Wednesday, November 02, 2005
It's been too long...
I know it's been a while since I've added a seething rant, a bizarre observation, or an insane opinion. I could say that it is because I have been working too much. I could say that it is because I have been traveling a lot lately. I could say that I have been pressing my will and energy towards the goals of world peace, environmental harmony, and freedom for all mankind.
Or I could tell you that I've just been playing too much Star Wars: Galaxies.
Anyway, on to my latest bit of lunacy. I've been reading the Lord of the Rings lately. I have tried to read Tolkien before, and while I have great respect for the man, I find his books to be, well, a bit dry. I'm a member of the MTV generation. If it doesn't have flashing lights and bright colors, it's hard for us to keep focused. We're stimulus junkies. Why else do you think they treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with Ritalin, which is the bastard cousin of crystal meth?
Back to the point. I have noticed that, unlike other fantasy novels I have read, most of the characters in Middle Earth do not speak like we do today. Everyone speaks in grandiose terms. Tolkien would write something like:
"There, amongst the deep fires of the Mountain, I hewed his fiery Helm, and smote the great beast. Thus, my great quest and long imprisonment were ended." *
On the other hand, a person nowadays would simply say:
"I stabbed the monster on the volcano and went home."
One of the things I noticed was that people always refer to others by referencing their fathers. "Frodo, son of Drogo," Aragorn, son of Arathorn," and so on. This is something that they only seem to do for men. There's never "Arwen, daughter of Elrond."
Well, I've decided that this is a practice that needs revival. So, from now on, it's "Tim, son of Kevin,” or "Alan, son of Lenny." Admittedly, it might be a bit awkward when talking to "Ted, son of that-bastard-who-walked-out-on-me-and-my-mom-when-I-was-four-and-shacked-up-with-a- cocktail-waitress-outside-of-Lake-Tahoe."
*This is not from Tolkien. I made it up to illustrate the point.
Or I could tell you that I've just been playing too much Star Wars: Galaxies.
Anyway, on to my latest bit of lunacy. I've been reading the Lord of the Rings lately. I have tried to read Tolkien before, and while I have great respect for the man, I find his books to be, well, a bit dry. I'm a member of the MTV generation. If it doesn't have flashing lights and bright colors, it's hard for us to keep focused. We're stimulus junkies. Why else do you think they treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with Ritalin, which is the bastard cousin of crystal meth?
Back to the point. I have noticed that, unlike other fantasy novels I have read, most of the characters in Middle Earth do not speak like we do today. Everyone speaks in grandiose terms. Tolkien would write something like:
"There, amongst the deep fires of the Mountain, I hewed his fiery Helm, and smote the great beast. Thus, my great quest and long imprisonment were ended." *
On the other hand, a person nowadays would simply say:
"I stabbed the monster on the volcano and went home."
One of the things I noticed was that people always refer to others by referencing their fathers. "Frodo, son of Drogo," Aragorn, son of Arathorn," and so on. This is something that they only seem to do for men. There's never "Arwen, daughter of Elrond."
Well, I've decided that this is a practice that needs revival. So, from now on, it's "Tim, son of Kevin,” or "Alan, son of Lenny." Admittedly, it might be a bit awkward when talking to "Ted, son of that-bastard-who-walked-out-on-me-and-my-mom-when-I-was-four-and-shacked-up-with-a- cocktail-waitress-outside-of-Lake-Tahoe."
*This is not from Tolkien. I made it up to illustrate the point.
Comments:
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Tolkein pulled that "son of a son of a..." from the best-selling book of all time - The Davinci Code.
Wait...no the bible.
Aside from the point you illistrated you also have another problem. To do my lineage in Tolkein terms.
I would be Robert, son of Rober, who was also son of Robert.
See the confusion?
I much prefer Roman numerals.
Wait...no the bible.
Aside from the point you illistrated you also have another problem. To do my lineage in Tolkein terms.
I would be Robert, son of Rober, who was also son of Robert.
See the confusion?
I much prefer Roman numerals.
Well, the whole "...son of..." thing is actually where a lot of our last names come from. In your example, your dad wouldn't have been called Robert in the old days. Rather, he would have been Larry (or whatever), son of Robert.
Eventually, the "son of Robert" got shortened to "Robertson." So, your dad would have been Larry Robertson, and you would have been Robert Lawrenceson.
The most famous example is that of Eric the Red, the Viking who founded the first settlement in Greenland. His son, Leif Ericson, became a great explorer in his own right, becoming the first European to discover America.
Eventually, the "son of Robert" got shortened to "Robertson." So, your dad would have been Larry Robertson, and you would have been Robert Lawrenceson.
The most famous example is that of Eric the Red, the Viking who founded the first settlement in Greenland. His son, Leif Ericson, became a great explorer in his own right, becoming the first European to discover America.
No I was trying to say if all three generations are named Robert.
Like my name is Robert Governmentcheese III.
So in old, I would have been Robert, son of Robert. And my Dad would have been Robert son of Robert.
Like my name is Robert Governmentcheese III.
So in old, I would have been Robert, son of Robert. And my Dad would have been Robert son of Robert.
I understand, but the point is that naming a child "Robert Jr." or "Robert III" is a way of honoring the father. In the old days, your last name was your father's name, so your grandfather never would have named your dad "Robert" in the first place. That's how they got around the confusion.
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