Gandolf is a period name

[mmcnealy]

Who would have thought that Gandolf is a 15th century name? :)

Stifterfamilie;Gandolf von Khünburg (Familie picture of Gandolf von Khünburg)
Dieses Bild: 001766
Kunstwerk: Tafelmalerei ; Predella eines Flügelaltars ; Kärnten
Dokumentation: 1491 ; 1491 ; Egg ; Österreich ; Kärnten ; Pfarrkirche
http://www.imareal.oeaw.ac.at/server/images/7002145.JPG

Comments

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

Gandalf, as well as all the dwarves names, are taken from the elder Edda, so they were presumably in use in 11th to 13th century Iceland/Norway.

Eva

[mmcnealy.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that, that's really interesting. :)

[merastra.livejournal.com]

Hee! :-) Tolkien was really into languages I guess. It's cool you found that.

[gailsedotes.livejournal.com]

more than that he was a scholar of nordic and viking litterature and myhts - taght them at oxbrdige nand based the entirety of lotr on the ring cycle... most of the names, ideas and languages, songs and battles are straight lifts

[edmndclotworthy.livejournal.com]

Oxbridge? Tut. I know you live in Cambridge Gail, But I think you'll find JRRK was very much an Oxford man.

[gailsedotes.livejournal.com]

ok
1. tell everyone where i live and my real name...lol
2. i totally convinced my brother that jrrt taught at cambs AND drank at my local pub!!!! roflmao

[edmndclotworthy.livejournal.com]

Tolkein was, after all, a Professor of ancient languages at Oxford University so the connection is not so surprising. The Lord of the Rings was a work of languages before it turned into a work of fiction, with its roots in old English and Nordic cultures. Pretty much character of every race in the stories can similarly be traced back to a linguistic root.

For example, the name name Éowyn is derived from old English words "Eo" (horse) and "Wyn" (joy), so the name means "joy of horses". Similarly, Eomer translates "Fame of Horses".

Tolkein hated the fact that old English mythology disappeared after the Norman invasion and replaced with French rubbish like King Arthur (le Mort d'Artur), so his work, as much as anything, was an effort to replace the lost tales.

[mmcnealy.livejournal.com]

I knew that Tolkein was a professor of languages, but I always thought that he made up all the names, not pulled them out of history. But then again, history has lots of interesting names in it, so why not?

French rubbish? Indeed!