lhim

noun. fish

A noun appearing as N. lhim “fish” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from primitive ᴹ✶liñwi of the same meaning (Ety/LIW), where the labialized velar ñw (> ñgw) became the labial m (< mb) and the initial l unvoiced to lh.

Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had G. ing “fish” (GL/51), cognate to ᴱQ. ingwe of the same meaning (QL/43). In Gnomish labialized velars only became labials in limited circumstances, so the primitive ng survived.

Neo-Sindarin: Since the unvoicing of initial liquids did not occur in Sindarin, many people adapt this word as ᴺS. lim “fish” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD).

Cognates

• ᴹQ. lingwe “fish” ✧ Ety/LIW

Derivations

• ᴹ✶liñwi “fish” ✧ Ety/LIW
  • ᴹ√LIW “*fish” ✧ Ety/LIW

Element in

• N. lhimlug “fish-dragon, sea-serpent” ✧ Ety/LOK

Phonetic Developments

Development	Stages	Sources
ᴹ✶liñwi > lhimb > lhim	[liŋwi] > [liŋgwi] > [liŋgwe] > [limbe] > [limb] > [l̥imb] > [l̥imb] > [l̥imm] > [l̥im]	✧ Ety/LIW