Kalimban
From Tolkien Gateway
Kalimban was the name of a region in the Great Lands, later known as Germany, according to the early version of the legendarium associated with The Book of Lost Tales.[1]
Its inhabitants were known as Kalimbardi (i.e. Germans).[1]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The name Kalimban is in Qenya, glossed as "Barbary, Germany", being an elaboration on kalimbo ("barbarian").[2]
Kalimbardi was probably composed of kalimbo + mardo ("dweller").[3]
Inspiration[edit | edit source]
The unflattering associations of Germany and the German people with barbarism were written by Tolkien during the World War I, in which it wasn't uncommon for the English people and military to characterize their enemy as being savage and inhuman.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Qenyaqetsa: The Qenya Phonology and Lexicon", in Parma Eldalamberon XII (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 44
- ↑ Paul Strack, "ᴱQ. Kalimban loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 1 May 2022)
- ↑ Paul Strack, "ᴱQ. Kalimbardi coll.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 1 May 2022)
- ↑ John Garth, Tolkien and the Great War, "Part One: The immortal four", 6. Too long in slumber, pp. 128-9
