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Topic: helm?

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dwarf guy
Dwarves - Rank 1
Status: Offline
Posts: 21
Date: Jun 13, 2007
helm?
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tolkien uses the word helm to mean helmet. but correctly it means the steering wheel of a ship. is it old use or a mistake? has anyone else noticed this?

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Galin
Fundin, Lord of Moria - Rank 5
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Posts: 564
Date: Jun 13, 2007
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It's not a mistake smile

My dictionary doesn't note the word helm meaning helmet as archaic, but in any case JRRT didn't make a mistake here, as the word can mean more than one thing.

-- Edited by Galin at 02:35, 2007-06-14

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Glorfindel
Anarion, Son of Elendil - rank 8
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Posts: 2161
Date: Jun 13, 2007
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Helm - is on older word for Helmet. Not only Tolkien uses it.

To quote from 'The free dictionary':

1 - The helm of a ship.
2 - The lead place (for example in government) the person in control.
3 - A helmet.

-- Edited by Glorfindel1235 at 11:51, 2007-06-16

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ArwenLegolas
Tom Bombadil
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Posts: 1882
Date: Jul 1, 2007
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In Germany when I grew up, they used the word Helm to mean Helmet. SO it's definitely NOT Archaic.

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