alalmë

inflorescence

alalmë (1) noun "inflorescence" (PE17:153), cf. alma #2.

alalmë

noun. inflorescence

A word appearing as {alalbe >>} alalme “inflorescence” in notes from around 1959, derived from √GAL (PE17/153). Compare this to [ᴹQ./ᴱQ.] alalme “elm” from The Etymologies of the 1930s and the Qenya Lexicon of the 1910s (Ety/ÁLAM; QL/29); in the 1959 notes Tolkien decided “elm” was albe.

Neo-Quenya: In these 1959 notes, the root √GAL had a connection to flowers seen nowhere else; see alma “flower” for discussion. As such, I think this “inflorescence” word was a transient idea, and I would use other words like lós and olos “inflorescence” for purposes of Neo-Quenya.

Changes

• alalbe → alalme “inflorescence” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153
• √GALAB “flower” ✧ PE17/153
  • √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE17/153

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√GAL > alalme	[galalme] > [ɣalalme] > [alalme]	✧ PE17/153
√GAL-AB > alalbe	[galalbe] > [ɣalalbe] > [ɣalalβe] > [alalβe] > [alalbe]	✧ PE17/153

Variations

• alalme ✧ PE17/153
• alalbe ✧ PE17/153 (alalbe)

alalmë

elm, elm-tree

alalmë (2) noun "elm, elm-tree" (ÁLAM, LÁLAM, LT1:249). Cf. alvë in a post-LotR source.

lalmë

elm-tree

lalmë noun "elm-tree" (ÁLAM). Cf. alvë in a post-LotR source.

alalbë

noun. inflorescence

alalmino

elm

alalmino noun? "Elm"-something? (Narqelion)

ala-

verb. to plant, grow, to grow (of plants) [intr. and trans.], plant; *to thrive, flourish (of other creatures)

A verb glossed “plant, grow” in notes on Words, Phrases and Passages from the Lord of the Rings from the late 1950s or early 1960s discussing the derivation of S. galenas “pipeweed” (PE17/100). The verb ala- was used several times in verb charts, such as illustrating pronominal suffixes (PE17/132) or giving the inflections of a-verbs (PE22/164).

Conceptual Development: As suggested by Gilson, Welden and Hostetter, the earliest appearance of this verb might be in the phrase ᴱQ. alildon ornin lassevarnen, which seems to mean something like “✱grow trees leaf-brown” (PE16/80). The word element (and verb?) ᴹQ. ’al appeared under the root ᴹ√GALA “thrive” in The Etymologies of the 1930s (Ety/GALA); an earlier iteration of this root had the glosses “grow, thrive, prosper, be healthy, be glad” along with a word element (and verb?) al-, but the gloss “grow” was deleted along with a statement that “grow is ol-” (Ety/GAL(AS)).

Indeed, the verb ᴹQ. ’alā- “grow” appeared in Quendian & Common Eldarin Verbal Structure (EVS1: PE22/98) from the late 1940s and again in Quenya Verbal System from 1948 (QVS: PE22/106 note #39), but in the latter document it was replaced by ᴹQ. ola- “grow” (PE22/113 note #80). However, in Common Eldarin: Verb Structure (EVS2) from the early 1950s, primitive ✶galā- was restored, but with a more specific sense “grow (of plants)”, as opposed to ✶olā- “become, come into being, turn into (another state)” (PE22/134). This plant-growth meaning seems to have carried forward into Tolkien’s later writings (see above: PE17/100).

Neo-Quenya: For purpose of Neo-Quenya, I would assume the verb ala- only means “grow” when applied to plants, but more generally could mean “✱thrive, flourish” when applied to other living creatures, as in i lótë ala “the flower grows” but i Elda ala “the Elf thrives/flourishes”. Based on its glosses from PE17/100, I would assume it can also be used transitively when applied to plants to mean “cause to grow = plant”, as in i Elda ala lóti “the Elf grows/plants flowers” or álëa lóti “... is planting flowers”.

Cognates

• S. gala- “to grow” ✧ PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132; PE17/132

Derivations

• √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive”
• ✶galā- “to grow (of plants)” ✧ PE22/164
  • √GAL “grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, grow (like plants), flourish, be healthy, be vigorous, bloom, [ᴹ√] thrive” ✧ PE22/133

Element in

• ᴺQ. alamo “cultivator, grower”
• Q. alanessë “nicotiana, pipeweed, nicotiana, pipeweed, *tobacco” ✧ PE17/100
• ᴺQ. alon “limestone, (lit.) grow-stone”
• ᴺQ. ambalasar “stalagmite, (lit.) up-growing stone”
• ᴺQ. undalasar “stalactite, (lit.) down-growing stone”

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
✶galan > alan	[galan] > [ɣalan] > [alan]	✧ PE22/164

Variations

• ala- ✧ PE17/100

albë

noun. elm

alvë

elm

alvë noun "elm" (PE17:146), also pronounced albë. In an earlier source, the word for "elm" is given as alalmë, lalmë.

alvë

noun. elm

A word appearing as alve or albe “elm” in notes from 1959, derived from the root √ALAB of similar meaning (PE17/146, 153).

Conceptual Development: This word was ᴱQ. alalme (alalmi-) “elm (tree)” in the Qenya Lexicon and Poetic and Mythological Words of Eldarissa of the 1910s, derived from the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” (QL/29; PME/29). It was ᴱQ. alalme “elm” in Early Qenya Word-lists of the 1920s (PE16/140), and ᴹQ. alalme or lalme “elm-tree” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the roots ᴹ√ALAM or ᴹ√LALAM (Ety/ÁLAM, LÁLAM). The change to alve/albe was fairly late, as noted above.

Cognates

• S. alaf “elm” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• √ALAB “elm” ✧ PE17/146; PE17/153

Element in

• Q. alalvëa “having many elms” ✧ PE17/146
• Q. Alalvinórë “Land of Many Elms” ✧ PE17/153

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√ALAB > albe > alve	[galbe] > [ɣalbe] > [ɣalβe] > [alβe] > [alve]	✧ PE17/146
√ALAB > albe	[galbe] > [ɣalbe] > [ɣalβe] > [alβe] > [albe]	✧ PE17/153

Variations

• alve ✧ PE17/146
• albe ✧ PE17/153

lalwen

noun. elm-tree

alaf

noun. elm

_ n. Bot. _elm. Q. albe.

alaf

noun. elm

The Sindarin word for “elm” appearing in notes from 1959, derived from the root √ALAB of similar meaning (PE17/153).

Conceptual Development: Tolkien used similar “elm” words for much of his life. The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. lalm or larm “an elm, elm-wood” along with a more elaborate form G. {lalmin >>} lalmir “an elm tree” (GL/52). These were clearly cognates to ᴱQ. alalme “elm (tree)” under the early root ᴱ√ALA “spread” (QL/29). Early Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s had an unrelated form ᴱN. {aulin >>} ólin “elm” (PE13/151). In The Etymologies of the 1930s Tolkien reverted to N. lalf or N. lalven “elm-tree” under the root ᴹ√ÁLAM of the same meaning (Ety/ÁLAM). This root had a variant ᴹ√LÁLAM, under which Tolkien had N. lhalwen or lhalorn “elm-tree” (Ety/LÁLAM).

Neo-Sindarin: In theory the 1930s “elm” words might be used with some adaptations like ᴺS. lalorn for N. lhalorn, but I’d simply stick to the 1959 “elm” word alaf for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.

Cognates

• Q. alvë “elm” ✧ PE17/153

Derivations

• √ALAB “elm” ✧ PE17/153

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
√ALAB > alaf	[alab] > [alav]	✧ PE17/153

galan

elm

pl1. gelain _ n. Bot. _elm. . This gloss was rejected.

lalorn

noun. elm-tree

goloth

noun. inflorescence, a head of small flowers

lalorn

noun. elm-tree

alm

noun. elm-tree

Notice that Quenya alalme and Sindarin lalf clearly descend from different, if related forms) Based on other Nandorin forms we might have expected ealm or elm instead.

galam

root. elm

Changes

• GALAM → ALAB “elm” ✧ PE17/153

Derivatives

• ✶galmā “flower”
  • Q. alma “flower” ✧ PE17/153

Element in

• Q. Alalvinórë “Land of Many Elms” ✧ PE17/153 (alalmi-nóre)

alab

root. elm

A root for “elm” in etymological notes probably written around 1959-1960 (PE17/146, 153). It seems to be a replacement for the root ᴹ√(L)ALAM from The Etymologies of the 1930s. This earlier root was connected to √AL(A) “blessed”, and the later variant may have had the same relationship. Tolkien made a point that the later version of this root was not related to √GAL “grow” or the words for “tree” after rejecting alternate roots √GALAB (?“flower”) and √GALAM for “elm” (PE17/146). The derivation ✶galmā > Q. alma “flower” was allowed to stand, so perhaps √GALAM remained valid with the alternate sense “flower”.

Derivatives

• Q. alvë “elm” ✧ PE17/146; PE17/153
• S. alaf “elm” ✧ PE17/153

loth

noun. inflorescence

Derivations

• √LOT(H) “flower” ✧ PE17/160

Derivatives

• Q. lós “inflorescence, mass of flowers” ✧ PE17/160
• S. lûth “blossom, inflorescence, blossom, inflorescence [on a single plant]” ✧ PE17/160

lalven

noun. elm-tree

Cognates

• ᴹQ. alalme “elm-tree” ✧ Ety/LÁLAM

Derivations

• ᴹ√(L)ALAM “elm-tree” ✧ Ety/ÁLAM; Ety/LÁLAM

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√ÁLAM > lalven	[lalmene] > [lalmen] > [lalven]	✧ Ety/ÁLAM
ᴹ√ÁLAM > lelvin	[lalmeni] > [lalmini] > [lelmini] > [lelmin] > [lelvin]	✧ Ety/ÁLAM
ᴹ√LÁLAM > lhalwen	[lalmene] > [lalmen] > [l̥almen] > [l̥alven] > [l̥alwen]	✧ Ety/LÁLAM
ᴹ√LÁLAM > lelwin	[lalmeni] > [lalmini] > [lelmini] > [lelmin] > [lelvin] > [lelwin]	✧ Ety/LÁLAM

Variations

• lhalwen ✧ Ety/LÁLAM

lalven

noun. elm-tree

lalf

noun. elm-tree

Cognates

• ᴹQ. alalme “elm-tree” ✧ Ety/ÁLAM

Derivations

• ᴹ√(L)ALAM “elm-tree” ✧ Ety/ÁLAM

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√ÁLAM > lalf	[lalme] > [lalm] > [lalv]	✧ Ety/ÁLAM
ᴹ√ÁLAM > lelf	[lalmi] > [lelmi] > [lelm] > [lelv]	✧ Ety/ÁLAM

lalf

noun. elm-tree

lhalwen

noun. elm-tree

lhalwen

noun. elm-tree

lhalorn

noun. elm-tree

Cognates

• ᴹQ. alalme “elm-tree” ✧ Ety/LÁLAM

Derivations

• ᴹ√(L)ALAM “elm-tree” ✧ Ety/LÁLAM

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ√LÁLAM > lhalorn	[lalmorne] > [lalmorn] > [l̥almorn] > [l̥alvorn] > [l̥alorn]	✧ Ety/LÁLAM

lhalorn

noun. elm-tree