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Influence on the Later Legendarium


Sowing the Seeds

The Book of Lost Tales was Tolkien's first compilation of the stories that would later comprise The Silmarillion; it can be thought of as a proto-Silmarillion. While certain broad strokes were preserved throughout the development of the legendarium, many linguistic and plot elements of this earliest attempt at mythmaking soon fell by the wayside.


Name Changes from The Book of Lost Tales to The Silmarillion

Lost Tales (Q) Lost Tales (S) Silm (Q) Silm (S)
Tinwë Linto Tinwelint Elwë Singollo Elu Thingol
Tindriel/Wendelin Gwendeling Melyanna Melian
Inwë N/A Ingwë N/A
N/A Artanor/Eglador Lestanórë Doriath

To showcase Tolkien's etymological growth, here are a few examples of names that he reimagined between the writing of the Lost Tales and his final iterations on The Silmarillion; these are from the two major elvish dialects, Quenya (Q) and Sindarin (S).