|
|
Post by Marieke on Dec 19, 2003 16:20:07 GMT
I would like to know what the names of the main characters mean. I have already heard Legolas Greenleaf, but does anyone of you know some other translations?
|
|
|
|
Post by MirkwoodArcher on Dec 19, 2003 16:38:35 GMT
Arwen means lady.
Aragorn may mean noble tree.
Boromir means faithful jewel
Eowyn means horsewoman
Elrond means star dome
Galadriel means maiden crowned with a radiant garland.
Glorfindel means fair hair
Samwise means half-wise or half-wit
Those are all the ones I know off the top of my head.
|
|
|
|
Post by Simbelmyne on Dec 19, 2003 16:46:55 GMT
Arwen: Noble Maiden (That's the translation from the Sil words...) Aragorn: Can't find a complete translations, but in his name are the words noble (ar, prefix) and gon (commander). There is a word gorn, meaning impetuous, but commander sounds more likely to me. Boromir: Found this for the first part of his name: bor 1.a trusty man, a faithful vassal (Sindarin, noun) 2.marked by firm determination or resolution; unshakable (Sindarin, adjective) Sounds like Boromir! The O is of, and mir is jewel. "Determined man of jewels" Right  . I think Nen's meaning is more accurate  Those are the ones I can think of right now... |
|
|
|
Post by Arwen Evenstar on Dec 19, 2003 19:10:12 GMT
Merry's name was Kalimac, and in Westron, Kali, the shortened form of his name, meant jolly, or gay. But Tolkien translated it to Meriadoc, so the shortened form of that, Merry, would have the same meaning to us. I hope that makes sense. I read about it in one of the appendices before, but if it doesn't make sense the way I explained it, I will try again.
|
|
|
|
Post by Galadeth Greenleaf on Dec 19, 2003 19:14:00 GMT
Gil-galad signifies "Starlight"
|
|
|
|
Post by Arwen Evenstar on Dec 19, 2003 19:19:43 GMT
What about Celeborn? Isn't celeb silver? I could be confused though... that's been known to happen |
|
|
|
Post by Linithiel on Dec 19, 2003 19:51:30 GMT
Yep, you're right - celeborn means silver tree
|
|
Earlienda
Friend of Rohan
Elf Princess of Imladris
Posts: 17
|
Post by Earlienda on Dec 20, 2003 13:48:56 GMT
Woses: The name of the wild humans of Middle-Earth is shortening of wodwos an Old English term for legendary wild men of the forest.
Gandalf: Which means Sorcerer Elf comes from an Old Norse poem.
Celeborn's Wetwang: Is a place in Yorkshire.
Frodo: Mentioned briefly in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf it refers to a King in a Norse saga (The spelling is Fródí in Old Norse)
Samwise: Old English for half-wise or half-wit It refers to Sam as we first meet him.
Mark: The land of the Riders of Rohan comes from Mercia the Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the area of Birmingham and Oxford.
Misty Mountains: This phrase is borrowed from Norse legends. It suggests a place that is full of dangers.
Middle-Earth: Come from the Middle-English term "Middel-erthe"
Mordor: The name for Sauron's realm, meaning "Black Land" in Sindarin comes from the Old English "Morthor" meaning "mortal sin" or "murder"
Nazg: This word meaning "ring" in Black Speech appears on the inscription of the One Ring and in the name of the Black Riders, "Nazgul" ("Ringwraith" or "Ringghoul") In our world it is the Gaelic word for "ring".
All the Kings of Gondor have names beginning with "Ar- because it means "royal" or "noble" in their original language. Aragorn: Means "Royal Tree.
Rohan: This is the name of a famous family in France. The family's history involves politics and war.
Saruman: From the Old English "searu" which means "tricky" or "cunning".
Sauron: From an Old Norse word meaning "detestable" or "abominable"
|
|
|
|
Post by River Daughter on Dec 20, 2003 19:36:17 GMT
Ohhh thanks, poor old Samwise the half-wit!  |
|
|
|
Post by MirkwoodArcher on Dec 20, 2003 21:47:20 GMT
In the King's Letter, a letter in Sindarin Tolkien wrote as a message from Aragorn to the Hobbits after the War of the Ring, Aragorn refers to Sam as "Perhael (i sennui Panthael estathar aen)" Samwise, (who should be called Fullwise)"
|
|
|
|
Post by Evenstar on Feb 2, 2004 0:03:07 GMT
Wow!  That's very interesting! Thanks everyone! |
|
|
|
Post by Arwen Evenstar on Feb 2, 2004 0:14:23 GMT
Doesn't Legolas mean Greenleaf? And if so, why do people call him Legolas Greenleaf?
|
|
|
|
Post by Éowynshue on Feb 2, 2004 0:24:32 GMT
Doesn't Legolas mean Greenleaf? And if so, why do people call him Legolas Greenleaf? maybe its like Wilson Wilson on the show 'Home Improvement'... ack too much Disney Channel... |
|
|
|
Post by Arwen Evenstar on Feb 2, 2004 8:22:48 GMT
lol, shue! Maybe that's it...  I have wondered for a while about Legolas Greenleaf, though. |
|
|
|
Post by MirkwoodArcher on Feb 2, 2004 12:45:49 GMT
This is something that keeps annoying me in fanfics. Greenleaf is a simple translation of Legolas, not some kind of surname. It drives me mad when brothers, sisters and wives of his in fanfic are all called Greenleaf. Unless tey are also called Legolas, or Lasgalen, that should not happen.
The interesting thin about his name is that Lasgalen would be a more usual way to express that meaning. Laegel means green elf, and it has been suggested that the name was used in a form that could derive from that because his mother was a silvan elf. That is actually pretty likely when you consider that Thranduil, although of the Sindar, adopted a wood-elf way of life. He identified with his Silvan subjects much more than Galadriel and Celeborn did. He is possibly the only Sindarin ruler to whom Laegel would not carry negative implications.
I'm going on again! Hope I didn't bore anyone!
|
|
