Hobbit Vocabulary

suncrafter · 06-14-2007, 03:59 PM

I've recently re-read "The Hobbit" (it's one of my favorite books).
Every once in a while I came to a word that I did not know the meaning.

Here is my list of words from "The Hobbit" that I did not know:

Prosy
- Dull; commonplace - arousing no interest, attention, curiosity or excitement.

Porter
- A dark beer resembling light stout, made from malt browned or charred by drying at a high temperature.

Bewuthered
- Appears to be a word unique to "The Hobbit". It's context would suggest it is synonymous with "Bewildered".

Palpitating
- To pulsate with unusual rapidity from exertion, emotion, disease, etc.; flutter: His heart palpitated wildly.

Flummoxed
- Confused; Perplexed

Bracken
- Type of fern or an area overgrown with ferns and shrubs.

Eyrie
- The nest of a bird, such as an eagle, built on a cliff or other high place.

Tuppence
- A very small amount.

Attercop
- A type of spider or a peevish, ill-natured person.

Tomnoddy
- A fool or a dunce.

Slowcoach
- Someone who moves slowly; a "slowpoke"

Turnkey
- A person who has charge of the keys of a prison; jailer.

Solemnities
- State or character of being solemn; earnestness; gravity; impressiveness: the solemnity of a state funeral.

Mattocks
- A digging tool with a flat blade set at right angles to the handle that can also be used as a weapon.

Cloud · 06-14-2007, 04:01 PM

reading is the surest way to a large vocabulary. And Tolkien was a master language monger.

jester · 06-14-2007, 04:26 PM

i enjoyed the books as well as the movies - i know you can't put everything into the movies though.

lumberjim · 06-15-2007, 12:21 AM

most of those are actual words. a few are particular to the shire

Aliantha · 06-15-2007, 01:28 AM

I liked the term 'second breakfast'. and elevenses, although again, I believe that's a term in common usage. I know some members of my family use it.

Urbane Guerrilla · 06-15-2007, 02:29 AM

I should discover if a Spanish translation renders "second breakfast" as "desaydos."

Spexxvet · 06-15-2007, 09:43 AM

How about Mathom, farthing, nob, and thain?

Flint · 06-15-2007, 10:15 AM

Clockwork Orange has some great words too; like "bezoomy" ...

Spexxvet · 06-15-2007, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Clockwork Orange has some great words too; like "bezoomy" ...

There's even a glossary at the back of the book. Many of the words are bastardized Russian.

Flint · 06-15-2007, 11:17 AM

Yeah, it's like a Russian/cockney/gypsy creole slang.

Spexxvet · 06-15-2007, 11:18 AM

Real horrorshow.

Flint · 06-15-2007, 11:22 AM

:::tolchoks your gulliver:::

freshnesschronic · 06-15-2007, 11:36 AM

I enjoyed all the books and am a big fan of LotR universe and I too enjoyed the buckets of new vocabulary dumped on me at the age of 13.

Flint · 06-15-2007, 11:42 AM

I just noticed your signature, freshness. I like that.

Reminds me of the Simpsons:

"Marge, there's the truth

, and there's the truth

"

Sundae · 06-15-2007, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjim

most of those are actual words. a few are particular to the shire

Yup - many of them are in regular usage in the UK still.

I can buy porter less than a minute's walk from my flat. It is a specialist off licence though. Link to the incomparable The Offie.

Btw tuppence for is simply a way of saying two pence, so it has a literal meaning, rather than just a small amount.

I agree with Cloud though, nothing like a book to broaden your vocabulary.

06-14-2007, 03:59 PM	#1
suncrafter Violator of Customs Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 49	Hobbit Vocabulary I've recently re-read "The Hobbit" (it's one of my favorite books). Every once in a while I came to a word that I did not know the meaning. Here is my list of words from "The Hobbit" that I did not know: Prosy - Dull; commonplace - arousing no interest, attention, curiosity or excitement. Porter - A dark beer resembling light stout, made from malt browned or charred by drying at a high temperature. Bewuthered - Appears to be a word unique to "The Hobbit". It's context would suggest it is synonymous with "Bewildered". Palpitating - To pulsate with unusual rapidity from exertion, emotion, disease, etc.; flutter: His heart palpitated wildly. Flummoxed - Confused; Perplexed Bracken - Type of fern or an area overgrown with ferns and shrubs. Eyrie - The nest of a bird, such as an eagle, built on a cliff or other high place. Tuppence - A very small amount. Attercop - A type of spider or a peevish, ill-natured person. Tomnoddy - A fool or a dunce. Slowcoach - Someone who moves slowly; a "slowpoke" Turnkey - A person who has charge of the keys of a prison; jailer. Solemnities - State or character of being solemn; earnestness; gravity; impressiveness: the solemnity of a state funeral. Mattocks - A digging tool with a flat blade set at right angles to the handle that can also be used as a weapon. __________________ Proud webmaster of: "Orc Magazine" Visit my Forum too!

06-14-2007, 04:01 PM	#2
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	reading is the surest way to a large vocabulary. And Tolkien was a master language monger. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-15-2007, 12:21 AM	#4
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	most of those are actual words. a few are particular to the shire __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

06-15-2007, 01:28 AM	#5
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I liked the term 'second breakfast'. and elevenses, although again, I believe that's a term in common usage. I know some members of my family use it. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

06-15-2007, 02:29 AM	#6
Urbane Guerrilla Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,674	I should discover if a Spanish translation renders "second breakfast" as "desaydos." __________________ Wanna stop school shootings? End Gun-Free Zones, of course.

06-14-2007, 04:26 PM	#3
jester why so serious Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,712	i enjoyed the books as well as the movies - i know you can't put everything into the movies though.

06-15-2007, 09:43 AM	#7
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	How about Mathom, farthing, nob, and thain? __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

06-15-2007, 10:15 AM	#8
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Clockwork Orange has some great words too; like "bezoomy" ... __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-15-2007, 11:17 AM	#10
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Yeah, it's like a Russian/cockney/gypsy creole slang. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-15-2007, 11:18 AM	#11
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	Real horrorshow. __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

06-15-2007, 11:22 AM	#12
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	:::tolchoks your gulliver::: __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

06-15-2007, 11:36 AM	#13
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	I enjoyed all the books and am a big fan of LotR universe and I too enjoyed the buckets of new vocabulary dumped on me at the age of 13.

06-15-2007, 11:42 AM	#14
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I just noticed your signature, freshness. I like that. Reminds me of the Simpsons: "Marge, there's the truth , and there's the truth " __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

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