Yogah of Yag said:I suspect also that bloddolk is Scandinavian (perhaps "blood-dagger", as in "bloody dagger"):
Bloddolk Forest, 38 [Road of Kings]
undoubtedly pastiche, too.
I really don't think REH knew any langs besides English (and Spanish??? since he lived in Texas)...
Just some thoughts.
Bloddolk is probably Scandinavian too as you said, meaning literaly "dagger of blood" in Norwegian. Not that you could make a dagger of blood, but as an abstrac litterary image it works. Thanks for pointing it out to me.
I like to see how non-scandinavians fantasy writers scavenge scandinavian laguage and mythology. They usually end up twisting it into something quite unlike it's original meaning and context. (Marvel's superhero versions of Thor, Odin and Loki spring to mind :roll: ) As a Norwegian I find it extremely amusing. :lol:
Tolkien was the only one who did it well, but i never got the same kick out of his work as i do with REH.