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Rohirrim speech/writing
http://www.arwen-undomiel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4718
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Author:  Mr.Greytree [ December 28th, 2005, 2:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Rohirrim speech/writing

Hey, um, I was wondering if Tolkien ever like expanded on a language for the Rohirrim. I was trying to find Troll bane or Orc bane in that language. If anyone knew how to write that, that would help me alot. Thanks!

Author:  Elu Thingol [ December 28th, 2005, 5:45 pm ]
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The language of the Rohirrim is called Rohirric, and is actually simply old English. I hardly know anything of old English, so I hope someone else can help you further.

Author:  Herenya [ January 1st, 2006, 10:57 pm ]
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*moves to languages in the hope that there will be people in this section who know more about it all...*

Author:  Antigone [ January 2nd, 2006, 5:32 am ]
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^ You wish, Heren. =D
Um, I think tht Rohirric is only based on O.E., and that there aren´t many words in it ... I´ll wait for Tyrhael to come and explain everything. ;)

Author:  Tyrhael [ January 4th, 2006, 10:14 pm ]
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Quoting an old post of mine...

Quote:
Rohirric, or rather Rohirian as Tolkien called it (the name Rohirric seems to be an invention of Robert Foster's from his 1970s Middle-earth guidebook) is not a language like Old English; rather it is akin to the Common Speech as well as the languages of Rhovanion, Esgaroth, and Dale. It is however represented in the books by the Mercian dialect of Anglo-Saxon (which of course we know the least about, harrumph!), just like the language of Dale is represented by Old Norse. As an example, I offer the name 'Hobbit' in English which relationship to the Old English "Holbytla" (Hole-builder) mirrors that of the Westron kuduk (the hobbit's own name for themselves) to the Rohirian kûd-dûkan (hole builder). Thus as no one would speak English in Middle-earth, the Rohirrim would not speak Mercian Old English but Rohirian. Excepting, of course, the good times when we converse in English as if in Middle-earth, then of course the Mercian names and sentences should be used as well.

As for the standard pronunciation of the Old English used to represent Rohirian, this is a good guide, and also explains the instances when Tolkien seems to have used pronunciations other than the conventional "scholarly" Anglo-Saxon one, but instead another for matter of aesthetics or personal lámatyávë (sound-taste).

And one more thing; if you want to write it like Tolkien did, transcribe the ð's and þ's you might encounter in Old English dictionaries or courses into th's. And also remember that sometimes the Mercian dialect differs from the typical West Saxon course you might take, for example where the common ðī­estru (darkness) is used but in Mercian it's ðēostru.


On the other hand, if you want to learn about what little we know of Rohirian, you could look at this. It tells of the few words we know, like Tûrac = Théoden, Lohtûr = Éothéod, and Lôgrad = Éo-marc (Rohan).

As for their writing, "They are [...] wise but unlearned, writing no books but singing many songs, after the manner of the children of Men before the Dark Years." However, when they do write, they use runes similar to those of Dale.

:goofy:

Author:  Erethror [ January 5th, 2006, 2:08 am ]
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All's been said! However, if you really want to know what Orc and Troll bane translates into Rohirric, a.k.a Old English, then here they are(note that I don't know bane, so I used 'end', and I substituted Orc for goblin, because...Orc is made up by Tolkien): Orc-Bane=Pucel-Ende
Troll-Bane=Ettin-Ende

If anyone knows bane, please substitute Ende for it.^^

Author:  Tyrhael [ January 5th, 2006, 7:46 pm ]
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Try Pūcel-bana or Pūca-bana for Orc-bane or Pūceles bana or Pūcan bana for "Orc's bane", and Ent-bana or Entes bana or Entisc bana for Troll Bane / Troll's Bane. *likes new Anglo-Saxon dictionary and grammar gotten for Christmas* :)

Author:  Antigone [ January 9th, 2006, 12:07 pm ]
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Wow ... You do know alot, Tyrhael. :notworthy:

Author:  Ellethiel [ January 11th, 2006, 6:06 pm ]
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Rohirric itself isn't a language,but Tolkien used Anglo-saxon to represent it (which I can speak, by the way..;) ), as Tyrhael says.

Author:  Guest [ July 17th, 2006, 8:48 pm ]
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rohrric is hardly ever spoken in the movies

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