S. barthan [mb-] n. “dwelling-house, large building of masonry used as a dwelling” (Category: House)
A noun for “a large building of masonry used as a dwelling” added to Sindarin late in the First Age in imitation of the Quenya word Q. martan (martam-) “dwelling-house” of the same basic meaning (PE17/109). Barthan was an elaboration of bâr “house” from the root √MBAR. Its second element was √TAM “construct”, which in Sindarin was √TAN (PE17/107-8). In North Sindarin it was bartham.
Conceptual Development: G. brann or brand “dwelling, hall” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s likewise seems to refer to a large dwelling, most notably as its suffixal form -vran in the name G. Gilthavran “Hall of the Moon King” (GL/24, 38). This name was first given as Gilthauran where the second element u̯rand was derived from ᴱ✶gu̯ara- “to dwell” (GL/38). After its change to -vran, brann, it was probably derived instead from the early root ᴱ√MBARA (QL/60, 63).
Reference ✧ PE17/109 ✧ “large building of masonry used as a dwelling”
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| Q. martan > barthan | [mbartan] > [mbartʰan] > [mbarθan] > [barθan] | ✧ PE17/109 |