How hard and long was it, Aragorn?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by alatar

Just one question, Guinevere: Is there any other utterance of Aragorn's or others that is so...well...different (and odd to these ears)? Why (to me) just the one?

After quite a spell of time, I've stumbled upon yet another instance of Tolkien's use of similar language.
In HOME VIII The War of the Ring, Legolas says:

'But whatever way we chose, I see a dark path and hard before each of us ere the end.'

To me that's even more odd sounding than Aragorn's quote that began this thread.
The explanation of the wording seems to be one of two options: Legolas has spent far too much time around Aragorn; or both sentences are indeed just examples of the "Tolkienisms" that are part of the appeal these books have for us.