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?
>

Krahe (I think it was) claims the *albh- root in hydronymics is 'Old
European (but IE).
Elver in Danish folklore are connected with mounds, cf
Goethe's "Erlkönig", retelling a Danish folksong. The titel is based
on a misunderstanding of Danish <Ellerkonge> "Elf king".

Torsten