Investigation: Northern Waste or Forodwaith - what is at the top of the Middle-earth map?

Looking at the maps of Middle-earth, both created by famous Tolkien-based authors as well as Christopher Tolkien himself, we can see differences in the nomenclature of the extreme northern part of Middle-earth.
Once the northern region is signed Forodwaith, sometimes Northern Waste, and sometimes both at once.

So what is at the "top" of the Middle-earth map? … and how should this region be correctly named?

Northern Waste is basically cold polar region (Arctic tundra alike) placed on uttermost north part of Middle-earth, whereas 
Forodwaith (S. forod = "north" and gwaith = "people") is named  after the hardy Forodwaith folk, who inhabited this part of land since 1st. Age. By the 3rd Age, last remnants of Forodwaith folk migrated near the Icebay of Forochel, theirs descendants are Lossoth. 

In the first published map of Middle-earth 
by Christopher TolkienGeneral Map of Middle-earth (Fig.1), Forodwaith is labelled in smaller letters next to Northern Waste, indicates as being a part of the wider Northern Waste region, if not a separate and/or smaller region. 

Fig. 1: Northern part of "General Map of Middle-earth" map
Fig. 1: Northern part of "General Map of Middle-earth" map

Christopher Tolkien later became sure that the two names are synonymous and in fact are reffering to one and this same region1. This mistake has ben corrected in later map known as The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age (Fig. 2), where only Forodwaith has been maintained as common name for all uttermost north portion of Middle-earth (at least known North-West Middle-earth)

Fig. 2: Northern part of "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" map
Fig. 2: Northern part of "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" map

Mapping tips:

Use: Northern Waste - if You want to have label just right with lore or Your all map is allready labeled in Westron language (common speach of Western Lands - old English).
Use: Forodwaith - if You want to have/use labels in Sindarin language or being extremely righteous with lore.
Use: Northern Waste (Forodwaith) - if You want to have main label in Westron language simultaneously translated on Sindarin language.
Don't use both lebels separtelly written in same manner (like Christopher Tolkien did at first using capitalics for both), indicating that this two labels are pointing on two different regions of same physiogeographical type.

My own reflection:

Following the change made by Christopher Tolkien on the maps and taking naming derivation into account, I would say that Northern Waste reffers more likely to geographical feature as a simply northern land of Middle-earth continent (like Arctics) whereas Forodwaith reffers more likely to particular region (still vast but limited within certain boundariessettled down by specific group of peoples from which this area enherited the name - even when this folk allready vanished or any whereabouts were lost, northern land was still referred to as "Forodwaith". 

Therefore, Forodwaith could be labeled with the same manner like "The Lost Realm of Arnor" - indicating (lost) mannish teritory, but not in capitalics like NORTHERN WASTE to distinguish physical feature from settlement feature on the map.


References:
[1] Unfinished Tales: "Introduction", "The Map of Middle-earth"
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Comments

  1. Interesujący wpis. Pasjonują mnie te krainy! Dodałem Twój blog do obserwowanych na Tolkniętym. Powodzenia!

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