American Readers(and others too)

[Morsul the Dark]

Perhaps it is only because I live n Rhode Island but when Reading TH for the first time I was amazed at how many "cakes" the dwarves ate because I pictured a cake as a birthday cake not a (as Im assuming was meant) a biscuit did anyone else due to dialects misinterpret something as funny or unusual?

I put this here because although about the books it is a not serious

[Lalwendë]

I thought a biscuit in the US was something you poured gravy on (we pour it on chips, but then your chips aren't big chunky greasy yet strangely tasty things are they?....). What the dwarves ate would I suppose be equivalent to cup cakes in the US? Like birthday cake, but about small enough to put in your mouth all in one go. (I hasten to add, you would only put them in your mouth in one go if you were trying to snaffle them before your mother catches you stealing from the pantry.)

[Shelob]

Morsul The Dark

when Reading TH for the first time I was amazed at how many "cakes" the dwarves ate because I pictured a cake as a birthday cake not a (as Im assuming was meant) a biscuit

I assumed that by 'cake' it ment something which was easy to pack, lasted long, and was generally usefull in that sense (I can picture it but not describe it, sorry...though I guess an american biscuit would be close...maybe more of a scone in terms of texture) I just kind of ruled out stuff like birthday cakes because it would be really crumbly and therefore not much use for traveling or anything as well as being rather a strange thing to eat on a regular basis...

Lalwendë

I thought a biscuit in the US was something you poured gravy on (we pour it on chips, but then your chips aren't big chunky greasy yet strangely tasty things are they?....).

After much thought, and trying to sort out in my ever-confused-mind the american definition of 'biscuit' yes, american biscuits are something eaten with a meal (I'm used to eating them with soups and stews but one could easily pour gravy on them). As to the chip thing British Chips are like American French Fries (not thin little McDonalds ones, but thicker like steak fries...) and an American Chips are like British Crisps (though we've nothing nearly as cool as Walkers Crisps).

Morsul The Dark

did anyone else due to dialects misinterpret something as funny or unusual?

I can't say that I ever have, I mean I probably have, I just can't think of it now. I do have to Thank You though Morsul the Dark, Now I'll forever have the image of the Dwarves sitting around eating birthday cake after birthday cake in my mind.

[mark12_30]

Well, maybe not birthday cakes, but you know, pound cakes or so. Yeah, great big things. I just figured Tolkien was showing what massive appetites dwarves had. They ate Bilbo out of house and home.

But that was a good thing, becaues if they hadn't, hen while Bilbo was away the Bag End pantries would have sat and festered for two YEARS eeeeeewwwwww.

[Nimrodel_9]

What the dwarves ate would I suppose be equivalent to cup cakes in the US? Like birthday cake, but about small enough to put in your mouth all in one go. (I hasten to add, you would only put them in your mouth in one go if you were trying to snaffle them before your mother catches you stealing from the pantry.)

Me, steal a cupcake before my mother catches me? Never....

Can't say that I thought of it being a whole birthday cake! More of a cupcake. Let us hope so! Ouch! My tummy would hurt if I ate a whole cake! Hmmm... I'll have to add that to my to do list.

[AbercrombieOfRohan]

maybe it was a wedding cake.... (even more enjoyable to think about dwarves carrying around)

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Originally Posted by Morsul the Dark

Perhaps it is only because I live n Rhode Island but when Reading TH for the first time I was amazed at how many "cakes" the dwarves ate because I pictured a cake as a birthday cake not a (as Im assuming was meant) a biscuit did anyone else due to dialects misinterpret something as funny or unusual?

I put this here because although about the books it is a not serious

Here (in Denmark) birthday cakes are not necessarily the norm, so I always assumed it was a cake of a more moderate size (like pastry or a custard pie). I was however thrown of by the outlandish nature of the cakes, one was translated as a "cumin cake" which I thought sounded dreadful.