S. #bregol adj. “quick, sudden” (Category: Fast, Swift, Quick)
The word N. bregol “violent, sudden” appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s based on ᴹ✶berékā “wild” under the root ᴹ√BERÉK (Ety/BERÉK). Some form of it might be an element in the later name Bregalad “Quickbeam” (LotR/482). In the 1930s and 40s bregol was related to the name N. Dagor Vregedúr “Battle of Sudden Fire” from Silmarillion drafts of this period (LR/280). But in The Silmarillion as published this became S. Dagor Bragollach “Battle of Sudden Flame” (S/151), and Christopher Tolkien indicated the form bragol “sudden” was an element in this name (SA/bragol).
Conceptual Development: Going back to The Etymologies, bregol was originally glossed “fierce” and derived from a different (but eventually deleted) root ᴹ√MERÉK along with an alternate form breig “wild, fierce” (EtyAC/MERÉK). A possible precursor is ᴱN. brann “fierce” from Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s (PE13/139). This same document had ᴱN. graim near ᴱN. gorch “bear; fierce fighter” (PE13/145), so possibly also meaning “fierce”. If so, then G. grum “fierce” from Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s is another likely precursor (GL/42).
Assuming the above is correct, the possible conceptual developments were G. grum “fierce” >> ᴱN. graim and ᴱN. brann “fierce” >> N. breig and bregol “fierce” >> N. bregol “violent, sudden” > S. breg[ol] “quick” and bragol “sudden”.
Neo-Sindarin: For purposes of Neo-Sindarin, I would use the form bregol with the meanings “quick, sudden”, but having the connotations “violent, *fierce” for sudden, unexpected, and aggressive speed. For more general ferocity I would use balch “fierce, ferocious”.
References ✧ LotR/482; SA/bragol
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| breg- | prefix | “quick” | ✧ LotR/482 |
Element In
Cognates
N. bregol adj. “violent, sudden, *fierce” (Category: Fast, Swift, Quick)
References ✧ Ety/BERÉK, MERÉK; EtyAC/MERÉK
Glosses
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴹ✶berékā > bregol | [berékāla] > [brekāla] > [brekǭla] > [brekoula] > [brekaula] > [brekaul] > [bregaul] > [bregol] | ✧ Ety/BERÉK |
| ᴹ√MERÉK > bregol | [merékāla] > [mrekāla] > [brekāla] > [brekǭla] > [brekoula] > [brekaula] > [brekaul] > [bregaul] > [bregol] | ✧ Ety/MERÉK |
N. breig adj. “wild, fierce”
References ✧ Ety/MERÉK; EtyAC/MERÉK
Glosses
Variations
Changes
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴹ✶mrekjā > breig > braig | [mrekjā] > [brekjā] > [brekja] > [brekia] > [breki] > [breik] > [breig] > [braig] | ✧ Ety/MERÉK |
ᴱN. brann adj. “fierce” (Category: Rage, Fury)
References ✧ PE13/139
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| brainn | plural | ✧ PE13/139 |
Element In
ᴱN. graim adj. “?fierce” (Category: Rage, Fury)
References ✧ PE13/145
Variations
Inflections
| grim | plural | ✧ PE13/145 |