Unfinished Tales - J. R. R. Tolkien [196]
47 Athrad Angren: see p. 343, where the Sindarin name for the Fords of Isen is given as Ethraid Engrin. It seems then that both singular and plural forms of the name of the Ford(s) existed.
48 Elsewhere the wood is always called the Firien Wood (a shortening from Halifirien Wood). Firienholt – a word recorded in Anglo-Saxon poetry (firgenholt) – means the same: ‘mountain wood’. See note 33
49 Their proper form was Rochand and Rochír-rim, and they were spelt as Rochand, or Rochan, and Rochirrim in the records of Gondor. They contain Sindarin roch ‘horse’, translating the éo - inÉothéod and in many personal names of the Rohirrim [see note 36]. In Rochand the Sindarin ending -nd (-and, -end, -ond) was added; it was commonly used in the names of regions or countries, but the -d was usually dropped in speech, especially in long names, such as Calenardhon, Ithilien, Lamedon, etc. Rochirrim was modelled on éo-herë, the term used by the Éothéod for the full muster of their cavalry in time of war; it was made from roch + Sindarin hîr ‘lord, master’ (entirely unconnected with [the Anglo-Saxon word] herë). In the names of peoples Sindarin rim ‘great number, host’ (Quenya rimbë) was commonly used to form collective plurals, as in Eledhrim (Edhelrim) ‘all Elves’, Onodrim ‘the Ent-folk’, Nogothrim ‘all Dwarves, the Dwarf-people’. The language of the Rohirrim contained the sound here represented by ch (a back spirant as ch in Welsh), and, though it was infrequent in the middle of words between vowels, it presented them with no difficulty. But the Common Speech did not possess it, and in pronouncing Sindarin (in which it was very frequent) the People of Gondor, unless learned, represented it by h in the middle of words and by k at the end of them (where it was most forcibly pronounced in correct Sindarin). Thus arose the names Rohan and Rohirrim as used in The Lord of the Rings. [Author’s note.]
50 Eorl appears to have been unconvinced by the token of the White Lady’s goodwill; see p. 387.
51 Eilenaer was a name of pre-Númenórean origin, evidently related to Eilenach. [Author’s note.] – According to a note on the beacons, Eilenach was ‘probably an alien name: not Sindarin, Númenórean, or Common Speech.... Both Eilenach and Eilenaer were notable features. Eilenach was the highest point of the Drúadan Forest. It could be seen far to the West, and its function in the days of the beacons was to transmit the warning of Amon Dîn; but it was not suitable for a large beacon-fire, there being little space on its sharp summit. Hence the name Nardol “Fire-hilltop” of the next beacon westward; it was on the end of a high ridge, originally part of the Drúadan Forest, but long deprived of trees by masons and quarriers who came up the Stonewain Valley. Nardol was manned by a guard, who also protected the quarries; it was well-stored with fuel and at need a great blaze could be lit, visible on a clear night even as far as the last beacon (Halifirien) some hundred and twenty miles to the westward.’
In the same note it is stated that ‘Amon Dîn “the silent hill” was perhaps the oldest, with the original function of a fortified outpost of Minas Tirith, from which its beacon could be seen, to keep watch over the passage into North Ithilien from Dagorlad and any attempt by enemies to cross the Anduin at or near Cair Andros. Why it was given this name is not recorded. Probably because it was distinctive, a rocky and barren hill standing out and isolated from the heavily wooded hills of the Drúadan Forest (Tawar-in-Drúedain), little visited by men, beasts or birds.’
52 According