Q. Aman loc. “Blessed Realm”

Q. Aman, loc. “Blessed Realm”

The continent in the Uttermost West where the Valar dwelled after the first wars with Morgoth destroyed the world as it was initially created (S/37). Its name is derived from the same root √MAN “blessed, unmarred” as the name of Manwë (PE17/162). The most common translation of this name was the “Blessed Realm” (S/62), though more precisely it describes the “unmarred” state of this land, free from the influence of Morgoth (PE17/162).

Tolkien elsewhere said that Aman was adapted from an (unknown) word from Valarin, meaning “at peace, in accord (with Eru)”, much as Manwë was an adaptation of Val. Mānawenūz (WJ/399). This is not incompatible with its derivation from the root √MAN, which itself may have been adopted into Primitive Elvish from Valarin.

Conceptual Development: According to Christopher Tolkien, the idea for this name first emerged from Ad. Amân, the Adûnaic name for Manwë (SD/376). In Tolkien’s earliest writings, the name for the Land of the Valar was simply ᴱQ. Valinor (LT1/70), but in later writings this became the Elvish name for this land, whereas Aman was its “proper” name (PE17/106).

References ✧ LBI; LotRI/Aman, Blessed Realm; LRI; LT1I; LT2I; MRI; PE17/106, 162; PMI; RC/766; S/62; SA/mān; SD/376; SDI2/Amân; SI/Aman, Blessed Realm; SMI; UTI; VT49/26; WJ/399; WJI

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Inflections

Amanna allative; assimilated “towards Aman” ✧ VT49/26

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Derivations

Phonetic Developments

Ámān > Aman [amān] > [aman] ✧ PE17/162
mān- > Aman [amān] > [aman] ✧ SA/mān