick'' - with Alalminórë, the region surrounding Warwick, becoming known as ''Warwickshire''.<ref>{{LT2|VI}}, p. 293</ref><ref>{{LT1|In}}, p. 25</ref>
== Etymology and names ==
The name ''Alalminórë'' is in [[Qenya]], meaning the "Land of [[Elms]]". It consists of the elements ''[[alalmë]]'' ("elm") + ''[[nórë]]'' ("land").<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Paul Strack]]|articleurl=http://eldamo.org/content/words/word-3369572157.html|articlename=ᴱQ. ''Alalminóre'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=29 April 2022}}</ref> Its [[Gnomish]] cognate is '''''Dor Lalmin''''',<ref>{{PE|15}}, "[[Names and Required Alterations]]", p. 7</ref> with earlier forms of the name being ''Lalmindor'' and ''Dor na Lalmion''.<ref name="Los"/>
It was also called '''''Gar Lossion''''' in Gnomish, meaning the "Place of Flowers", from ''[[gar(th)]]'' ("place, district") + ''lossion'', a plural of ''[[lôs]]'' ("flower").<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Paul Strack]]|articleurl=http://eldamo.org/content/words/word-1832325783.html|articlename=G. ''Gar Lossion'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=29 April 2022}}</ref> The earlier forms of the name were ''Losgar''<ref>{{PE|15}}, "[[Names and Required Alterations]]", p. 5</ref>, ''Lothrod''<ref name="Los">{{PE|11}}, p. 52</ref> and ''Losior''<ref>{{PE|11}}, p. 54</ref>.
== Other versions of the legendarium ==
=== Early legendarium ===
In some of the outlines for the continuation of ''The Book of Lost Tales'', [[Tolkien]] decided to completely change the nature of the framework of the tales. In that reimagining of the [[legendarium]], Tol Eressëa ceased to be identified with [[wikipedia:England|England]]/[[wikipedia:British Isles|British Isles]] - instead, it became a completely different island, and [[wikipedia:Great Britain|Great Britain]] became the island of [[Luthany]], while the mariner that came there was called [[Ælfwine]], an [[wikipedia:English people|Englishman]] sailing ''from'' England.<ref>{{LT2|VI}}, pp. 300-1</ref>
So, as opposed to the previous conception, where the Elves of the Great Lands sailed directly to Tol Eressëa following the defeat of Melko in the March of Liberation, the Elves now sailed to Luthany instead.
There, they built many cities and settlements - and, after their ''eventual'' return to Tol Eressëa, named many places there ''after'' the ones in Luthany. For example, the city of Kortirion (the New) in Tol Eressëa was named after Kortirion the Old (i.e. Warwick) in Luthany.<ref>{{LT2|VI}}, outline '''27''', pp. 307-8</ref>
In one text from c. [[1920]], called ''[[Ælfwine of England]]'', '''Alalminórë''' (Warwickshire) is mentioned as the region surrounding the town of Kortirion (the Old) ruled by [[Óswine (Prince of Gwar)|Óswine]], the Prince of Gwar, who was friendly to the Elves that still lived on the island, many of whom congregated in Alalminórë.<ref>{{LT2|VIb}}, pp. 313, 324</ref>
=== Later legendarium ===
In the later [[legendarium]], there appears the [[Quenya]] name '''Alalvinórë''', glossed as the "Land of Many Elms".<ref>{{PE|17}}, p. 153</ref> It consists of the elements ''[[alalvëa]]'' ("having many elms") + ''[[nórë]]'' ("land, country").
Since this name was never used in any narrative, however, it is unclear how it would have been applied in the post-''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' mythology.
The name itself was changed from the earlier forms ''Alalminórë'' and ''Alalbinórë''.<ref>{{webcite|author=[[Paul Strack]]|articleurl=http://eldamo.org/content/words/word-3669988095.html|articlename=Q. ''Alalvinóre'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=29 April 2022}}</ref>
The place (identified there with Warwickshire) was also called '''''Alalminor''''' in the poem ''[[The Trees of Kortirion]]'' from c. [[1962]].<ref>{{LT1|Kortirion3}}, p. 40</ref>
== Inspiration ==
Alalminórë was inspired by [[wikipedia:Warwickshire|Warwickshire]], a region of [[wikipedia:England|England]] in which the town of [[wikipedia:Warwick|Warwick]] (which served as the inspiration for the city of Kortirion) is situated in.<ref>{{LT1|In}}, pp. 24-5</ref>
{{references|notes}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alalminore}}
[[Category:Locations in The Book of Lost Tales]]
[[Category:Luthany]]
[[Category:Qenya locations]]
[[Category:Quenya locations]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Tol Eressëa]]
[[Category:Tol Eressëa]]
[[de:Alalminóre]]
[[fi:Alalminórë]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/regions/alalminore]]

Revision as of 00:03, 21 February 2023

Alalminórë
Region
General Information
Other namesDor Lalmin, Gar Lossion (G)
Warwickshire (E)
LocationTol Eressëa
TypeRegion
People and History
InhabitantsElves
After the Faring Forth, Men
EventsWanderings of Eriol

Alalminórë was the central region of the island of Tol Eressëa, according to the early version of the legendarium in The Book of Lost Tales.[1]

The region was regarded as the fairest part of the island, where many towns and villages of the Elves were located. It was also where Kortirion, the chief city of Tol Eressëa was situated in,[1] on the banks of the Gliding Water.[2]

History

After the March of Liberation and the defeat of Melko, many of the exiled Elves and Gnomes moved to Alalminórë, led by Ingil son of Inwë. There, they built the city of Koromas, later known as Kortirion due to the great tower that Ingil built there at the topmost part of the city.[1]

It was also where the Cottage of Lost Play could be found, which Eriol, the Mannish mariner, visited on his sojourn in Tol Eressëa.[1] Another place in the city that he visited was the home of Meril-i-Turinqi[note 1][3], the Lady of Tol Eressëa, at the foot of Ingil's tower in a korin of elms.[4] A famous half-fay minstrel, Tinfang, loved to visit Alalminórë above all the other parts of the island.[5]

Sometime during the 5th century AD, following the disastrous Faring Forth and the dragging of Tol Eressëa across the Ocean to be anchored off the coast of the Great Lands, Men invaded the island, along with other evil creatures, such as Orcs and Trolls, which resulted in the displacement and eventual fading of the Elves on the island.[6]

However, not all Men were hostile to the Elves, and these became the ancestors of the English. One of them was Hengest son of Eriol, who invaded Kortirion, and made it his capital, afterwards known as Warwíc and eventually as Warwick - with Alalminórë, the region surrounding Warwick, becoming known as Warwickshire.[7][8]

Etymology and names

The name Alalminórë is in Qenya, meaning the "Land of Elms". It consists of the elements alalmë ("elm") + nórë ("land").[9] Its Gnomish cognate is Dor Lalmin,[10] with earlier forms of the name being Lalmindor and Dor na Lalmion.[11]

It was also called Gar Lossion in Gnomish, meaning the "Place of Flowers", from gar(th) ("place, district") + lossion, a plural of lôs ("flower").[12] The earlier forms of the name were Losgar[13], Lothrod[11] and Losior[14].

Other versions of the legendarium

Early legendarium

In some of the outlines for the continuation of The Book of Lost Tales, Tolkien decided to completely change the nature of the framework of the tales. In that reimagining of the legendarium, Tol Eressëa ceased to be identified with England/British Isles - instead, it became a completely different island, and Great Britain became the island of Luthany, while the mariner that came there was called Ælfwine, an Englishman sailing from England.[15]

So, as opposed to the previous conception, where the Elves of the Great Lands sailed directly to Tol Eressëa following the defeat of Melko in the March of Liberation, the Elves now sailed to Luthany instead.

There, they built many cities and settlements - and, after their eventual return to Tol Eressëa, named many places there after the ones in Luthany. For example, the city of Kortirion (the New) in Tol Eressëa was named after Kortirion the Old (i.e. Warwick) in Luthany.[16]

In one text from c. 1920, called Ælfwine of England, Alalminórë (Warwickshire) is mentioned as the region surrounding the town of Kortirion (the Old) ruled by Óswine, the Prince of Gwar, who was friendly to the Elves that still lived on the island, many of whom congregated in Alalminórë.[17]

Later legendarium

In the later legendarium, there appears the Quenya name Alalvinórë, glossed as the "Land of Many Elms".[18] It consists of the elements alalvëa ("having many elms") + nórë ("land, country").

Since this name was never used in any narrative, however, it is unclear how it would have been applied in the post-The Lord of the Rings mythology.

The name itself was changed from the earlier forms Alalminórë and Alalbinórë.[19]

The place (identified there with Warwickshire) was also called Alalminor in the poem The Trees of Kortirion from c. 1962.[20]

Inspiration

Alalminórë was inspired by Warwickshire, a region of England in which the town of Warwick (which served as the inspiration for the city of Kortirion) is situated in.[21]

Notes

  1. According to one rejected text, the Vala Erinti also dwelt in Alalminórë after the arrival of Elves to Tol Eressëa. She served as a literary precursor to Meril-i-Turinqi.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play", p. 16
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play", Kortirion among the Trees (pre-1937), p. 33
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Qenyaqetsa: The Qenya Phonology and Lexicon", in Parma Eldalamberon XII (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 36
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "IV. The Chaining of Melko", p. 95
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "IV. The Chaining of Melko", p. 94
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play": "Notes and Commentary", p. 26
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "VI. The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales", p. 293
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play": "Notes and Commentary", p. 25
  9. Paul Strack, "ᴱQ. Alalminóre loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 29 April 2022)
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Sí Qente Feanor and Other Elvish Writings", in Parma Eldalamberon XV (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), "Names and Required Alterations", p. 7
  11. 11.0 11.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 52
  12. Paul Strack, "G. Gar Lossion loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 29 April 2022)
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Sí Qente Feanor and Other Elvish Writings", in Parma Eldalamberon XV (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), "Names and Required Alterations", p. 5
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 54
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "VI. The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales", pp. 300-1
  16. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "VI. The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales", outline 27, pp. 307-8
  17. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "VI. The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales": "Ælfwine of England", pp. 313, 324
  18. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 153
  19. Paul Strack, "Q. Alalvinóre loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 29 April 2022)
  20. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play", The Trees of Kortirion, p. 40
  21. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play": "Notes and Commentary", pp. 24-5