[ɣ] vanished before [l], [r]; [Vɣ{lr}] > [V̄{lr}]

[ɣ] vanished before [l], [r]; [Vɣ{lr}] > [V̄{lr}]

In Common Eldarin, the voiced velar spirant [ɣ] vanished before [r], [l] with compensatory lengthening of the preceding vowel. The same change applied to [ɣ] that had developed from medial [ŋ], indicating that this development was after medial [ŋ] usually became [ɣ].

Supporting Evidence: This rule was not explicitly discussed by Tolkien. However, in a discussion of the development of [ɣ], [ŋ] in the Eldarin languages (PE18/103-4) Tolkien indicated that primitive [ɣ] and [ŋ] had the same development before [l], [r] in all languages: vanishing with compensatory lengthening of the preceding vowel. Elsewhere he said that [ŋ] > [ɣ] before [r], [l] in Common Eldarin (PE19/95, 98), and the fact that the resulting [ɣ] vanished the same way in all languages indicates the vanishing was also an early change.

Conceptual Development: There is evidence of this change in the Etymologies as well. The clearest example is ᴹ✶teñrā [teŋrā] > ᴹ✶tēra (EtyAC/TEƷ). Another example is ᴹ✶waʒrā [waɣrā] > ᴹQ. vára, ON. wōra (Ety/WAƷ), implying [waɣrā] > [wārā] before the languages diverged, later developing into Old Noldorin wōra [wǭra] because [ā], [au] became [ǭ] in that language.

Alternate Theories: David Salo theorized that this change occurred at a later point, in Old Sindarin (GS/39, §4.44), but this supposition was based only on the evidence from the Etymologies, since PE18 and PE19 had not yet been published.

Phonetic Rule Elements

[Vɣl] > [V̄l]
[Vɣr] > [V̄r]

ᴹ✶[ɣ] vanished before [l], [r]; [Vɣ{lr}] > [V̄{lr}]

GS/§4.44 @@@

Phonetic Rule Elements

[Vɣl] > [V̄l]
[Vɣr] > [V̄r]

Phonetic Rule Examples

daɣrā > dārā Vɣr > V̄r ᴹ✶daʒrā > N. daur ✧ EtyAC/DAƷ
neɣrē > nēre Vɣr > V̄r ᴹ✶neñrē > N. nîr ✧ EtyAC/NEI
teɣrā > tērā Vɣr > V̄r ᴹ√TEÑ > teñrā > ᴹ✶tēra ✧ Ety/TEƷ
waɣrā > wārā Vɣr > V̄r ᴹ✶waʒrā > Ilk. gôr ✧ Ety/WAƷ
waɣrā > wārā Vɣr > V̄r ᴹ✶waʒrā > ON. wóra ✧ Ety/WAƷ