That's a really interesting point Neyasha, that the LotR translation seems to work. Like Aeshnidae says, those German names already begin to evoke a particular feeling. I've read The Hobbit translated into Irish and I felt the same way about that translation.

You also make the point well about the importance of feeling, Azélor (especially by using the terrible example of Port Réal ). The Irish version of The Hobbit is translated to An Hobad (pronounced on hob-ad) and honestly, this feels perfect straight away!

Another really good example is how the name Hobbiton is translated. Hobbiton is I guess, a contraction of Hobbit Town. So this translates directly into Baile na Hobad, Town of the Hobbits. It suits the tone perfectly as it brings to mind (to my Irish mind at least) an image of a small provincial town, a countryside village or similar. It's perfectly in tune with the tone of the book!

An interesting aside is that if Baile na Hobad was to be anglicised it wouldn't become Hobbiton. It would turn into Ballyhobbad or something along those lines And funnily enough, that sounds right to me, too