The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Destroyed at the end of the First Age
Location
Running south and east along the fringes of the Forest of Brethil
Source
In Ered Wethrin, southeast of Dor-lómin
Tributaries
Glithui, Malduin, and two other lesser tributaries near Teiglin's source
Outflow
Into Sirion on the borders of Doriath, between the Mindeb and Esgalduin
Pronunciation
tay'glin
Meaning
boundary-singer1

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About this entry:

  • Updated 8 April 2013
  • Updates planned: 1

River Teiglin

The river that ran through Brethil

Map of the river Teiglin

A river of Beleriand that rose in Ered Wethrin on the borders of Dor-lómin, and flowed southeastwards through the Forest of Brethil to meet the River Sirion.


Notes

1

The -lin element of this name is difficult to translate precisely; it comes from the Elvish word for 'sing', and refers to the musical sound made by this river as it flowed.

In his linguistic appendix to The Silmarillion, Christopher Tolkien suggests a different derivation, based on a distinct lin element meaning 'pool' or 'mere', but volume XI of The History of Middle-earth is quite explicit about the musical connotations of the name.

This variance seems to be due simply to later material coming to light after the publication of The Silmarillion. Commenting on the same source in The History of Middle-earth, Christopher Tolkien notes that Teiglin was probably not the latest form of the name's spelling, and that the published Silmarillion should perhaps have presented it as Taeglin (which would be pronounced 'tie-glin' rather than 'tay-glin').

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 8 April 2013
  • Updates planned: 1

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