Interesting book

[dreamflower]

I just finished a *very* interesting book about JRRT. It's called "The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary" by Paul Gilliver, Jeremy Marshall and Edmund Weiner.

Review behind cut:

As most of us know, JRRT was one of the people who worked on the OED, beginning right after WWI. The first part of the book is rather technical, dealing with his work there, and explaining how it was all put together. (His first work was on the letter "W".) Nowadays, when one can search for references at the click of a mouse, it's hard to remember the days when trying to find the first time a word was quoted meant physically skimming through book after dusty book, by hand. Their methods, of writing things out in longhand on little slips of paper seems so haphazard, yet it was the only way to do it. It seems to have been work that he really enjoyed. Still, unless you are really *into* that yourself, you may want to skip to the second part of the book.

The *second* half of the book deals with words that are in the OED, directly attributable to JRRT--they may be words he coined, such as "mithril", "eucatastrophe"or "malefit" (that last one means the opposite of "benefit"), words he resurrected from obscurity, such as "ent" or "mathom", and words others coined about him, such as "Tolkienesque" or "Tolkienish". It is truly fascinating to see how his mind worked: most words seemed to have several layers to them--the literal meaning in the way he actually used them, and the various other words and meanings that contributed to them. Some of his words were really puns that no one except another linguist would understand.

By the way, he used the word "dumbledore" long before JKR did--in a version of the poem "Errantry". It *means* "bumblebee", LOL!

At any rate, it was a very enjoyable read, and cast light on another facet of this brilliant man.

Comments

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

Oh - oh!!! That's something bringing forth the linguist in me. I guess I would enjoy both parts. And I hope that one day I will have my very own OED collection (though I would wait for the third edition which should come in the next few years) and not just a simple, paperback (*sobs*) Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

[shirebound]

The *second* half of the book deals with words that are in the OED, directly attributable to JRRT--they may be words he coined, such as "mithril", "eucatastrophe"or "malefit" (that last one means the opposite of "benefit"), words he resurrected from obscurity, such as "ent" or "mathom", and words others coined about him, such as "Tolkienesque" or "Tolkienish".

That's so cool. Thank you for sharing this.

[aspenjules.livejournal.com]

That really *is* fascinating.

I would probably like *best* the part about the words he resurrected from obscurity, because I love old words, the ways their meanings evolved, etc.

Also the bit about the words with several layers calls to me.

Words are such magical things, aren't they? And people who really can manipulate them properly are the ones who make magic with them. Like JRRT.

Thanks so much for sharing!

[dreamflower]

What *I'd* love to see are the parts of the OED that he actually *worked* on--it would be so cool to see the definitions and examples as he came up with them!

[dreamflower]

I'm thoroughtly in love with this book. Keep an eye on fillingcorners because I thought I might post what the book had to say on some of the more interesting "Shire-words" there!

[dreamflower]

It just floors me how much he understood about language and words and meanings--they just don't *make* scholars like him nowadays! But I think it was more than just his philogical training--I think he seemed to understand a lot about how language worked by instinct.

[aspenjules.livejournal.com]

they just don't *make* scholars like him nowadays!

I don't know... maybe they do but we just aren't aware of them. The only reason most of us are aware of JRRT is because he *took* that training and instinct and love for language (that was the root of it I think, or else the instinct and the love worked off each other) and made a timeless piece of art to which we are all drawn because of our own love of language.

I think that more than anything is what binds the LotR fandom together.

[dreamflower]

Well, no, they don't. Sadly, the sort of learning and training he had, which *gave* him the ability to *use* his instinct for language to the utmost is no longer offered by universities. Even schools which still offer courses in the old languages and degrees in philology do not follow the sort of philosophy which was behind the learning that JRRT recieved and taught in his turn. He fought hard for Oxford to retain the syllabus he devised when he had his chair there, but to no avail.

Few young people have the grounding in languages that was common for students in the earlier part of the 20th century. One didn't even get into a university without at least knowing Latin first, and usually Greek as well. Once there, other languages were added if one wanted a degree in English. It's just not done that way anymore.

[aspenjules.livejournal.com]

Good point. *concedes*

Ummm... what exactly *is* philology, by the way?

[elandulin.livejournal.com]

What a neat book! Can't wait to see your further comments and examples.

It really is sad that the kind of knowledge Tolkien spent his whole life learning and teaching and using has pretty much slipped away altogether. Thank heaven he wrote the books--which will serve as gateways to the intracacies of language for many. I love the idea that words had meaning in layers. Very cool!

[periantari.livejournal.com]

That sounds really interesting.. was just reading an essay today about his invention of Elvish languages but obviously, Tolkien as a linguist and working on OED is very interesting as well... would love to hear more about it from you (and perhaps buy it too) ;) (is it available on Amazon?)

[dreamflower]

Basically the study of words and where they came from--their origins, and so forth. JRRT was part of the "old school" philologists who thought that it was an essential part of the study of literature. He was also of the opinion that mythology had more to do with word origins than most people thought.

[dreamflower]

It really is neat!

It's a shame that universities have moved away from the idea that one is educating people to be well-rounded and learned, and more to specializations and "practical" and "technical" learning. You get people who know computers or accounting or medicine, and don't have a clue about history or literature.

[dreamflower]

I got the book at the library, but here's the info:


"The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary" by Paul Gilliver, Jeremy Marshall and Edmund Weiner Oxford University Press: 2006

[elandulin.livejournal.com]

We'll all end up being like the secret society in Farenheit 451, that hides the books and keeps ideas alive, while money corrupts the world.... :)

[dreamflower]

Oh, and here's the ISBN--
ISBN 0-19-861069-6

[dreamflower]

*That* is one of the world's scariest books ever written. The first time I read it, I was so upset, and the movie actually gave me nightmares.

[just-ann-now.livejournal.com]

Wandering by from friends-of-friends *waves cheerily*

mrkinch and lady_branwyn have both read that book! mrkinch gave it such an enthusiastic review that I sent it as a birthday gift to lady_branwyn.

[claudia603.livejournal.com]

This sounds awesome! I am fascinated with linguistical things like this! :-)

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

I read your post in "Filling up corners" about this book and I have just ordered a copy from Amazon. They carry it and they have both new and used copies for sale. (They also have more of my money. I couldn't resist.) But new books are NEVER a waste of money! Who knows, I might learn something. It could happen.

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

That does sound like an interesting book and makes me admire the Professor even more for his meticulous and thorough work on everything he did!

[dreamflower]

It really is a fascinating book. I hope to someday get my own copy.

[dreamflower]

It really is very interesting. I'm posting some info about some of the "Shire-words" over at fillingcorners.

[dreamflower]

No, books are never a waste! I usually plunder the library first though--only if I like it well enough, I'll try to get my own copy. This is definitely one of them.

[dreamflower]

He was such a multi-faceted person, with his fingers in so many pies. Yet he seems also to have been very caring and thoughtful as well. I wish I could have met him.

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

Well, Amazon has it. They have one less than they did before because I ordered it but they do have it!

[pippinfan1.livejournal.com]

I find that sort of stuff interesting! I watch the "Behind the Scenes" of the LOTR DVDs as much as I've watched the actual movies, if not more. I see some other JRRT books have been making their entry into the world recently, so I believe my next paycheck has an appointment with Amazon.com, lol. Thanks for the rec.