[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

It might also be noted that a Thing was a more inclusive social event, whereas a parliament is a closed forum. I don't believe that Things were held by the Anglo-Saxons, whose main assembly was the Witan or witena gemot: 'assembly of the wise'. This was effectively the sort of group which met under the Parliament Oak: a council of magnates and churchmen. Parliament, on the other hand derives from Old French parlement: 'speaking'. Speculating wildly, Tolkien might have found it significant that after the Norman conquest, a gathering of the Wise was replaced with a talking shop.