Posted: July 13, 1999 at 10:08:12: by Goodgulf
: : : : 13. When the Dwarves of beautiful Khazad-Dum built their Western door, why did they allow it to be inscribed with the insulting name of "Moria" ("Black Pit"), a name that would only be earned long years afterwards?: : : This one has worried me from time to time. I have always thought "Moria" out of place, "Hardhodrond" would have been more likely. Does Tolkien address the question anywhere. : : What does "Hardhodrond" mean. I briefly looked but didn't find the root words listed to translate it. My library is scant. And as for what to call Moria, what's wrong with Khazad-Dum? I see Moria as being a derisive epithet applied by the Elves to Khazad-Dum after the release of the Balrog. Over a number of years it apparently supplanted the true Dwarvish name. : "Hadhad" was the closest the Sindar could get in their own language to "Khazad," the Dwarves own name for themselves. Thus Hadhadrond exactly translates "Khazad-dum". Thanks for the info. One more lesson learned. The book never ceases to amaze me in its richness of detail.
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