S. Baranduin loc. “Brandywine, (lit.) Brown River”

S. Baranduin, loc. “Brandywine, (lit.) Brown River”

The Sindarin name of the Brandywine river in the Shire (LotR/210). It is a combination of baran “brown” and duin “river”, thus literally meaning “Brown River” (LotR/1138). As discussed by Tolkien at the end of Appendix F, the English name “Brandywine” is a punning alteration of the name rather than a translation, based on the similar Westron punning-form Bralda-hîm “Heady Ale”, a variation on the proper Westron form Branda-nîn.

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, this name first appeared as N. Branduin (TI/61). In The Etymologies, it appeared in both forms Branduin and Baranduin, already with the etymology given above (Ety/BARÁN, EtyAC/DUI). At several point in the drafts, it was changed to Malevarn, but this was only a transient name (TI/66, PM/39).

References ✧ AotM/62; LotR/1138; LotRI/Baranduin, Brandywine; PM/39, 54, 67; PMI; RC/765; SA/duin; SD/129; SDI1/Baranduin; SI; UTI; VT48/23

Glosses

Variations

Related

Changes

Inflections

Varanduin soft-mutation; b-mutation “Baranduin” ✧ AotM/62
Varanduin soft-mutation; b-mutation   ✧ SD/129

Elements

baran “brown, golden-brown” ✧ LotR/1138; PM/54; RC/765
duin “(large) river” ✧ LotR/1138; PM/54; RC/765; SA/duin
duinē “(large) river” ✧ VT48/23

Element In


N. Branduin loc.

See S. Baranduin for discussion.

References ✧ Ety/BARÁN; EtyAC/DUI; LRI/Baranduin; TI/61, 66; TII/Baranduin

Variations

Changes

Elements

baran “brown, swart, dark brown” ✧ Ety/BARÁN
duin “water, river” ✧ EtyAC/DUI