N. lhum n. “shade” (Category: Shade, Shadow)
A word appearing as N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies of the 1930s, derived from the root ᴹ√LUM, most notably an element in the name N. Hithlum (Ety/LUM). It was the cognate of ᴹQ. lumbe, and thus derived from primitive *lumbē, which explains why the final m survived as a reduction of mb.
Conceptual Development: The earliest iteration of this word was G. lôm {“pool, sl...” >>} “gloom, shade” from the Gnomish Lexicon of the 1910s, based on primitive ᴱ✶lou̯me (GL/54) and probably derived from the early root ᴱ√LOMO as suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Hisilómë). In this early document, G. lum or glum was “a cloud” (GL/55), likely a derivative of ᴱ√LUVU for “*dark weather” as also suggested by Christopher Tolkien (LT1A/Luvier). In Noldorin Word-lists of the 1920s Tolkien had ᴱN. {lom >>} lhom “shadow” (PE13/149). This became N. lhum “shade” in The Etymologies, as noted above.
Neo-Sindarin: In later writings, Hithlum was designated North Sindarin and its final element was based on a loan from Q. lómë “dusk”, with the m surviving only because it was from the North dialect (PE17/133; WJ/400). However, the root √LUM “shadow, darkness” also survived in later writings (PE17/168), so I think N. lhum “shade” can be salvaged, though if adapted to Neo-Sindarin it would need to become ᴺS. lum as suggested in Hiswelókë’s Sindarin Dictionary (HSD). Given the later use of Q. lumbo for “(dark) cloud”, I think the Gnomish sense G. lum “[dark] cloud” can be salvaged as well.
Reference ✧ Ety/LUM ✧ “shade”
Element In
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| ᴹ√LUM > lhum | [lumbe] > [lumbe] > [lumb] > [l̥umb] > [l̥umb] > [l̥umm] > [l̥um] | ✧ Ety/LUM |
ᴱN. lhom n. “shadow” (Category: Shade, Shadow)
References ✧ PE13/149
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G. lôm n. “gloom, shade” (Category: Shade, Shadow)
References ✧ GL/54; LT1A/Gwerlum, Hisilómë; QL/51
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Inflections
| -lum | suffix | ✧ LT1A/Gwerlum |
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| ᴱ✶lou̯me > lôm | [loume] > [lōme] > [lōm] | ✧ GL/54 |
G. lum n. “cloud” (Category: Cloud, Mirk)
References ✧ GL/55; LT1A/Luvier
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