A noun appearing as N. thlê “fine thread, spider filament” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ᴹ✶(s)ligā under the root ᴹ√SLIG having to do with spider words (Ety/SLIG).
Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is G. lind “twine” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/54), apparently based on the early root ᴱ√LI+ya “unite many as one” (QL/53).
Neo-Sindarin: In Tolkien’s later writings, √ungu- became the basis for spider words, but I retain ᴹ√SLIG assuming it has to do with threads and twining to salvage words from the 1910s and 30s. Most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. lhê “fine thread, spider filament”, for example as suggested by HSD (HSD), because in (Old) Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s initial *sl-* became *lh-*, as opposed to (Old) Noldorin of the 1930s where it became *thl-*.
A noun appearing as N. thlê “fine thread, spider filament” in The Etymologies of the 1930s derived from ᴹ✶(s)ligā under the root ᴹ√SLIG having to do with spider words (Ety/SLIG).
Conceptual Development: A possible precursor is G. lind “twine” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s (GL/54), apparently based on the early root ᴱ√LI+ya “unite many as one” (QL/53).
Neo-Sindarin: In Tolkien’s later writings, √ungu- became the basis for spider words, but I retain ᴹ√SLIG assuming it has to do with threads and twining to salvage words from the 1910s and 30s. Most Neo-Sindarin writers adapt this word as ᴺS. lhê “fine thread, spider filament”, for example as suggested by HSD (HSD), because in (Old) Sindarin of the 1950s and 60s initial *sl-* became *lh-*, as opposed to (Old) Noldorin of the 1930s where it became *thl-*.