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2.29  Naith, Nelennas, Nelen, Narthas, Bennas, Egladil

§ Naith ’Angle’ (TI:268, LotRII, ch.6)
§ Nelennas >> Nelen ’the Gore’ >> Narthas (TI:231,236,242)
§ Bennas (TI:238,241,288)
§ Egladil (TI:288, LotRII, ch.8)

All these words refer to the triangular shape of Lórien at the map pointing as a cape into the Anduin and are translated as ’gore’ or ’angle’.
Naith appears under SNAS-, SNAT- as ’gore’. Also S. neith, naith, Q. nehte ’angle’ < nek-tē < √NEK (PE17:55).
Nelennas could contain #nelen *’triangular’ from NEL- ’three’ with adjectival -en (cf. S. neg(e)n ’sharp, angular’ < √NEK) and N. nass ’point, sharp end; angle or corner’ (NAS-). The stem NEL- was originally glossed ’point, triangle’ (VT46:3), which would explain the sole Nelen *’triangular point’ – now with the noun ending -en (see Lamben below (2.30)) and without -nas.
Narthas ’gore’ had been written under NARTA- ’spear point, gore triangle’ (VT45:37) before the meaning of this stem was changed to ’kindle’.
Bennas ’gore’ is explicitly attested as well, given under BEN- ’corner (from inside), angle’.
Egladil found a way into The Lord of the Rings and is translated as ’elven-point’ in the index (RC:307). The final element is clearly lenited #-til ’point, horn’ (TIL-), S. till ’tine, spike, point’ (PE17:36). Egla is attested as the Doriathrin word for ’Elf’, also in compounds like Eglamar or Eglorest (ELED-) and was thus maybe originally intended to be dialectal. Later we find Eglan, pl. Eglain, Egladhrim ’The name that the Sindar gave to themselves’ (’the Forsaken’)’ from HEKE ’aside, apart, separate’; and shorter hekla or heklā surviving in place-names like Eglamar (WJ:365) – these words are now pure Sindarin of course.
It is interesting that #egla- may be itself be interpreted as ’point, gore’, related to EK-, EKTE- ’spear’ with N. êg ’thorn’, derived with -la as makla ’sword’ form MAK- (> N. magl, magol). But this this is probably just coincidence.


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