Eldamo : Gnomish : gaig

G. gaig n. “weapon, tool” (Category: Tool)

⚠️G. gaig, n. “weapon, tool” (Category: Tool): ᴺS. !carf “tool, implement, weapon”

A noun in the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s glossed “a weapon, tool”, whose plural gaigin was glossed “arms” (GL/37). It seems to be a blending of two ancient roots, since Tolkien said “cp. both Q naika, dagger, yaima, implement, which here in G. exerted mutual influence”. The relevant roots thus seem to be ᴱ√ŊAHYA “hurt, grieve” and *ᴱ√YAYA. Tolkien also indicated it was related to gai “possess” (GL/43).

References ✧ GL/37, 43

Glosses

“a weapon, tool” ✧ GL/37

Variations

gaig ✧ GL/37; GL/43

gaig see note under gatha ✧ GL/43
gaig “weapon, tool” was apparently influenced by ᴱ√ŊAHYA “hurt, grieve”
gai cp. gaig ✧ GL/43

Inflections

gaigin

plural

“arms”

✧ GL/37

Cognates

ᴱQ. naika¹ “dagger” ✧ GL/37
ᴱQ. yaima “implement” ✧ GL/37

Derivations

< ᴱ✶yai-ka ✧ GL/43
- < #ᴱ√YAYA “*steel, possession” ✧ GL/43 (#yai)

Phonetic Developments

ᴱ✶yai-ka > gaig

[jaika] > [gaika] > [gaik] > [gaig]

✧ GL/43