S. Ered Wethrin loc. “Mountains of Shadow, (lit.) Shadowy Mountains”
Mountains in northern Beleriand translated “Mountains of Shadow” (S/106), but more accurately “Shadowy Mountains” (S/118, PE17/43). This name is a combination of the plural of orod “mountain” and the lenited plural of the adjective gwathren “shadowy, dim” (SA/gwath, VT42/9).
Conceptual Development: In Silmarillion drafts from the early 1930s, these mountains were first called Eryd-Lómin “Mountains of Shadow” (SM/139), a remnant of earlier G. lómin “shadowy”. This name was revised to N. Eredwethion “Shadowy Mountains” later in the 1930s (SM/268, LR/250), and similar forms S. Eryd-wethion and Eryd-wethian(d) appeared in notes from the 1950s as well (PE17/42-3, WJ/113). Generally, though, the name was changed to Ered Wethrin in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s, often appearing with the proper Sindarin plural of orod: S. Eryd (MR/297, WJ/113).
References ✧ LBI/Ered Wethrin; LR/300; LT1I/Ered Wethrin; LT2I/Ered Wethrin; MR/297; MRI/Eryd Wethrin; PE17/43; S/106, 118; SA/gwath; SI/Ered Wethrin, Shadowy Mountains; SMI/Eredlómin, Eredwethion, Eredwethrin; UTI/Ered Wethrin; WJ/113, 117; WJI/Eryd Wethrin
Glosses
Variations
Related
Changes
Elements
| orod | “mountain” | plural |
| gwathren | “shadowy, dim” | soft-mutation plural |
S. Eryd-wethion loc. “Mountains of the Region of Shadows”
A reappearance of the name N. Eredwethion from the 1930s, appearing in notes from the 1950s as both Eryd-wethion and Erydweithian(d) (PE17/42-3, WJ/113). At this stage, it appears the final element is no longer the genitive plural, but is one of the suffixes -ion² or -ian(d) used in regional names. This name was replaced by Ered Wethrin; see that entry for further discussion.
References ✧ PE17/42-43; WJ/113
Glosses
Variations
Changes
Elements
| orod | “mountain” | plural | |
| gwath | “shadow, dim light” | soft-mutation | |
| -ion² | “-region, -land” | ✧ PE17/42 | |
| -ian(d) | “-land, country” | ✧ PE17/42 | |
N. Eredwethion loc. “Shadowy Mountains”
Earlier name for S. Ered Wethrin from Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/268, LR/250), a combination of the plural of orod “mountain” (Ety/ÓROT), the lenited plural gwath¹ “shade” (Ety/WATH) and suffix -ion, most likely a genitive plural suffix adapted from the Ilkorin name Urthin Gwethion.
See S. Ered Wethrin for further discussion.
References ✧ Ety/ÓROT, WATH; LR/118, 125, 250, 259, 300; LRI; MRI/Eryd Wethrin; PE22/41; SM/140, 221, 268; SMI/Eredlómin, Eredwethion, Eredwethrin; TI/325; TII
Glosses
Variations
Changes
Elements
| orod | “mountain” | plural | ✧ Ety/ÓROT (ered); PE22/41 (ered); PE22/41 (†œrœid) |
| gwath¹ | “shade” | soft-mutation plural | ✧ Ety/WATH |
| *-ion² | “-region, -land” |
Cognates