S. plad n. “palm, flat of the hand” (Category: Hand (other))
A word for the palm or the flat of the hand in notes from 1968, derived from primitive ✶palátā based on the root √PAL “wide, extended” (VT47/8-9). As first written this word was (deleted) palad (VT47/23 note #24). Tolkien went on to describe various Elvish hand gestures using a flat hand (VT47/8, 13): a single upward palm to ask for gift, a pair of upward palms to offer service, a palm held forward to forbid an action or refuse a plea. Greetings were made with palms outward and arms held wide (indicating no held weapons), or single palm held up but backwards (so not in refusal), or more casually held sideways.
Conceptual Development: There was a similar word N. dalf “palm of hand” in The Etymologies of the 1930s under the root ᴹ√DAL “flat” (Ety/DAL).
References ✧ VT47/8-9, 23
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| ✶palátā > plad | [palátā] > [platā] > [plata] > [plat] > [plad] | ✧ VT47/9 |