Brandagamba

From Tolkien Gateway

Brandagamba is the original Westron version of the hobbit-name translated into English as Brandybuck.

Etymology

It contains the element branda-, in this context meaning 'borderland' and referring to Buckland being on the eastern edge of the Shire, but also evoking the early hobbitish name for the Brandywine river – Branda-nîn, 'border-water', a Westronisation of the Sindarin Baranduin which was later altered to Bralda-hîm, 'heady ale' (hence the English translation 'Brandywine'). According to Tolkien, "only a very bold hobbit would have ventured to call the Master of Buckland braldagamba in his hearing".

The second half of the compound, -gamba, is a re-occurrence from the older name Zaragamba, or Oldbuck, and refers to their ancestor Gamba. It is therefore translated to the English 'buck' in the sense of a male deer or ram.

See also

References