The Sindarin name for nightingales, small reddish perching birds known for their characteristic song. In the world of Arda, they were strongly associated with Melian the Maia. In ancient times, when Melian dwelt in Valinor, it was said that she taught the lómelindi their song, and they would follow her as she journeyed through Valinor, singing that song from the trees.
Melian would travel at times to Middle-earth and, as in Valinor, the lómelindi would follow her with their song. In the wood of Nan Elmoth, the trees were filled with the music of the nightingales when the Elf Elwë Singollo came upon the Maia. The two were entranced by one another, and would go on to become King and Queen of Doriath. Within their deep halls of Menegroth, images of Melian's lómelindi were carved into the many pillars of the Thousand Caves.
Melian's association with nightingales passed on, indirectly, to her daughter Lúthien. Lúthien was given the name Tinúviel by Beren, a name that also meant 'nightingale',2 and Lúthien too was famous for her song (which was not only beautiful, but full of power). That same name was revived millennia later; when Aragorn first met Arwen3 in the woods of Rivendell, he also used the name Tinúviel, recalling the meeting of Beren and Lúthien long before.
Notes
1 |
The Sindarin name for the nightingale follows a similar derivation to the English name. Modern English 'nightingale' derives from Old English nihtegale, 'night singer', which is close in meaning to the Elves' 'dusk singer'. Indeed, the Etymologies (in volume V of The History of Middle-earth) record an alternative Elvish name for the bird, moerilind or merilin, which does literally mean 'night singer', and therefore matches the English derivation exactly.
|
2 |
Tinúviel is a Quenya word for the nightingale, but it is not a direct equivalent of Sindarin lómelindë. Rather, it is a 'kenning', a conventional form of words used as metaphor, that literally means 'daughter of twilight'. The more direct Quenya equivalent of lómelindë would be (at least according to the Etymologies) dúlind or dúlin, names that mean 'dusk-singer'.
|
3 |
It might be noted that Aragorn's naming of Arwen as Tinúviel was particularly appropriate to her heritage. Arwen was a descendant of Lúthien Tinúviel through four generations (her father Elrond was the grandson of Lúthien's son Dior, so Arwen was Lúthien's great-great-granddaughter).
|
Indexes:
About this entry:
- Updated 2 August 2025
- This entry is complete
For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.
Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2008, 2023, 2025. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.
SHARE
