Do Balrogs Have Wings? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Fordim Hedgethistle · 01-26-2005, 10:52 AM

Here, best as I can figure it, is the etymology of the word balrog:

bal is a form of the archaic bale, which is OE for "fire"

rog is a form of OE roge which means a "pyre"

So that makes sense, bal+rog = fire+fire. No allusion to wings or flying though. . .

Some other interesting tidbits:

ballyragging (from "to ballyrag"), means to attack someone with abusive language

rog means "to shake a person or thing"

Not really relevant, but interesting notheless.

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01-26-2005, 10:52 AM	#1
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	OED rules! Here, best as I can figure it, is the etymology of the word balrog: bal is a form of the archaic bale, which is OE for "fire" rog is a form of OE roge which means a "pyre" So that makes sense, bal+rog = fire+fire. No allusion to wings or flying though. . . Some other interesting tidbits: ballyragging (from "to ballyrag"), means to attack someone with abusive language rog means "to shake a person or thing" Not really relevant, but interesting notheless. __________________ Scribbling scrabbling.