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Originally Posted by Captain Grishnahk
Since this thread is discussing the several "critters" of middle earth. I was wondering if Wargs are the same as wolves. In the movies they were more of a hienna type thing, but does Tolkien ever give a discription of them? And how did Saruman use them? I thought they were mostly around the Misty Mountains.
-Cap
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Warg derives from Old Norse 'Vargr' meaning wolf - therefore the wargs of Middle-earth were like wolves, not hyenas (though they were larger & more intelligent).
Clearly 'Warg' is Tolkien's translation of the equivalent Middle-earth word (though why he would create a modern English equivalent of an Old Norse word to translate a Middle-earth term, rather than just using the Old Norse or the modern English word is another question).
'Translator Conceit' again....