Quenya form of "Morgoth"

[William Cloud Hicklin]

In any case in the revised context I would say we are looking at archaic Quenya in Moriñgotho (which language contained -th- while later Quenya did not).

Except that IIRC the disappearance of th- hadn't yet arisen in 1958 (and certainly not in 1951).

According to the latest dispensation, of course, Feanor was just being typically bullheaded in keeping to th-!

[Galin]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

Except that IIRC the disappearance of th- hadn't yet arisen in 1958 (and certainly not in 1951).

The change -th- to s in Quenya had already been generally referred to in first editions of Return of the King.

TH represents the voiceless th of English in thin, cloth. This had become in Quenya spoken s, though still written with a different letter;...' Appendix E

Noting also the mention of tengwa 9 from Vinyar Tengwar 34: 'The phrase 'ancient form' would seem to indicate that Moriñgotho and Moringotto are archaic Quenya names. Moriñgotho for example retains archaic th, which became s in Exilic Quenya; thus thúle > súle 'spirit' as the name of tengwa 9.'. The same entry goes on to say, however, that it is possible that the names are Old Noldorin.

Anyway, while a different kind of consideration, I boiled my approach down to trying to answer: how can we ultimately think of the name Moriñgotho? this is arguably of interest to the person asking, or so I assume at least, and possibly of prime interest even (though external details need not be overlooked, I agree, but you had already touched upon some).

In this light while the name might not seem like Quenya, in a 'revised context', that is, as ultimately Feanor can not be speaking any version of JRRT's earlier Noldorin in any case, it can yet be thought of as archaic Quenya.