Why the name Sharkey?

[Airehiriel]

It has been a while since I read RotK, but I have a question that has been in the back of my mind since. Why on earth did Tolkien give Saruman the name Sharkey? After all the ME names and places, and adventures that we went on through the book, Sharkey just sticks out so much. It seems to me, out of place.

Does anyone know how the name Sharkey came about or what Tolkien's reasoning was? As I said, to me, it seemed to be out of the flow of the rest of the book.

Thanks

[Rimbaud]

Sharkey is a derivation of Sharkû, meaning 'Old Man' in Orkish. Other inferences are unclear. It may also be a reference to the Old Man who was the leader of the Assassins in Mandeville's Travels but this has always struck me as tenuous at best.

[ January 29, 2003: Message edited by: Rimbaud ]

[Jurion]

Sharkey means 'Old Man' in Orcish as Rimbaud said and that was what some Orcs called Saruman.

[Inderjit Sanghera]

I though 'Sharku' was Orcish for old man.

[Rimbaud]

Indeed, Sharkey is thereof a derivation.

[Airehiriel]

Thanks, guys! Now it makes a lot of sense. Every time I read that name, instead of getting the idea of Saruman, an evil wizard, I was getting the mental image of some young 50's street punk in a leather jacket, whose nickname was Sharkey! It amused me greatly, but didn't seem to make sense to me. Now the word takes on a whole new connotation.

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

I've a feeling that Tolkien intended for people to think of second-rate criminals when they heard the name. For me Saruman's new nickname encapsulates his fall from chief Istar to cheap hood rather well.

[Lyra Greenleaf]

Yeah, I love that, the fact that "SARUMAN THE WHITE" all big and important, has become this 2-bit crook, 'sharkey'. I can imagine himrunning a protection racket or something! its hardly a respectful nickname is it?

and instead of all ME all he can hold dominion over are this little hobbits!

it shows the levels of his spite well that he actually does this, cos you'd think his pride would stop him really.

[Aredhelaran]

SHarku is Orkish for Old man. IN Isengeard they called Saruman either Sharku or Sharkey. Saruman seems to have brought some of his Orc0like men north with him, which is probably why he was called Sharkey

[Rosseiliantiel]

The name Sharkey...just makes me laugh. Sharku, yes. Sharkey...just doesn't fit to well. But it's funny!

[the guy who be short]

i knew sharkey was derived from sharku, old man, but i never thought about how this affects him as a character, going from saruman the white to sharkey
thank you to evrybody! you are all very clever!