S. Belegaer loc. “Great Sea”

S. Belegaer, loc. “Great Sea”

Name of the “Great Sea” lying between Middle-earth and Valinor (S/37). This name is a compound of beleg “mighty” and gae(a)r “sea” (SA/beleg, gaer; PM/363).

Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, this name first appeared as N. Belegar (LR/14), soon revised to Belegaer (LR/19). In The Etymologies, it appeared as Belegoer (Ety/ÁLAT, AY, BEL), a reflection of Tolkien’s uncertainty on whether the diphthong [ai] became [oe] or [ae]. In the later Silmarillion revisions from the 1930s, he used Belegaer consistently following the revision of [oe] to [ae].

References ✧ PE17/149; PM/363; PMI; S/37, 238; SA/beleg, ëar, gaer; SI; SMI/Belegar; UTI

Glosses

Elements

beleg “great, mighty; large, big” ✧ SA/beleg
gaear “sea” ✧ PM/363; SA/ëar (gaer); SA/gaer (gaer)
GAY(AR) “awe, dread; astound, make aghast; sea” ✧ PE17/149 (GAYA)

N. Belegoer loc. “Great Sea”

See S. Belegaer for discussion.

References ✧ Ety/ÁLAT, AY, BEL; LR/14, 19; LRI/Belegar; SMI/Belegar

Glosses

Variations

Changes

Elements

beleg “great, large” ✧ Ety/BEL
oer “sea” ✧ Ety/AY
ᴹ√AY(AR) “sea” ✧ Ety/BEL (AY)

Cognates