Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerwen
cellurdur, having seen the quote in context also, I don't understand why you suppose doing so makes any difference. I don't say- and never said- the quote necessarily means "Elendil was exactly seven feet tall". I say that at the time Tolkien wrote that Isildur and Elendil had both "been seven feet tall", he could not have really meant Elendil was almost eight feet tall.
Further, it is not necessary for someone to be extraordinarily, freakishly tall for him or her to be regarded as tall. You keep saying it is, but that doesn't make it so.
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Uhh why not could he have meant that Elendil was 7'10? 10 inches taller than the average is not freakishly tall for the tallest man in a country. Elendil being 7'10 is no different than a man being 6'8 today. Average height for a Uk male is about 5'10; somebody who is 6'8 would gain the nickname the tall not somebody 6'2.
So what height do you think would be acceptable then for the tallest man in a country, where the average height was 7ft?
So what do you think is a good estimate for a tall Numenorean if the average is 7ft? How about an exceptionally tall Numenorean? I am beaten by the logic. An average Numenorean is 7ft tall and one of the tallest Numenoreans is wait for it also 7ft tall. Elendil the Not so Tall at best was an inch or two taller than the average Numenorean makes perfect sense. I am finished replying to this topic.