Smials: Difference between revisions

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The term the [[Hobbits]] themselves used for the "more luxurious versions of the simple diggings of old" inhabited by the well-to-do. "But suitable sites for these large and ramifying tunnels .... were not everywhere to be found" so many Hobbits lived in wood, brick or stone houses. The poorest, however, "went on living in burrows of the most primitive kind, mere holes indeed, with only one window or none". - Source: [[The Lord of the Rings]], ''Prologue, 1. Concerning Hobbits.''
{{quote|In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole and that means comfort.|[[The Hobbit]], "[[An Unexpected Party]]"}}


A more common term for the Hobbits' excavated dwellings is '[[hobbit-holes]]'.
'''Smials''' were the [[hobbit-holes]] tunelled into earth mounds and hills.  


For generations the [[Hobbits]], made diggings in the earth to live. By the later [[Third Age]] the poorest Hobbits still went on living in burrows of the most primitive kind with only one window or none.


[[Category:Shire]]
For the most well-to-do hobbits, smials were luxurious versions of those primitive diggings of old. Their tunnels had rounded walls and branched to other rooms.<ref name=conc>{{FR|Hobbits}}</ref> Smials included [[Bag End]] and the smials along [[Bagshot Row]] of [[Hobbiton]], the [[Great Smials]] of [[Tuckborough]] and [[Brandy Hall]]. The latter two were large enough to have ample room for a hundred Hobbits.


----
When suitable sites for these large and ramifying tunnels were not everywhere to be found, many Hobbits lived in wood, brick or stone houses.<ref name=conc/> This was the case with some muddy regions of the [[Eastfarthing]], such as [[the Marish]].<ref>{{FR|I4}}</ref>


==List of Smials associated with the [[Tolkien Society]]==
==Etymology==
* '''1420''' - A postal group for those interested in the drinks of Middle-earth. Publishes The Morning After (about 3-4 times a year).
The word ''smial'' is an invention of Tolkien based on the [[Old English]] word ''smygel''. Smial is a translation of the [[Hobbitish]] word ''[[trân]]'' ([[Rohirric]] ''[[trahan]]'' "burrow").<ref>{{App|Translation}}</ref>
* '''Amon Hen''' - San Jose del Cabo, B.C.S. Mexico
 
* '''Amon Sûl''' - Halifax and area.
The names [[Smaug]] and [[Sméagol]] are etymologically related.
* '''Andúnië''' - Atlanta, Georgia USA based group.
 
* '''Armari''' - A postal group with no defined focus; which can be very tongue in cheek, good sense of humour required! Publishes Gondtengwen (about once a year at present).
==In real world==
* '''Brandy Hall''' - Cologne (Köln) and Hessen, Germany - also a smial of Deutsche Tolkien Gesellschaft.
"Smial" is a term used by [[Tolkien fan]]s to refer to divisions of Tolkien Societies.
* '''The Burrahobbits''' - Local group in Wisconsin, USA.
 
* '''Cerin Amroth''' - Local group in Indiana, USA.
==See also==
* '''Far Westfarthing''' - Local group in Illinois, USA.
* [[The Tolkien Society#Smials|Smials associated with The Tolkien Society]]
* '''The Golden Perch''' - Telford based, with some postal members.
{{References}}
* '''The Grey Company''' - Newport, Pontypool and valleys of South Wales.
[[Category:Buildings]]
* '''HEREN HYARMENO''' (The Order of the South) - This is the oldest existing smial in the Southern Hemisphere, founded on 19 March 1989. It is based in São Paulo, Brasil.
[[Category:The Shire]]
* '''Heren Istarion'' - Local group in New York City, USA.
* '''Isengard''' - Birmingham area.
* '''Khand''' - Postal; once based in Saudi Arabia, now in Shropshire.
* '''Lays of Leithian''' - A smial of Unquendor, the Dutch Tolkien Society. Local and postal.
* '''Lómelindi''' - Local group in Tennessee, USA.
* '''Minas Tirith''' (The Cambridge Tolkien Society) - Cambridge and surrounding area. Publishes Anor (3 editions a year).
* '''Mundeli Sernieva'' - Central England. Publishes Mundo (about 4 a year).
* '''Nigglings''' - A postal smial focusing on Middle-earth based fiction and sub-creation.
* '''Northfarthing''' - London and home counties - the oldest in the Society and essentially the founding smial.
* '''Rivendell''' - Grimsby, Louth and Lincoln area.
* '''The Shire''' - Coventry area.
* '''Southfarthing''' - Southampton area.
* '''Taruithorn''' (The Oxford Tolkien Society) - Oxford & Aylesbury. Publishes Miruvor (3 editions a year).
* '''Taruithorn International''' - The postal smial for those no longer in Oxford.
* '''Tol Andúnë''' - Oahu, Hawaii.
* '''Tol Harndor''' - Australasia & South Pacific postal.
* '''Turin''' - Northern Italy, with an interest in Tolkien inspired art.
* '''Vinyamar''' - Local group in British Columbia, Canada.
* '''Westemnet''' - A cyberspace smial for the West Country.
* '''Misty Mountains''' - Denver, Colorado.

Revision as of 11:35, 25 November 2014

"In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole and that means comfort."
― The Hobbit, "An Unexpected Party"

Smials were the hobbit-holes tunelled into earth mounds and hills.

For generations the Hobbits, made diggings in the earth to live. By the later Third Age the poorest Hobbits still went on living in burrows of the most primitive kind with only one window or none.

For the most well-to-do hobbits, smials were luxurious versions of those primitive diggings of old. Their tunnels had rounded walls and branched to other rooms.[1] Smials included Bag End and the smials along Bagshot Row of Hobbiton, the Great Smials of Tuckborough and Brandy Hall. The latter two were large enough to have ample room for a hundred Hobbits.

When suitable sites for these large and ramifying tunnels were not everywhere to be found, many Hobbits lived in wood, brick or stone houses.[1] This was the case with some muddy regions of the Eastfarthing, such as the Marish.[2]

Etymology

The word smial is an invention of Tolkien based on the Old English word smygel. Smial is a translation of the Hobbitish word trân (Rohirric trahan "burrow").[3]

The names Smaug and Sméagol are etymologically related.

In real world

"Smial" is a term used by Tolkien fans to refer to divisions of Tolkien Societies.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "Prologue", "Concerning Hobbits"
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Short Cut to Mushrooms"
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "On Translation"
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