S. long vowels shortened before clusters; [V̄CC] > [V̆CC]

S. long vowels shortened before clusters; [V̄CC] > [V̆CC]

After short vowels vanished before morpheme boundaries in compounds, where a long vowel appeared before any resulting consonant clusters that vowel was usually shortened. This is analogous to the same change that occurred in Primitive Elvish, and in all Eldarin languages in general, which mostly did not tolerate long vowels before consonant clusters. The clearest examples of this sound change are in Sindarin, but this phonetic development seems to apply at all conceptual stages:

At this stage of phonetic development in Sindarin and Noldorin, the primitive long vowels [ē], [ō] and [ā] no longer existed, since [ē], [ō] became [ī], [ū], whereas [ā] became [ǭ] and then [au]. However, a new long vowel [ȳ] had appeared (in Sindarin but not Noldorin) as a phonetic development from [eu], [iu] and [ju]. It seems that [ȳ] shortened before clusters but not before single consonants:

The shortening of [ī], [ū] before clusters is complicated by the fact that [ī], [ū] often shortened in polysyllables anyway, even before single consonants. There are also a fair number of examples where long [ī] did not shorten before clusters:

It’s difficult to extrapolate a pattern from such a small number of words. Many of these long vowels appear before r, as noted by David Salo (GS/§4.130), but compare this to S. gurgof and Rohirrim above.

For a discussion of the possible shortening of [ǭ], see then entry on how [ǭ] became [au].

Order (04700)

After 03300 short vowels vanished before morpheme boundaries mēlā̆-mbar > mîl-mbar > S. milbar PE17/164
Before 06500 final [w], [v] vanished after [u] χīþilōmē > hithlũṽ > S. Hithlũ PE17/133

Phonetic Rule Elements

[īCC] > [ĭCC]
[ūCC] > [ŭCC]
[ȳCC] > [y̆CC]

Phonetic Rule Examples

hīθlūm > hiθlūm īCC > ĭCC χīþilōmē > hithlũṽ > S. Hithlũ ✧ PE17/133
mīlmbar > milmbar īCC > ĭCC mēlā̆-mbar > S. milbar ✧ PE17/109
mīlmbar > milmbar īCC > ĭCC mēlā̆-mbar > mîl-mbar > S. milbar ✧ PE17/164
nīndalm > nindalm īCC > ĭCC nēn-talma > S. nindalf ✧ PE17/167
roxīrrim > roxirrim īCC > ĭCC S. Rochir-rim > S. Rohirrim ✧ Let/178
roxīrrim > roxirrim īCC > ĭCC S. Rochír-rim > S. Rohirrim ✧ UT/319
gūrgov > gurgov ūCC > ŭCC gōr(i)kubā > S. gurgof ✧ PE22/155
ȳlm > ylm ȳCC > y̆CC julmā > S. ylf ✧ WJ/416

N. long vowels shortened before clusters; [V̄CC] > [V̆CC]

Order (04500)

After 03100 short vowels vanished before morpheme boundaries

Phonetic Rule Elements

[īCC] > [ĭCC]
[ūCC] > [ŭCC]