Previous Up Next

3.16  Sharkûn, {Shorab, Shorob}, Forlong, Fornold, Incânus, Olórion, Olórin

§ Sharkûn to the Dwarves (WR:153)
§ {Shorab or Shorob} in the East (ibid.)
§ Forlong >> Fornold >> Incânus in the South (ibid.)
§ Olórion >> Olórin in youth (ibid.)

These are earlier versions of Gandalf’s names in the different regions. In The Lord of the Rings he says:
Many are my names in many countries, he said. Mithrandir among the Elves, Tharkûn to the Dwarves; Olórin I was in my youth in the West that is forgotten, in the South Incánus, in the North Gandalf; to the East I go not.’ (LotRIV, ch.5)
Interesting in this context is Sharkûn rather than Tharkûn in the early version, as well as Gandalf’s names Shorab, Shorob in the east, whereas he does not go there in the final version. This might be how he was called by the orcs.
Christopher Tolkien writes: On Gandalf’s names ’in the South’, Forlong changed to Fornold I can cast no light. He then states that Forlong became the name of the lord of Lossarnach (LotRV, ch.1) and in the Appendix F Forlong is mentioned among names of of forgotten origin, and descended doubtless from days before the ships of the Númenoreans sailed the Sea. Thus it appears that Tolkien just had a suitable name-shape in mind, without any specific meaning attached to it and changed its application. Fornold is most probably of the same sort. Note however Tom Bombadils Scandinavian name among the Dwarves Forn ’(belonging to) ancient (days)’ (RC:128). On the connection of Incánus with Latin see UT:400; an Elvish etymology includes Q. incānus(se) ’mind mastership’ (PE17:88), in-kāno/u ’mind master’ (PE17:155) < IN-ID ’mind, inner senses’, KAN- ’lead’.
For the interpretation of Q. Olórin see UT:396-397, the earlier Olórion just has a different name-formative suffix -ion.


Previous Up Next