Geography Grilling - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lostgaeriel · 01-18-2002, 05:23 AM

Hi Telchar!

VERY IMPRESSIVE RESEARCH FROM YOU. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
(Which I've come to expect.)

I suppose a dike isn't a body of water and neither is a fosse. They are constructions that may or may not contain or hold back water. I misunderstood the meanings. So I checked my dictionary, again, which defines a dike as two things: 1) a long wall or embankment to keep back water and prevent flooding or 2) a ditch for draining water from land. And fosse is defined as a long ditch or a moat or a trench, especially in fortification. I guess I figured if there was a bridge or causeway - a road across low or wet ground - there might be water in the dike or fosse. But if a road goes over wet ground that doesn't count, does it?

So not only is the dike in Bree suspect, so is the fosse surrounding Caras Galadhon in Lothlórien. Numbers 5, 31, 16, 17.

And I'm embarrassed that I missed the ride with Farmer Maggot and Bombadil guiding them back to the Road. I didn't even skim those to check for water or dikes and ditches - I just assumed!!!

Gosh! I hadn't realized how many locations in Middle-Earth have dikes. Thanks for helping me get a better handle on the definitions of these words. Paints a clearer picture of the settings in the story.

[ January 18, 2002: Message edited by: Lostgaeriel ]

01-18-2002, 05:23 AM	#11
Lostgaeriel Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Toronto the Good Posts: 477	Hi Telchar! VERY IMPRESSIVE RESEARCH FROM YOU. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] (Which I've come to expect.) I suppose a dike isn't a body of water and neither is a fosse. They are constructions that may or may not contain or hold back water. I misunderstood the meanings. So I checked my dictionary, again, which defines a dike as two things: 1) a long wall or embankment to keep back water and prevent flooding or 2) a ditch for draining water from land. And fosse is defined as a long ditch or a moat or a trench, especially in fortification. I guess I figured if there was a bridge or causeway - a road across low or wet ground - there might be water in the dike or fosse. But if a road goes over wet ground that doesn't count, does it? So not only is the dike in Bree suspect, so is the fosse surrounding Caras Galadhon in Lothlórien. Numbers 5, 31, 16, 17. And I'm embarrassed that I missed the ride with Farmer Maggot and Bombadil guiding them back to the Road. I didn't even skim those to check for water or dikes and ditches - I just assumed!!! Gosh! I hadn't realized how many locations in Middle-Earth have dikes. Thanks for helping me get a better handle on the definitions of these words. Paints a clearer picture of the settings in the story. [ January 18, 2002: Message edited by: Lostgaeriel ] __________________ Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo, a star shines on the hour of our meeting.