How do you say "Fool of a Took" in Westron? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Kalimac · 03-05-2002, 09:31 PM

I'm not sure if this should go in the languages section or this one, hope I made the right choice. This is one of those incredibly picky but (hopefully) kind of interesting things.

Anyway - in the appendix "On Translation" Tolkien talks about all the various difficulties and ways of translating Westron (while giving only a few actual *words* in it...grr...) but at various points he says that the -a ending was masculine (so Frodo's name would have really been Froda) Samwise was actually Banazir, and Merry was really Kali, short for Kalimac. But what was Pippin's Westron name? Peregrin, "traveler" is a little too English-sounding to be anything except a "translation" into English. I've read the appendices a couple of times but can't find any original names for Pippin except the Gondorian "Ernil i Pheriannath" which isn't much help. Did Tolkien ever say what Pippin's name really was? Even if he didn't, what do you think it might have been? Besides the obvious, of course [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

03-05-2002, 09:31 PM	#1
Kalimac Candle of the Marshes Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Flyover Country Posts: 780	How do you say "Fool of a Took" in Westron? I'm not sure if this should go in the languages section or this one, hope I made the right choice. This is one of those incredibly picky but (hopefully) kind of interesting things. Anyway - in the appendix "On Translation" Tolkien talks about all the various difficulties and ways of translating Westron (while giving only a few actual words in it...grr...) but at various points he says that the -a ending was masculine (so Frodo's name would have really been Froda) Samwise was actually Banazir, and Merry was really Kali, short for Kalimac. But what was Pippin's Westron name? Peregrin, "traveler" is a little too English-sounding to be anything except a "translation" into English. I've read the appendices a couple of times but can't find any original names for Pippin except the Gondorian "Ernil i Pheriannath" which isn't much help. Did Tolkien ever say what Pippin's name really was? Even if he didn't, what do you think it might have been? Besides the obvious, of course [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] __________________ Father, dear Father, if you see fit, We'll send my love to college for one year yet Tie blue ribbons all about his head, To let the ladies know that he's married.