S. Emyn Muil loc. “Drear Hills”
Hills between the river Anduin and the Dead Marshes (LotR/373), translated “Drear Hills” in Tolkien’s “Unfinished Index” of The Lord of the Rings (RC/334). It appears to be a combination of the plural of amon “hill” and muil, either an adjective meaning “drear” or a noun meaning “dreariness” (see its entry for further discussion).
Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, these hills went through many names: N. Duil Rain >> N. Emyn R(h)ain (TI/268), later N. Sern Lamrach >> N. Trandóran before finally settling on Ety Muil (TI/424).
References ✧ LotRI/Emyn Muil; PMI/Emyn Muil; RC/334; SDI1/Emyn Muil; TI/424; TII/Emyn Muil; UTI/Emyn Muil; WRI/Emyn Muil
Glosses
Variations
Elements
| amon | “hill, mountain with steep sides; lump, clump, mass” | plural | ✧ RC/334 (Emyn) |
| muil | “drear[iness]” | ✧ RC/334 |
N. Trandóran loc.
Earlier name for the Emyn Muil appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/424). Its meaning is unclear.
References ✧ TI/424; TII/Sarn Gebir
Changes
N. Tarn Felin loc.
Earlier name for the Emyn Muil appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/424). Its meaning is unclear.
References ✧ TI/424; TII/Sarn Gebir
Changes
N. Sern Lamrach loc.
Earlier name for the Emyn Muil appearing in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s (TI/424). Its initial element is the plural of sarn “stone”, but the meaning of its final element is unclear.
References ✧ TI/424; TII/Sarn Gebir
Changes
N. Emyn Rhain loc. “Border Hills”
Earlier name of Emyn Muil in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, glossed “Border Hills” (TI/313), also appearing as Emyn Rain (TI/268). Its seems to be a combination of the plural of amon “hill” and rhain¹ “border”.
References ✧ TI/268, 281, 313; TII/Emyn Rhain
Glosses
Variations
Elements
| amon | “hill” | plural | ✧ TI/313 (Emyn) |
| rhain¹ | “border” | ✧ TI/313 |
N. Duil Rain loc. “Border Hills”
Earliest (and immediately rejected) name of Emyn Muil in Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, glossed “Border Hills” (TI/268). Its seems to be a combination of the plural of dôl “hill” and rhain¹ “border”.
Reference ✧ TI/268 ✧ “Border Hills”
Changes
Elements
| dôl | “head, hill” | plural | ✧ TI/268 (Duil) |
| rhain¹ | “border” | soft-mutation | ✧ TI/268 (Rain) |