Character Names in "The Hobbit" Movie

[baron_steffan]

Jesus, am I the only person who actually read the appendices in Lord of the Rings? (Yeah, probably).

First, the LotR films had Smeagol and Deagol, whose names are pronounced SMEY-a-gaul and
DEY-a-gaul, but no, in the films they're pronounced "Smeegle" and "Deegle". Now pay attention
to the names of the dwarves mentioned here. It's Owe-in, and Glow

Comments

[hugh_mannity]

I seriously doubt it. I devoured every word of them. But I was about 9 when I started reading LOTR (and rocks were still soft).

[gyzki]

It would be surprising if, over all these years, you had not attracted friends who actually read the appendices. (And who know the plural of 'appendix'.) It is from Appendix F, for instance, that we learn that Merry's name was really Kali.

[gildedacorn]

I certainly did, but as hugh_mannity says, rocks were still cooling off at the time.

[nitesongofafish]

They say the Poles joke about their neighbors the Czechs, who (say the Poles)speak like they're talking in baby language. This is because Czech takes care to enunciate each vowel, while Polish glides through them (or slurs them, if you prefer). Why shouldn't Smeagol (Smay-ah-gaul) be really pronounced "Sm'YAH-g'l" or Gloin (Glow-inn) be pronounced "Gloyne" (rhymes with Boyne [as in Battle of the Boyne])? Because our authorities here are not native speakers (which Tolkien might make a claim to), but rather, umpteenth-generation movie producers (who won't be speaking the lines anyway). Language changes.