A is for Arnor
“Arnor? The ancient kingdom within which we live was called Arnor?”
“Yes. Argeleb the Second, then King of Arnor, gave us these lands for our own. What was once Cardolan of Arnor is now the Shire. I suppose the name means the Royal Land, or the High King’s Land. It’s from Adúnaic, you see, in which the ar- prefix indicates royalty. At first they used the Elvish tar- to indicate the one named was the King, but that changed when they embraced Adúnaic. Kings once dwelt in Buckland, and the Barrow-downs hold the tombs of Arnor’s royalty.”
Frodo’s eyebrows rose.