Inside Language

by Ross Smith

Tolkien's views on language, though never published as a formalised theory, were in some aspects rather 'heretic' (to use Tom Shippey's term) and seemed to fly into the face of 'established' linguistic theory - most notably his conception of 'native (hereditary) language' and, related to it, the idea of 'linguistic aesthetic' and 'phonetic fitness'. Unfortunately, this aspect of Tolkien's linguistic work has, as yet, not received the attention it deserves and Ross Smith is one of the first Tolkien scholars to investigate the question of Tolkien's position on language vis-a-vis the then (and even now) dominant tenet(s) in some depth.This is a second, revised edition.

Genres: Linguistics

194 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2007

Reviews

[Juan Pinto]

As a fairly in-depth introduction into what Ross calls Tolkien's philosophy of language, it was perfectly executed. A great way to get into the mind of the man behind some of the 20th century's greatest literature. I especially liked understanding Tolkien's point of view within the context of his time period. The way he stood strong by his beliefs of linguistic aesthetics and argued against the leading trends that continue to this day revealed a true philologist at heart.

I don't recommend it for those looking for nothing more than an introduction into Tolkien's created languages, but it is a must for those who want to see the world from the eyes of this true "lover of words."