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S. alph n. “swan” (Category: Swan)

S. alph, n. “swan” (Category: Swan)
ᴱN. gwanwen “swan”
G. silwin “swan”

The Sindarin noun for “swan” derived from primitive ✶alkwā (NM/378; UT/265; Ety/ÁLAK), where first the ancient [kw] became [p] and then the [lp] became [lf] (spelled lph).

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, this word appeared as {alcwi >>} alfa (GL/18), which is perhaps the moment that Tolkien decided that labialized velars became labials in the Sindarin branch of Elvish (though in Gnomish this sound change applied only medially). In Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying this document, the word became alf (PE13/109), and Tolkien stuck with this form thereafter, though eventually revising the spelling to alph once he decide that final [f] was spelled ph. In The Etymologies of the 1930s, N. alf “swan” appeared under the root ᴹ√ALAK “rushing” (Ety/ÁLAK).

References ✧ LotR/1114; NM/378; PE17/100; SA/alqua; UT/265; VT42/7

Glosses

Variations

Inflections

Eilph plural “swans” ✧ NM/378
eilph plural “swan” ✧ UT/265

Element In

Cognates

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

alkwā > alpa > alf [alkwā] > [alpā] > [alpa] > [alpʰa] > [alɸa] > [alfa] > [alf] ✧ NM/378
T. alpa > alph [alpa] > [alpʰa] > [alɸa] > [alfa] > [alf] ✧ UT/265
T. alpa > eilph [alpi] > [alpʰi] > [alɸi] > [alfi] > [elfi] > [eilf] ✧ UT/265
alkwa > alf [alkwa] > [alpa] > [alpʰa] > [alɸa] > [alfa] > [alf] ✧ VT42/7

N. alf n. “swan” (Category: Swan)

See S. alph for discussion.

References ✧ Ety/ÁLAK, KHOP

Glosses

Variations

Inflections

Elf plural ✧ Ety/KHOP

Element In

Cognates

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

ON. alpha > alf [alɸa] > [alfa] > [alf] ✧ Ety/ÁLAK
ON. alpha > Elf [alɸi] > [alfi] > [elfi] > [elf] ✧ Ety/KHOP

ᴱN. alf n. “swan” (Category: Swan)

See S. alph for discussion.

References ✧ PE13/136, 159

Glosses

Variations

Related

Inflections

elfin plural ✧ PE13/136; PE13/159

Element In

Cognates


G. alfa n. “swan” (Category: Swan)

See S. alph for discussion.

References ✧ GL/18, 67; LT1A/Alqaluntë; PE13/109

Glosses

Variations

Related

Changes

Inflections

alchwath class-plural ✧ PE13/109
alfath class-plural ✧ PE13/109
ailf plural ✧ PE13/109

Element In

Cognates

Derivations

Phonetic Developments

ᴱ✶alchwa > alfa [alkʷā] > [alpā] > [alpa] > [alfa] ✧ GL/18