Tolkien's "Special" Words

[Eljorahir]

Swart is the Afrikaans word for black, so I used to think that the orcs were much darker than they really are.

I added swart to the list. Thanks again, Vorondil. Tolkien uses both "swart" and "black" to describe the Uruks of Mordor.

swart The Bridge of Kazad-dum: "’There are orcs…And some are large and evil: black Uruks of Mordor.’……a huge orc-chieftain…His broad flat face was swart, his eyes were like coals, and his tongue was red; he wielded a great spear…””, [Applicable definition: swarthy; of a dark color, complexion or cast. Other synonyms: baneful, malignant.]

While looking up swart I found another word I missed nearby:

truncheon The Bridge of Kazad-dum: "Sam, with a cry, hacked at the spear-shaft, and it broke. But even as the orc flung down the truncheon and swept out his scimitar, Anduril came down upon his helm.”, [Applicable definition: a shattered spear or lance.]

The list now includes truncheon and nuncheon and swart and sward, oh my! (Maybe that's only entertaining to me.)

 

[Eljorahir]

@Ent

Effective a few minutes ago, the ability to go back and edit your posts has been limited to 1140 minutes.

Uh oh. The new limits on editing might put an end to my Special Words project in its present form. Any chance the system allows the limit to be deactivated for individual threads? If so, I'd need the limit removed for this thread and also the "Special Words (d-z)" thread.

I certainly understand if this is difficult to accommodate.

 

[Ent]

The new limits on editing might put an end to my Special Words project in its present form.

@Manwe, @Erestor Arcamen, @Squint-eyed Southerner and @Vorondil will be consulted.

I limit myself to sweeping and mopping floors, and occassionally taking out the garbage. Anything else gets me into trouble. 🤪

We'll get back with you.

 

[Eljorahir]

Today's Forum updates prevent me (at least for now) from adding new words to the comprehensive alphabetical list in the original post. However, I'll still continue the thread and present new words in new posts.

As always, feel free to make any comments you want regarding the words I'm listing or if there are other words you think qualify for the list.

Three new words for today (grot is my favorite of the three):

broach The Window on the West: "A cask of wine was broached.”, [Definition: to pierce something such as a cask in order to draw the contents, or to open something for the first time.]

grot The Window on the West: "’Well, here is our refuge,’ said Faramir…‘At one time the water flowed down through this cave and out of the arch, but its course was changed further up the gorge, by workmen of old, and the stream sent down in a fall of doubled height over the rocks far above. All the ways into this grot were then sealed against the entry of water or aught else, all save one.’”, [Definition: (same as grotto), a natural or artificial cave used by humans.]

victuals The Window on the West: "As their eyes grew accustomed to the gloom the hobbits saw that the cave was larger than they had guessed and was filled with great store of arms and victuals.”, [Definition: supplies of food.]

An artificial grotto made to look natural at a park in Paris, The Parc des Buttes Chaumont (complete with sculpted stalactites and a pump-fed waterfall.)

 

[Manwe]

@Ent

Effective a few minutes ago, the ability to go back and edit your posts has been limited to 1140 minutes.

Uh oh. The new limits on editing might put an end to my Special Words project in its present form. Any chance the system allows the limit to be deactivated for individual threads? If so, I'd need the limit removed for this thread and also the "Special Words (d-z)" thread.

I certainly understand if this is difficult to accommodate.

You have now been blessed with special permissions so you can edit your own posts forever 🧙 thanks for letting us know 😊

 

[Eljorahir]

You have now been blessed with special permissions so you can edit your own posts forever 🧙 thanks for letting us know 😊

Manna from Manwe!

Many thanks!

 

[Eljorahir]

Tolkien choosing to apply the word marrow to a tree seemed interesting. A tree with marrow to freeze doesn't quite sound right, at first. Now, I see it's perfect for Old Man Willow as he certainly has a "seat of animal vigor" at his core in spite of his official membership in the plant kingdom.

On my next read-through I'll have to watch for marrow associated with Ents and Huorns.

marrow The Old Forest: "…Tom Bombadil…’I know the tune for him. Old grey Willow-man! I’ll freeze his marrow cold, if he don’t behave himself. I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. Old Man Willow!’", [Applicable definitions: The inmost, best or essential part. The seat of animal vigor.]

 

[Eljorahir]

@Deimos , I could use your assistance with this one if it's not too much of an imposition. I can't find a full definition of nail-knife, but I think there's an entry in the OED (which I can't fully access.) I'm curious if Faramir is handing Frodo a small close-combat weapon (a dagger shaped like a nail?) or a tool from his manicure care kit.

nail-knife The Forbidden Pool: “Faramir took a small nail-knife from his belt and handed it to Frodo. Gollum misunderstanding the gesture, squealed and fell down.”, [Definition: ??]

Maybe it's something like this improvised weapon often made from a nail or spike for use in the trenches of WW1:

Example of a "French nail"

 

[Deimos]

@Deimos , I could use your assistance with this one if it's not too much of an imposition. I can't find a full definition of nail-knife, but I think there's an entry in the OED (which I can't fully access.) I'm curious if Faramir is handing Frodo a small close-combat weapon (a dagger shaped like a nail?) or a tool from his manicure care kit.

nail-knife The Forbidden Pool: “Faramir took a small nail-knife from his belt and handed it to Frodo. Gollum misunderstanding the gesture, squealed and fell down.”, [Definition: ??]

Maybe it's something like this improvised weapon often made from a nail or spike for use in the trenches of WW1:

View attachment 29936
Example of a "French nail"

I'll look it up.... Your pic of WW1 tool might be right as our favorite author was a WW1 vet (which I know you know).
I'll get back to you today or tomorrow.

 

[Eljorahir]

I'll look it up.... Your pic of WW1 tool might be right as our favorite author was a WW1 vet (which I know you know).
I'll get back to you today or tomorrow.

Many thanks.

 

[Eljorahir]

Two more words have been added.

Faramir’s extra day added onto his one-year pronouncement seemed strangely legalistic to me and piqued my curiosity.

A close look at the fallen stone king indicates there are two types of flowers present. Yellow flowers for the hair and white flowers for a silver crown (if I'm interpreting it correctly). I’m not sure I ever noticed that before. Also, I always liked the inclusion of this brief scene in the movie, but I see it’s not quite perfect; we get only the white flowers for the crown.

stonecrop Journey to the Crossroads: “A trailing plant with flowers like small white stars had bound itself across the brows as if in reverence for the fallen king, and in the crevices of his stony hair yellow stonecrop gleamed.”, [Definition: an Old World creeping evergreen sedum (Sedum acre) with pungent fleshy leaves and yellow flowers.]

year and a day The Forbidden Pool: “’…I will declare my doom,’ said Faramir. ‘…Frodo…I declare you free in the realm of Gondor…This doom shall stand for a year and a day, and then cease, unless you shall before that term come to Minas Tirith and present yourself to the Lord and Steward of the City. Then I will entreat him to confirm what I have done and to make it lifelong…’”, [Definition: the period specified in some legal matters to ensure the completion of a full year. Example 1: In English common law, it was held that a death was conclusively presumed not to be murder (or any other homicide) if it occurred more than a year and one day since the act (or omission) that was alleged to have been its cause. Example 2: In Scotland, ‘handfasting’ was the union of choice for couples looking to gauge the true compatibility of their love. People would typically sign a contract agreeing to live together for a year and a day, with the freedom to end the relationship and find new partners if it didn’t work out.]

Sedum acre, commonly known as the goldmoss stonecrop

 

[Deimos]

The OED mentions it one time as a manicure implement and that use was in the 13th C. but that is the only entry.
If that were the common usage there would have been entries dated later. The OED is pretty good about giving all examples though the eras when English was used (even old English) on up to modern English of the mid 20th C (my edition doesn't go past the 20th C).

I found some info online (and you may have found the same info in the same place); a Tolkien or ME forum where the same question was asked.
The person answering the question said this:
After a bit of googling, there seem to be three possibilities.
1) a small folding pocket knife. (The type that 5 year olds get as their first knife. ) And about perfect for cutting some rope.

2) a knife forged out of a 16 penny or smaller nail. (Mostly a blackmith's learning project?) Once again fairly useful in that regard...
3) The 'French Nail-Knife', a field mod to a bayonet or tent peg made in the Trenches of WWI. Well this seems promising, Tolkien was in the Trenches, and would seem threatening enough to freak Gollum out...

SO here is what I think:
#3 if only because Tolkien was in France and in a military environment.
It seems to make sense that Faramir could have had something similar.
#1 is almost as plausible, but again, you've got the "French" descriptor that ties in with Tolkien'' time in France.

So I'm going with Door #3 😄

 

[Eljorahir]

The OED mentions it one time as a manicure implement and that use was in the 13th C. but that is the only entry.
If that were the common usage there would have been entries dated later. The OED is pretty good about giving all examples though the eras when English was used (even old English) on up to modern English of the mid 20th C (my edition doesn't go past the 20th C).

I found some info online (and you may have found the same info in the same place); a Tolkien or ME forum where the same question was asked.
The person answering the question said this:
After a bit of googling, there seem to be three possibilities.
1) a small folding pocket knife. (The type that 5 year olds get as their first knife. ) And about perfect for cutting some rope.

2) a knife forged out of a 16 penny or smaller nail. (Mostly a blackmith's learning project?) Once again fairly useful in that regard...
3) The 'French Nail-Knife', a field mod to a bayonet or tent peg made in the Trenches of WWI. Well this seems promising, Tolkien was in the Trenches, and would seem threatening enough to freak Gollum out...

SO here is what I think:
#3 if only because Tolkien was in France and in a military environment.
It seems to make sense that Faramir could have had something similar.
#1 is almost as plausible, but again, you've got the "French" descriptor that ties in with Tolkien'' time in France.

So I'm going with Door #3 😄

Thanks very much!

Yes, I see it is a close call between #1 and #3. Though, I have to admit: because the OED cites the specific archaic term "nail-knife" as only the fingernail trimmer, I'm leaning a bit in that direction.

Maybe I can find a nearby character trimming their nails close to the "nail-knife" quote. That would clinch it for me. (Or maybe, instead of clinch, I should say, it would put the nail in the coffin.)"

 

[Deimos]

Thanks very much!

Yes, I see it is a close call between #1 and #3. Though, I have to admit: because the OED cites the specific archaic term "nail-knife" as only the fingernail trimmer, I'm leaning a bit in that direction.

Maybe I can find a nearby character trimming their nails close to the "nail-knife" quote. That would clinch it for me. (Or maybe, instead of clinch, I should say, it would put the nail in the coffin.)"

I think the nail trimmer the least likely because Gondor is on war footing. Sam and Frodo almost got caught in the middle of a battle.
There is every reason to think that Farmair had either a pocket knife (or similar) or something like the French-nail.
Dammit, he was a warrior, not a nail salon artist.🙄

 

[Eljorahir]

Dammit, he was a warrior, not a nail salon artist.

Oh. I just got it. 🤣 You're doing Doctor McCoy from Star Trek. My favorite (if my memory is right) is when he was ordered to treat the injuries of the rock creature..."Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!"

 

[Deimos]

Oh. I just got it. 🤣 You're doing Doctor McCoy from Star Trek. My favorite (if my memory is right) is when he was ordered to treat the injuries of the rock creature..."Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!"

Yep 😁

 

[Eljorahir]

I finished trimming out the nail-knife entry:

nail-knife The Forbidden Pool: “Faramir took a small nail-knife from his belt and handed it to Frodo. Gollum misunderstanding the gesture, squealed and fell down.”, [Archaic definition (dating to 13th century): a small knife for trimming the fingernails. Comments: Although the preceding archaic definition is the only dictionary definition found for this specific term, the “French nail” is a small stabbing knife often made from a nail or spike for use in the trenches of WW1. The fact of Tolkien’s wartime experience may indicate he would have known of the “French Nail”, and perhaps he had this in mind rather than the dictionary definition for nail-knife.]

 

[Eljorahir]

I didn't know the colorful meanings of livid until today. In this sequence, I think three out of the four meanings all work together to describe the lightning.

livid The Stairs of Cirith Ungol: “…red flash. Far beyond the eastern mountains it leapt into the sky and splashed the lowering clouds with crimson…And Minas Morgul answered. There was a flare of livid lightnings: forks of blue flame springing up from the tower and from the encircling hills into the sullen clouds.”, [Range of Meanings: enraged, discolored by bruising (black and blue), deathly pale, reddish.]

I'd say this artist captured the livid lightnings quite well:

 

[Eljorahir]

Today's word...

charnel The Stairs of Cirith Ungol: "…white bridge…shadowy meads filled with pale white flowers. Luminous these were too, beautiful and yet horrible of shape, like the demented forms in an uneasy dream; and they gave forth a faint sickening charnel-smell; an odour of rottenness filled the air.", [Definition: a building or chamber in which bodies or bones are deposited.]

A charnel house in Evora, Portugal

 

[Eljorahir]

Four words have been added. Three associated with orc-talk and one associated with hobbit-mischief.

Due to the missing apostrophe in the text, I'm not sure I have birds-nesting right. Though, bird's-nesting does sound like something a truant-hobbit might do. I'm sure those birds' eggs are delicious and large enough for a hobbit-sized elevenses snack.

bird’s-nesting Minas Tirith: "See, Master Pippin, there is no time to instruct you now in the history of Gondor, though it might have been better, if you had learned something of it, when you were still birds-nesting and playing truant in the woods of the Shire.", [bird’s-nesting definition: hunting for or taking birds’ nests or their contents. Note: the text omits the apostrophe which is present in the dictionary definition (Perhaps there's a typographical error in the text?)]

gabble The Choices of Master Samwise: "Orcs go fast in tunnels…as they ran they gabbled and yammered after the fashion of their kind.", [Meanings: to talk fast or foolishly, to utter inarticulate or animal sounds.]

lubber The Choices of Master Samwise: "’Hola! Gorbag! What are you doing up here? Had enough of war already?’…’Orders, you lubber. And what are you doing, Shagrat? Tired of lurking up there? Thinking of coming down to fight?’", [Definition: a big clumsy fellow.]

yammer The Choices of Master Samwise: "Orcs go fast in tunnels…as they ran they gabbled and yammered after the fashion of their kind.", [Meanings: to utter repeated cries of distress, to utter persistent complaints, to talk persistently and often loudly.]