Henneth Annûn Story Archive

I find myself needing to describe Elrohir seeing a knot. It's not exactly a major plot point, but I am a stickler for details.

If I called it a Mooring Hitch, that's accurate, but modern. Would elves have a fancier/diferent name for it?

Gwynnyd

 

Hi Gwynnyd

I can't offer any expertise in knots, but here's a question: Why is "mooring hitch" modern? It speaks of horses and ships to me, both of which are at home in ME.

Gandalfs apprentice 

 

Gwynnyd, a 'mooring hitch' is not a modern term, its been used for centuries. I think you would be safe in using it for your story.

I would say if you are having Elrohir look at a knot that has tied a ship to a dock it would be a mooring hitch and if it's a horse tied to a stationary object it would just be hitched. Taetha would be the word meaning 'to fasten' in Sindarin but it's a verb.

Laurëfindo

 

I would say if you are having Elrohir look at a knot that has tied a ship to a dock it would be a mooring hitch and if it's a horse tied to a stationary object it would just be hitched. Taetha would be the word meaning 'to fasten' in Sindarin but it's a verb.


Thank you! It's actually neither a boat - which, I think, is why the term felt so wrong to me -  nor a horse.  Estel has made an, essentially futile, attempt to get a rope across a stream. Elrohir crawls under a bush to untie his effort from around its roots, and wants to think something thankful about how easy it is get the rope untied. A 'mooring hitch' has a built in release, so it can be untied fairly easily.

 I'll keep thinking.

Gwynnyd 

 

It might depend on the style. If you are using regular modern English (by "modern", I usually mean anything from Jane Austen and Lord Byron onwards), then I don't see a problem. "Mooring hitch" would be the translation of whatver the Sindarin equivalent would have been. Or you could just call it a knot that releases easily. I suppose it would also depend on whether Elrohir is the sort who thinks in exact terms.

 

I'm sorry for coming late to the discussion.  I was taught a similar knot -- called a Farmer's Knot -- in my youth.  We used it to tie horses.

Later, when I learned sailing, we learned the same one.  It was basically a half bow which would untie quickly in the case of an object that would pull tight, such as a boat or a horse.  Withe the horses, we put the end throught the loop, because horses were known to pull their own knots out.  With a boat, one could leave the end free.

 

I'm sorry for coming late to the discussion.  I was taught a similar knot -- called a Farmer's Knot -- in my youth

No problem. I did end up calling it a 'mooring hitch' in the story, and no one has commented that it bothered them, so I guess it's OK.  The story is Lighting Fires. If anyone thinks it doesn't work as written, now is the time to say so.    I can still change it.

Gwynnyd 

 

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