Q. Ilmen loc. “*Place of Starlight”
The region above the air where the stars are, through which the Sun and Moon travelled (S/99, SI/Ilmen). The name is probably a compound of Ilma “Starlight” and men “place”, meaning “Place of Starlight”.
Conceptual Development: This name first appeared in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s as ᴹQ. Silma >> Ilma >> Ilmen, translated as “Place of Light” (SM/240-1). It appeared in The Etymologies as a derivative of ᴹ√GIL, described as the “region above air where stars are” (Ety/GIL). These earlier appearances are the source for the etymology given above.
References ✧ MRI; SA/ilm; SI
Related
Elements
| *Ilma | “Starlight” | ✧ SA/ilm (ilm-) |
| men | “way” |
ᴹQ. Ilmen loc. “Place of Light”
References ✧ Ety/GIL, WIL; LRI; SDI2/Ilmen; SM/236, 240-241; SMI/Ilma, Ilmen; TII; WRI
Glosses
Related
Elements
| Ilma | “Starlight” | ✧ Ety/GIL |
| men | “place, spot” |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴹ√GIL > ilmen | [gilmen] > [ɣilmen] > [ilmen] | ✧ Ety/WIL |