AT. labialized velars became labials; [kw|kʰw|gw|ŋgw|ŋkw|ŋw-] > [p|pʰ|b|mb|mp|m-]

AT. labialized velars became labials; [kw|kʰw|gw|ŋgw|ŋkw|ŋw-] > [p|pʰ|b|mb|mp|m-]

The ancient change of labialized velars to labials in Telerin is extremely well documented (PE18/104; VT41/8; WJ/374-375), and it is characteristic of the Telerin branch of the Eldarin languages. For example, in a note associated with The Shibboleth of Fëanor essay from 1968:

In Sindarin the back sounds k, g, kh, ng (not n alone) [+ w] had all at a very early period (as in Telerin) become labials p, b, ph, mb (VT41/8).

The “[+ w]” is an editorial addition by Carl Hostetter, but it is clear from context (Tolkien is discussing the development of final -w in Sindarin). The exclusion of “n alone” in this note is peculiar, since elsewhere Tolkien makes it clear that [ŋw] > [m] (e.g. PE18/104-105), but perhaps he is referring to dental n rather than velar ñ.

As a result of this rule, Telerin and Sindarin frequently had p, b, m where Quenya had qu [kw], v/w [< gw], and ñ(g)w [ŋ(g)w], for example: T. alpa and S. alph “swan” vs. Q. alqua < ✶alkwā (UT/265); S. balch “fierce” vs. Q. walda “excited” < √GWAL (PE17/154); N. nem “nose” vs. ᴹQ. nengwe < ✶neñwi (Ety/NEÑ-WI). There are no attested words where [kʰw] > [pʰ], but this change appears occasionally in Tolkien’s description of this phonetic rule (VT41/8, PE19/18). Similar though less comprehensive changes occurred in the Celtic branch of Indo-European languages (WGHC/§89i, §92ii, §92v).

The change also occurred in the “strengthened” labialized clusters [ŋkw] and [ŋgw], such as: S. nimp “pale, white” vs. Q. ninquë [< niŋkwi] (PE17/168); S. (m)baw “howling” vs. Q. nwámë [< ŋgwāmē] (PE19/106) with initial [mb-] becoming [b-] in this second example, as was usual in Sindarin. In fact, the change of [ŋw] > simple [m] could only occur initially, because already in Primitive Elvish medial [ŋw] became [ŋgw].

This phonetic change occurred with both “natural” labialized velars that were part of roots, as well as combinations that were the result of w-suffixion, such as: ᴹ√TAK > ᴹ✶atak+wē [> atape] > N. adab “building” (Ety/TAK). As suggested by David Salo (GS/§4.1, 4.23), such suffixal combinations likely first became labialized, and then changed into velars: [kw] > [kʷ] > [p]. Since the development of [kʷ] and [k+w] seem to be identical in both the Sindarin and Quenya branches, this lexicon doesn’t distinguish them in phonetic discussions, writing them both as [kw].

Conceptual Development: This phonetic rule dates all the way back to Solosimpi, the earliest form of Telerin (PE12/16-17, 21; QL/38). In one note from the 1910s:

But it is to be noticed Solosimpi had already split. The variants in brackets [from the table preceding this note: p, b, m, f vs. Qenya ku̯, gu̯, nu̯, hu̯, the last derived from primitive x͡w] denote regular Solosimpi forms ... (1) [q-series] and (5) [p-series] fell with (5) in Solosimpi except before ū̆ (PE12/17).

However, in the early Gnomish of the 1910s, the only similar change was that non-initial [kʷ] become [p] (HPG/§2.7), such as G. alfa “swan” < ✶alchwa [< alkʷā given ᴱQ. alqa] (GL/18). At this early stage, initial [kʷ] was preserved in Gnomish, along with other labialized velars, for example: G. cwed- “to say” (GL/28) vs. later S. ped- (LotR/305). This was perfectly reasonable, since at this early conceptual stage Gnomish and Solosimpi (Early Telerin) were unrelated languages.

Tolkien introduced this sound change into the Early Noldorin of the 1920s, such as G. cweth “word” (GL/28) becoming ᴱN. peth (PE13/152); perhaps this was out of a desire to make Noldorin more “Welsh-like”. However, throughout the 1920s to 1940s, there was no direct relationship between the Telerin and Noldorin languages. At this stage the phonetic rule must have been a parallel change, though perhaps Tolkien imagined the two languages influencing each other early in their history.

In the 1950s when Tolkien reconceived of Noldorin as Sindarin, he also made Sindarin a member of the Telerin language branch, which allowed him to postulate this development as occurring in the ancient common ancestor of the two languages. Simplified formulations like this probably helped motivate Tolkien to change Noldorin into Sindarin. In that light, it is somewhat surprising it took thirty years for Tolkien to decide to create such an ancestral relationship between these languages.

References ✧ PE17/154; PE18/104; SA/quen; VT41/8; VT42/7

Related

Phonetic Rule Elements

[kw] > [p] ✧ VT42/7 (kw > p); UT/265 (kw > p); WJ/374 (kw > p); WJ/375 (kw > p)
[kʰw] > [pʰ]
[gw] > [b] ✧ PE18/105 (gw > b); PE18/105 (gw > b)
[ŋgw] > [mb] ✧ PE18/105 (ñgw > b); PE18/104 (ñgw > mb)
[ŋkw] > [mp]
[ŋw-] > [m-] ✧ PE18/104 (ŋ̃w > m; initially); PE18/105 (ñw > m); PE18/104 (ñw > m)

Phonetic Rule Examples

gwain > bain gw > b GWAY > S. baen ✧ PE17/155
gwalka > balka gw > b wal-ka > S. balch ✧ PE17/154
gwanja > banja gw > b GWAN > S. bain ✧ PE17/154
gwenjā > benjā gw > b gwenyā > bein > S. bain ✧ PE17/191
aklarikwā > aklaripā kw > p aklariquā > S. aglareb ✧ PE17/24
alkwā > alpā kw > p alkwā > alpa > S. alf ✧ NM/378
alkwa > alpa kw > p alkwa > S. alf ✧ VT42/7
alkwa > alpa kw > p alkwa > AT. alpa ✧ VT42/7
atkwet- > atpet- kw > p at-kwet > S. aphed ✧ PE17/166
erikwā > eripā kw > p erikwa > S. ereb ✧ VT42/10
-ikwā > -ipā kw > p ikwā > -ipā > S. -eb ✧ WJ/412
laikwā > laipā kw > p laiquā > S. **laeb ✧ PE17/153
makwā > mapā kw > p makwā > S. mâb ✧ VT47/6
makwā > mapā kw > p makwā > S. mâb ✧ VT47/7
makwā > mapā kw > p makwā > S. mâb ✧ VT47/19
minikwē > minipē kw > p min(i)k(e)we > minikwē̆ > S. minib ✧ VT48/7
minikwē > minipē kw > p min(i)kewe > minikwē > S. minib ✧ VT48/8
kwār > pār kw > p kwāra > S. paur ✧ PM/318
kwārē > pārē kw > p kwārē > S. paur ✧ PE17/42
-kwende > -pende kw > p kwenedē > S. pen- ✧ PE17/141
kwendē > pendē kw > p kwenedē > S. Penn ✧ PE17/141
kwene > pene kw > p kwēn > S. pen ✧ WJ/362
kwene > pene kw > p KWEN > S. pen ✧ WJ/376
kwenedē > penedē kw > p kwenedē > S. peneð ✧ PE17/140
kwentrō > pentrō kw > p kwentrō > pentro > ᴸN. pethro-n ✧ PE18/100
kwet- > pet- kw > p quet- > S. pedo ✧ SA/quen
kwettā > pettā kw > p QUET > S. peth ✧ PE17/46
kwindē > pindē kw > p kwinde > S. †pinn ✧ PE17/24
kwindē > pindē kw > p KWIN > pind > S. pinn ✧ PE17/173
pʰīrikwā > pʰīripā kw > p PHIRI > S. Fíreb ✧ WJ/387
ŋgwāmē > mbāmē ŋgw > mb ñgwām > mbaum̃ > S. baw ✧ PE19/107
ŋgwaumē > mbaumē ŋgw > mb ñgwaum- > mbaum̃ > S. baw ✧ PE19/107
liŋkwe > limpe ŋkw > mp liŋkwi > S. limp ✧ NM/284
ŋkwala > ṃpala ŋkw > mp KWAL > ᴸON. amphala ✧ PE18/92
niŋkwe > nimpe ŋkw > mp NIK > S. nimp ✧ PE17/168
niŋkwiraite > nimpiraite ŋkw > mp ninkwiraite > ni(m)phraed > S. niphred ✧ PE17/55

ᴹT. labialized velars became labials; [kw|kʰw-|gw|ŋgw] > [p|pʰ-|b|mb]

References ✧ PE19/32, 35

Phonetic Rule Elements

[kw] > [p]
[kʰw-] > [pʰ-]
[gw] > [b]
[ŋgw] > [mb]
[ŋkw] > [mp]
[ŋw-] > [m-]

ON. labialized velars became labials; [kw|kʰw-|gw|ŋgw] > [p|pʰ-|b|mb]

GS/§4.23 WGHC/§89i [PIE kʷ, kʷʰ > Kelt kʷ > Brit p] §92ii [PIE gʷ > Kelt b] §92v [PIE ngʷ > (Kelt mb?) > mm > W m] @@@

References ✧ PE19/32, 35; PE22/25

Phonetic Rule Elements

[kw] > [p] ✧ PE19/18 (kw- > p-); PE19/20 (skw- > sph-); PE19/23 (-kw- > -p-)
[kʰw-] > [pʰ-] ✧ PE19/18 (khw- > ph/f-)
[gw] > [b] ✧ PE19/18 (gw- > b-); PE19/23 (-gw- > -b-)
[ŋgw] > [mb] ✧ Ety/ING (ngw > mb); PE19/20 (ŋgw- > mb-)
[ŋkw] > [mp]
[ŋw-] > [m-]

Phonetic Rule Examples

gwenja > benja gw > b ᴹ√GWEN > N. bein ✧ Ety/GWEN
gwinde > binde gw > b ᴹ√GWINDI > bind > N. binn ✧ EtyAC/GWINDI
gwinje > binje gw > b ᴹ√GWIN > N. bîn ✧ EtyAC/GWIN
alkwā > alpā kw > p ᴹ✶alk-wā > ON. alpha ✧ Ety/ÁLAK
atakwē > atapē kw > p ᴹ✶atakwē > N. adab ✧ Ety/TAK
atakwī > atapī kw > p ᴹ✶atakwē > N. edeb ✧ Ety/TAK
djelekwa > djelepa kw > p ᴹ√DYEL > N. deleb ✧ Ety/DYEL
erekwa > erepa kw > p ᴹ✶ereqa > N. ereb ✧ Ety/ERE
laikwa > laipa kw > p ᴹ✶laı̯k-wā > N. lhoeb ✧ Ety/LÁYAK
laikwa > laipa kw > p ᴹ✶laı̯k-wā > N. lhaeb ✧ EtyAC/LÁYAK
lassekwelēnē > lassepelēnē kw > p ᴹ✶lassekwelēnē > N. lhasbelin ✧ EtyAC/KWEL
kwalme > palme kw > p ᴹ√KWAL > N. palw ✧ EtyAC/KWAL
kwāme > pāme kw > p ᴹ√KWAM > N. paw ✧ Ety/KWAM
kwanta- > panta- kw > p ᴹ√KWAT > N. pannod ✧ Ety/KWAT
kwanta > panta kw > p ᴹ√KWAT > ON. panta ✧ Ety/KWAT
kwantjēnare > pantjēnare kw > p ᴹ√KWAT > N. penninar ✧ Ety/YEN
kwantra- > pantra- kw > p ᴹ√KWAT > N. pathro ✧ Ety/KWAT
kwāre > pāre kw > p ᴹ√KWAR > ON. pōre ✧ Ety/KWAR
kwelēnē > pelēnē kw > p ᴹ✶kwelēnē > N. belin ✧ Ety/LAS¹
kwǣnē > pǣnē kw > p ᴹ✶kwǣ-nē > ON. †paine ✧ EtyAC/KWǢ
kwenedē > penedē kw > p ᴹ✶kwenedē > N. penedh ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
kwenedī > penedī kw > p ᴹ✶kwenedē > N. penidh ✧ Ety/KWEN(ED)
kwentā > pentā kw > p ᴹ✶kwentā > N. pent ✧ Ety/KWET
kwentasse > pentasse kw > p ᴹ√KWET > N. pennas ✧ Ety/KWET
kwentrō > pentrō kw > p ᴹ✶kwentrō > N. pethron ✧ Ety/KWET
kwesseke > pesseke kw > p ᴹ√KWES > N. pesseg ✧ Ety/KWES
kwetta > petta kw > p ᴹ✶kwetta > N. peth ✧ Ety/KWET
kwiŋgā > piŋgā kw > p ᴹ✶kwingā > N. peng ✧ Ety/KWIG
salakwē > salapē kw > p ᴹ✶SALÁK-(WĒ) > ON. salape ✧ Ety/SALÁK
uskwē > uspē kw > p ᴹ✶us(u)k-wē > N. osp ✧ Ety/USUK
aŋgwa > amba ŋgw > mb ᴹ√ANGWA > N. am- ✧ Ety/ANGWA
geŋgwā > gembā ŋgw > mb ᴹ√GENG-WĀ > gemb > N. gem ✧ Ety/GENG-WĀ
iŋgwege > imbege ŋgw > mb ᴹ✶ingwege > N. †Imbe ✧ EtyAC/ING
liŋgwe > limbe ŋgw > mb ᴹ✶liñwi > lhimb > N. lhim ✧ Ety/LIW
liŋgwit- > limbit- ŋgw > mb ᴹ√LINKWI > N. lhimmid ✧ Ety/LINKWI
-ŋgw- > -mb- ŋgw > mb ᴹ✶-ŋw- > ON. -mb- ✧ PE19/23
ŋgwāla > mbāla ŋgw > mb ᴹ√ÑGWAL > N. baul ✧ Ety/ÑGWAL
ŋgwalaraukō > mbalaraukō ŋgw > mb ᴹ✶ñgwalaraukō > N. Balrog ✧ Ety/RUK
ŋgwalka > mbalka ŋgw > mb ᴹ√ÑGWAL > N. balch ✧ Ety/ÑGWAL
neŋgwe > nembe ŋgw > mb ᴹ✶NEÑ-WI > nemb > N. nem ✧ Ety/NEÑ-WI
riŋgwe > rimbe ŋgw > mb ᴹ√RINGI > rhimb > N. rhim ✧ Ety/RINGI
liŋkwe > limpe ŋkw > mp ᴹ√LINKWI > N. lhimp ✧ Ety/LINKWI
niŋkwe > nimpe ŋkw > mp ᴹ√NIK-W > N. nimp ✧ Ety/NIK-W
niŋkwirete > nimpirete ŋkw > mp ᴹ√NIK-W > N. nifred ✧ Ety/NIK-W
niŋkwit- > nimpit- ŋkw > mp ᴹ√NIK-W > N. nimmid ✧ Ety/NIK-W

ᴱN. labialized velars became labials

Reference ✧ PE13/121 ✧ for example: cwant “fear”, pant “fear”


G. non-initial [kʷ] become [p]; [Xkʷ] > [Xp]

HPG/§2.7

Phonetic Rule Elements

[Xkʷ] > [Xp]

Phonetic Rule Examples

alkʷā > alpā Xkʷ > Xp ᴱ✶alchwa > G. alfa ✧ GL/18
nṛkʷ- > nṛp- Xkʷ > Xp ᴱ√nṛq- > G. drib- ✧ GL/30
talkʷa > talpa Xkʷ > Xp ᴱ✶talqă > G. talp ✧ GL/69
tṝkʷa > tṝpa Xkʷ > Xp ᴱ✶tṝqă > G. tarb ✧ GL/69

ᴱT. labialized velars became labials; [{kgxɣŋ}ʷ-|ŋgʷ-|-ŋgʷ-] > [{pbfvm}-|b-|-mb-]

References ✧ PE12/17, 21; QL/38

Variations

Phonetic Rule Elements

[kʷ-] > [p-] ✧ PE12/16 (k͡w > p)
[gʷ-] > [b-] ✧ PE12/16 (g͡w > b)
[xʷ-] > [f-] ✧ PE12/16 (x͡w > f)
[ɣʷ] > [v]
[ŋʷ-] > [m-] ✧ PE12/16 (ȵ͡w > m)
[ŋgʷ-] > [b-] ✧ PE12/16 (ȵg͡w > b)
[-ŋgʷ-] > [-mb-] ✧ PE12/16 (ȵg͡w > mb; medial)