Words and Names in Tolkien's Work - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 03-24-2007, 09:15 PM

'Assembly of the Wise' made me think of The White Council from LotR. I wonder if it had a connection to Anglo-Saxon witan gemot? Did the Council of Elrond?

Lalwendë · 06-05-2007, 08:41 AM

I was reading about the awesome Germanic custom of the Symbel today - how cool does this sound eh?

Of course and then we have Simbelmyne - Evermind. At the ritual drinking fest one of the features would be the scop or bard who would recite the genealogies - and niftily, the Rohirrim also have just that kind of thing at Theoden's funeral! Which brings it full circle - Simbelmyne at Theoden's funeral, overseen by a bard who recites the histories, just as did the scop, at the Symbel.

***

I've also found something interesting abut Germanic correspondences in the names of months - Blotmonath for example - and am fascinated that the word Bless directly derives from Blot - the pagan sacrificial practice

That's also got me on to the Tomte or Nisse, a Swedish Wight a bit like a Boggart, who makes me think of old Tom Bombadillo...and that Galdor is a kind of Scandinavian Shamanic magic...

It's a dangerous do, looking at words...

03-24-2007, 09:15 PM	#1
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	speaking of associations... 'Assembly of the Wise' made me think of The White Council from LotR. I wonder if it had a connection to Anglo-Saxon witan gemot? Did the Council of Elrond?

06-05-2007, 08:41 AM	#2
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I was reading about the awesome Germanic custom of the Symbel today - how cool does this sound eh? Of course and then we have Simbelmyne - Evermind. At the ritual drinking fest one of the features would be the scop or bard who would recite the genealogies - and niftily, the Rohirrim also have just that kind of thing at Theoden's funeral! Which brings it full circle - Simbelmyne at Theoden's funeral, overseen by a bard who recites the histories, just as did the scop, at the Symbel. *** I've also found something interesting abut Germanic correspondences in the names of months - Blotmonath for example - and am fascinated that the word Bless directly derives from Blot - the pagan sacrificial practice That's also got me on to the Tomte or Nisse, a Swedish Wight a bit like a Boggart, who makes me think of old Tom Bombadillo...and that Galdor is a kind of Scandinavian Shamanic magic... It's a dangerous do, looking at words... __________________ Gordon's alive!