Re: AElf, Alb, Elf, Aelvor etc.

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Arasaille Alcarohtarion"
<lifeiscool86@...> wrote:

> There's this article about Elves I found on the Net titled :
> <<The True Elves of North-West Europe>>
> <<by Leonid Korbachev>>
> <<(The Unfallen Elves of J.R.R. Tolkien)>>
> It explains the original Germanic and Celtic view on these mythic
> beings -- he suggests that elves were originally perceived
> as "tall", "superior to Men" and "supernaturally fair" beings -- as
> evidenced by a host of Germanic names and old legends which pertain
> to the ancient description of elves.
>
> Well, is there an Proto-Indo-European etymology to the word

<<elf>>.

> As we know, it can be traced back to ancient Germanic cognates but
> does this word occur in Proto-Indo-European or just a borrowing?
>
> sorry i've been awat for a while
> peace out
> phil

Hello!

Some think that Elves derive their name from IE /*albh-/ "white", but
this is not sure. In some North Germanic dialect there are similar
forms denoting locusts, even in the variant /alm-/.
Elves were originally perceived as "tall", "superior to Men"
and "supernaturally fair", but it is said that they also caused
leprosy, diarrhoea, gout and other infermities.
So their nature was somwhat ambiguous.

Regards

Marco