View source for alk-

{{morpheme
|type_morpheme=lexical
|meaning='elk' (?)
|language=Celtic
|analysis_phonemic=/{{p|a}}{{p|l}}{{p|k}}/-
|checklevel=0
}}
== Commentary ==
Attested twice in Cisalpine Celtic as the first part of compound personal names; /k/ is shown by the Gaulish comparandum ''alcovindus'' (see {{w||alkouinos}}, cf. {{bib|AcS}}: I 89, {{bib|Lejeune 1971}}: 55 f.). Lejeune also compares ''kariialco'' (?) in an inscription from Var (Gonfaron); cf. also ''alca'', ''alcanus'', ''alciognus'' ({{bib|Delamarre 2007}}: 210 et passim).

The element is connected with the ''elk''-word by {{bib|Dottin 1920}}: 225, {{bib|KGP}}: 121, {{bib|DLG}}: 38 (with further attestations in Gaulish and Celtiberian personal names and toponyms). Though a Celtic *''alk''- could not be inherited from PIE (*''h₁élk̑o''-, *''h₁olk̑í''- or *''h₁l̥k̑o''-), it may be a loan from a pre-consonant shift Germanic dialect *''alkís''. While the latter is notably the preform of PG *''algiz'' as continued in North Germ. (ON ''elgr'' etc.), while West Germ. continues the barytone ''e''-grade *''élχa''(''n'')-, it is assumed to also be the source of Lat. ''alcēs'' and Gk ''ἄλκη''.

An alternative is PIE *''h₂elk''- 'ward off, defend', either inherited (though the root is not otherwise attested in Celtic) or again via Germanic (*''alχ''- 'temple', connected with the root in {{bib|LIV2|LIV<sup>2</sup>}} s.v. *''h₂elk''-; but cf. {{bib|Kroonen 2013}} s.v. *''alh-'', who considers it a loan from a non-IE language). See also {{bib|Rhŷs 1913}}: 20 ('shield'), {{bib|Lejeune 1971}}: 56, n. 151 ('grey').

If the word is a loan from Germanic, it is unlikely to be inherited in Lepontic, but was rather passed on from Gaulish (see {{w||alkouinos}}). 
<p style="text-align:right;>[[User:David Stifter|David Stifter]], [[User:Corinna Salomon|Corinna Salomon]]</p>
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