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Ania

Joined: 08 Sep 2003 Posts: 198 Location: Britain
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 12:58 pm Post subject: Nicknames in Middle Earth? |
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I am trying to work out which peoples would have nicknames. I know that hobbits do, eg. Merry and Pippen.
But do people think that elves would? The Rohirrim? Gondorians? I've read many fics where elves have nicknames, the most believeable (to me) are those which are different perhaps names from when they are children. Aragorn was Estel in Rivendell, but do you think that elves would shorten their names?
For instance, would a little Arwen called Elrohir 'Rohir'? |
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Alassante Virtual Village Mod

Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Hitchhiking to Rivendell
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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Personally - and I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this - but I dislike it when people do that. Its very common I know and it probably doesn't bother most people but to me, when you shorten their name it takes away some of the meaning of their name. If they had multiple names (like Silm elves do) then I have picked one of the shorter ones to use as a nickname but I can't imagine someone calling Glorfindel - Glo - in a story. But thats just MY opinion which is worth about....1 cent at the most.  _________________ Nagzul #2 - The Nazgul of Shmoove
Crucio! Because stupidity should be painful!
http://alikat7.livejournal.com/ |
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Viv Challenge Admin

Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 72 Location: Texas
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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Lots of elves had nicknames, but they weren't abbreviations. For instance, Idril was called "Celebrindal," apparently because she lolled around barefoot a lot (my kind of gal), and Finrod gained the name "Felagund" after his building initiative.
I wouldn't call Elrohir "rohir," though. Maybe "horseboy" or something related to either his given name, his interests/accomplishments, or his fate.  |
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Viv Challenge Admin

Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 72 Location: Texas
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject: Re: Nicknames in Middle Earth? |
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Ania wrote: | For instance, would a little Arwen called Elrohir 'Rohir'? |
Also, elf kiddos gained language a *lot* quicker than human children, so they probably wouldn't have those charming mispronunciations that human toddlers do (little Arwen probably wouldn't substitute "brother" with "brudder," for instance).
As for other races...
The Maia had tons of nicknames for each other.
Gondorians? Dunno. The noble Gondorians took Sindarin names, so they'd probably follow the elves on this. But the non-noble Gondorians, I'd imagine, could do whatever the heck they wanted.
For Rohirrim, I'd follow the tradition from which Tolkien got their names. Was it Norse? I forget. |
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Haleth

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 538 Location: The ruins of Tharbad.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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I think...I could be wrong...that many of the Rohirric names were based on Anglo Saxon names from before the Norman invasion.
Elves had nicknames. Maedhros was Russandol which roughly translates to Rusty. All of the sons of Feanor had nicknames which were shorter forms of their father names: Nelyo, Kano, Turko, Moryo, I can't remember Curufin's (sorry, Al) Pityo and Telyo.
I can't really see anyone but the immediate family actually using any of these nicknames, at least not more than once. _________________ Books would not be read, and pipes would not smoke. The day slipped out of his hand, running aimlessly to waste. JRR Tolkien. The Lost Road |
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lissaselves

Joined: 28 Dec 2007 Posts: 31 Location: Right here!
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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Haleth wrote: | I think...I could be wrong...that many of the Rohirric names were based on Anglo Saxon names from before the Norman invasion. |
Believe you're right about the Old English names for Rohirrim. But some of the Dwarves had Norse names.
Quote: | Elves had nicknames. Maedhros was Russandol which roughly translates to Rusty. All of the sons of Feanor had nicknames which were shorter forms of their father names: Nelyo, Kano, Turko, Moryo, I can't remember Curufin's (sorry, Al) Pityo and Telyo. |
Curufin = Curvo, wasn't it?
Quote: |
I can't really see anyone but the immediate family actually using any of these nicknames, at least not more than once. |
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Alassante Virtual Village Mod

Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Hitchhiking to Rivendell
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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lisser8 wrote: | Curufin = Curvo, wasn't it?
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Close - Kurvo. Lissa gets a cookie. Haleth gets a prune  _________________ Nagzul #2 - The Nazgul of Shmoove
Crucio! Because stupidity should be painful!
http://alikat7.livejournal.com/ |
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Alassante Virtual Village Mod

Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Hitchhiking to Rivendell
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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I'm pretty sure that Legolas was called Leggy in Mirkwood. And Galadriel was Gladdy.
Oh! And we forgot the best one. (this one is real too lol) Celeborn is Telelporno. I think I made Do spew her water when I posted that one in an RPG. She thought I was kidding. _________________ Nagzul #2 - The Nazgul of Shmoove
Crucio! Because stupidity should be painful!
http://alikat7.livejournal.com/ |
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Viv Challenge Admin

Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 72 Location: Texas
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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Alassante wrote: | Celeborn is Telelporno. |
What's the, er, short form of that one? |
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NeumeIndil

Joined: 06 Jun 2005 Posts: 1091 Location: New York, USA
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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*chimes in on Rohirrim*
From what I've been able to track down, Anglo Saxon used a similar naming situation to that of the elves: they'd get a first name within a few weeks/months of birth (usually after someone like a grandfather or uncle) and their father's name with "-son" or "-dottir" tacked on the end for a surname, as in "Grima son of Galmod" = Grima Galmodson. But, they also had a habit of nicknaming someone after a trait or event in their life, a la Celebrindal (which I'm SO stealing the next time I need a screen name *looks down at bare feet*). So it would be highly possible for my Gamling Garethson to be nicknamed "chatterbox" or "tiny".
That said, though, there's a difference in my mind between a true nickname and a shortened form of the given name. My given name is Rebecca. I go by Becky, but I answer to Becca or just Beck, as well as Boo, Sis, Fred, Friday and Tiger. Becky, Becca and Beck are shortened forms of my given name, and are most commonly used except in official situations like court hearings. Boo and the rest are nicknames. Humans tend to be lazy in our speech, and with that in mind I've used shortened forms of names in fics before, but I won't use a nickname unless it's laid down in canon. _________________ An Infinite Source of Pervy Wisdom.
http://embullybreedrescue.org/ |
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NeumeIndil

Joined: 06 Jun 2005 Posts: 1091 Location: New York, USA
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | What's the, er, short form of that one? |
I'm sure Celeborn would argue that there's nothing short about him.  _________________ An Infinite Source of Pervy Wisdom.
http://embullybreedrescue.org/ |
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Haleth

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 538 Location: The ruins of Tharbad.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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lisser8 wrote: | Curufin = Curvo, wasn't it?
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Curvo? Isn't that some kind of liqueur? _________________ Books would not be read, and pipes would not smoke. The day slipped out of his hand, running aimlessly to waste. JRR Tolkien. The Lost Road |
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Viv Challenge Admin

Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Posts: 72 Location: Texas
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Alassante wrote: | I think I made Do spew her water when I posted that one in an RPG. She thought I was kidding. |
Do was drinking water? |
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Haleth

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 538 Location: The ruins of Tharbad.
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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Oh. Sorry. It's Cuervo and it's a brand of tequlia.
Come to think of it, that would explain an awful lot... _________________ Books would not be read, and pipes would not smoke. The day slipped out of his hand, running aimlessly to waste. JRR Tolkien. The Lost Road |
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lissaselves

Joined: 28 Dec 2007 Posts: 31 Location: Right here!
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Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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Haleth wrote: | lisser8 wrote: | Curufin = Curvo, wasn't it?
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Curvo? Isn't that some kind of liqueur? |
*goes to investigate and - if Haleth's theory is correct - obtain samples* |
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