S. Balan n. “Vala” (Category: God)
The Sindarin equivalent of Q. Vala, derived from the root √BAL “powerful, mighty” and having a plural form Belain (PE17/48). This plural appears as an element in the day-name Orbelain “*Day of the Valar [Friday]” (LotR/1110). However, in a 1972 Letter Tolkien said this was actually a phonetic adaptation of the Quenya day-name Q. Valanya, an adjective (“*of the Vala”) not existing in Sindarin (Let/427), presumably because it conflicts with the plural of Balan.
Conceptual Development: N. Balan “Power, God” (both male and female) appeared in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√BAL with a Noldorin-style plural Belein or Belen (Ety/BAL). The (nasal-mutated) Sindarin-style plural appeared in the name N. Cerch iMbelain “Sickle of the Gods” under the entry for ᴹ√KIRIK (Ety/KIRIK).
Earlier still, in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had both G. Ban “a god” (GL/21) and G. Gwala “one of the Gods, including their divine folk and Children, hence often used of one of the lesser folk as opposed to Ban” (GL/44). The first of these was derived from the early root ᴱ√VANA having to do with beauty (QL/99) and the second from the early root ᴱ√gwal “fortune, happiness” (GL/44). The entry for Ban was deleted from the Gnomish Lexicon itself, but presumably these two early words were blended into later N./S. Balan.
References ✧ Let/427; PE17/48; SA/val
Variations
Related
Inflections
| **Belain | plural | ✧ Let/427 | |
| Belain | plural | ✧ PE17/48 | |
| Belain | plural | “Valar” | ✧ SA/val |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ✶Balaniā > **Belain | [balanjā] > [balanja] > [balania] > [belenia] > [beleni] > [belein] > [belain] | ✧ Let/427 |
N. Balan n. “Power, God” (Category: God)
References ✧ Ety/BAL, KIRIK, LEP
Glosses
Variations
Inflections
| Mbelain | nasal-mutation plural; b-mutation | “Gods” | ✧ Ety/KIRIK |
| Belen | plural | ✧ Ety/BAL | |
| welein | soft-mutation plural; b-mutation | ✧ Ety/LEP |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ON. Bala > Balan | [Bala] ? [Balan] | ✧ Ety/BAL |
| ON. Bala > Belein > Belen | [balani] > [beleni] > [belein] > [belen] | ✧ Ety/BAL |
G. Gwala n. “one of the gods” (Category: God)
References ✧ GL/26, 32, 44; LT1A/Valar; PE13/103; PE15/8, 21
Glosses
Variations
Related
Inflections
| Gwallim | class-plural | ✧ PE13/103 |
| Gwal(a)thir | dative plural | ✧ GL/44 |
| gwalthir | dative plural | ✧ PE15/8 |
| Gwal(a)thon | genitive plural | ✧ GL/44 |
| gwal(o)thon | genitive plural | ✧ PE15/8 |
| Gwalin | plural | ✧ GL/32; GL/44; PE15/8 |
| Gwaloth | plural | ✧ GL/44; PE15/21 |
| gwaloth | plural | ✧ PE15/8 |
| #walion | soft-mutation genitive plural; gw-mutation | ✧ GL/26 |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴱ√gwal > Gwala | [walā] > [gʷalā] > [gʷala] | ✧ GL/44 |
G. Ban¹ n. “god, one of the Valar” (Category: God)
References ✧ GL/18, 21, 32, 44; LT1A/Valar, Vána; LT2A/Valar; PE13/103; PE15/21; QL/99
Glosses
Variations
Related
Changes
Inflections
| Bandrim | class-plural | ✧ LT2A/Valar; PE15/21 | |
| Banlim | class-plural | ✧ LT2A/Valar; PE15/21 | |
| Banlim | class-plural | ✧ PE13/103 | |
| Banin | plural | ✧ GL/18; GL/21; GL/32; LT1A/Valar | |
| Banin | plural | ✧ LT2A/Valar; PE15/21 | |
| Banion | plural | ✧ LT2A/Valar; PE15/21 | |
| Vanion | soft-mutation genitive plural; b-mutation | “of ... Valar” | ✧ GL/44 |
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴱ√VANA > Ban- | [βan] > [ban] | ✧ QL/99 |