Disputatio:Orces
E Vicipaedia
The etymology of "orc" is somewhat complicated, but it seems clear that the ultimate origin is the Roman god Orcus. Consequently I have always assumed there Latin name would be Orculi, Orcani, Orcini, or the like. --Iustinus 07:50, 17 Iulii 2006 (UTC)
- I am not so sure about the etymology. Linne's term Delphinus Orca for the orc whale is, according to OED, an allusion to medieval Latin writers' reports of ferocious sea monsters. On the other hand, an allusion to Orcus is also thought possible. I would prefer Orca, -ae m., but maybe the inofficial Latin translation of Tolkien should be looked into (follow link on Dominus Anulorum)--Iovis Fulmen 08:31, 17 Iulii 2006 (UTC)
- Tolkien himself specifically stated that by "orc" he did not mean to refer to the existing English word orc "type of whale, sea monster" from Latin orca "killer whale", but to the root orc that occurs in Beowulf as orcneas, which almost certainly is from Latin orcus:
- "I originally took the word from Old English orc (Beowulf 112 orc-neas and the gloss orc = þyrs ('ogre'), heldeofol ('hell-devil'). This is supposed not to be connected with modern English orc, ork, a name applied to various sea-beasts of the dolphin order." (Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings.)
- Again, see en:orc for a much more detailed discussion of this word-history. --Iustinus 18:24, 17 Iulii 2006 (UTC)
- Tolkien himself specifically stated that by "orc" he did not mean to refer to the existing English word orc "type of whale, sea monster" from Latin orca "killer whale", but to the root orc that occurs in Beowulf as orcneas, which almost certainly is from Latin orcus:
