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Did Elves have pointed ears?


From: The Tolkien FAQ by William D.B. Loos

They were evidently somewhat pointed; more so thaN human ears, at any rate. The only place this matter is addressed directly is in The Etymologies, published in The Lost Road. There, the following two entries for the element 'las' are given [Q ==Quenya, N ==Noldorin]:
    Las (1)
      *lasse 'leaf': Q lasse, N lhass; Q lasselanta 'leaf-fall, autumn', N lhasbelin (*lassekwelene), cf. Q Narquelion [ KWEL ]. Lhasgalen 'Greenleaf' (Gnome name of Laurelin). (Some think this is related to the next and *lasse 'ear'. The Quendian ears were more pointed and leaf-shaped than [human].)
    Las (2)
      'listen'. N lhaw 'ears' (of one person), old dual *lasu - whence singular lhewig. Q lar, lasta- 'listen'; lasta 'listening, hearing' - Lastalaika 'sharp-ears', a name, cf. N Lhathleg. N lhathron 'hearer, listener, eavesdropper' ( *la(n)sro-ndo ) ; lhathro or lhathrando 'listen in, eavesdrop'.
    The Lost Road and Other Writings: Language and Legend Before 'The Lord of the Rings', 367]
Some have rejected the conclusion on the grounds that these entries were written before The Lord of the Rings was begun and therefore may not apply to it. It is thus significant that the element 'las' retained both its meanings, as is shown by examples in The Lord of the Rings itself, such as Legolas ('Green leaf') (The Two Towers, 106, 154), 'lassi' (="leaves") in Galadriel's Lament (The Fellowship of the Ring, 394), and Amon Lhaw (Hill of Hearing) (The Fellowship of the Ring, 410).

References:
  • The Fellowship of the Ring, 394, (II, 8), 410 (II,9)
  • The Two Towers, 106 (III,5), 154 (III,8)
  • The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 282 (#211)
  • The Lost Road (History of Middle-earth V), 367 ("The Etymologies")

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