Yén (plural yéni[1]) is Quenya for "long year" or "great year",[2] and was a unit of time used by the Elves of Middle-earth after the first rising of the Sun.[source?] Compare with a Valian Year, the unit of time used in Valinor.
Tolkien used Valian Years to measure the passing of time in the Elder Days as recorded in the Annals of Aman, but such a Valian Years equals 9.582 solar years = 3500 days (in older versions, the Annals of Valinor, it equals 10 solar years).
See also
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Donald Swann, The Road Goes Ever On, "Namárië (Farewell)", line 2
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 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. 62 (forms yén, yéni, and yēn)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix D, "The Calendars"