Etten
Etten is an obscure term in Westron that probably refers to monsters like Trolls or Ogres.
The Ettenmoors, and the Ettendales which were a part of the Ettenmoors, were probably named after these beings. The Ettenmoors were also called the troll-fells, probably because the region was inhabited by trolls. Aragorn mentioned that the Ettendales were troll-country and little-known to him. Specifically hill-trolls were seen in the lands north of Rivendell.
Etymology
Explaining the name Ettendales (and Ettenmoors) Tolkien noted the "obsolete element eten ('troll, ogre')". It is a word derived from Old English eōten ("giant, troll, ogre").
These locations are probably linked to the trolls. Michael D.C. Drout noted that Tolkien "probably thought of an 'ettin' as a troll".
Other versions of the legendarium
While writing The Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien considered the name "Entish Dales" or "Entish Lands" for the Ettenmoors, as the adjective "entish" directly refers to Old English ent "giant", although this was before he conceived the benevolent Ents of The Two Towers.
Inspiration
There is no indication that Tolkien intended his "ettens" to have two heads or that he connected them with the stone-giants.
C.S. Lewis introduced the Ettins of Ettinsmoor in The Silver Chair. The ettins are giants, some of whom have two heads; they play the game of Cockshies, throwing rocks at a gorge, much like the stone-giants in The Hobbit.
In many fantasy settings, including some adaptations of Middle-earth, there are monsters called Ettins (or Ettens) that are usually portrayed as two-headed.
Portrayal in adaptations
1998-2004: Middle-earth Online:
Ettins, a race of two-headed Trolls, was intended to be included in the game.
2002-5: The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game:
Ettens resemble the Hill-trolls, but they possess "not one but two long heads". The solitary creatures, a result of an ancient experiment by Morgoth, live almost exclusively in the Ettenmoors.
2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:
Ettens are a race of trolls, primarily native to the Trollshaws region. They wear animal-skin cloaks that create the illusion of them being two-headed.
Referencias
1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 25/05/2026.
