'He called her by her Elvish name' - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Elmo · 02-08-2007, 10:06 AM

In the part of the Lay of Leithien that Aragorn sings to the Hobbit, after Beren cried 'Tinuviel, Tinuviel' The next line in the song is 'He called her by her Elvish name'. This is strange as it is if Beren is calling her by a name that she already has when I'm sure it was Beren that first called her 'nightinggale'. If it was Beren who first called her this, does this mean that 'Luthien' is not an Elvish name. Then is it Valarien?

Aiwendil · 02-08-2007, 12:39 PM

I'm fairly sure that: 1. Beren was indeed the one who first named her "Tinuviel" and 2. "Luthien" is a Sindarin name.

I can't recall sources for either of those two assertions at the moment, but I'm fairly sure that they exist. I'll check HoMe for them later.

I'd say that "he called her by her Elvish name" is just a bit of misleading poetic license. It's a true statement, as far as it goes; it just omits to mention that, in fact, both of her names are Elvish and that the name he called her was his own invention.

02-08-2007, 10:06 AM	#1
Elmo Pittodrie Poltergeist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: trying to find that warm and winding lane again Posts: 633	'He called her by her Elvish name' In the part of the Lay of Leithien that Aragorn sings to the Hobbit, after Beren cried 'Tinuviel, Tinuviel' The next line in the song is 'He called her by her Elvish name'. This is strange as it is if Beren is calling her by a name that she already has when I'm sure it was Beren that first called her 'nightinggale'. If it was Beren who first called her this, does this mean that 'Luthien' is not an Elvish name. Then is it Valarien? __________________ As Beren looked into her eyes within the shadows of her hair, The trembling starlight of the skies he saw there mirrored shimmering. Last edited by hewhoarisesinmight; 02-08-2007 at 10:25 AM.

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02-08-2007, 12:39 PM	#2
Aiwendil Late Istar Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,224	I'm fairly sure that: 1. Beren was indeed the one who first named her "Tinuviel" and 2. "Luthien" is a Sindarin name. I can't recall sources for either of those two assertions at the moment, but I'm fairly sure that they exist. I'll check HoMe for them later. I'd say that "he called her by her Elvish name" is just a bit of misleading poetic license. It's a true statement, as far as it goes; it just omits to mention that, in fact, both of her names are Elvish and that the name he called her was his own invention.