Yéni ve lintë yuldar avánier
mi oromardi lisse-miruvóreva
Miruvor and miruvórë were types of cordial used by the Valar and the Elves.
History
Miruvórë was a mead or nectar of the Valar of which the Elves did not know the ingredients or making, though thought it was made of the honey/nectar of certain flowers in Valinor.[1]:64 It was poured during their festivals in Valinor.[2]
Miruvor (the same word, in a reduced form) refers to a reviving cordial made in Rivendell, probably made basically of honey of scented flowers.[1]:64 Elrond gave a flask of the "Cordial of Imladris" to Gandalf before the Company of the Ring departed on their southward journey. Gandalf used this drink to revitalize themselves on Caradhras.[3]
Other races, such as the Dúnedain and even the Orcs possessed drinks with similar properties, but ent-draught is the most potent of these cordials.
Etymology
miruvor is Sindarin, taken by borrowed Quenya word miruvórë. The word was thought of as "precious juice", with a false etymology from MIR ("precious") + WOR ("exude"); the root "WOR" did not, however, exist in either Quenya or Sindarin.[1]:37–38
The actual origin was Valarin, from the word mirubhōze, a honey wine.[1]:38
The Quenya form also appears as miruvórë, explained as "a special wine or cordial".[4]
The Quenya word lisse-miruvóreva occurs in the "Lament" sung by Galadriel in "Farewell to Lórien"; being translated as "of the sweet mead".[5]
Inspiration
The invented word goes back to at least 1915. In that early phase of the legendarium, Tolkien envisioned it as derived from real-life Gothic elements *midu ("mead") + wopeis ("sweet") > miduwopi > miduwodi > misuwosi > Q. miruvore.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Donald Swann, The Road Goes Ever On, "Namárië (Farewell)"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Ring Goes South"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: Appendix D. *Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish (especially Ñoldorin) words for 'Language': Note on the 'Language of the Valar'", p. 399
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Farewell to Lórien"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Qenyaqetsa: The Qenya Phonology and Lexicon", in Parma Eldalamberon XII (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. xi