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Dale M
Dale M
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As a linguist, Tolkien knew that place names are “sticky”

Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa (a Dutch name) and died in Bournemouth, UK (a mindermodern English name - literally the mouth of the Bourne [a Middle English name] river). In between, he spent most of his life in England - a place where you can still trace the limit of the Danelaw by the names of the places - Scandinavian names in the north and east and Anglo-Saxon in the south and west. With a smattering of Celtic, Latin, French, places namesnamed after other places and, of course, places named after people.

Pelennor was named by the Numenorians in the language that educated Numanorions used - Sindarin Elvish. Gondorians continue to use that name for the same reason that modern English people continue to use the Latin name London for their capital city.

Also, Tolkien was very clear when a place had different names in different languages: Imladris/Rivendell, Moria/Kazud-dum, etc.

As a linguist, Tolkien knew that place names are “sticky”

Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa (a Dutch name) and died in Bournemouth, UK (a minder English name - literally the mouth of the Bourne [a Middle English name] river). In between, he spent most of his life in England - a place where you can still trace the limit of the Danelaw by the names of the places - Scandinavian names in the north and east and Anglo-Saxon in the south and west. With a smattering of Celtic, Latin, French, places names after other places and, of course, places named after people.

Pelennor was named by the Numenorians in the language that educated Numanorions used - Sindarin Elvish. Gondorians continue to use that name for the same reason that modern English people continue to use the Latin name London for their capital city.

Also, Tolkien was very clear when a place had different names in different languages: Imladris/Rivendell, Moria/Kazud-dum, etc.

As a linguist, Tolkien knew that place names are “sticky”

Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa (a Dutch name) and died in Bournemouth, UK (a modern English name - literally the mouth of the Bourne [a Middle English name] river). In between, he spent most of his life in England - a place where you can still trace the limit of the Danelaw by the names of the places - Scandinavian names in the north and east and Anglo-Saxon in the south and west. With a smattering of Celtic, Latin, French, places named after other places and, of course, places named after people.

Pelennor was named by the Numenorians in the language that educated Numanorions used - Sindarin Elvish. Gondorians continue to use that name for the same reason that modern English people continue to use the Latin name London for their capital city.

Also, Tolkien was very clear when a place had different names in different languages: Imladris/Rivendell, Moria/Kazud-dum, etc.

Source Link
Dale M
Dale M
  • 5k
  • 1
  • 23
  • 26

As a linguist, Tolkien knew that place names are “sticky”

Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa (a Dutch name) and died in Bournemouth, UK (a minder English name - literally the mouth of the Bourne [a Middle English name] river). In between, he spent most of his life in England - a place where you can still trace the limit of the Danelaw by the names of the places - Scandinavian names in the north and east and Anglo-Saxon in the south and west. With a smattering of Celtic, Latin, French, places names after other places and, of course, places named after people.

Pelennor was named by the Numenorians in the language that educated Numanorions used - Sindarin Elvish. Gondorians continue to use that name for the same reason that modern English people continue to use the Latin name London for their capital city.

Also, Tolkien was very clear when a place had different names in different languages: Imladris/Rivendell, Moria/Kazud-dum, etc.