S. Balrog pn. “Demon of Might”

S. Balrog, pn. “Demon of Might”

The great fire demons of Melkor, a combination of the root √BAL “power” with raug “demon” (SA/rauko, val; PE17/48).

Conceptual Development: The name G. Balrog appeared in the earliest Lost Tales (LT1/93) and always kept this form in Tolkien’s writings, but its meaning and etymology evolved over time: G. “a kind of fire demon” (GL/21), ᴱN. “evil demon” (PE13/138), N. “*Torment Demon” (Ety/ÑGWAL, RUK), an untranslated orc word (LR/404) and finally S. “Mighty Demon” (PE17/48).

References ✧ LotRI; MR/79; MRI; PE17/48; PMI; S/31; SA/rauko, val; SI/Balrog, Valaraukar; WJ/415; WJI/Balrog, Valarauko

Glosses

Variations

Inflections

Balrogath class-plural ✧ MR/79; MRI/Balrog

Elements

BAL “power; powerful, mighty; have power” ✧ PE17/48; PE17/48; SA/val
raug “demon, powerful hostile and terrible creature” ✧ PE17/48; PE17/48; SA/rauko (rog); WJ/415

Cognates


N. Balrog [mb-] pn. “*Torment Demon”

See S. Balrog for discussion.

References ✧ Ety/ÑGWAL, RUK; LR/404; LRI; SMI; TII

Variations

Related

Elements

baul “torment” ✧ Ety/ÑGWAL
rhaug “demon” soft-mutation ✧ Ety/RUK (rog)
ᴹ√RUK¹ “demon” ✧ Ety/ÑGWAL

Cognates

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

ᴹ✶ñgwalaraukō > Balrog [ŋgwalaraukō] > [mbalaraukō] > [mbalarauko] > [balarauko] > [balarauk] > [balaraug] > [balraug] > [balrog] ✧ Ety/RUK

ᴱN. Balrog pn. “*Evil Demon”

References ✧ LBI; PE13/138

Variations

Inflections

balrogoth class-plural ✧ PE13/138
balrogrim class-plural ✧ PE13/138
balraugir plural ✧ PE13/138

Elements

bal- “evil-”
graug “demon” soft-mutation ✧ PE13/138

G. Balrog pn. “(Evil) Demon”

References ✧ GG/8; GL/21, 42; LT1A/Balrog; LT2A/Balcmeg; LT2I; PE13/99; PE15/21; QL/32, 60, 101

Glosses

Variations

Inflections

Balrogor plural ✧ QL/60
i·Mbalrog soft-mutation; mb-mutation ✧ GG/8
i’Malrog soft-mutation; mb-mutation ✧ GL/21; LT1A/Balrog
i·Mbalrogin soft-mutation plural; mb-mutation ✧ GL/21
i’Malraugin soft-mutation plural; mb-mutation ✧ GL/21
i’Malrogin soft-mutation plural; mb-mutation ✧ LT1A/Balrog

Elements

bal “anguish, pain; evilness” ✧ GG/8; GL/21; LT1A/Balrog; LT2A/Balcmeg; PE15/21
graug “demon” soft-mutation ✧ GL/21; GL/42; LT1A/Balrog; QL/32 (grôg)

Cognates

Derivations