Oliphaunts

Oliphaunts

In the tongue of the Haradrim, oliphants were known as mûmakil (singular mûmak); this word was adopted by the Men of Gondor. In Sindarin, the beast was known as the Annabon, or "long-snout". Oliphant/olifant/olifaunt had been archaic words for elephant and their ivory. The most famous use of the oliphant (as in horn) is in The Song of Roland "The oliphant is set to Roland's Lips"; Roland fails to call for help at the Battle of Roncevaux in 778 until it is too late for him and his comrades. Oliphant in English is derived from Old French olifant and Old English olfend from Old High German _olbenta'_camel'. The word "oliphaunt" was only used by Hobbits. Gandalf mentions elephants once in The Hobbit so perhaps "oliphaunt" is a Hobbitish corruption of this original word. But whether these two creatures are the same cannot be said with certainty.