First it is תַּנִּין = אתה-נין, with the same PP אתה as in תַּפּוּחַ = אתה-פוּח, in תַּחְמָס = אתה-חמס, in תַּלְמִיד = אתה-למיד, 'student', and more. Then it has נִין = נ-היא-ן with an internal היא to turn the root נן into the substantive NIYN.
It appears to be related to the נין of Gen. 21:23
וְעַתָּה הִשָּׁבְעָה לִּי בֵאלֹהִים הֵנָּה אִם תִּשְׁקֹר לִי וּלְנִינִי וּלְנֶכְדִּי
NIV: "Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants."
Also the יִנּוֹן = היא-נוֹן, 'dwell, endure', of Ps. 72:17
יְהִי שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם לִפְנֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ יִנּוֹן שְׁמוֹ
Also the Aramaic נוּנֵי = נ-הוּא-נ-היא-היא, 'fish'.
Isaac Fried, Boston University
The תַּנִּין of Gen. 1:21
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