Ilk. [g] vocalized before [m], [n]; [Vg{mn}|ug{mn}] > [Vu{mn}|ui{mn}]

Ilk. [g] vocalized before [m], [n]; [Vg{mn}|ug{mn}] > [Vu{mn}|ui{mn}]

In Ilkorin, it seems that [g] developed into a vowel before the nasals [m] and [n], similar to developments in Noldorin, though the vowels that developed in the two languages were different. This rule seems to apply to original primitive [g]: ᴹ✶lugni > Dor. lûn (Ety/LUG², EtyAC/LUG²). It also applied to [g] that developed from [k] before nasals: ᴹ✶takmā > Ilk. taum (Ety/TAK), as well as [g] that developed from [ɣ] before nasals: ᴹ✶kuʒnā > kogna > coun > Ilk. caun (Ety/KUƷ).

The last of these developments makes it difficult to determine when this vocalization occurred. Since primitive [ɣ] fell together with [g] before nasals, the vocalization of [g] could have occurred earlier, before voiced stops spirantalized after vowels. Phonetically, though, it makes more sense for the vocalization to have occurred after spirantalization so that [Vg{mn}] > [Vɣ{mn}] > [Vu{mn}]. However, it is simpler to describe this rule as direct vocalization of [g], which is how the phonetic development is presented here.

The vowel that developed seems to have been [u], such as: ᴹ✶takmā > Ilk. taum (Ety/TAK). Where the result was [ou], this further developed into [au]: ᴹ✶kuʒnā > kogna > coun > Ilk. caun (Ety/KUƷ). Tolkien seems to have been uncertain about the development of [ug{mn}]. At first he seems to have decided that [g] developed into [i]: ᴹ✶lugni > Dor. luin (Ety/LUG²), but then he revised this word to Dor. lûn, making it consistent with the other developments of [g] into [u] (EtyAC/LUG²).

Unlike what happened in Noldorin, there are no examples of this vocalization of [g] occurring in Ilkorin before [l] or [r]. One possible counter-example indicates that such changes did not occur: legol which may have developed from primitive [leklā] (Ety/LEK). If the vocalization rule applied, it could be expected to develop into [legla >] **leul. The evidence is thin enough, though, that it is hard to make a conclusion one way or another.

Order (04200)

After 01600 short [i], [u] became [e], [o] preceding final [a] ᴹ✶kuʒnā > kogna > coun > Ilk. caun Ety/KUƷ
After 03000 [ɣ] became [g] before nasals ᴹ✶kuʒnā > kogna > coun > Ilk. caun Ety/KUƷ
Before 04300 voiced stops spirantalized after vowels ᴹ✶kuʒnā > kogna > coun > Ilk. caun Ety/KUƷ
Before 05200 later [ei], [ou] became [ē], [au] ᴹ✶kuʒnā > kogna > coun > Ilk. caun Ety/KUƷ

Phonetic Rule Elements

[Vgn] > [Vun]
[Vgm] > [Vum]
[ugn] > [uin]

Phonetic Rule Examples

dogme > doume Vgm > Vum ᴹ√DOƷ/DÔ > Ilk. daum ✧ Ety/DOƷ
sogma > souma Vgm > Vum ᴹ✶sukmā > Ilk. saum ✧ Ety/SUK
tagma > tauma Vgm > Vum ᴹ✶takmā > Ilk. taum ✧ Ety/TAK
kogna > kouna Vgn > Vun ᴹ✶kuʒnā > kogna > coun > Ilk. caun ✧ Ety/KUƷ
lugne > lūne Vgn > Vun ᴹ✶lugni > Dor. lūn ✧ EtyAC/LUG²
lugne > luine ugn > uin ᴹ✶lugni > Dor. luin ✧ Ety/LUG²