ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə dʒˈɑːn lˈɪndoʊ, "ˈɛldɪɹ fˈɪts ðə kˈæɹɪktɚ tˈaɪp ʌvðɪ ˈaʊɾɚ ɡˈɑːɹdiən, ˈɔfən ɐ hˈɜːdzmən æz ɪn skˌɜːnɪsmˈɑːl ɪlˈɛvən sˈɪkstiːn wɪð hˈuːm sˈʌmwʌn kəntˈɛndz bᵻfˌoːɹ ˈɛntɚɹɪŋ ɐ plˈeɪs fɚðə mˈeɪn kɑːnfɹəntˈeɪʃən".
According to John Lindow, "Eldir fits the character type of the outer guardian, often a herdsman as in Skírnismál (11–16) with whom someone contends before entering a place for the main confrontation".