A noun for “fish” appearing on the front page of The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from primitive ᴹ✶khala (EtyAC/KHAL¹). As such, it was probably based on the root ᴹ√KHAL “(small) fish” (Ety/KHAL¹), but may have transferred to ᴹ√SKAL “small fish” when Tolkien revised that root (Ety/SKAL²).
Noldorin
lhim
noun. fish
lhim
noun. fish
lhimp
adjective. wet
lhimb
noun. fish
lhimp
adjective. wet
hâl
noun. fish
hâl
noun. fish
mesc
adjective. wet
mesc
adjective. wet
mesg
adjective. wet
mesg
adjective. wet
@@@ mesc may be alternate form
nenui
adjective. wet
A noun appearing as N. lhim “fish” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from primitive ᴹ✶liñwi of the same meaning (Ety/LIW), where the labialized velar ñw (> ñgw) became the labial m (< mb) and the initial l unvoiced to lh.
Conceptual Development: In the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, Tolkien had G. ing “fish” (GL/51), cognate to ᴱQ. ingwe of the same meaning (QL/43). In Gnomish labialized velars only became labials in limited circumstances, so the primitive ng survived.
Neo-Sindarin: Since the unvoicing of initial liquids did not occur in Sindarin, many people adapt this word as ᴺS. lim “fish” for purposes of Neo-Sindarin, as suggested in HSD (HSD).