Eldamo : Sindarin : ras(t)

S. ras(t) n. “cape, shore” (Category: Isle, Island)

S. ras(t), n. “cape, shore” (Category: Isle, Island)

An element in several names appearing as either ras or rast and glossed as “cape” or “shore”. Its most notable use was in the names Nevrast and Haerast “Hither and Far Shore” (S/119; PE17/27), but it also appeared in Andras (WJ/189, note #56) and Andrast “Long Cape” (UT/214, note #6) as well as Ras Morthil, another name for Andrast. Since Nevrast juts out into the water, “cape” may be the best translation, especially since √RAS “horn” is the most likely basis for this word.

Conceptual Development: In The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor from the end of the 1960s, Tolkien used the name Angast for “Long Cape” in several places, apparently with a final element *cast “cape, headland” derived from √KAS “head”, as suggested by Carl Hostetter (VT42/28 note #16). However, Andrast was the form that was ultimately used in Pauline Baynes’s official map of Middle-earth, so I think ras(t) is the preferable form.

Reference ✧ WJ/190 ✧ Ras

Q. hresta “beach, shore” may be related to ras(t) “cape, shore”

Element In

S. Andras “Long Cape”
S. Andrast “Long Cape”
S. Haerast “Far Shore”
S. Nevrast “Hither Shore”
S. Ras Morthil “Andrast”
S. Ras Mewrim “*Cape of the Gulls” ✧ WJ/190

Derivations

< √RAS “horn”

S. #cast n. “cape, headland” (Category: Isle, Island)

See S. ras(t) for discussion.

Reference ✧ VT42/28 ✧ “cape, headland”

#cast “cape, headland” [is, per the editors, probably derived from] ᴹ√KAS “head” ✧ VT42/28

Element In

S. Angast “Long Cape” ✧ VT42/8

Derivations

< √KAS “head”