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Topic: Bilbo and spiders

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Bauglir Orc captain of Morgul - Rank 5 Status: Offline Posts: 317 Date: May 26, 2006	Bilbo and spiders Permalink   In 'The Hobbit', Bilbo called the spiders Attercop, Lazy Lob, Crazy Cob, and Old Tomnoddy. Does anybody know what any of these words mean? __________________ "Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul"
Eönwë Maiar Status: Offline Posts: 169 Date: May 26, 2006	Permalink   I looked up attercop, and it says one of the meanings is 'spider,' so that's kind of obvious.  Also, FYI, the modern Norwegian for spider is edderkopp.  Lazy Lob you can look up for yourself as the full meaning (which is slang and would be offensive if you called anyone by it) is not family-friendly at all.  However, lob alone is taken from Old/Middle English word meaning 'spider.'  Same deal with cob.  Tomnoddy was apparently an offensive term for a foolish or stupid person.  I think it's obvious why Bilbo used those names once you find their meanings...I can imagine the spiders would be very offended, being called lazy and crazy and foolish and an unwholesome slang term.  __________________ My might in Arms is surpassed by none in Arda!
The Might Witchking of Angmar - Rank 10 Status: Offline Posts: 3110 Date: May 26, 2006	Permalink   not quite Eonwe, the meaning wasn't spider for all Attercop literally means 'poison-head', and was actually a word used for a variety of poisonous creatures - from atter, we also derive our modern word adder, a type of poisonous snake. Cob is probably a shortened version of attercop, and survives to modern times in the word cobweb. Lob most famously appears in Shelob, and lob is as Eonwe said a word for spider. __________________ Honor, Freedom, Fatherland
Glorfindel Anarion, Son of Elendil - rank 8 Status: Offline Posts: 2154 Date: May 26, 2006	Permalink   As for the rest they have been explained but 'Tomnoddy' is an old fasioned British word used for mild offence. For example: 'Who's that Tomnoddy?' if you are refering to some odd stranger in the street. __________________ Utúlie'n  aurë!  Aiya  Eldalië  ar  Atanatári,  utúlie'n  aurë!  Auta  i  lómë!  Aurë entuluva!
Gothmog Soldier of the East - Rank 4 Status: Offline Posts: 306 Date: Oct 12, 2006	Permalink   Well, I guess you learn something new every day. I'm very bad with diferent meanings and roots. __________________

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