S. Serni loc. “Pebble Bank”

S. Serni, loc. “Pebble Bank”

A river in Gondor appearing on the maps of The Lord of the Rings (LotR/1186). In his discussion of The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor, Tolkien indicated this name was a collective noun or adjectival formation meaning “shingle, pebble bank” (VT42/11).

Conceptual Development: In Lord of the Rings drafts from the 1940s, the name N. Serni appears in a list of rivers (TI/312, WR/436).

Reference ✧ SA/sarn

Elements

serni “shingle, pebble bank”
sarn “(small) stone, pebble; stony (place)” ✧ SA/sarn

N. Serni loc.

See S. Serni for discussion.

References ✧ TII; WRI