N. golf n. “branch” (Category: Branch)
A noun for “branch” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ᴹ✶golbā under the root ᴹ√GOLOB (Ety/GÓLOB). It was an element in the name N. Gurutholf “Wand of Death” (Ety/ÑGUR).
Conceptual Development: The Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s had G. olf or olfin(g) “branch, wand, stick” (GL/62), an element in the earlier name G. Gurtholfin “Wand of Death” (GL/41; LT2/83). The Gnomish Lexicon originally had two words: olf “branch” and olfin “wand”, but these were deleted and merged into one word with two variants (GL/41). See ᴱN. alt for other “branch” words from the 1910s and 20s.
In Tolkien’s later writings, N. Gur(u)tholf became S. Gurthang “Iron of Death” (S/210; WJ/83). However, there was a word Q. olba “branch” in notes from 1968, derived from √OLOB (PM/341).
Neo-Sindarin: The 1968 Quenya word might mean Noldorin golf should be updated to [ᴺS.] *olf, but I prefer to assume there was a variant root √(G)OLOB which would allow us to retain golf “branch” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin.
Reference ✧ Ety/GÓLOB ✧ “branch”
Element In
Cognates
Derivations
Phonetic Developments
| ᴹ✶golbā > golf | [golbā] > [golba] > [golva] > [golv] | ✧ Ety/GÓLOB |
G. olf(in) n. “branch, wand, stick” (Category: Branch)
References ✧ GL/62; LT2A/Gurtholfin
Glosses
Variations
Elements
| ôl¹ | “forearm; bough” |
Element In
Cognates