I'VE got a first cousin once removed named BILBO!! - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Knight of Gondor · 11-03-2002, 09:37 PM

I kid you not, good people of the Barrow-Downs. Our Lord of the Rings Sunday School study group was discussing how Tolkien may have taken/used names of the peoples of Western Kentucky land in his books. (Names like Barefoot, and Baggins) And that he was also fascinated by the fact that Western Kentuckians grew "pipe-weed". (It's true)

Well, when I mentioned it to my Mom, she said that I had (or, DID have before he died) a "first cousin once-removed" named...BILBO! I about fell over, but I was sitting in our car at the time, so such a feat would have proved difficult. Cool, huh?

Diamond18 · 11-03-2002, 10:56 PM

That is cool...did he have furry feet? Should we start calling you Frodo now? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Birdland · 11-03-2002, 11:15 PM

K of G - I think you're Sunday School group may have it backwards. The lands of Kentucky were settled by many people of English descent, (my own family is full of English stock by way of Kentucky) so if you go back in the family trees you'll find many English names. Bilbo would be an unusual name though; mostly folk were going for the Biblical names by the late 19th century, but it may have been an old family name.

As for "pipe-weed": by the 1500 tobacco from the Americas had been introduced to Europe, so the first European settlers in America may have already taken up the habit before they came to the New World. (I'm not sure if it was cultivated in England, which is too far to the North) but they were definitely smoking it.

Arwen1858 · 11-04-2002, 01:27 AM

That is so cool!!! A cousin named Bilbo... wow!
Arwen

Knight of Gondor · 11-04-2002, 09:05 PM

Yeah, I know it's probably not ORIGINALLY a name from Kentucky.

I might call myself Frodo, but I prefer the swarthy men of Gondor, or the Elves, really, than half-hobbits. Plus, at 6'4, I'm more of the size for a Man. But then again, I'm always teased for having size 15 feet...(No foolin'!)

Helkasir · 11-04-2002, 09:48 PM

kentucky? whoah, that's cool.

... hopefully, no one is idiotic enough to call him...erm, a word that rhymes with bilbo that describes a unique piece of male anatomy.

Arwen Melian · 11-04-2002, 09:55 PM

Actually tolkien named Bilbo after Bilboa in Spain.I read it in a book.

Diamond18 · 11-05-2002, 11:03 AM

Wait a minute...how is it possible to have a "first cousin once removed"? Isn't that an oxymoron? (I'm slow, I know. *shrug*)

BTW, at 6'4" with that big of feet, you're more like a hill-troll than an Elf. I don't mean that in mean way! Just teasing... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Cazoz · 11-05-2002, 11:31 AM

Diamond, a first cousin once removed is the first cousin for somebody one step away generationally.

For example, a parent or child's first cousin would be your first cousin once removed.

It also works the other way; your first cousin's child but not parent (this is your uncle or aunt!).

[ November 05, 2002: Message edited by: Cazoz ]

Diamond18 · 11-05-2002, 11:35 AM

Ooooookay, I was forgetting about the generation part. Thanks! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Galadrie1 · 11-05-2002, 08:40 PM

On the origin of Bilbo: I found this at dictionary.com

Quote:

bil·bo2 n. Archaic pl. bil·boes A sword, especially one having a well-tempered blade.

I don't really know if that's relevant, but I just thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

Frodo Baggins · 11-05-2002, 09:36 PM

THAT'S SO COOL!!!!!

*Ahem* who's going to call whom Frodo? (J/K)

Belin · 11-05-2002, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Actually tolkien named Bilbo after Bilboa in Spain.I read it in a book.

Bilbao, you mean (we wouldn't want to confuse it with Balboa)... the city's Basque name is indeed Bilbo. I've lived there, in fact. Where did you read this?

It seems extraordinarily unlikely, even to a euskophile like me, that this is more than a simple coincidence. First of all, the hobbits are quite clearly English (although I have indeed noticed certain hobbitlike tendencies in Basque culture, such as the idiosyncratic (though not subterranean) houses), and I can think of no other Basque or Spanish influence anywhere in the books, although I would have been happy to have noticed it. Second of all, although I like the city very much, Tolkien would probably have hated it. It's a very industrial port town with a river that they're currently making a valiant attempt to clean. The streets are all paved (though some are very narrow and winding and more like stones than concrete) and you don't see trees until you get out into Getxo. And then, of course, there are the museum of modern art (the Guggenheim; if you've heard of Bilbao, it's probably why) and the resident terrorists, although both of these are post- Hobbit . It's a post-Sharkey Shire, if anything.

Birdland's explanation seems by far the most likely. But I'm very curious about what book is handing out this information. What connection do they see between the two?

(By the way, why is this in the "Movies" forum?)

--Belin Ibaimendi

[ November 06, 2002: Message edited by: Belin ]

Estelyn Telcontar · 11-06-2002, 04:16 AM

(Good question, Belin)
*pushes topic over to Novices and Newcomers*

Knight of Gondor · 11-06-2002, 09:29 PM

Sorry! But it didn't seem appropriate to pust in Novices and Newcomers either!!

11-03-2002, 09:37 PM	#1
Knight of Gondor Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 744	I'VE got a first cousin once removed named BILBO!! I kid you not, good people of the Barrow-Downs. Our Lord of the Rings Sunday School study group was discussing how Tolkien may have taken/used names of the peoples of Western Kentucky land in his books. (Names like Barefoot, and Baggins) And that he was also fascinated by the fact that Western Kentuckians grew "pipe-weed". (It's true) Well, when I mentioned it to my Mom, she said that I had (or, DID have before he died) a "first cousin once-removed" named...BILBO! I about fell over, but I was sitting in our car at the time, so such a feat would have proved difficult. Cool, huh? __________________ Eagerly awaiting the REAL Return of the King - Jesus Christ! Revelation 19:11-16

11-03-2002, 10:56 PM	#2
Diamond18 Eidolon of a Took Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: my own private fantasy world Posts: 3,460	That is cool...did he have furry feet? Should we start calling you Frodo now? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] __________________ All shall be rather fond of me and suffer from mild depression.

11-04-2002, 01:27 AM	#4
Arwen1858 Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Gondor Posts: 516	That is so cool!!! A cousin named Bilbo... wow! Arwen __________________ Will Turner: "This is either madness or brilliance." Jack Sparrow: "It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide." ~ Pirates of the Caribbean

11-04-2002, 09:05 PM	#5
Knight of Gondor Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 744	Yeah, I know it's probably not ORIGINALLY a name from Kentucky. I might call myself Frodo, but I prefer the swarthy men of Gondor, or the Elves, really, than half-hobbits. Plus, at 6'4, I'm more of the size for a Man. But then again, I'm always teased for having size 15 feet...(No foolin'!) __________________ Eagerly awaiting the REAL Return of the King - Jesus Christ! Revelation 19:11-16

11-04-2002, 09:48 PM	#6
Helkasir Haunting Spirit Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North of the Iron Hills Posts: 89	kentucky? whoah, that's cool. ... hopefully, no one is idiotic enough to call him...erm, a word that rhymes with bilbo that describes a unique piece of male anatomy. __________________ "Onen i-Estal Edain, u-chebin estel anim."

11-03-2002, 11:15 PM	#3
Birdland Ghastly Neekerbreeker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the banks of the mighty Scioto Posts: 1,751	K of G - I think you're Sunday School group may have it backwards. The lands of Kentucky were settled by many people of English descent, (my own family is full of English stock by way of Kentucky) so if you go back in the family trees you'll find many English names. Bilbo would be an unusual name though; mostly folk were going for the Biblical names by the late 19th century, but it may have been an old family name. As for "pipe-weed": by the 1500 tobacco from the Americas had been introduced to Europe, so the first European settlers in America may have already taken up the habit before they came to the New World. (I'm not sure if it was cultivated in England, which is too far to the North) but they were definitely smoking it.

11-04-2002, 09:55 PM	#7
Arwen Melian Wight Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sometimes Imladris....sometimes Mirkwood...other times ....Lothlorien Posts: 141	Actually tolkien named Bilbo after Bilboa in Spain.I read it in a book. __________________ Maiden of Rivendell "Anything to get away from the evil monkey in my bedroom." Fine! I admit it. I am a supporter of Agent Elrond. Now would you please leave me be?

11-05-2002, 11:03 AM	#8
Diamond18 Eidolon of a Took Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: my own private fantasy world Posts: 3,460	Wait a minute...how is it possible to have a "first cousin once removed"? Isn't that an oxymoron? (I'm slow, I know. shrug) BTW, at 6'4" with that big of feet, you're more like a hill-troll than an Elf. I don't mean that in mean way! Just teasing... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] __________________ All shall be rather fond of me and suffer from mild depression.

11-05-2002, 11:31 AM	#9
Cazoz Haunting Spirit Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 71	Diamond, a first cousin once removed is the first cousin for somebody one step away generationally. For example, a parent or child's first cousin would be your first cousin once removed. It also works the other way; your first cousin's child but not parent (this is your uncle or aunt!). [ November 05, 2002: Message edited by: Cazoz ]

11-05-2002, 11:35 AM	#10
Diamond18 Eidolon of a Took Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: my own private fantasy world Posts: 3,460	Ooooookay, I was forgetting about the generation part. Thanks! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] __________________ All shall be rather fond of me and suffer from mild depression.

11-05-2002, 09:36 PM	#12
Frodo Baggins Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Bag-End, Under-Hill, Hobbiton-across-the Water Posts: 606	THAT'S SO COOL!!!!! Ahem who's going to call whom Frodo? (J/K) __________________ "I'm your huckleberry....that's just my game."

11-06-2002, 04:16 AM	#14
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,499	(Good question, Belin) pushes topic over to Novices and Newcomers __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

11-06-2002, 09:29 PM	#15
Knight of Gondor Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 744	Sorry! But it didn't seem appropriate to pust in Novices and Newcomers either!! __________________ Eagerly awaiting the REAL Return of the King - Jesus Christ! Revelation 19:11-16