S. Nirnaeth Arnoediad pn. “Tears Unnumbered”
The tragic battle in which the forces of Morgoth defeated the Elves and Men of Beleriand, translated “Tears Unnumbered” (S/192) or “Unnumbered Tears” (WJ/165). This name is a combination of nirnaeth “lamentation” and the archaic form †arnoediad “unnumbered” (Ety/NOT).
Conceptual Development: Although translated “Unnumbered Tears” throughout Tolkien’s writing, the Elvish form of the name changed greatly over the years. In the earliest Lost Tales, this name first appeared as G. Nínin-Udathriol (LT2/84). In the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s, the name was revised to ᴱN. Nínin Unothradin or Nirnaithos Unothradin (LB/21), then revised again to ᴱN. Nirnaith Únoth >> Nirnaith Ornoth (LB/79).
In the earliest Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s the name was changed to N. Nirnaith Irnoth >> Nirnaith Dirnoth (SM/312, LR/136), then again to N. Nirnaith Arnediad (LR/147), the last of these also appearing as a late revision in the Lays of Beleriand (LB/102). The form Nírnaeth Arnediad with a long í appeared in The Etymologies (Ety/NAY), along with the archaic form of its second element arnœdiad (Ety/NOT). In the Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s Tolkien switched to this archaic form in the main narratives (WJ/165), using S. Nirnaeth for earlier N. Nirnaith after his revision of [ai] to [ae].
References ✧ LT1I/Nirnaeth Arnoediad; LT2I/Nirnaeth Arnoediad; S/192; SI/Battles of Beleriand, Nirnaeth Arnoediad; UTI/Nirnaeth Arnoediad; WJ/71, 165; WJI/Nírnaeth Arnoediad
Glosses
Variations
Related
Elements
| nirnaeth | “tears” | ✧ S/192 |
| †arnoediad | “unnumbered, without reckoning” | ✧ S/192 |
N. Nirnaith Arnediad pn. “Unnumbered Tears”
References ✧ Ety/NAY; LB/102; LBI/Nirnaith Arnediad, Nirnaith Ornoth; LR/147, 310; LRI/Nirnaith Arnediad, Nirnaith Dirnoth; PE22/41; SM/312; SMI/Nirnaith Arnediad
Glosses
Variations
Related
Changes
Elements
| nírnaeth | “lamentation” | ✧ Ety/NAY |
| arnediad | “without reckoning, numberless, innumerable, countless, endless” | ✧ Ety/NAY |
N. Nirnaith Dirnoth pn. “Unnumbered Tears”
References ✧ LR/136, 147; LRI/Nirnaith Dirnoth; SM/312; SMI/Nirnaith Arnediad
Glosses
Variations
Changes
ᴱN. Nirnaith Ornoth pn. “Unnumbered Tears”
References ✧ LB/6, 59, 79, 102; LBI/Nínin Udathriol, Nínin Unothradin, Nirnaith Arnediad, Nirnaith Ornoth, Nirnaith Únoth; PE15/61; SM/312; SMI/Nirnaith Arnediad
Glosses
Variations
Changes
Elements
| nírnaith | “weeping” |
| ornoth | “innumerable, without number, countless, numberless” |
G. Nínin-Udathriol pn. “Unnumbered Tears”
References ✧ GL/69, 74; LB/21; LBI/Nínin Udathriol; LT2/84; LT2A/Nínin-Udathriol; LT2I/Nieriltasinwa, Nínin-Udathriol
Glosses
Variations
Changes
Elements
| nîn | “tear” | plural | ✧ LT2A/Níniel |
| udathriol | “countless” | ✧ GL/69 (udathriol); GL/74; LT2A/Nínin-Udathriol |
Cognates