On 20.09.2004, at 16:30, Bertrand Bellet wrote:

> In the entry NDAN of the Etymologies (V:375) Tolkien gives
> Noldorin names for the Green-elves or Danas : _Dân_
> pl. _Dein_, _Dağrin_.

Which would make it a plural in _-in_. Cf. e.g. PE13:123 or _Conin
en Annûn_ in LR:932, perhaps. Still, the 'intrusive' _r_ is remarkable.
Maybe it's a plural form peculiar to Danaic. It could then be an
augmentative plural marking. I.e. one originally in _-(V)r_ which had
_-in_ added. For the use of plurals in _-r_ in Early Noldorin, cf.
e.g. PE13:123.

-David Kiltz

[I agree that instead of merely assuming that _Dağrin_ was a slip by
Tolkien for *_Dağrim_, we need to proceed on the assumption that
Tolkien wrote down precisely what he intended, and attempt to
explain the recorded form on that basis. David's theory above,
regardless of whether or not it proves to be the ultimate solution
to the puzzle, takes exactly the right approach. -- PHW]