what's the meaning of the name Smaug?

Ringdrotten wrote:The English language - what a mess

It's the ultimate Frankenstein's Monster of languages

That's why its popular.   

Eldorion wrote:
So you're saying PJ was right?

Smog (and Saw-ron) 4lyfe.

After those 3 pages it turns out you pronounce those two names the same as me anyway! Hah. Thank goodness our languages do not have subtle differences or that could have been slightly confusing.

Never knew Trâgu was his real name. Interesting.

Well, that's from a draft text, I should add [and perhaps 'rejected' since it was a draft for the Appendices]; but we know Smaug, being a translation cannot be his real name in any case... unless we have another 'incredible coincidence' like with Orthanc, which I would not want to support unless I needed to.

I don't think Smaug is an exception to the rules of Appendix E, but yes there are some arguably problematic details in Appendix E.

I think there's a youtube video of CJRT helping with pronunciation... can't recall if Smaug is in there though.

Carcharoth wrote:Smog (and Saw-ron) 4lyfe.

After those 3 pages it turns out you pronounce those two names the same as me anyway! Hah. Thank goodness our languages do not have subtle differences or that could have been slightly confusing. [/quote]

After Radaghast posted the August pronunciation video I started to suspect the difference was more what we called the sounds then what we actually said. Maybe. I'm no linguist.

Radaghast wrote:Never knew Trâgu was his real name. Interesting.

Bilbo's real name is Bilba Labingi.

As Petty noted it's not English 'smog' as in the unclean air however. English loud is different.

I think the film gets Sauron mostly right [as in usually], so maybe check that out.

Eldorion wrote:

Radaghast wrote:Never knew Trâgu was his real name. Interesting.

Bilbo's real name is Bilba Labingi.

Source

He sounds like an enviro friendly Italian car marketed at woman!

Elthir wrote:I don't think Smaug is an exception to the rules of Appendix E, but yes there are some arguably problematic details in Appendix E.

'Smowg' just sounds too awkward to me to be a valid pronunciation.

Radaghast wrote:Source

The History of Middle-earth Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth, notes on the Appendix on Languages.

Edit: Bilba Labingi is Bilbo's name in Westron, the language spoken by Hobbits and many other peoples of northwest Middle-earth in the Third Age. Westron is represented by Modern English in the novels. And Rohirric, being related to older forms of Westron, is represented by Old English. So Eomer and Eowyn were not "actually" called by those names either.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:He sounds like an enviro friendly Italian car marketed at woman!

"My name-a is a-Bilbo a-Labingi. What'sa matta fo you!"

Labingi is also draft Appendices... like Tragu. So they exist... but...

Bilba is from author published sources however (as the masculine ending in Hobbit names was -a not -o)

Eldorion wrote:

Radaghast wrote:Source

The History of Middle-earth Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth, notes on the Appendix on Languages.

Wow, really? I totally thought you were joking

Eldorion wrote:

Bilbo's real name is Bilba Labingi.

So Bilbo was originally head of one of Bree's Five Families and is now under the witness protection programme in the Shire?

Radaghast wrote:Wow, really? I totally thought you were joking

Nah, see the edit to my above post. THoME is weird, man.

Ringdrotten wrote:So Bilbo was originally head of one of Bree's Five Families and is now under the witness protection programme in the Shire?

Just checked and CJRT doesn't say 'Smaug' here, however he does say Sauron.

Maybe Tolkien himself read Smaug in the audio collection? Can't remember.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5spIPrF_PPE&feature=youtu.be

This confirms my opinion about Sindarin short i however. The films say mithril with i as in machine for example, which I disagree with.

Eldorion wrote:

Ringdrotten wrote:So Bilbo was originally head of one of Bree's Five Families and is now under the witness protection programme in the Shire?

Is he a made hobbit?

I understand he was quite the Wisehobbit in his day

He was made an offer by Gandalf that he couldn't refuse.

shit, this escalated quickly. i'll read through it later  downton abbey is on the telly.

Okay just found Carl Hostetter's answer [in blue] to a question about Sauron and Smaug...

I believe they are supposed to be SOUR-on and SM OW (as in ouch) g.

They are.

Brief, but now I am... more sure  

Bilba's Ring slept with the fishes... erm, for a time. Sorry it's the best I could do at the moment.

Radaghast wrote:He was made an offer by Gandalf that he couldn't refuse.

Took a couple of seconds for this one to sink in, but  

"Bilba's Ring slept with the fishes... erm, for a time. Sorry it's the best I could do at the moment." - Elthir

I like what this thread is turning into

Ringdrotten wrote:It's the same in Norwegian. In fact, in my dialect "smaug" is past tense of "smyge", which is the same verb as the one in your quote, Radaghast

yepp, in my dialect too :)i was asking for a friend (irca) who's having the hobbit as særemne.
though i don't pronounce it is Sm-OW-g (as they do in the movie, as in cow or ouch). i pronounce it like this http://translate.google.com/#en/no/sm%C3%B8ug