Sindarin Phonetic Development (Part 67)
S. final [i] intruded into preceding syllable; [-VCi] > [-ViC]
- Read more about Sindarin Phonetic Development (Part 67)
- Log in to post comments
S. final [i] intruded into preceding syllable; [-VCi] > [-ViC]
S. short final vowels vanished; [-S{ĕăŏ}] > [-Sø]
S. [ę̄] became [ai]; [ę̄] > [ai]
The Primitive Elvish long vowel [ę̄], a slacker and lower long [ē], developed into [ai] in Sindarin (PE18/96). A similar sound change occurred in Noldorin, except at that conceptual stage Tolkien represented the sound as [ǣ], with a slightly different pronunciation. Tolkien described this sound change in several places, with somewhat different details each time:
S. [ǭ] became [au]; [ǭ] > [au]
The Primitive Elvish long vowel [ǭ], a slacker and lower long [ō], developed into [au] in Sindarin (PE18/96). A similar sound change occurred in Noldorin, though the exact details of the phonetic development are different. Tolkien described this sound change in several places, with somewhat different details each time:
Si lúmissen yá hlarimme pá kelvaron *aufirie ilaures, taite sinyar *tatallálime. *Minaþurindor utúvier i Tolde Kalápakos *þandanasto ya queni navalyaner *aufirina tensi. Esserya ná *þandanasto Fernandina. Inya nasto náse ar minaþurindor navir kénai olane ambe epe loar tuxa; ente navinte amba imye þandanastor oiar ké i tolde, etta estel ea sa i kelvaron nóte ololluva tuluryasse.
*þandanasto noun "shield-beast, turtle, tortoise"
*aufir- verb "die off, die out, become extinct"
*minaþurindo noun "researcher"
S. [ŋ] vanished with compensatory lengthening; [Vŋ{nw}] > [V̄{nw}]
Tolkien mentioned that the nasal velar [ŋ] vanished in Sindarin with compensatory vowel lengthening on at least two occasions, both in conjunction with the etymology of S. têw or tîw “letter”:
S. [nm], [ŋm] became [nw], [ŋw]; [{nŋ}m] > [{nŋ}w]
There is evidence that in both Sindarin and Noldorin, the labial nasal [m] became [w] after another nasal, [n] or [ŋ]. This sound change is mentioned in some notes from the late 1960s on the phonetic developments of combinations of nasals:
NOTE: Edited to reflect timing issues, on whether this change took place before or after i-affection, and the implications on plural forms.
S. [x], [ɸ] vocalized between a vowel and [s], [θ]; [Vx{θs}|Vɸ{θs}] > [Vi{θs}|Vu{θs}]
NOTE: Edited to reflect different Sindarin vocalization of [ŋ] (vanishing with compensatory lengthening).
S. [ɣ] vocalized before [l], [r], [m], [n]; [V{ɣ}{lrmn}] > [Vi{lrmn}]