On Thursday, October 12, 2000, at 07:38 PM, Andreas Johansson wrote:

>
> > It's my opinion that "Tarn" is just the English word "tarn"; although
> >in
> >form the word might be Sindarin, it cannot be derived (with plausible
> >semantics, anyway) from known Eldarin roots.
> >
> >/\ WISTR LAG WIGS RAIHTS
> >\/ WRAIQS NU IST <> David Salo
> ><dsalo@...> <>
>
> I agree with David Salo that "tarn" here most likely is the English word,
> but I can actuallt think of a semi-plausible derivation in Elvish; WJ417
> lists a root TAR "high", from which one could form *_tarn‚_ "high", yielding
> _tarn_ in Sindarin. Since a tarn/mountain lake tends to indeed lie high
> (above the sea/adjacent lowlands), an adjective meaning "high" could perhaps
> acquire the sense "tarn", ecliptically from *_ael darn_ "high lake".
>
> Andreas
I agree with Andreas. Couldn't it be a sort of historical punning from Tolkien's
part ? Compare what Chr. Tolkien says in BoLT 1 about Q. _Sahoora_ "South" and
_neenuvar_ "pool of lilies" /French _nénufar_. So that the S. word "accidently"
resembles an actual English word.
Wd seem likely to me.

-David Kiltz