2270: Elves in Old English Compounds Mar 4, 2021

Elves have not only had a lasting impression on given-names (conceptually speaking), but historically there was a much greater presence of elf-based compounds. For instance ælfadl (nightmare) literally 'elf-disease' and ælfsogoða (hiccough) or 'elf-heartburn'. Elves, seen as malicious creatures, were thought by many to cause many afflictions. Indeed, the phrase elf-lock is still used today to refer to tangled hair. In a distant sense, this may also be related to the 'Alps' mountain range.