Omg Elrond, you can't just ask a hobbit why he's short.
this post was submitted on 23 Jul 2025
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"No, I mean what does it stand for?"
"Well, you'd hardly be able to see him if he didn't."
Gandalf is an Elvish as a Second Language learner so you have to give him some leeway.
Gandalf spoke Elvish before the Elves were around.
Gandalf came to middle earth in the third age. He spoke Maiar when he came to middle earth. The elves came in the first age.
Gandalf participated in the Ainulindalë as a Maiar. Just because he wasn't on Middle Earth doesn't mean he couldn't speak (i.e. understand and communicate in) Elvish (in this case Quenya).
No one said he couldn't speak elvish. Just that it wasn't his mother tongue. That's what "...as a second language learner" means. That the person isn't a native speaker so they may sometimes be confused by phrases and think they are meant literally instead of as an idiom. Or they might confuse one meaning of a word for another. As someone who speaks another language, trust me when I say that it can be a constant problem.
I didn't claim that Gandalf spoke Quenya as his mother tongue, merely that the concept of second languages doesn't really make sense when talking about immortal gods.
Secondly, are you an American by any chance?
"Look Gandalf, I went into Mirkwood and chopped down this tree!"
"Splendid, Frodo. Are you going to put it up yourself?"
"No, I was thinking the garden."
What’s E.T. short for?
‘Cuz he’s got little legs
He hasn't had any entdraught yet
His full name is Big Pippin’
It’d be funnier if it was Gandalf asking why he’s short and Bilbo answering.