a guide to the names of the lord of the rings

8/11/2019 A Guide to the Names of the Lord of the Rings

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Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings

J. R. R. TOLKIEN

These Notes on Nomenclature were made by J. R. R. Tolkien to assist translators of thebook into other languages. They were comosed when only the !wedish and "utchtranslations had aeared. They ha#e been re#ised for ublication by $hristoherTolkien. %ll references to The Lord of the Ringsare by #olume and age of the !econd&Re#ised' Edition.

(The Editor

Nomenclature ofThe Lord of the Rings

%ll names not in the following list should be left entirelyunchanged in any language used intranslation) e*cet that infle*ional +s) +es should be rendered according to the grammar of thelanguage.

It is desirable that the translator should read %endi* , in -olume III of The Lord of the Ringsand follow the theory there set out. In the original te*t English reresents the $ommon !eech ofthe suosed eriod. Names that are gi#en in modern English therefore reresent names in the$ommon !eech) often but not always being translations of older names in other languages)esecially !indarin &rey+el#en'. The language of translation now relaces English as the e/ui#alentof the $ommon !eech0 the names in English form should therefore be translated into the otherlanguage according to their meaning&as closely as ossible'.

1ost of the names of this tye should offer no difficulty to a translator) esecially not to one usinga language of ermanic origin) related to English2 "utch) erman) and the !candina#ian languages0for e*amleBlack Country, Battle Plain, Dead Marshes, Snow-mane!ome names) howe#er) may

ro#e less easy. In a few cases the author) acting as translator of El#ish names already de#ised andused in this book or elsewhere) has taken ains to roduce a $ommon !eech name that is both atranslation and also &to English ears' a euhonious name of familiar English style) e#en if it does notactually occur in England.Ri!endellis a successful e*amle) as a translation of rey+el#en "mladris3len of the $left3. It is desirable to translate such names) since to lea#e them unchanged woulddisturb the carefully de#ised scheme of nomenclature and introduce an une*lained element withouta lace in the feigned linguistic history of the eriod. 4ut of course the translator is free to de#ise aname in the other language that is suitable in sense and5or toograhy0 not all the $ommon !eechnames are recise translations of those in other languages.

% further difficulty arises in some cases. Names &of laces and ersons' occur) esecially in the!hire) which are not 3meaningless3) but are English in form &that is) in theory the author3s translationof $ommon !eech names') containing elements that are in the current language obsolete ordialectal) or are worn+down and obscured in form. &!ee %endi* ,.' ,rom the author3s oint of #iewit is desirable that translators should ha#e some knowledge of the nomenclature of ersons and

laces in the languages used in translation) and of words that occur in them that are obsolete in thecurrent forms of those languages) or only reser#ed locally. The notes I offer are intended to assist atranslator in distinguishing 3in#entions3) made of elements current in modern English) such as

Ri!endell, Snow-mane, from actual names in use in England) indeendently of this story) andtherefore elements in the modern English language that it is desirable to match by e/ui#alents in thelanguage of translation) with regard to their original meaning) and also where feasible with regard totheir archaic or altered form. I ha#e sometimes referred to old) obsolescent) or dialectal words in the!candina#ian and erman languages which might ossibly be used as the e/ui#alents of similarelements in the English names found in the te*t. I hoe that these references may be sometimes


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found helful) without suggesting that I claim any cometence in these modern languages beyond aninterest in their early history.


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Names of Persons and Peoples

#$$ledore%n old word for 3ale+tree3 &it sur#i#es in English lace+names'. It should be translatedby the e/ui#alent(that is) by a dialectal or archaic word of the same meaning. In ermaniclanguages this may be a word of the same origin2 for e*amle) erman &1iddle 6igh erman'

a$halter%Icelandic a$uldur%Norwegian) Old !wedish a$aldBagginsIntended to recall 3bag3(comare 4ilbo3s con#ersation with !maug in The &o''it -- andmeant to be associated &by hobbits' with Bag (nd&that is) the end of a 3bag3 or 3udding bag3 7 cul+de+sac') the local name for 4ilbo3s house. &It was the local name for my aunt3s farm in8orcestershire) which was at the end of a lane leading to it and no further'. $omare also Sack!ille-

BagginsThe translation should contain an element meaning 3sack) bag3.

Banks$learly a toograhical name containing 3bank3 in the sense 3stee sloe or hill+side3. It shouldbe reresented by something similar.

Barrow-wights$reatures dwelling in a 3barrow3 &gra#e+mound'0 seeBarrowunder 9lace+names. It isan in#ented name2 an e/ui#alent should be in#ented. The "utch translation has grafgeest 3gra#e+

ghost30 the !wedish has)ummelgast 3gra#emound+ghost3.Beech'oneThis is meant to be significant) being a translation into the $ommon !eech of someEntish or EI#ish e/ui#alent. It should be translated similarly &for e*amle as Buch'ein,or robably

betterBuchen'ein*'.

Big +olk, Big Peo$leTranslate.

Black Ca$tain, Black ne, Black Riders. Translate.

Bolger. !eeBudgeford

BoundersE#idently intended to mean 3ersons watching the bounds &that is) boundaries'3. This worde*ists in English) and is not marked as obsolete in dictionaries) though I ha#e seldom heard it used0

robably because the late nineteenth+century slang 3bounder3( an offensi#ely ushing and in+bredman(was for a time in #ery general use) and soon became a term of contemt e/ui#alent to 3cad3. Itis a long time since I heard it) and I think it is now forgotten by younger eole. The "utchtranslation usesPoenen3cads3) robably because a well+known dictionary only gi#es$atser 3bounder)cad3 as the meaning of 'ounder&labelled as slang'. In the te*t the latter sense is meant to be recalled

by English readers) but the rimary functional sense to be clearly understood. &This slender :est isnot) of course) worth imitating) e#en if ossible'.

Bracegirdle% genuine English surname) used in the te*t) of course) with refercnce to the hobbittendency to be fat and so to strain their belts. % desirable translation would recogni;e this by somee/ui#alent meaning Tight-'elt,orBelt-tightener 5strainer 5stretcher &The name is a genuine Englishone0 a comound of the Romance tye with the #erbal element first) as inDrinkwater7Boileau%butit is not necessary that the reresentation should be a known surname in the language of translation.8ould not .rtels$annerdo


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name occurs' seems absurd2 what is a 3breech+house3< The !wedish althus 3wild+boar house3 is notmuch better) since swine do not burrow= The translator e#idently did not know or look u Brock,since he uses r0!lingarfor the nameBurrows&!wedishgr0flingar, gr0fs!in3badgers3'.

Brockoccurs in numerous lace+names) from which surnames are deri#ed) such as Brock'anksBrockhouse is) of course) feigned to be a hobbit+name because the 3brock3 builds comlicated andwell+ordered underground dwellings or 3setts3. The erman rendering should beDachs'au) I think.

In "anish use rae!lingButter'ur!o far as I know) not found as a name in England) thoughButteris so used) as well ascombinations &in origin lace+names' such asButterfieldThese ha#e in the tale been modified) to fitthe generally botanical names of 4ree) to the lant+name 3butterbur3 &Petasites !ulgaris'. If the

oular name for this contains an e/ui#alent of 3butter3) so much the better. Otherwise use anotherlant+name containing 3butter3 &as erman Butter'lume, Butter'aum, "utch 'oter'loeme' orreferring to a fat thick lant. The butterbur is a fleshy lant with a hea#y flower+head on a thick stalk)and #ery large lea#es.

4utterbur3s first nameBarlimanis simly an altered selling of 3barley3 and 3man3 &suitable to aninnkeeer and ale+brewer') and should be translated.

Ca$tains of the 1estTranslate.Chief, TheTranslate.

Chu''% genuine English surname) chosen because its immediate association in English is with thead:ecti#e 3chubby3) round and fat in bodily shae &said to be deri#ed from chu',the name of a ri#erfish'.

CorsairsTranslate. They are imagined as similar to the 1editerranean corsairs2 sea+robbers withfortified bases.

CottonThis is a lace+name in origin &as are many modern surnames') from cot,a cottage or humbledwelling) and +ton) the usual shortening of 3town3 in lace+names &Old English t2n3#illage3'. It should

be translated in these terms.

It is a common English surname and has) of course) in origin no connection with cottonthe te*tilematerial) though it is naturally associated with it at the resent day. 6obbits are reresented as usingtobacco) and this is made more or less credible by the suggestion that the lant was brought o#er the!ea by the 1en of 8esternesse &I >?'0 but it is not intended that cotton should be suosed to beknown or used at that time. !ince it is highly imrobable that in any other language a normal andfre/uent #illage name should in any way resemble the e/ui#alent of cotton &the material') thisresemblance in the original te*t may be assed o#er. It has no imortance for the narrati#e) !eeamgee

Cotmanaears as a first name in the genealogies. It is an old word meaning 3cottager3) 3cot+dweller3) and is to be found in larger dictionaries. It is also a well+known English surname.

Dark Lord, Dark PowerTranslate.Dead, TheTranslate.

DunlendingsLea#e unchanged e*cet in the lural ending. It reresents Rohan dun3n/lending,aninhabitant ofDun3n/land

(asterlingsTranslate) as 3Easterners) men from the East3 &in the story men from the little+knownregions beyond the !ea of Rh@n'.

(lder )indred, (lder Race, (lder Peo$leTranslate. In a language which ossesses two forms of thecomarati#e of old, use the more archaic form. &In English the older form elder imlies bothseniority and kinshi'.

The similarity between(lda-rlural) the western El#es) and (lderis accidental. The name(lda3Elf3 had been de#ised long before The Lord of the Rings was written. There is no need to seek toimitate it0 it is not useful or significant. $omare (lder Days,which again imlies a more ancienteoch in the history of eole of the samekin) that is in the days of their far+off ancestors.


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(lf-friendTranslate. It was suggested by#elfwine, the English form of an old ermanic name&reresented for instance in the Lombardic#l'oin') though its analy;able meaning was robably notrecogni;ed or thought significant by the many recorded bearers of the name #elfwinein Old English.

(l!en-smithsTranslate. The archaic ad:ecti#al or comosition form el!enused in The Lord of theRings should on no account be e/uated with the debased English word elfin,which has entirelywrong associations. Ase either the word for elfin the language of translation) or a first element in a

comound) or di#ide into el!ishBsmiths,using an e/ui#alent in the language of translation for thecorrect ad:ecti#e el!ish

8ith regard to erman2 I would suggest with diffidence that (lf, elfenare erhas to be a#oidedas e/ui#alents of elf, el!en (lfis) I belie#e) borrowed from English) and may retain some of theassociations of a kind that I should articularly desire not to be resent &if ossible'2 for e*amlethose of "rayton or of# Midsummer 4ight5s Dream&in the translation of which) I belie#e)(lfwasfirst used in erman'. That is) the retty) fanciful reduction of 3elf3 to a butterfly+like creatureinhabiting flowers.

I wonder whether the word#l$&or better still the form#l',still gi#en in modern dictionaries as a#ariant) which is historically the more normal form' could not be used. It is the true cognate ofEnglish elf%and if it has senses nearer to English oaf,referring to uckish and malicious srites) or to

idiots regarded as 3changelings3) that is true also of English elf. I find these debased rusticassociations less damaging than the 3retty3 literary fancies. The El#es of the 3mythology3 of The Lordof the Ringsare not actually e/uatable with the folklore traditions about 3fairies3) and as I ha#e said&III C>D' I should refer the oldest a#ailable form of the name to be used) and left to ac/uire its ownassociations for readers of my tale. In !candina#ian languages alf is a#ailable.

(nemy, TheTranslate.

(nt Retain this) alone or in comounds) such as (ntwi!es It is suosed to be a name in thelanguage of the -ale of %nduin) including Rohan) for these creatures. It is actually an Old Englishword for 3giant3) which is thus right according to the system attributed to Rohan) but the (ntsof thistale are not in form or character deri#ed from ermanic mythology. (ntings 3children of Ents3 &II ?'

should also be unchanged e*cet in the lural ending. The rey+el#en &!indarin' name was nodrim&II CD'.

(!enstar%s title of#rwen 6nd7miel8hen used in the te*t this translation of 6nd7miel&a Fuenyaname' should be translated.

+air'airns,Translate. It is an English surname) a northern #ariant of the name +airchildIt is usedby me to suggest that the el#ish beauty of Elanor) daughter of !am) was long inherited by herdescendants. Elanor was also remarkable for her golden hair0 and in modern English fairwhen usedof comle*ion or hair means rimarily blond) but though this association was meant to be resent inthe minds of English readers) it need not be reresented.

+air +olkThe beautiful eole &based on 8elsh Tylwyth teg3the beautiful kindred3 7 fairies'. Title of

the El#es. Translate.+allohideThis has gi#en difficulty. It should if ossible be translated) since it is meant to reresent aname with a meaning in the $ommon !eech) though one de#ised in the ast and so containingarchaic elements. It is made of EnglishfallowB hide&cognates of ermanfal'and&aut/and means39aleskin3. It is archaic) sincefallow3ale) yellowish3 is not now in use) e*cet infallow deer,and hideis no longer alied to human skin &e*cet as a transference back from its use of animal hides) usedfor leather'. 4ut this element of archaism need not be imitated. !ee III C>C on the relation of secialhobbit words to the language of Rohan.

+ang% dog3s name in I >G>0 translate. It is meant of course to be the English fang 3canine orrominent tooth3 &Old Englishfengt8$%ermanfang9ahn'0 but since it is associated with ri$,the

sense of the now lost #erbfang, I should think that erman+angwould be a good #ersion.+atty Lum$kinTranslate. The kinis of course a diminuti#e suffi*.


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+ell RidersTranslate.

+ellowshi$ of the RingTranslate in the te*t0 also if ossible in the title.

+erny % name in 4ree. Translate.+ernand+erny, +ernieare English surnames) but whate#er theirorigin the name is here used to fit the redominantly botanical names current in 4ree.

+irefootTranslate.

+irst'orn, TheTitle of the El#es. Translate. &3,irstborn3) since the El#es aeared in the world beforeall other 3seaking eoles3) not only 1en) but also "war#es) of indeendent origin. 6obbits are ofcourse meant to be a secial #ariety of the human race'.

+ladrif!eeLeaflock

+lourdum$lingTranslate.

+ree +olk% +ree Lords of the +ree% +ree Peo$les. Translate.

amgee % surname found in England) though uncommon. I do not know its origin0 it does notaear to be English. It is also a word for 3cotton+wool3 &now obsolescent but known to me inchildhood') deri#ed from the name of !. amgee &died >??H') a distinguished surgeon) who in#ented

3amgee tissue3. In a translation it would be best to treat this name as 3meaningless3) and retain it withany selling changes that may seem necessary to fit it to the style of the language of translation.

amling 3the ld/% name of one of the Rohirrim) and best left unchanged) though like one or twoother names in Rohan 3Shadowfa:, 1ormtongue/it has been slightly anglici;ed and moderni;ed. Itshould be ameling&with short a/It would be one of the words and names that hobbits recogni;edas similar to their own) since it is an English &that is) $ommon !eech' name) robably the origin ofthe surnames amlen, am3'/lin,and other forms. $omare The Tale of amelin, a medie#al oemfrom which ultimately was deri#ed art of !hakeseare3s#s ;ou Like "t&It is deri#ed from the stem

gamal-3old3) the normal word in !candina#ian languages) but only found in Old English in #erse+language) and in Old 6igh erman only as an element in ersonal names'.

oatleaf # 4ree name of botanical tye. It is an old name of the honeysuckle or woodbine.$omare ,rench ch

old'erryTranslate by sense.

reat (nemyTranslate.

rey Com$any. Translate.

reyhame1oderni;ed form of Rohangr=g-hama 3greycoat3. 4y+name in Rohan of andalf. !inceboth r=ghamaand reyhamewould robably be unintelligible in a language of translation) whereasat least the rey-is meant to be intelligible to readers) it would be right) I think) to translate this

eithet2 that is) to reresent omer as translating its sense into the $ommon !eech &II '. !o the"utch #ersion has correctly ri>smantel% but the !wedish wrongly gr?hamn 3grey hantom3. Inerman it might be raumantel2 3In some old families) esecially those of ,allohide origin such as the Tooksand the 4olgers) it was ... ) the custom to gi#e high+sounding first+names3. The name is an oldermanic one) erhas best known now as the name 3"segrim/adoted for the 8olf as a character inthe romance ofReynard the +o:It is best left untranslated since it is not suosed to be made of

$ommon !eech elements.LeaflockTranslate by sense) since this is suosed to be a $ommon !eech translation of the El#ish+inglas fing3lock of hair3 B las3s/3leaf3. !imilarly the Ent+name+ladrif,translated as Skin'ark

MaggotIntended to be a 3meaningless3 name) hobbit+like in sound. %ctually it is an accident thatmaggot is an English word meaning 3grub3) 3lar#a3. The "utch translation has an de Made &made7erman Made, Old English maEa 3maggot3') but the name is robably best left alone) as in the!wedish translation) though some assimilation to the style of the language of translation would be in

lace.

MarigoldTranslate this flower+name &see III C>'. The name is used because it is suitable as a namein English and because) containing 3gold3 and referring to a golden flower) it suggests that there was a

3,allohide3 strain &see > >' in !am3s family(which) increased by the fa#our of aladriel) becamenotable in his children2 esecially(lanor,but also oldilocks&a name sometimes gi#en to flowers ofthe buttercu kind' who married the heir of 9eregrin Took. Anfortunately the name of the flower in


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the language of translation may be unsuitable as a name in form or meaning &for instance ,renchsouci'. In such a case it would be better to substitute the name of some other yellow flower. The!wedish translator sol#ed the difficulty by translating the name as Ma>agulland addingRing'lom&!wedish ring'lomma3marigold30 comare ermanRingel'lume/. The "utch translator was contentwithMei9oent>e 5daisy5%which is good enough. 6e did not include the genealogies in his translation)and ignored 3the fact that "aisy was the name of a much older sister of !am and not a laymate of

Rosie $otton.Mugwort% 4ree name0 the name of a lant 3#rtemisia,,rench armoise,akin to 8ormwood) ,rencharmoise am'. The first name orhendad &I >G?' should be left unchanged. It is a8elsh word meaning 3great+grandfather30 the reason for gi#ing the folk of 4uckland 8elsh names orones of similar style is gi#en in III C>+C.

li$hauntRetain this. It is an archaic form of 3elehant3 used as a 3rusticism3) on the suosition thatrumour of the !outhern beast would ha#e reached the !hire long ago in the form of legend. This

detail might be retained simly by substituting for the initial( of the ordinary name of the elehantin the language of translation2 the meaning would remain sufficiently ob#ious) e#en if that languagehad no similar archaic form. In "utch olifant remains the current form) and so is used by thetranslator) but with loss of the archaic colouring. li$hantin English is deri#ed from Old ,rencholifant,but the ois robably deri#ed from old forms of English or erman2 Old English olfend,Old6igh erman ol'enta 3camel3. The names of foreign animals) seldom or ne#er seen) are oftenmisalied in the borrowing language. Old English olfend,Old 6igh erman ol'enta,are robablyultimately related to the classical ele$hant&Latin from reek'.

rald +orn and rald as names of 4ombadil are meant to be names in foreign tongues &not$ommon !eech' and should according to the system be left unchanged. +orn is actually the!candina#ian word for 3&belonging to' ancient &days'3. %ll the dwarf+names in this tale are Norse) as

reresenting a northern language of 1en) different from but closely related to that of the Rohirrimwho came from the other side of 1irkwood &see III >CG) C>D'. raldis an Old English word for3#ery ancient3) e#idently meant to reresent the language of the Rohirrim and their kin. It may be leftunchanged0 but since it is the e*act counterart in form and sense of erman uralt,this might well beused in a erman translation.

rcThis is suosed to be the $ommon !eech name of these creatures at that time0 it shouldtherefore according to the system be translated into English) or the language of translation. It wastranslated 3goblin3 in The &o''it,e*cet in one lace0 but this word) and other words of similar sensein other Euroean languages &as far as I know') are not really suitable. The orcin The Lord of the

Rings and The Silmarillion, though of course artly made out of traditional features) is not reallycomarable in suosed origin) functions) and relation to the El#es. In any case orcseemed to me)and seems) in sound a good name for these creatures. It should be retained.


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It should be selt ork &so the "utch translation' in a ermanic language) but I had used theselling orcin so many laces that I ha#e hesitated to change it in the English te*t) though thead:ecti#e is necessarily selt orkishThe rey+el#en form is orch,luralyrch

I originally took the word from Old English orc MBeowulf >> orc-nassand the gloss orc7$yrs&3ogre3') heldeofol&3hell+de#il3'. This is suosed not to be connected with modern English orc) ork,a name alied to #arious sea+beasts of the dolhin order.

Pickthorn% 4ree name0 meant to be 3meaningful3. Translate.Pim$le%n orobrious nickname. Translate.

Proudfoot% 6obbit surname &it is an English surname'. Translate.

Puddifoot% surname in the muddy 1arish0 meant to suggest$uddleBfootTranslate.

Fuick'eamEnt. This is a translation of !indarin Bregalad3/uick &li#ely' tree3. !ince in the story thisis reresented as a name gi#en to him because he was &for an Ent' 3hasty3) it would be best totranslate the name by a comound &made for the urose' ha#ing this sense &for e*amle ermanFuick'aum


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Shirriff3s/%ctually a now obsolete form of Englishsheriff3shire+officer3) used by me to make theconnection with Shire lainer. In the story Shirriff and Shire are suosed to be secial hobbitwords) not generally current in the $ommon !eech of the time) and so deri#ed from their formerlanguage related to that of the Rohirrim. !ince the word is thus not suosed to be $ommon !eech)

but a local word) it is not necessary to translate it) or do more than accommodate its selling to thestyle of the language of translation. It should) howe#er) resemble in its first art whate#er word is

used to reresent Shire&see this entry'.Skin'arkEnglish &7 $ommon !eech' translation of+ladrifThe name should therefore be suitablytranslated by sense. &$omareLeaflock/

Small'urrow% meaningful hobbit+name0 translate by sense.

Snowmane% meaningful name &of King Theoden3s horse') but &like !hadowfa*' translated intomodern English form) forsnIw-manaIt should therefore be reresented by its roer Rohan formSnawmana, or translated &esecially into a ermanic language') as for e*amle ermanSchneem0hne

StoorsThe name of a third kind of hobbit of hea#ier build. This is early Englishstor, stoor 3large)strong3) now obsolete. !ince it is thus suosed to be a secial hobbit word not current in the$ommon !eech) it need not be translated) and may be reresented by a more or less 3honetic3selling according to the use of letters in the language of translation0 but an archaic or dialectal wordof this sense would also be accetable.

Swertings!aid by !am to be the name in the !hire for the legendary &to hobbits' dark+skinnedeole of the 3!unlands3 &far south'. It may be left unchanged as a secial local word &not in the$ommon !eech'0 but since it is e#idently a deri#ati#e ofswart,which is still in use &7swarthy/,itcould be reresented by some similar deri#ati#e of the word for 3black 5 dark3 in the language oftranslation. $omare Swarthy Men) the $ommon !eech e/ui#alent &III '.

ThistlewoolTranslate by sense.

Took6obbit+name of unknown origin reresenting actual 6obbit T2k&see III C>D'. It should thus beket and selt honetically according to the language of translation. The Took ersonal namesshould be ket in the form and selling of the te*t) asPeregrin,Paladin, #delard, Bando'rasNotethat 4andobras3 nickname 34ullroarer3 is in $ommon !eech and should be translated by sense &if

ossible alliterating on 4'. This nickname also aears in Bullroarer Took in The &o''it >. Ibelie#ed when I wrote it that 'ullroarer was a word used by anthroologists for instruments thatmade a roaring sound) used by unci#ili;ed eoles0 but I cannot find it in any dictionaries.

Tree'eardTranslation of+angornTranslate by sense.

TwofootTranslate by sense.

6nderhill,Translate by sense.

1andlim'7+im'rethil,of which it is nota translation. Translate by sense. &%n Entwife3s name'.

1hitfootTranslate by 3white3 and 3foot.3 !ee 1hitfurrowsunder lace+names.

1indfola7 38ind+foal3) but lea#e unaltered since it is in the language of Rohan &not $ommon!eech'.

1ingfoot% nickname0 translate by sense2 3winged+foot3.

1ormtongue 31oderni;ed3 form of the nickname of rma, the e#il counsellor of Rohan2 Rohanwyrm-tunga3snake+tongue3. Translate by sense.

1osesThis reresents &moderni;ed' the Rohan word for 3old men of the woods3. It is not a urely

in#ented word. The suosed genuine Rohan word was wIsa,lural wIsan,which if it had sur#i#edinto modern English would be wosesIt would ha#e been better to call the 3wild men3 woodwoses) forthat actually occurs in Old English wudewIsa,glossing 3faunus, satyrus, sa#age men) e#il creatures3.This word sur#i#ed into the Tudor eriod as woodoses &often corruted to woodhouses/) and


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sur#i#es in heraldry) since the woodhouse 7 a wild hairy man clad in lea#es) common as a suorterto arms. The wIsaelement meant originally a forlorn or abandoned erson) and now(for instance inerman 1aise and "utch weesJmeans 3orhan3. The origin of this idea was no doubt the actuale*istence of wild folk) remnants of former eoles dri#en out by in#aders) or of outlaws) li#ing adebased and sa#age life in forests and mountains.


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Place-Names

#rchetThis is actually an English lace+name of $eltic origin. It is used in the nomenclature of 4reeto reresent a stratum of names older than those in the $ommon !eech or 6obbit language. !o also

Bree,an English lace+name from a $eltic word for 3hill3. Therefore retain #rchetandBreeunaltered)

since these names no longer ha#e a recogni;ed meaning in English. Chetwood is a comound of$eltic and English) both elements meaning 3wood30 comare Brill,in O*fordshire) deri#ed from 'reeK hllTherefore in Chetwood retain Chetand translate -wood

#shen Mountains $ommon !eech translation of (red Lithui &!indarin orod, lural eryd, ered,3mountain30 lith3ash30 B ad:ecti#al ui'. Translate by sense2 mountains of ash+grey hue.

Bag (nd Thelocal name for 4ilbo3s house) and meant to be associated &by hobbits' with the end of a3bag3 or 3udding+bag3 7 cul+de+sac. Translate by sense. !ee Baggins% the same element in thelanguage of translation should aear both inBaggins and inBag (nd

Bagshot RowThe row of small 3holes3 in the lane below 4ag End) said to ha#e been so namedbecause the earth remo#ed in e*ca#ating 4ag End was shot o#er the edge of the sudden fall in the

hillside onto the ground which later became the gardens and earthwalls of the humbler dwellings.Translate by aro*imate sense) including the same element in the language of translation meaning3bag3.

Bamfurlong %n English lace+name) robably from 'ean 3bean3 and furlong &in the sense of adi#ision of a common field') the name being gi#en to a stri of land usually reser#ed for beans. Thename is now) and so is suosed to ha#e been at that time in the !hire) without clear meaning. It isthe name of ,armer 1aggot3s farm. Translate as seems suitable) but some comound containing theword for 3bean3 and that for 3field) culti#ated ground3 would seem desirable.

BarnduinThis means 3the long gold+brown ri#er.3 Lea#e untranslated2Brandywineis reresented asa corrution of !indarinBarnduin&accent on the middle syllable and') from 'aran3brown) yellow+

brown3 B duin3ri#er3. The common El#ish was duin=stem dui 3flow &in #olume'3. The Fuenya formwould ha#e been luine&in Fuenya initial dbecame l') but the word was not used. Retain when soselt. Asually by hobbits altered toBrandywine%see this entry.

Barrow-downsTranslate by sense2 low treeless hills on which there are many 3barrows3) that is tumuliand other rehistoric gra#e+mounds. This 'arrowis not related to modern 'arrow,an imlement witha wheel0 it is a recent adotion by archaeologists of the English dialect word 'arrow&earlier 'errow)from English 'eorg, 'erg,3hill) mound3'.

Barrowfield!ee the receding entry. Translate by sense2 a field containing a gra#e+mound.

Battle ardens, Battle PitTranslate by sense.

Better Smials!ee Smialsunder Things.

Black Country, Black Land$ommon !eech translation ofMordorTranslate.

Black StoneTranslate by sense.

Blackroot aleTranslate by sense0 $ommon !eech translation ofMorthond&the name of a ri#er)gi#en because its source was in the dark ca#erns of the "ead 1en'.

Blessed RealmTranslate by sense. The name in the $ommon !eech for the ,ar 8estern Land inwhich the -alar &guardian owers' and the 6igh El#es dwelt) called in Fuenya #man% the regionwhere the -alar dwelt being alimar, alinor) and that of the El#es(ldamarThe 4lessed Realm wasat this time no longer art of the hysical world) and could not) e*cet in rare cases) be reached bymortals.

Bonfire ladeTranslate by sense.


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Brandy &allThis should be translated) but should contain the same element as that used in the ri#er+name &4randywine'. In this case the whole word in the language of translation) for e*amle

Branntwein or Brende!in,could be used) since the 6all was on the east bank of the ri#er. In theersonal nameBrandy'uck it could be reduced to the first element) for instance Brende'ukC' of the El#ish &!indarin' Barnduin&stressed on the middle syllable'. !ince this is meant to ha#e been intelligible at that time it should be

translated by sense0 but a difficulty arises) since it would be desirable that the translation should alsobe a ossible corrution ofBarnduinThe "utch translation usedBrandewi>n%the !wedish missedthe oint) using influden, though Br0nna!in would ha#e ser#ed. "anish Brende!in or erman

Branntweinwould also do.

BreeRetain) since it was an old name) of obsolete meaning in an older language0 see #rchet

Bree-hill, Bree-landRetain the first element) and translate 3hill3 and 3land.3

Brocken'oresNot &I think' a genuine English lace+name0 but intended to ha#e the recogni;edsense2 3badgers3 borings) badgers3 tunnellings3. Translate in this sense. !eeBrockhouse

Buck &ill, BucklandThe element 3buck3 should be translated. !eeBrandy'uck, ld'uck

Buckle'uryThe name of the chief #illage in theBucklandTranslate with a name containing the3buck3 element &as abo#e' B some e/ui#alent of English -'ury&Old English 'urg,a lace occuying adefensi#e osition) walled or enclosed0 a town. $omare 4or'ury/The -le inBuckle-is either analteration ofBucken'ury,with the old geniti#e lural -en3a/) or a reduction ofBuckland

Budgeford Budge-was an obscured element) ha#ing at the time no clear meaning. !ince it was themain residence of theBolgerfamily &a hobbit+name notto be translated' it may be regarded as acorrution of the element 'olge, 'ulge 4othBolger andBulgeroccur as surnames in England.8hate#er their real origin) they are used in the story to suggest that they were in origin nicknamesreferring to fatness) tubbiness.

Bywater-illage name2 as being beside the wide ool occurring in the course of the 8ater) the main

ri#er of the !hire) a tributary of the 4randywine. Translate by sense.Chetwood!ee#rchet

The Cleft&3of the !ider3' 7 Cirith 36ngol/ Cirith means 3cleft3) a narrow assage cutthrough earthor rock &like a railwaycutting'. Translate by sense.

CloudyheadTranslation of "war#ishBundushathGr% translate by sense.

Coom'% dee &but usually not #ery large' #alley. It is #ery fre/uent as an element in English lace+names) selt in #arious ways) such as -com', -cum', -com'eIn this story used in the nameDee$ingCoom') or with reference to it. !eeDee$ing Coom'

Crack of DoomIn modern use deri#ed from 1acbeth I- i >>) in which the cracke of Doomemeans3the announcement of the Last "ay3) by a crack or eal of thunder2 so it is commonly suosed) but itmay mean 3the sound of the last trum3) since crackcould be alied to the sudden sound of horns ortrumets &as it is in Sir awain and the reen )nightlines >>H) >>HH'. In this story crackis hereused in the sense 3fissure3) and refers to the #olcanic fissure in the crater of rodruin in 1ordor. !eefurther underDoomandMount Doom

Crickhollow% lace+name in 4uckland. It is meant to be taken as comosed of an obsolete elementB the known word hollowThe -hollow&a small deression in the ground' can be translated by sense)the crick- retained &in the selling of the language of translation'.

Dee$ing Coom'This should ha#e been seltDee$ing-coom',sinceDee$ingis not a #erbal endingbut one indicating relationshi2 the coomb or dee #alley belonging to the Dee$ 3&elm5s Dee$/ to

which it led u. !o alsoDee$ing StreamDerndingle !aid by Treebeard to be what 1en called the meeting+lace of the Ents &II ?'0therefore meant to be in the $ommon !eech. 4ut the $ommon !eech name must be suosed to


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ha#e been gi#en a long time ago) when in ondor more was known or remembered about the Ents.Dingleis still known) meaning 3dee &tree+shadowed' dell3) but dern3secret) hidden3 is long obsolete)as are the related words in other ermanic languages ( e*cet Tarn-in erman Tarnka$$e&from1iddle 6igh erman'. Translate by sense) referably by obsolete) oetic) or dialectal elements.

DimholtThe wood of dark trees at the entrance to the "ark "oorThe name is gi#en in the form ofthe language of Rohan) and so should be retained unchanged) though dim is still current in English

&but here used in an older sense) 3obscure) secret3') and holt is in occasional oetic use.Dimrill DaleThe $ommon !eech name of "war#ish #9anul'i9ar,rey+el#en4an DuhirionThe$ommon !eech form is an accurate translation2 the #alley of the dim &o#ershadowed' rills that randown the mountain+side. Translate by sense. !imilarlyDimrill ate, Dimrill Stair

Doom The word doom, in its original sense 3:udgment3 &formal and legal) or ersonal') has inEnglish) artly owing to its sound) and largely to its secial use in doomsday,become loaded withsenses of death) finality and fate &imending or foretold'. &Outside English doomsday is only

reser#ed in the !candina#ian languages2 Icelandic d7msdagur, !wedish domedag, "anishd7mmedag%also ,innish tuomi$0i!0/.

The use in the te*t as a word descriti#e of sound &esecially in I book ii chater D' associated

with 'oomis nonetheless meant &and would by most English readers be felt' to recall the noundoom,with its sense of disaster. This is robably not ossible to reresent in another language. The"utch #ersion reresents doom 'oomhonetically by doem 'oem,which is sufficient) and at any ratehas the suort of the #erb doemen,which esecially in the ast articilegedoemd has the samesense as English doomed&to death or an e#il fate'. The !wedish #ersion usually has dom 'om,butoccasionally dum 'omThis seems &as far as I can :udge' unsatisfactory) since the associations ofdumare /uite out of lace) and dum'om is a word for 3blockhead3 &ermanDummko$f/

Mount Doom This was &in ondor' the $ommon !eech name of the #olcano rodruin&31ountain of red flame3') but was a translation of its other El#ish name#mon #marth &36ill of"oom3') gi#en to !auron3s forge+mountain because it was linked in ancient and little+understood

rohecies with the 3doom3) the final end of the Third %ge) that it was foretold would befall when

Isildur3s 4ane was found again0 see the #erses in I D. Translate by sense2 31ountain &of' doom3 &inthe sense 3imending fate3'. !ee Crack of Doom

Dunharrow% modernisation of RohanD2nhaerg3the heathen fane on the hillside3) so+called becausethis refuge of the Rohirrim at the head of &arrowdalewas on the site of a sacred lace of the oldinhabitants &now the "ead 1en'. The element haergcan be modernised in English because it remainsan element in lace+names) notably&arrow 3on the &ill/The word has no connection with harrowthe imlement. It is the Old English e/ui#alent of Old Norse hrgr&modern Icelandic hrgur') Old6igh erman harugIn the language of translation it is best reresented by an aro*imation to theRohan form. The "utch #ersionDunhargis satisfactory0 the !wedishDunhar!amay be susected ofha#ing taken harrowas the imlement &!wedish har!'.

DunlandThis contains the English ad:ecti#e dun3dark) dusky) dull+hued3. !ee III CG?.Dwarrowdelf ,or dwarrows 7 dwar#es see III C>D. Dwarrowdelf is a translation of the actual$ommon !eech name ofMoria, Phurunargian,gi#en an archaic English form) sincePhurunargianwas already itself archaic in form. The 3archaism3 is not of much imortance0 the name should betranslated by the same element as that used to translate Dwarf &or a #ariety of that' B a wordmeaning 3mine) digging) e*ca#ation3 ( for instance ermanNwergengru'e*

(astemnetRohan0 retain it &though it contains east it is not a $ommon !eech name) but Rohan for3east+lain3'. !imilarly(astfold&see+olde'.

(astfarthing!ee+arthings

(l!enhome, (l!en Door, (l!en Ri!er!ee(l!en-smiths,under Names of 9ersons and 9eoles.

(ntwade, (ntwash, (ntwoodThese are 3modernised3 names in the language of Rohan2 (ntwaed,(ntwaesc, (ntwuduThe second elements) waed3ford3) waesc 3flood+water3) wudu3wood3) are gi#en


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modern English forms because the Rohan forms were recognisably akin to the words in the $ommon!eech2 that is) seakers of the $ommon !eech) esecially in ondor &where of course the namesand geograhy of Rohan were well+known') used these forms) assimilated to their own language.The -wade, -wash, -wood may therefore be translated by sense) esecially if the language oftranslation contains related elements) as !wedish !ad3ford3. On(nt see that entry.

(ttendalesThis is meant to be a $ommon !eech &not El#ish' name) though it contains an obsolete

element eten3troll) ogre3. This should be retained) e*cet in a language which reser#es a form of thesame word) as "anish>aette,!wedish>0tte,Icelandic>tunn,7 Old English eoten,1iddle Englisheten,English dialect eten, yet=n

!imilarly(ttenmoors% moorhere has the northern sense of 3high barren land3.

+arthings!ee I >?. This is the same word as English farthing&Old EnglishfeorEing,1iddle Englishferthing') /uarter of a enny0 but used in its original sense 3fourth art) /uarter3. This is modelled onthriding 3third art3) still used of the di#isions of orkshire) with loss of initial thafter the thor tin

4orthriding, (astriding, 1estridingThe alication to di#isions of other measures than money haslong been obsolete in English) andfarthinghas been used since early 1iddle English for 3a negligibleamount3) so that to English ears the alication to the di#isions of the !hire &an area of about >?)GGG

s/uare miles' is comical. This tone can hardly be reroduced) but related words could erhas beused2 as "anish f>erding, !wedish f>0rding% or erman iertal &which is alied to 3regions)districts3'.

+enmarch% Rohan name2 the fenny &marshy' border+land about theMering Stream&ma in #olumeIII' forming the boundary ofRohanand#n7rienThis should ha#e been called+enmark,but since itaears in III ? and on the ma to #olume III I ha#e retained it0 the meaning of -mark,or the,rench form &of ermanic origin' marche,is the same2 boundary) border &land'. %s a Rohan nameuse in translation+enmark

+irien % Rohan name reresenting an old word &Old English firgen, ronounced firien' for3mountain3. $omare &alifirien3holy mount3. %s belonging to the language of Rohan) firien should

be retained. Inconsistently)+irienfeld,the flat uland of "unharrow) has been left unmodernised &the+irienfieldof the Inde* is in error') but+irienholthas been altered to+irienwood) the wood aboutand on the sloes of the &alifirien In translation it would be best to lea#e both unaltered)

+irienfeld, +irienholt,as being alien &not $ommon !eech' names.

+olde% Rohan name) to remain unaltered. The same word occurs in (astfold,which should alsoremain unchanged &comare (astemnet'. This is Old Englishfolde &Old Norse fold' 3earth) land)country3) not connected either with the English #erb fold,or with 3shee$/ fold$omare estfoldandOstfoldin Norway.

The+oldewas the centre of the kingdom) in which the royal house and its kin had their dwellings0its boundary eastward was roughly a line !outh+west from the :unction of the !nowbourn andEntwash to the mountains0 the(astfoldwas the land from that line east to the +enmark between

Entwash and the mountains0 the 1estfoldwas the similar land along the mountains as far as the Ri#erIsen. The defensi#e centre of the+oldeand(astfoldwas at(doras%of 1estfold at&elm5s Dee$

+rogmortonThis is not an actual English lace+name0 but it has the same element as in +rogmore&4ucking+hamshire'2frogB moorB town!ince this is an intelligible name) it may be translated. Notethat moor5morhas the meaning 3marshy land3) as usually in lace+names of southern and midlandEngland.

ladden +ields laddenis here the name for the 3flag3 or iris &Old English glaedene') now usuallyseltgladdon,and has no connection with Englishgladand the #erbgladdenTranslate by sense) buta#oid if ossible the 3learned3 name iris!imilarly in ladden Ri!er, which flowed into the ladden

+ields

olden Perch%n Inn name0 robably one fa#ored by anglers. In any case Perch is the fish+name&and not a land+measure or bird+erch'.

reat Smials!ee Smialsunder Things.


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,rom here to the end of in the Inde* translate by sense2 all the names are in modern English &7$ommon !eech'. 4ut note2 rimslade,mentioned in III >C as the home of rim'old,killed in

battle) contains rim&e#idently the name of an ancestor' Bslade &Old Englishslaed,Norwegiandialectslad') widely used in English lace+names) and still in use) mostly with the sense 3forest glade3)3dell3 &esecially one on a sloe u a hillside'.

&alifirien% Rohan name0 retain unaltered. !ee+irien

&allows, The% $ommon !eech translation &III C) D' of the ondor name &not gi#en' for the!acred 9laces of the tombs. Translate &if ossible with a word of archaic or oetic tone'.

&ard'ottle In the !hire0 the home of the 4racegirdles in the North ,arthing &not on the ma'.-'ottle is an English lace+name element) Old English 'otl, #ariant of 'old &from which modernEnglish 'uildis deri#ed') meaning 3&large' dwelling30 it is not connected with 'ottle&glass container'.$omare 4o'ottle on the small !hire+ma) which is an actual lace+name in England&Northumberland'. Translate by suitable elements) meaning 3hard dwelling30 3hard3 because e*ca#atedin or built of stone &in the rocky North ,arthing'. The e/ui#alent and related element in erman

lace+names is -'.ttel%in !candina#ian -'ol&esecially in Norway'.

&arrowdale!eeDunharrow.

&aysend. The end of the hayor boundary+hedge &not hay3dried grass3'. Translate as 3hedge3s end3.$omare&igh &ay

&elm5s Dee$, &elm5s Dike, &elm5s ate &elmis the name of a man and should be retained.

&ill of uardTranslate) since this is the $ommon !eech name of #mon Tirith,the hill on whichMinas Tirithwas built.

&oarwellThe $ommon !eech translation ofMitheithel7 3ale grey3 B 3sring) source30 well, asusually in lace+names) has this sense &not that of a dee water+it'. Translate.

&o''iton !ee&o''it%the #illage name should be translated by 3hobbit3 and an element meaning

3#illage3.&oldIn the&old of Dunharrowit has the sense 3stronghold) defended refuge3.

&ollinThe $ommon !eech name &short for&ollin-land/of the country called in El#ish (region36olly+region3.&ollinis an old form) still used locally) of holly%the region abounded in holly+trees.Translate.

&orn'urg, &ornrockThese are so called because of 6elm3s great horn) suosed still at times to beheard blowing. Translate.

"rensaga. Rohan0 it means 3iron+saw3) with reference to its serrated ridge) crest. It may be leftunchanged as an alien name) or translated &see the ne*t entry'.

"sengard and"senmoutheThese names were intended to reresent translations into the $ommon!eech of the El#ish names#ngrenostand Carach #ngren,but ones made at so early a date that atthe eriod of the tale they had become archaic in form and their original meanings were obscured.They can therefore be left unchanged) though translation &of one or both elements in either name'would be suitable) and I think desirable when the language of translation is ermanic) ossessingrelated elements.

"sen is an old #ariant form in English of iron% gard a ermanic word meaning 3enclosure3)esecially one round a dwelling or grou of buildings0 and mouthe a deri#ati#e of mouth,reresenting Old English m2Ea from m2E3mouth3' 3oening3) esecially used of the mouths of ri#ers)

but also alied to other oenings &not arts of a body'. "sengard 3the Iron+court3 was so calledbecause of the great hardness of the stone in that lace and esecially in the central tower. The

"senmouthewas so called because of the great fence of ointed iron osts that closed the ga leadinginto Ad@n) like teeth in :aws &see III >) G'.


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In the "utch and !wedish #ersions "sengardis left unchanged. ,or Isenmouthe the "utch uses"senmonde, translating or assimilating to "utch only the second element &a more comletetranslation to ">9ermonde would seem to me better'. The !wedish renders it "sensga$, which isincorrect) since"senis not a roer name but ad:ecti#al.

Thegardelement aears in Old NorsegarEr, whence current or dialectal !wedishg?rd, Danishgaard, andEnglishgarth&beside the original English formyard'0 this) though usually of more lowly

associations &as Englishfarmyard') aears for instance in Old Norse #s-garEr) now widely knownas#sgardin mythology. The word was early lost in erman) e*cet in Old 6igh erman mittin-ormittil-gart&the inhabited lands of 1en' 7 Old Norse miE-garEr,and Old English middan-geardsee

Middle-earth8ould not this old element in erman form -gartbe suitable for a translation orassimilation to erman such as(isengart'0 hence it was also said &I >C' that it was so named as 3a district of well+ordered business3.

Sil!erlode Translation of El#ish Cele'-rant Translate by sense2 sil!er and lode 3course) water+channel3.

Sil!ertineTranslation of El#ish Cele'-dilTranslate by sense2sil!erand tine3sike) shar horn3.

Snow'ourn1odernised form of Rohan &that is) Old English' snIw'urnaEither use Snaw'urna,orin a language ossessing related elements modernise the name to suit it2 for instance)Schnee'runnen, Sne'rnd, Sn'runn


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Staddle % #illage+name in 4ree. Staddle is now dialectal) but occurs in lace+names with themeaning 3foundation3) of buildings) sheds) ricks) and so forth0 from Old English staEolAse a relatede/ui#alent in the language of translation &if any') such as erman Stadel,or assimilate it to theselling of the language.

Starkhorn% mountain+name in Rohan. This may be retained) as a name not in $ommon !eech0 itmeant a horn &eak' 3standing u stiff like a sike3. The occurrence of starkin erman &and !wedish'

should make it sufficiently intelligible. The "utch #ersion has Sterkhorn,the !wedish StarkhornToan English readerstarknow has imlications of nakedness and grimness &not originally resent) butdue to its alication to rigor mortosin corses) and to the e*ressionstark-naked') which would

erhas be better reresented in erman bystarr

Stonewain alleyTranslate by sense. The $ommon !eech name of the long) narrow defile alongwhich the wains &sleds or drays' assed to and fro from the stone+/uarries.

Stoning-land. Reresents Rohan Staning 3land/, a translation of ondor. !ince this has beenmodernised &that is accommodated to the forms of English' use the etymological e/ui#alent of 3stone3in the language of translation) assten, stein,for the first element.

SunlandsTranslate by sense. It is e#idently meant as a oular name) in the $ommon !eech orother languages) current in ondor and the North+west for the little known countries of the far!outh.

Sunlending This is a translation into the language of Rohan of #n7rien, the name of the landimmediately attached toMinas #nor&originally including that city and inhabited country as far as theRi#er(rui'. It is thus 3heraldic3 rather than climatic) and related to the heraldic names of Elendil3ssons#nrion and"sildur, being the counterart of "thilien It only occurs in the #erses &III '

urorting to translate the minstrelsy of Rohan) and should be retained. It might well be selt &indeedmore accurately' Sunnlending, as in the !wedish #ersion. 4ut the translation in the "utch)

Nuiderleen3!outhern+fief3 is erroneous) since the 3southern fiefs3) also called the Outlands) referred tothe seaboard lands south of#n7rien

Tarlang5s 4eckTranslate4eck&as reresenting $ommon !eech' and retain TarlangThe !wedish#ersion has Tarlangs hals%The "utch(ngte !an Tarlang

The4eckwas a long ridge of rock) o#er which the road climbed) :oining the main mass of the rangeto the branch &containing three eaks' which searated the lain of (rechfromLamedon Tarlang,originally the name of this ridge) was later taken as a ersonal name.

Teeth of MordorTranslate Teeth of

Three-farthing Stone !ee +arthings Translate) using whate#er word is adoted to reresentfarthing

TighfieldThis is intended to contain an old word for 3roe3 &sur#i#ing in some of the senses of the

modern English noun tie) in which the selling is assimilated to that of the related #erb tie'. It wasthe site of a 3roe+walk3 or roe+maker3s yard. It would be best translated by some other word for3roe3 than that used in 3roe+walk3. Related are Icelandic taugand the word with #arious forms toug,to!, tog,in "anish and Norwegian0 also nautical erman &from Low erman' tou

Note that English 3roe+walk3 seems to ha#e been misunderstood by translators0 certainly the!wedish) with en re$'ro !er 0l!en 'orta !id Sl0tt0ngThere is no mention of a ri#er in my te*t &II>0 !wedish II C'. Nor is it easy to see why ha#ing a 3roe+bridge3 o#er a ri#er would beget aninherited knowledge in the family about the nature of roes) and their making. The "utch hastouw'rug,which I susect is also due to misunderstanding. I do not know the technical e/ui#alent of3roe+walk3 in other languages2 dictionaries gi#e erman Seiler'ahn, and "anish re'er'ane, butthese also are ossibly mistaken< % 3roe+walk3 &known in English since the se#enteenth century' is

so called because the roes were stretched out in long lines o#er trestles at inter#als.The !wedish Sl0tt0ng and "utch 1eide!eld do not) of course) translate Tighfield as abo#edefined) and are robably mere conte*tual guesses. There is) howe#er) another lace+name element


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&eculiar to English' that has the same forms as the 3roe3 word) though it is robably not related2 inmodern lace+names tigh, teigh, tye, teyThis meant an enclosed iece of land. It does not occur asthe first element in a comound.

Tindrock$ommon seech name &not a translation' of Tol Brandir,the stee inaccessible island oftowering rock at the head of the falls ofRaurosThough originally $ommon !eech) the name wasgi#en long before the time of the tale) and contains the old word tind 3sike3) which if it had sur#i#ed

would ha#e rhymed withfind4ut it now aears as tine 3rong3) with loss of d. The Old Norsee/ui#alent was tindr,Old 6igh erman9intIt might be ossible to use the latter as an archaic form0

but the current &robably related' erman Ninnehas recisely the right sense. Of this Ninne the!wedish e/ui#alent is Tinne, "anish Tind3e/ J which also seem suitable. Tol Brandir should beretained as an El#ish name.

Tower %ll the lace+names under Tower3s/ in the Inde* are contemorary $ommon !eechtranslations or author3s translations of the rey+el#en names) and should be translated in those artsthat are English.

Treegarth&of Orthanc'. Ongarth see"sengardTrans+late by sense2garthis an enclosed sace orgarden) usually round a central building &here rthanc'.

6nderharrow,!eeDunharrow% hamlet in the #alley below theDunharrowAse the same word asthat used for harrow&3fane3' inDunharrow

6$'ourn 6$- is used in English lace+names for ri#er+side #illages far u the named ri#er &as6$a!on in 8iltshire') esecially in contrast to larger laces near its mouth) as 6$wey abo#e1eymouth This #illage was some way u the Snow'ourn abo#e (doras, but not so far u as6nderharrow!ince the name is gi#en in modernised English form) it may be translated if that

resents no difficulty) or retained in its roer Rohan form 6$'urnan

1atchwoodTranslate.

1aymeetOn the ma of the !hire in -olume I this aears as 1aymoot,but in the te*t modernised

as 1aymeet,a #illage at the meeting of three ways. Translate by sense) as con#enient.1eatherto$Translate. It is the $ommon !eech name of the hill called in rey+el#en #mon SGl 56illof the 8ind3.

1ellinghallTreebeard3s translation into the $ommon !eech of &3art of3' the name of his dwelling.Translate. The intended sense is 3hall &under or behind' the outflow of the sring.3

1estemnetRohan2 emnet 3flat+land) lain3) e/ui#alent of "anishslette% and of erman('ene &towhich it is related'. Retain) as not being a $ommon !eech name0 but 1est-may be reselt &fore*amle with ' in a language that does not use 1,since the word for 1estwas the same or similarin the $ommon !eech and in the language of Rohan.

1esternesseThe $ommon !eech name of4menor &which means 38est+land3'. It is meant to bewestern K ess,an ending used in artly franci;ed names of 3romantic3 lands) asLyonesse,or Logres&England in %rthurian Romance'. The name actually occurs in the early romance )ing &orn) of somekingdom reached by shi. Translate by some similar in#ention containing 1est-or its e/ui#alent. The!wedish #ersion has 0sterness,the "utch 1esternisse

1estfarthing!ee+arthings

1estfold!ee+olde

1estmarch&in the !hire'. Translate.Marchmeans 3borderland3.

1est Marches&in Rohan'. This is gi#en in $ommon !eech form and may be translated as 3the8est&ern' 4orderlands32 in Rohan the land bordering the "sen

1etwang$ommon !eech translation of4indalf &rey+el#en nn3wet3 B talf3flat field3'. 4ut it is inarchaic form) wangbeing an old word for 3field) flat area3. &1etwang is an actual lace+name inorkshire'. 4oth elements should be translated. In !candina#ian languages the e/ui#alents of both


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wetand wangare found2 Icelandic !oturand !angur%!wedish !?tand !?ng%"anish !aadand !angThe "utch #ersion retains 1etwang,though4atwangwould ha#e been better0 the !wedish has ?ta!0gen) which is not the meaning) and is /uite unsuitable2 the 1etwangwas a athless fen. 1angdidnot sur#i#e in "utch) or in erman &e*cet in lace+names or dialect'. erman 1ange, "utch wang3cheek3 is a different &but related' word.

1hitfurrows&in the !hire'. Translate by sense) whit-being the usual shortening of whitein ersonal

names 31hitlock/and local names 31hitley/$omare 1hitfoot!imilarly 1hitwellin the !hire &anactual English lace+name'. The reference in English lace+names is usually to the colour of the soil.

1ilderland%n in#ention &not actually found in English') based on wilderness&originally meaningcountry of wild creatures) not inhabited by 1en') but with a side+reference to the #erbs wilder3wander astray3 and 'ewilder It is suosed to be the $ommon !eech name of Rho!anion&on thema) not in the te*t') the lands east of the 1isty 1ountains &including 1irkwood' as far as the Ri#erRunning. The "utch #ersion has 1ilderland "utch has wildernis, but not erman or the!candina#ian languages &erman 1ildnis) "anish !ildnis'.

1ithywindleRi#er+name in the Old ,orest) intended to be in the language of the !hire. It was awinding ri#er bordered by willows &withies'. 1ithy- is not uncommon in English lace+names) but

-windledoes not actually occur &1ithywindlewas modelled on withywind,a name of the con#ol#ulusor bindweed'. %n in#ention of suitable elements in the language of translation would be desirable.-ery good is the "utch #ersion 1ilgewinde &with wilg7 English willow/ I do not understand the!wedish #ersion ittes$ring8ords related to withyare found in the !candina#ian languages0 relatedalso is erman 1eide


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Things

,ew of the entries in this section of the Inde* re/uire comment) since they are either in alien&esecially El#ish' languages) or simly in modern English &7 $ommon !eech' and re/uire normaltranslation.

(lder DaysThis is naturally taken by English readers to mean 3older3 &that is) former') but with anarchaic fla#our) since this original form of the comarati#e is now only alied to ersons) or used asa noun in(lders&seniors'. In in#enting the e*ression I intended this) as well as association with the

oetic word eld 3old age) anti/uity3. I ha#e since &recently' come across the e*ression in earlyEnglish 'e eldern dawes 3in the days of our forefathers) long ago3. This) meaning 3"ays of the!eniors3) might hel in de#ising a translation that is not :ust the e/ui#alent of 3the older days3. The!wedish #ersion has simly i Uldre tiden% the "utch de ude Tid&less correctly) since this wouldnaturally also aly to the other ages before the Third'.

The similarity to (ldar,lural of(lda3Elf3) is accidental and unintentional.(ldais the Fuenyaform of the rey+el#en word edhel!ee(lder )indred (l!en-8ith regard to this old ad:ecti#alform) see(l!en-smiths

(!ermind % flower+name) translation of Rohan sim'elmynV The element -mind has the sense3memory30 the name thus resembles 3forget+me+not3) but a /uite different kind of flower is intended2 animagined #ariety of anemone) growing in turf like#nemone $ulsatilla) the as/ue+flower) but smallerand white like the wood anemone. Translate by sense. The !wedish and "utch #ersions both omit theelement -mind,and so roduce names e/ui#alent to 3e#erlasting flower3) which is not the oint.Though the lant bloomed at all seasons) its flowers were not 3immortelles3. &The !wedish hase!ighets'lommor,the "utch"mmerdaar'.

"thilstoneTranslate the second element -stone

)ingsfoil Translate2 -foil &from Old ,rench foil' 7 3leaf3) as in English lant+names such ascinWuefoil Only the leaf of asVawas #alued.

Lithe The former and later Lithe &Old English lEa' were the old names for June and Julyresecti#ely. %ll the month+names in the !hire $alendar are &worn+down' forms of the Old Englishnames. In the 6obbit $alendar 3the/ Lithewas the middle+day &or >?rd day' of the year &see%endi* "'. !ince all 6obbit month+names are suosed not to be $ommon !eech) butconser#ati#e sur#i#als from their former language before migration) it would be best to kee Litheunaltered(as would be necessary with the other calendar names in any translation of the%endices. The "utch #ersion kees Lithe &The word was eculiar to English and no relatedcalendar word is found elsewhere'. The !wedish #ersion rewrites the assage &I >' 3. . . who waselected e#ery se#en years at the ,ree ,air on the 8hite "owns at the Lithe) that is at 1idsummer32

&an !aldes !art s>unde ?r !id midsommar!akan u$$e $0 kritkli$$orna i sommarsolst?ndets natt

This) besides omitting the 3,ree ,air3 and misrendering the 38hite "owns3 as the 3chalk cliffs3)misreresents the assage and the customs lainly alluded to. It was not a night festi#al or 3wake3) buta day+celebration marked by a 3,ree ,air3 &"utch #ersion ri>e Markt') so called because anyone whowished could set u a booth without charge. The translator has assimilated the assage to the!candina#ian summer+solstice festi#al) christianised in name by association with !t. John the 4atist3sday &June C') which occurred at more or less the right date &Icelandic X7ns!aka, X7nsmessa,"anishSankthansnat, Skaersommernat'. 4ut the affair was not a 1idsummer Night3s "ream= !ee ;ule

Long'ottom Leaf. !eeLong'ottom) under 9lace+names.

MathomLea#e unchanged0 it is not $ommon !eech) but a word eculiar to hobbits &comareSmials,and see III C>C'. The meaning is defined in I >C as 3anything that 6obbits had no immediateuse for) but were unwilling to throw away3. It reresents Old English mEm3recious thing) treasure3.

ld To'y% #ariety of tobacco) named after To'old &orn'lowerAse whate#er e/ui#alent of To'yisused for the ersonal name &I >'.


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ld 1inyards% wine(but of course in fact a lace+name) meaning 3the Old -ineyards3. 1inyardisactually reser#ed as a lace+name in England) descending from Old English before the assimilationto ,rench and Latin !in-. This cannot) I think) be imitated) and one must remain content with theword for 3#ineyard3 in the language of translation) as weingarten, !ingaard,and so on. The "utch#ersion has ude 1i>ngaardenThe !wedish) for no ob#ious reason &unless failure to recognise1inyardsas a relati#e of !ing?rd') simly omits the name.

Pkel-men #Rohan name for the effigies of men of a #anished race. It reresents Old English $cel&still sur#i#ing as$uckle/,one of the forms of the$uk- stem &widesread in England) 8ales) Ireland)

Norway and Iceland' referring to a de#il) or to a minor srite such as 9uck) and often alied to uglymisshaen ersons. The$kel-menare ade/uately described) and the element$kelmay be retained

(or relaced by some word of similar &ossibly related' form and sense. The "utch #ersion has dePkel-mensen,the !wedishPukel-m0nnen

Ro$e-walkNot in the Inde*) but it occurs in II > as a technical name for a roe+maker3s yard0 seeTighfield

Smials% word eculiar to hobbits &not $ommon !eech') meaning 3burrow30 lea#e unchanged. It is aform that the Old English wordsmygel3burrow3 might ha#e had) if it had sur#i#ed. The same element

aears in ollum3s real name) SmYagol!ee III C>C+D.S$ringle-ring %n in#ention0 render it by a similar one suitable to the language of translation)imlying a #igorous ring+dance in which dancers often leaed u.

Talein Tale of ;earsmeans 3counting3) 3reckoning3.

1estmansweedTranslate) as a $ommon !eech rendering of 3herb of the 1en of the 8est3 &of1esternesse, 4menor')

;ule The midwinter counterart ofLitheIt only occurs in The Lord of the Ringsin %endi* ") and31idwinter3 only occurs once during the main narrati#e. The midwinter festi#al was not an El#ishcustom) and so would not ha#e been celebrated in Ri#endell. The fellowshi) howe#er) left on

"ecember D) which had then no significance) since the ule) or its e/ui#alent) was then the last dayof the year and the first of the ne*t year. 4ut "ecember D &setting out' and 1arch D&accomlishment of the /uest' were intentionally chosen by me.

In translation) ;ule should likeLithebe treated as an alien word not generally current in the$ommon !eech. It should therefore be retained) though with a selling suitable to the language oftranslation2 so for e*amle in "anish or erman seltXule ;uleis found in modern English &mostlyas a literary archaism') but this is an accident) and cannot be taken to imly that a similar or relatedword was also found in the $ommon !eech at that time2 the hobbit calendar differed throughoutfrom the official $ommon !eech calendars. It may) howe#er) be suosed that a form of the sameword had been used by the Northmen who came to form a large art of the oulation of ondor&III ?') and was later in use in Rohan) so that some word like ;ulewas well known in ondor as a

3northern name3 for the midwinter festi#al0 somewhat like the aearance in modern erman of Xul&as a loan from the North

a guide to the names of the lord of the rings

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