gwelo

noun. air, lower air

A noun for “air” or “the lower air”, derived from the same primitive form ᴹ✶wilwā as its Quenya equivalent ᴹQ. Wilwa (Ety/WIL). Here the [[ilk|initial [w] became [gw]]]. Furthermore, after the [[ilk|final [a] was lost]], the [[ilk|final [w] became [u]]] and then became [o], as suggested by Helge Fauskanger (AL-Ilkorin/gwelo).

Conceptual Development: In the Addenda and Corrigenda to The Etymologies, Carl Hostetter and Patrick Wynne indicated the Tolkien revised this form to gwelm at the same time as he change its primitive to ᴹ✶wilmā and the Quenya form to ᴹQ. Wilma (EtyAC/WIL). This entry keeps the earlier Ilkorin form gwelo because Tolkien never revised ᴹQ. Wilwa in the narratives of this period.

Changes

• gwelo → gwelm “air, lower air” ✧ EtyAC/WIL

Cognates

• ᴹQ. wilma “inner or lower air” ✧ Ety/WIL
• N. gwelw “air (as a substance)” ✧ Ety/WIL

Derivations

• ᴹ✶wilwā “air, lower air” ✧ Ety/WIL; Ety/WIL
  • ᴹ√WIL “fly, float in air” ✧ Ety/WIL

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶wilwā > gwelu > gwelo	[wilwā] > [wilwa] > [welwa] > [gwelwa] > [gwelw] > [gwelu] > [gwelo]	✧ Ety/WIL
ᴹ✶wilmā > gwelm	[wilmā] > [wilma] > [welma] > [gwelma] > [gwelm]	✧ Ety/WIL

Variations

• gwelm ✧ EtyAC/WIL