1218: Doors of Durin - Revision history

172.68.138.179: /* Explanation */

2025-02-11T06:10:36Z

‎Explanation

Linneris at 09:08, 11 March 2023

2023-03-11T09:08:44Z

Linneris: /* Explanation */

2023-03-11T09:07:57Z

‎Explanation

Linneris at 09:23, 20 February 2023

2023-02-20T09:23:34Z

Theusaf: Reverted edits by Donald Trump (talk) to last revision by CRLF

2022-05-26T20:02:09Z

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2022-05-26T18:52:11Z

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2022-05-26T16:50:28Z

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Davidy22: Reverted edits by Explain xkcd server admin (talk) to last revision by Theusaf

2022-05-21T02:55:57Z

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Explain xkcd server admin at 21:38, 20 May 2022

2022-05-20T21:38:05Z

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 ==Explanation==
-The comic is based on the ''{{w|Lord of the Rings}}'', specifically a scene from ''{{w|The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring}}'', where the eponymous fellowship is trapped outside the door to the {{w|Moria (Middle-earth)|Mines of Moria}}. There's a spoken password to open the doors, an Elvish inscription on them provides a clue: "Speak friend, and enter". The party leader ({{w|Gandalf}}) initially interprets this to mean that a friend could speak the password and enter. Only after many unsuccessful efforts does Gandalf realize it is actually a very simple riddle: The password is the Elvish word for "friend" ("mellon"), and the inscription should in fact be interpreted as "Speak [out loud the word] ''mellon'' [(the Elvish word for ''friend'')], and [you will be able to] enter". See the Wikipedia article {{w|Use–mention distinction}}.
+The comic is based on the ''{{w|Lord of the Rings}}'', specifically a scene from ''{{w|The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring}}'', in which the eponymous fellowship is trapped outside the door to the {{w|Moria (Middle-earth)|Mines of Moria}}. There's a spoken password to open the doors, an Elvish inscription on them provides a clue: "Speak friend, and enter". The party leader ({{w|Gandalf}}) initially interprets this to mean that a friend could speak the password and enter. Only after many unsuccessful efforts does Gandalf realize it is actually a very simple riddle: The password is the Elvish word for "friend" ("mellon"), and the inscription should in fact be interpreted as "Speak [out loud the word] ''mellon'' [(the Elvish word for ''friend'')], and [you will be able to] enter". See the Wikipedia article {{w|Use–mention distinction}}.
 In this comic, Cueball, White Hat, and Megan reenact the scene, with Cueball taking the role of Gandalf. The doors apparently open off-panel when the password is spoken. White Hat then wonders aloud what the Elvish word for "frenemy" is, and Cueball postulates "mellogoth". This is a {{w|portmanteau}} of "mellon" and "coth", much like how "frenemy" is a portmanteau of "friend" and "enemy". The {{w|Sindarin}} word-root ''coth'', in its {{w|Lenition|lenited}} form ''goth'', is best known as part of the name of {{w|Morgoth}} (literally, "Black Enemy") of the ''{{w|Silmarillion}}''. The doors apparently immediately slam shut the moment Cueball says ''mellogoth''. It is unclear whether this is because the opposite of the password has been spoken, or because the doors take offense to the word/concept ''frenemy'', of which xkcd has previously made fun in [[919: Tween Bromance]].

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 In this comic, Cueball, White Hat, and Megan reenact the scene, with Cueball taking the role of Gandalf. The doors apparently open off-panel when the password is spoken. White Hat then wonders aloud what the Elvish word for "frenemy" is, and Cueball postulates "mellogoth". This is a {{w|portmanteau}} of "mellon" and "coth", much like how "frenemy" is a portmanteau of "friend" and "enemy". The {{w|Sindarin}} word-root ''coth'', in its {{w|Lenition|lenited}} form ''goth'', is best known as part of the name of {{w|Morgoth}} (literally, "Black Enemy") of the ''{{w|Silmarillion}}''. The doors apparently immediately slam shut the moment Cueball says ''mellogoth''. It is unclear whether this is because the opposite of the password has been spoken, or because the doors take offense to the word/concept ''frenemy'', of which xkcd has previously made fun in [[919: Tween Bromance]].
-According to Fiona Jallings's textbook ''A Fan's Guide to Neo-Sindarin'', a more correct compound word formed from ''mellon + coth'' would be ''mellochoth'', as ''-n'' + ''c-'' would cause nasal mutation at the word boundary.
+According to Fiona Jallings's textbook ''A Fan's Guide to Neo-Sindarin'', ''-n'' + ''c-'' would cause nasal mutation at the word boundary when forming a compound word, so a more correct compound word formed from ''mellon + coth'' would be ''mellochoth''.
 The title text ponders what would occur if the Sirannon, a stream running adjacent to the path leading to the doors, were to be completely blocked with the doors left open. The already partially blocked Sirannon had formed a pool before the doors; which contained some sort of monstrous horror from the depths of the Earth, referred to as the {{w|Watcher in the Water}}. Randall seems to think that the pond draining into the mines would connect the Watcher with another horror within: the {{w|Balrog}} (a high-level servant of Morgoth) living within the depths of the mines. Balrogs are primarily creatures of fire and shadow, so having a bunch of water dumped on it is unlikely to please it but may weaken it. He then goes on to wonder about the outcome of a battle between the two monsters.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 The comic is based on the ''{{w|Lord of the Rings}}'', specifically a scene from ''{{w|The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring}}'', where the eponymous fellowship is trapped outside the door to the {{w|Moria (Middle-earth)|Mines of Moria}}. There's a spoken password to open the doors, an Elvish inscription on them provides a clue: "Speak friend, and enter". The party leader ({{w|Gandalf}}) initially interprets this to mean that a friend could speak the password and enter. Only after many unsuccessful efforts does Gandalf realize it is actually a very simple riddle: The password is the Elvish word for "friend" ("mellon"), and the inscription should in fact be interpreted as "Speak [out loud the word] ''mellon'' [(the Elvish word for ''friend'')], and [you will be able to] enter". See the Wikipedia article {{w|Use–mention distinction}}.
-In this comic, Cueball, White Hat, and Megan reenact the scene, with Cueball taking the role of Gandalf. The doors apparently open off-panel when the password is spoken. White Hat then wonders aloud what the Elvish word for "frenemy" is, and Cueball postulates "mellogoth". This is a {{w|portmanteau}} of "mellon" and "goth", much like how "frenemy" is a portmanteau of "friend" and "enemy". The {{w|Sindarin}} word-root ''coth'', in its {{w|Lenition|lenited}} form ''goth'', is best known as part of the name of {{w|Morgoth}} (literally, "Black Enemy") of the ''{{w|Silmarillion}}''. The doors apparently immediately slam shut the moment Cueball says ''mellogoth''. It is unclear whether this is because the opposite of the password has been spoken, or because the doors take offense to the word/concept ''frenemy'', of which xkcd has previously made fun in [[919: Tween Bromance]].
+In this comic, Cueball, White Hat, and Megan reenact the scene, with Cueball taking the role of Gandalf. The doors apparently open off-panel when the password is spoken. White Hat then wonders aloud what the Elvish word for "frenemy" is, and Cueball postulates "mellogoth". This is a {{w|portmanteau}} of "mellon" and "coth", much like how "frenemy" is a portmanteau of "friend" and "enemy". The {{w|Sindarin}} word-root ''coth'', in its {{w|Lenition|lenited}} form ''goth'', is best known as part of the name of {{w|Morgoth}} (literally, "Black Enemy") of the ''{{w|Silmarillion}}''. The doors apparently immediately slam shut the moment Cueball says ''mellogoth''. It is unclear whether this is because the opposite of the password has been spoken, or because the doors take offense to the word/concept ''frenemy'', of which xkcd has previously made fun in [[919: Tween Bromance]].
 The title text ponders what would occur if the Sirannon, a stream running adjacent to the path leading to the doors, were to be completely blocked with the doors left open. The already partially blocked Sirannon had formed a pool before the doors; which contained some sort of monstrous horror from the depths of the Earth, referred to as the {{w|Watcher in the Water}}. Randall seems to think that the pond draining into the mines would connect the Watcher with another horror within: the {{w|Balrog}} (a high-level servant of Morgoth) living within the depths of the mines. Balrogs are primarily creatures of fire and shadow, so having a bunch of water dumped on it is unlikely to please it but may weaken it. He then goes on to wonder about the outcome of a battle between the two monsters.

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 The comic is based on the ''{{w|Lord of the Rings}}'', specifically a scene from ''{{w|The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring}}'', where the eponymous fellowship is trapped outside the door to the {{w|Moria (Middle-earth)|Mines of Moria}}. There's a spoken password to open the doors, an Elvish inscription on them provides a clue: "Speak friend, and enter". The party leader ({{w|Gandalf}}) initially interprets this to mean that a friend could speak the password and enter. Only after many unsuccessful efforts does Gandalf realize it is actually a very simple riddle: The password is the Elvish word for "friend" ("mellon"), and the inscription should in fact be interpreted as "Speak [out loud the word] ''mellon'' [(the Elvish word for ''friend'')], and [you will be able to] enter". See the Wikipedia article {{w|Use–mention distinction}}.
-In this comic, Cueball, White Hat, and Megan reenact the scene, with Cueball taking the role of Gandalf. The doors apparently open off-panel when the password is spoken. White Hat then wonders aloud what the Elvish word for "frenemy" is, and Cueball postulates "mellogoth". This is a {{w|portmanteau}} of "mellon" and "goth", much like how "frenemy" is a portmanteau of "friend" and "enemy". The Elvish word-root ''goth'' is best known as part of the name of {{w|Morgoth}} (literally, "Black Enemy") of the ''{{w|Silmarillion}}''. The doors apparently immediately slam shut the moment Cueball says ''mellogoth''. It is unclear whether this is because the opposite of the password has been spoken, or because the doors take offense to the word/concept ''frenemy'', of which xkcd has previously made fun in [[919: Tween Bromance]].
+In this comic, Cueball, White Hat, and Megan reenact the scene, with Cueball taking the role of Gandalf. The doors apparently open off-panel when the password is spoken. White Hat then wonders aloud what the Elvish word for "frenemy" is, and Cueball postulates "mellogoth". This is a {{w|portmanteau}} of "mellon" and "goth", much like how "frenemy" is a portmanteau of "friend" and "enemy". The {{w|Sindarin}} word-root ''coth'', in its {{w|Lenition|lenited}} form ''goth'', is best known as part of the name of {{w|Morgoth}} (literally, "Black Enemy") of the ''{{w|Silmarillion}}''. The doors apparently immediately slam shut the moment Cueball says ''mellogoth''. It is unclear whether this is because the opposite of the password has been spoken, or because the doors take offense to the word/concept ''frenemy'', of which xkcd has previously made fun in [[919: Tween Bromance]].
 The title text ponders what would occur if the Sirannon, a stream running adjacent to the path leading to the doors, were to be completely blocked with the doors left open. The already partially blocked Sirannon had formed a pool before the doors; which contained some sort of monstrous horror from the depths of the Earth, referred to as the {{w|Watcher in the Water}}. Randall seems to think that the pond draining into the mines would connect the Watcher with another horror within: the {{w|Balrog}} (a high-level servant of Morgoth) living within the depths of the mines. Balrogs are primarily creatures of fire and shadow, so having a bunch of water dumped on it is unlikely to please it but may weaken it. He then goes on to wonder about the outcome of a battle between the two monsters.