alt

noun. bough, branch

A noun appearing as ᴱN. alt “bough, branch” in the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s, a cognate of ᴱQ. alda, and representative of the sound change whereby [[en|final ld [lð] became lt]] in Early Noldorin (PE13/159). In the 1920s, ᴱQ. alda was also glossed “branch” (PE16/139).

Conceptual Development: There was a similar word G. altha “shoot, sprig, scion, sapling” in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/19), probably also related to ᴱQ. alda “tree” (QL/29). Meanwhile, the word for “branch” in the Gnomish Lexicon was unrelated G. clann from ᴱ√cala- “✱grow” (GL/26). Gnomish Lexicon Slips modifying this document had G. {eilan >>} eilian “branch” from primitive ᴱ✶alyan- (PE13/113). In the Early Noldorin Dictionary of the 1920s this became ᴱN. alt “bough, branch” cognate to ᴱQ. alda as noted above.

In Tolkien’s later writings, Q. alda was “tree” and its Sindarin/Noldorin cognate was S. galadh, whereas “branch” became [N.] golf; see that entry for further discussion.

Cognates

• Eq. alda “tree, branch” ✧ PE13/159