Erriadair
The Shire
Feb 8, 12:08am
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Did you ever wonder...How the Dwaves in the Hobbit got their names?
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Hi, I just posted this to the Main, but I thought, since the subject is very much related to the books, I would also post this here. 
Have you ever wondered where all the names for the dwarves (in the Hobbit) came from?
Tolkien was really into manuscripts and Old English and Norse Sagas (as it just so happens, so am I) . 
Being a great scholar in this venue, at some time or other, he came across the Prose Edda, or the Younger Edda. It was written by Snorri Sturluson. I have a brief bio below I got off the internet:
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. Wikipedia
Born: 1179, Iceland
Died: September 23, 1241, Reykholt
Books: Gylfaginning, Skáldskaparmál, Háttatal, The Prose Edda, Edda, Heimskringla, From the sagas of the Norse kings, Harald the RuthlessMore
The Prose Edda for those who do not know, basically tells the Norse Creation Myth. Anyways, the first time I read this, everything was new news to me until I got to the part that talked about how the first Dwarves were created. It also gives a generous list of names of the dwarves. You're bound to recognize a few. Although the spelling isn't exactly the same for all the names, you just can tell. I also give commentary (the bold letters off to the side).
Here it is:
10. Then was Mötsognir
created greatest
of all the dwarfs,
and Durin second;
there in man's likeness
they created many
dwarfs from the earth,
as Durin said.
11. Nýi and Nidi,
Nordri and Sudri, Nordi, Sudri, Asutri, and Vestri (North, South, East, and West) support the
Asutri and Vestri, dome of the sky on their backs. Each faces a different direction.
Althiöf, Dvalin
Nár and Náin,
Niping, Dáin,
Bivör, Bavör, I take it that Bivor is the origin of Bifur.
Bömbur, Nori,
An and Anar,
Ai, Miödvitnir,
12. Veig and Gandálf, Gandalf means "an elf with a staff"
Vindálf, Thráin,
Thekk and Thorin,
Thror, Vitr, and Litr,
Núr and Nýrád,
Regin and Rádsvid.
Now of the dwarfs I have
rightly told.
13. Fili, Kili,
Fundin, Nali,
Hepti, Vili,
Hanar, Svior,
Billing, Bruni,
Bild, Búri,
Frár, Hornbori,
Frćg and Lóni,
Aurvang, Iari,
Eikinskialdi.
14. Time ´tis of the dwarfs
in Dvalin´s band, I'm certain that "Dvalin" is the origin of Dwalin.
to the sons of men,
to Lofar up to reckon,
those who came forth
from the world´s rock,
earth´s foundation,
to Iora´s plains.
15. There were Draupnir,
and Dólgthrasir,
Hár, Haugspori,
Hlćvang, Glói, Perhaps "Gloi" is Gloin
Skirvir, Virvir,
Skafid, Ai,
Alf and Yngvi,
Eikinskialdi,
16. Fjalar and Frosti,
Finn and Ginnar,
Heri, Höggstari,
Hliódolf, Móin:
that above shall,
while mortals live,
the progeny of Lofar,
accounted be.
Greetings from the Lonely Mountain,
-Erriadair
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Did you ever wonder...How the Dwaves in the Hobbit got their names?
