What does your screenname mean?

[Mithalwen]

[QUOTE=Ainaserkewen]I'll bet that when Legolas was born (the character) his name had some kind of history or lineage. It wasn't just any old name out of a "What to name your baby book"

QUOTE]


Legolas is a "reused" name albeit of a v. minor char in a then unpublished work sorry don't have HoME on me for refs. An alternative translation would be Sharp Ears (from laigo lhas) - which might be the nail in the coffin of the pointy ears debate !

However Green Leaf is clearly the meaning intended since it is included in Galadriel's rhyme and clearly it reinforces Legolas's identity as an elf of the woodland realm, established partly in protest at the damaging effects of the Noldor and their culture. Thranduil's choice of this very simple "nature" name for his son could thus be seen as semi political. But maybe I am reading far to much into this . Incidentally - I can't remember any other time apart from the rhyme where Legolas is referred to as "Legolas Greenleaf" in the books. I know it has been widely used in marketing bumph .......

[Ainaserkewen]

Thranduil's choice of this very simple "nature" name for his son could thus be seen as semi political. But maybe I am reading far to much into this

That's the problem, Mithalwen, how far do you read into a name? We know about the choice of names of other tribes of elves, how they would have more than one with various deep reasons for each, but with Legolas or any Moriquendi, how do we know whether or not those names really are supposed to mean anything or just sound cool like how a lot of people name their kids today, without thought to how they relate to their bearer.

Names and their meanings or intentions by the author is a whole library of ideas that were never truly covered. But I suppose seeing as we can't ask the parents of characters nor the author that once again we are left to speculate.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Ainaserkewen

That's the problem, Mithalwen, how far do you read into a name? We know about the choice of names of other tribes of elves, how they would have more than one with various deep reasons for each, but with Legolas or any Moriquendi, how do we know whether or not those names really are supposed to mean anything or just sound cool like how a lot of people name their kids today, without thought to how they relate to their bearer.

.

Well in HoME there is rather contradictory information - some names were chosen just because they sounded nice, "Father" names were usually similar to the father's own name, but "mother" names usually had significance because Eldarin mothers had great insight into their children's characters. In addition many elves were known by names the had been given or gave themselves so we would need to know what sort of name Legolas was before we could draw conclusions....

[Legolas]

Um, was not it Echtelion who slew the balrog in Gondolin?

Yes, it was Ecthelion.

Ecthelion was the balrog slayer in the published Silmarillion. Legolas was a character in the 'Fall of Gondolin' in its earliest forms, found in the History of Middle Earth Volume II: The Book of Lost Tales 2. The Fall of Gondolin was one of Tolkien's first stories in Middle-earth. It was written in the 1910's, and experienced a lot of changes over the almost sixty years leading up to its publication.

[Linnahiril Tinnufinwen]

My first name, Linnahiril, means either "Lady of Song," or "Lady of Music", because I love music. It has always been an essential part of my life. My second name, Tinnufinwen, means "Night-haired maiden," refering merely to the fact that I have dark hair.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Incidentally - I can't remember any other time apart from the rhyme where Legolas is referred to as "Legolas Greenleaf" in the books. I know it has been widely used in marketing bumph .......

To Legolas Greenleaf, long under tree,
In joy though hast lived, beware of the sea,
For if thou hearest the cry of the gull upon shore,
Then thy heart shall rest in the forest no more.

A most likely slightly inaccurate, by memory rendition of Galadriel's message sent to Legolas, via Gandalf, received in Fangorn.

[ohtatyaro]

There is another instance. Maybe there are some more, but I remember in Fangorn Gandalf calls Legolas greenleaf:

'No, no!' cried Gimli. 'Do as you please in your madness, but let me first get down from this horse! I wish to see no eyes!' 'Stay, Legolas Greenleaf!' said Gandalf. 'Do not go back into the wood, not yet! Now is not your time.'

[Celebuial]

Hi. I've just joined your forum so I thought I'd tell you that my name means Silver Twilight.

Oh, and how can you say that:

Legolas is a "reused" name albeit of a v. minor char in a then unpublished work sorry don't have HoME on me for refs. An alternative translation would be Sharp Ears (from laigo lhas) - which might be the nail in the coffin of the pointy ears debate !

Legolas (that is the first one) slayed a balrog during the fall of Gondolin! I don't think that you can call him minor. Well, he was slain himself, but seeing as only three balrog's have been slain and each of their slayers have been slain I don't see the problem!

I think I should stop using the word slain...

[ohtatyaro]

Legolas (that is the first one) slayed a balrog during the fall of Gondolin! I don't think that you can call him minor.

Um, was not it Echtelion who slew the balrog in Gondolin?

Besides, welcome

[Encaitare]

Yes, it was Ecthelion.

And welcome, Celebuial.

Lucien is my take on a more modern version of Luthien. I love philology and I can help but wonder about Tolkien's meanings behind his words and names. Lucien being related to Lucifer and the Morning star (either Venus or Sirius) I put it with Tindomiel which was his word for the time just before dawn. Undomiel is his word for twilight, and I think also related to the star Sirius or Venus, as both are sometimes evening stars. TaDa!