They Shall Not Pass!

[Aiwendil]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I don't believe Gandalf would utter anything other than "You shall not pass!" It is formal, and it is almost biblical in intonation (THOU SHALT NOT!).

Would the inconvenient fact that what he actually said was "You cannot pass" get in the way of this belief?

You do have a point about the oddity of speaking Westron to the Balrog. But for some reason I have the feeling that a creature like the Balrog would have understood Gandalf's words, no matter what language he used.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

You do have a point about the oddity of speaking Westron to the Balrog. But for some reason I have the feeling that a creature like the Balrog would have understood Gandalf's words, no matter what language he used.

I think I recall that the Valar really had no need for speech among themselves. If that's correct, maybe the same would hold true with Maiar.
Following, perhaps Gandalf was speaking more for the benefit of the Fellowship, as some said, to encourage and embolden them, than to make his intentions known to the Balrog.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I think I recall that the Valar really had no need for speech among themselves. If that's correct, maybe the same would hold true with Maiar.
Following, perhaps Gandalf was speaking more for the benefit of the Fellowship, as some said, to encourage and embolden them, than to make his intentions known to the Balrog.

Or maybe a spoken word holds more power than an unspoken one, and Gandalf would need all the power he can possibly muster, especially when he is exhausted from his previous Balrog duel.

[blantyr]

Perhaps "The two of them glared at each other" wouldn't stand up as well in the text?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by blantyr

Perhaps "The two of them glared at each other" wouldn't stand up as well in the text?

Gandalf ought to have gone "Butturbur" on it: "Spook or no spook, you won't cross this bridge so easy."

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

Would the inconvenient fact that what he actually said was "You cannot pass" get in the way of this belief?.

Well, isn't it obvious? Tolkien made a mistake.