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The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary
Tolkien's first job, on returning home from World War I, was as an assistant on the staff of the OED . He later said that he had "learned more in those two years than in any other equal part of his life." The Ring of Words reveals how his professional work on the Oxford English Dictionary
influenced Tolkien's creative use of language in his fictional world.
Here three senior editors of the OED offer an intriguing exploration of Tolkien's career as a lexicographer and illuminate his creativity as a word user and word creator. The centerpiece of the book is a wonderful collection of "word studies" which will delight the heart of Ring fans and word
lovers everywhere. The editors look at the origin of such Tolkienesque words as "hobbit," "mithril, "Smeagol," "Ent," "halfling," and "worm" (meaning "dragon"). Readers discover that a word such as "mathom" (anything a hobbit had no immediate use for, but was unwilling to throw away) was actually
common in Old English, but that "Mithril," on the other hand, is a complete invention (and the first "Elven" word to have an entry in the OED). And fans of Harry Potter will be surprised to find that "Dumbledore" (the name of Hogwart's headmaster) was a word used by Tolkien and many others (it is a
dialect word meaning "bumblebee").
Few novelists have found so much of their creative inspiration in the shapes and histories of words. Presenting archival material not found anywhere else, The Ring of Words offers a fresh and unexplored angle on the literary achievements of one of the world's most famous and best-loved
writers.
influenced Tolkien's creative use of language in his fictional world.
Here three senior editors of the OED offer an intriguing exploration of Tolkien's career as a lexicographer and illuminate his creativity as a word user and word creator. The centerpiece of the book is a wonderful collection of "word studies" which will delight the heart of Ring fans and word
lovers everywhere. The editors look at the origin of such Tolkienesque words as "hobbit," "mithril, "Smeagol," "Ent," "halfling," and "worm" (meaning "dragon"). Readers discover that a word such as "mathom" (anything a hobbit had no immediate use for, but was unwilling to throw away) was actually
common in Old English, but that "Mithril," on the other hand, is a complete invention (and the first "Elven" word to have an entry in the OED). And fans of Harry Potter will be surprised to find that "Dumbledore" (the name of Hogwart's headmaster) was a word used by Tolkien and many others (it is a
dialect word meaning "bumblebee").
Few novelists have found so much of their creative inspiration in the shapes and histories of words. Presenting archival material not found anywhere else, The Ring of Words offers a fresh and unexplored angle on the literary achievements of one of the world's most famous and best-loved
writers.
234 pages, Hardcover
First published April 27, 2006
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1414 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 31, 2013
I was fascinated by the story of Tolkien's involvement with the OED but I was blown away by the section explaining how Tolkien chose and formed so many of the words in his writings - I didn't think it possible but my respect for him as a writer and academic has measureably deepened after reading this and so this book, although a little light in places, is a five star for me; the man was in complete control of every single choice he made as a writer, even down to the level of which particular etymological route his words should follow. Pure genius.
November 10, 2019
A lovely entrée into Tolkien's time at the OED, his verbarian exploits in Middle-earth, and his legacy in the English language.
On the word ent, Tolkien wrote: "As usually with me they grew rather out of their name than the other way about." (119) If ever there was a whole mythology built on words alone, it is Middle-earth. The lengthiest section in The Ring of Words is word studies on Tolkienian coinages and usages, peering at words like attercop and Shelob, eucatastrophe, and eleventy-one, in addition to the classics like hobbit, elf, and oliphaunt. I appreciated that the word study section covered all of Tolkien's work, not just Middle-earth.
If you're not a word nerd, this book may seem pedantic. Get out your etymological shovel to scoop up Old English, Anglo-Saxon, and Germanic word history, uncovering roots and stems of all kinds of words. The Ring of Words a great reference if you've ever wondered exactly what a word means in the context of The Lord of the Rings. I'm enlightened by knowing exactly why Tolkien chose hobbit, why he grudgingly used elf (boy, did he change that word's connotation forever), and why his evocative place names sound foreign and familiar. Tolkien retooled quite a few ancient terms, cobbled others together, and rarely stitched up his own words without some sort of material from older languages.
The co-authors all work at the OED (according to the sleeve), and this is as much a love letter to those venerable volumes as it is a legendarium of Tolkien's wordcrafting escapades.
On the word ent, Tolkien wrote: "As usually with me they grew rather out of their name than the other way about." (119) If ever there was a whole mythology built on words alone, it is Middle-earth. The lengthiest section in The Ring of Words is word studies on Tolkienian coinages and usages, peering at words like attercop and Shelob, eucatastrophe, and eleventy-one, in addition to the classics like hobbit, elf, and oliphaunt. I appreciated that the word study section covered all of Tolkien's work, not just Middle-earth.
If you're not a word nerd, this book may seem pedantic. Get out your etymological shovel to scoop up Old English, Anglo-Saxon, and Germanic word history, uncovering roots and stems of all kinds of words. The Ring of Words a great reference if you've ever wondered exactly what a word means in the context of The Lord of the Rings. I'm enlightened by knowing exactly why Tolkien chose hobbit, why he grudgingly used elf (boy, did he change that word's connotation forever), and why his evocative place names sound foreign and familiar. Tolkien retooled quite a few ancient terms, cobbled others together, and rarely stitched up his own words without some sort of material from older languages.
The co-authors all work at the OED (according to the sleeve), and this is as much a love letter to those venerable volumes as it is a legendarium of Tolkien's wordcrafting escapades.
April 17, 2024
“Writers have been borrowing words from their predecessors for centuries.”
The intersection of Middle Earth and the love of words. Who could want more? (Other folks maybe, but not me.) The best non-fiction I’ve read in years. No, it’s not that well written, but it’s exhaustively researched.
“Within fantasy literature, Tolkien’s coinages and distinctive uses can be found everywhere.”
Before the internet, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) was heaven for word lovers to noodle around in. Tolkien worked on the first edition in his first job after World War I.
“Lore-master evidently fills a gap, and has apparently made its way out beyond the restricted context of fantasy into general use.”
While the sections on Tolkien’s work on the OED are interesting, the Word Studies are my favorite. Amazing and gratifying to see that Tolkien didn’t just invent words: he researched them. In essence he built an etymology for each word, as if it had developed on its own without his midwifing it. Given his day job, it’s no surprise most sprouted from the rich loam of the Anglo-Saxon languages. (“Middle-earth,” for example, is derived via Middle English middel-erthe, middel-erd from middangeard, an Anglo-Saxon cognate of Old Norse Miðgarðr, the land inhabited by humans in Norse mythology.)
“The English language has begun the process of assimilating Tolkien’s personal word-hoard. And the OED will continue to record this record.”
The intersection of Middle Earth and the love of words. Who could want more? (Other folks maybe, but not me.) The best non-fiction I’ve read in years. No, it’s not that well written, but it’s exhaustively researched.
“Within fantasy literature, Tolkien’s coinages and distinctive uses can be found everywhere.”
Before the internet, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) was heaven for word lovers to noodle around in. Tolkien worked on the first edition in his first job after World War I.
“Lore-master evidently fills a gap, and has apparently made its way out beyond the restricted context of fantasy into general use.”
While the sections on Tolkien’s work on the OED are interesting, the Word Studies are my favorite. Amazing and gratifying to see that Tolkien didn’t just invent words: he researched them. In essence he built an etymology for each word, as if it had developed on its own without his midwifing it. Given his day job, it’s no surprise most sprouted from the rich loam of the Anglo-Saxon languages. (“Middle-earth,” for example, is derived via Middle English middel-erthe, middel-erd from middangeard, an Anglo-Saxon cognate of Old Norse Miðgarðr, the land inhabited by humans in Norse mythology.)
“The English language has begun the process of assimilating Tolkien’s personal word-hoard. And the OED will continue to record this record.”
September 17, 2017
While this book was slightly difficult to actually read as one coherent text, I still see a tremendous value in this book. Peter Gilliver has dug into the works of Tolkien, unearthing every individual word to find it's character. While the first two sections are dedicated to understanding Tolkien and the importance of his philology, the rest of the text takes the time to find the origin of every unusual phrase and word. What this does is contextualize and influence the Lord of the Rings and the universe it's connected to. Some might argue this lessens Tolkien's aura by demonstrating a lack of originality, but I would argue against this. Gilliver's book demonstrates Tolkien as a great author because great authors reimagine the world and reality.
While not entirely original, The Lord of the Rings is a reimagining of language and linguistics to create new cultures out of words and ideas that had been long abandoned or ignored before Tolkien found them. The Ring of Words is a great boon to Tolkien fans, because it affirms what we all knew which was that the "Old Professor" was creating something out something which had come before.
While not entirely original, The Lord of the Rings is a reimagining of language and linguistics to create new cultures out of words and ideas that had been long abandoned or ignored before Tolkien found them. The Ring of Words is a great boon to Tolkien fans, because it affirms what we all knew which was that the "Old Professor" was creating something out something which had come before.
October 1, 2014
This is an important book because language-- the study of words, the inventing of language, the art of grammar-- was of supreme interest to Tolkien. The Ring of Words gives reliable insider information about Tolkien's work on the OED. It sheds light on how he changed that great book, and how that great book changed him. I doubt that wordsmiths and linguists will find this book particularly satisfying. But people who love Tolkien really need to know this stuff.
December 28, 2015
An excellent little book for any fan of Tolkien. I picked it up as I was taking a major authors seminar on Tolkien and thought it might help. It didn't really, but it was interesting, so after the end of the semester I decided to finish it. The first two sections deal with Tolkien's history working on the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and how it lead him to form his fictional world. The third section was the most interesting for me as it dealt with specific words and how Tolkien created or repurposed them. This is best read after reading Tolkien's major works: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Plus, reading Tolkien's essays "Tolkien: the Monsters and the Critics" and "On Fairy-Stories" as well as Beowulf would enhance the experience, but these aren't essential.
July 4, 2017
The first half of this book, detailing Tolkien's work as a lexicographer is, by its arcane subject, barely in reach of my brain and, I hate to admit, a bit of a slog.
What I enjoyed the most were the word studies, words Tolkien invented or appropriated in his writing. It was a joyous stroll through a literary wonderland.
I treasure and stockpile be- prefix words. The inside cover of the last five journals I've filled is covered with these gems. I was ecstatic to read about Tolkien's neologism bebother, along with this explanation: This use of the prefix be- adds the meaning 'thoroughly' to the word to which it is prefixed, so this means 'thoroughly bother.'
I nodded with appreciation: An etymology can truly be the unlocking of a word-hoard.
I recommend this for any friend of Tolkien's writing who is also a word bird.
What I enjoyed the most were the word studies, words Tolkien invented or appropriated in his writing. It was a joyous stroll through a literary wonderland.
I treasure and stockpile be- prefix words. The inside cover of the last five journals I've filled is covered with these gems. I was ecstatic to read about Tolkien's neologism bebother, along with this explanation: This use of the prefix be- adds the meaning 'thoroughly' to the word to which it is prefixed, so this means 'thoroughly bother.'
I nodded with appreciation: An etymology can truly be the unlocking of a word-hoard.
I recommend this for any friend of Tolkien's writing who is also a word bird.
May 24, 2010
An enjoyable book overall. The section on Tolkien's work on the OED was a bit dry, but the glossary/dictionary section of the book was fascinating on how Tolkien took Old english and Middle English words and incorporated them into the LOTR, The Hobbit, and other works.
December 4, 2011
A lovely piece of word-nerdery, no doubt even more enjoyable if you're big into Tolkien. I'm a casual fan, having read The Hobbit twice and The Lord of the Rings books just once. I still really liked The Ring of Words, though I can imagine it being even better if you recognize all the names and terms without explanation.
The first section was about Tolkien's time on the OED staff. I have to admit this wasn't nearly as exciting as I'd hoped it would be, especially after having read The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. There wasn't much action, just brief descriptions of the specific entries Tolkien worked on. The photos of the definition slips, where you can see drafts of Tolkien's definitions in his own handwriting, were pretty cool though.
The second section was much more interesting. It described the creative aspects of philology and gave some insight as to how Tolkien's work uncovering word origins and histories inspired elements of his stories. Where the real histories of words ended, Tolkien's imagination often continued. This is how the Ents were born, for example.
The third section was the most fun: a collection of terms from Tolkien's works, alphabetically arranged, each with anecdotes about their origins and how Tolkien may have encountered them, invented them, or transformed their modern use through his work. It's strange to think that certain words common now had nearly died out until they cropped up in a piece of popular literature. This book mentions that the word "warlock," for example, was nearly dead until it appeared in a Sir Walter Scott poem. Tolkien did the same for quite a few words commonly associated with the fantasy genre. Some of his interpretations and inventions are now considered standard. Some of his original terms and names have unexpected dimensions, as well. My favorite entry was on the origins of "Smeagol" and "Deagol." I won't spoil it... :)
The first section was about Tolkien's time on the OED staff. I have to admit this wasn't nearly as exciting as I'd hoped it would be, especially after having read The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. There wasn't much action, just brief descriptions of the specific entries Tolkien worked on. The photos of the definition slips, where you can see drafts of Tolkien's definitions in his own handwriting, were pretty cool though.
The second section was much more interesting. It described the creative aspects of philology and gave some insight as to how Tolkien's work uncovering word origins and histories inspired elements of his stories. Where the real histories of words ended, Tolkien's imagination often continued. This is how the Ents were born, for example.
The third section was the most fun: a collection of terms from Tolkien's works, alphabetically arranged, each with anecdotes about their origins and how Tolkien may have encountered them, invented them, or transformed their modern use through his work. It's strange to think that certain words common now had nearly died out until they cropped up in a piece of popular literature. This book mentions that the word "warlock," for example, was nearly dead until it appeared in a Sir Walter Scott poem. Tolkien did the same for quite a few words commonly associated with the fantasy genre. Some of his interpretations and inventions are now considered standard. Some of his original terms and names have unexpected dimensions, as well. My favorite entry was on the origins of "Smeagol" and "Deagol." I won't spoil it... :)
February 17, 2009
In the reference section of our library is an amazing "dictionary" that is an incredible treasure-trove of delights for word lovers: The Oxford English Dictionary. So unlike the usual "desk dictionary"! The twenty-plus volumes of the Oxford delve into Words: every nuance of meaning, origin, and first noted use in English literature. The Oxford has been a work in progress for decades--and believe it or not, writing for the Oxford was young Tolkien's first job out of the army!
If this fact thrills you to the bone--if you want to see the list of every word that Tolkien worked on--if you find it wonderful that many of the Middle-earthy words that Tolkien later coined have made their way into subsequent editions of the dictionary--then snuggle up with The Ring of Words!!! (Those who know me realize that this is Me. Thanks, Jeff & Sarah for the Christmas gift!)
I would highly recommend a general Tolkien biography, as well as an in-depth acquaintance with the Lord of the Rings before beginning. However, for those who are mostly interested in philology and dictionaries in general (are there any others out there?), there is also much to learn about how they are organized and researched.
And here's an interesting note: fantasy writers often consult the Oxford English Dictionary when creating the semi-authentic archaic dialogue that high fantasy seems to require.
If this fact thrills you to the bone--if you want to see the list of every word that Tolkien worked on--if you find it wonderful that many of the Middle-earthy words that Tolkien later coined have made their way into subsequent editions of the dictionary--then snuggle up with The Ring of Words!!! (Those who know me realize that this is Me. Thanks, Jeff & Sarah for the Christmas gift!)
I would highly recommend a general Tolkien biography, as well as an in-depth acquaintance with the Lord of the Rings before beginning. However, for those who are mostly interested in philology and dictionaries in general (are there any others out there?), there is also much to learn about how they are organized and researched.
And here's an interesting note: fantasy writers often consult the Oxford English Dictionary when creating the semi-authentic archaic dialogue that high fantasy seems to require.
December 31, 2016
This book has two parts, and each deserves its own review.
The first part is a history/biography of Tolkien's time at the Oxford English Dictionary. He was assigned words that began with 'W' (e.g. waggle, wain, waistcoat, wake, wallop, wan, warm, and so on). I've never really paid much attention to the OED, but it seems like it's a fascinating place to get lost for hours or days or for a lifetime.
The second part is a collection of the words that Tolkien used/resurrected/redefined through his literature. It took me until now to realize that part of the wonder of Tolkien's work is that it has this ancient and archaic mood, not just from the songs and legends, but from the actually usage of words.
Along with the usual and expected words like halflings, hobbits, oliphaunt, elves, ents, dwarves, orcs, and so on, there are some amazing word choices and word usage that this book shines a light on.
"Confusticate and bebother those dwarves!"
"...eleventy-one..." (also, did you know that eleventeen means 21?)
Everyone should look up a Tolkien's discussion of the word eucatastrpohe from his "On Fairy Stories."
Here are some more: ninny-hammer, kingsfoil, staggerment, amidmost, sister-son, unlight, waybread, wight, dwimmerlaik, and dumbledore (that last one is another name for a bumblebee!).
The first part is a history/biography of Tolkien's time at the Oxford English Dictionary. He was assigned words that began with 'W' (e.g. waggle, wain, waistcoat, wake, wallop, wan, warm, and so on). I've never really paid much attention to the OED, but it seems like it's a fascinating place to get lost for hours or days or for a lifetime.
The second part is a collection of the words that Tolkien used/resurrected/redefined through his literature. It took me until now to realize that part of the wonder of Tolkien's work is that it has this ancient and archaic mood, not just from the songs and legends, but from the actually usage of words.
Along with the usual and expected words like halflings, hobbits, oliphaunt, elves, ents, dwarves, orcs, and so on, there are some amazing word choices and word usage that this book shines a light on.
"Confusticate and bebother those dwarves!"
"...eleventy-one..." (also, did you know that eleventeen means 21?)
Everyone should look up a Tolkien's discussion of the word eucatastrpohe from his "On Fairy Stories."
Here are some more: ninny-hammer, kingsfoil, staggerment, amidmost, sister-son, unlight, waybread, wight, dwimmerlaik, and dumbledore (that last one is another name for a bumblebee!).
January 19, 2011
This book is exactly what I wanted it to be. After giving a brief summary of Tolkien's time as an assistant on the OED, the book spends a majority of its pages on the word studies; a pleasingly varied mix of words Tolkien coined, revived after long disuse, or used in unconventional ways. The insightful analysis was largely academic in nature, but shed light on new layers of meaning in Tolkien's works, the major as well as the minor.
I was left with a much better appreciation for the magnitude of Tolkien's skill in crafting with words and reflecting on the huge impact his writing has had on the English language. This is a real treat for a Tolkien fan who wants to glimpse deeper shades of meaning and the deep linguistic roots in his work.
I was left with a much better appreciation for the magnitude of Tolkien's skill in crafting with words and reflecting on the huge impact his writing has had on the English language. This is a real treat for a Tolkien fan who wants to glimpse deeper shades of meaning and the deep linguistic roots in his work.
October 26, 2009
I think anyone who really, really enjoys word histories will like this book just fine, but it doesn't really talk about his time at the OED so much as how that time influenced the development of his languages for LOTR.
January 27, 2013
I ws close to giving a four to this book. As a long time die hard Tolkien fan, I realy enjyed the book. But it is definitely a niche interest. I thught the word etymologies were pretty neat.
August 15, 2020
Would this book appeal to everyone? Absolutely not. But for the Tolkien enthusiasts (of which I count myself one) or enthusiastic philologists, this is a worthwhile read.
I found the first third of this book the most interesting, covering Tolkien's time working for the OED, and the way both this and his passion for philology shaped his later writing. The remainder of the book is more of an extended glossary, going through terms and names used by Tolkien in his work. I feel that section is more dip-in format, but there are some gems, like finding out Shelob essentially means female spider, and that Smeagol means inquisitive. It was also fascinating that he regretted using the word 'elf' for the race of warriors and poets, but felt it was too much to change after The Hobbit had been published, whereas he did think predominantly swapping out goblins for orcs after The Hobbit was worthwhile. Really top stuff.
Essentially, this book cemented what I already knew; Tolkien was a massive nerd. Maybe the alpha, the all-time big swinging di*k when it came to geeking out on words and creating languages. The admiration in the authors when they describe how accurately he created languages, with plausible etymology and word constructions, really makes you appreciate what he did.
Did I enjoy this book? You bet. I came across it when I was looking for a copy of the Silmarillion. It was only then that I realised the amount of books not just written by Tolkien, but about him. And it is on to another one of those next. RIDE NOW!
I found the first third of this book the most interesting, covering Tolkien's time working for the OED, and the way both this and his passion for philology shaped his later writing. The remainder of the book is more of an extended glossary, going through terms and names used by Tolkien in his work. I feel that section is more dip-in format, but there are some gems, like finding out Shelob essentially means female spider, and that Smeagol means inquisitive. It was also fascinating that he regretted using the word 'elf' for the race of warriors and poets, but felt it was too much to change after The Hobbit had been published, whereas he did think predominantly swapping out goblins for orcs after The Hobbit was worthwhile. Really top stuff.
Essentially, this book cemented what I already knew; Tolkien was a massive nerd. Maybe the alpha, the all-time big swinging di*k when it came to geeking out on words and creating languages. The admiration in the authors when they describe how accurately he created languages, with plausible etymology and word constructions, really makes you appreciate what he did.
Did I enjoy this book? You bet. I came across it when I was looking for a copy of the Silmarillion. It was only then that I realised the amount of books not just written by Tolkien, but about him. And it is on to another one of those next. RIDE NOW!
February 20, 2023
1) I am reading so many books right now, I'm not sure how many I'm reading (some have been on the back burner for months).
2) This book was awesome. Not only does it trace Tolkien's actual interactions with the OED text as a writer/contributor, but it then includes an extended appendix of word studies of Tolkien's vocabulary. If you've ever wondered why the Hobbit's call anything they simply must keep but have no use for a "mathom," then this is the book to turn to.
2) This book was awesome. Not only does it trace Tolkien's actual interactions with the OED text as a writer/contributor, but it then includes an extended appendix of word studies of Tolkien's vocabulary. If you've ever wondered why the Hobbit's call anything they simply must keep but have no use for a "mathom," then this is the book to turn to.
did-not-finish
May 12, 2023Very interesting read. Knowing now how much of an etymology nerd Tolkien was, made him immediately more likeable for me (because same!!). However, this book is more of a reference book and I couldn’t retain any of the information after reading it.
April 17, 2018
A fascinating look at Tolkien's time working for the OED, work that paid dividends when it came to writing his legendarium. The word studies of the archaic and invented words Tolkien used are a delight to anyone with an interest in the English language and it's history.
December 27, 2008
This is the first book I've checked out from the library in I don't know how long. A very long time. Our wireless high speed internet was not working at home - I think they must have been doing maintenance on the closest cell tower - and when I called to complain the helpful technician suggested I download a patch to update the laptop, etc, etc, anyway, I needed a place away from home to park myself for the download.
The outlets were taken at the Starbucks down on Mass., so I headed to library. The download was going to take about 45 minutes and I quickly finished the book I brought. Looking around I spotted this on the closest table. One of my greatest desires (sorry Melissa) is to posses the OED, all twenty some volumes. It is my sports car, golf game, midlife crisis, whatever. I want one, all twenty plus volumes of conspicuous word consumption.
The stories of the bearded oddballs that wrote the thing are always fascinating. I'm looking forward to reading this.
SNIP
The authors are all editors at the OED. The first half of the book or so detail Tolkien's work at the OED after WWI. He worked on some of the 'W' words (wain, waggle, warm, waistcoat, wake, wallop, wan, wold...)
The second half is a list of words Tolkien coined or popularized in his letters and work, mostly The Lord of the Rings .
My favorites:
confusticate:v, to confuse
eucatastrophe: n, a sudden, happy turn of events, as in a story
---apparently catastrophe historically signified only a large, sudden event, and then in the 18th Century switched to being wholly negative--
fey: adj, fated to die; doomed; being in unnaturally high spirits before death
malefit: n, implied antonym of benefit (think gruntled and disgruntled).
misology: n, hatred of knowledge and reason
philology: n, love of learning and literature
staggerment: n, astonishment
A fun read, I love taking words seriously as ends to themselves.
The outlets were taken at the Starbucks down on Mass., so I headed to library. The download was going to take about 45 minutes and I quickly finished the book I brought. Looking around I spotted this on the closest table. One of my greatest desires (sorry Melissa) is to posses the OED, all twenty some volumes. It is my sports car, golf game, midlife crisis, whatever. I want one, all twenty plus volumes of conspicuous word consumption.
The stories of the bearded oddballs that wrote the thing are always fascinating. I'm looking forward to reading this.
SNIP
The authors are all editors at the OED. The first half of the book or so detail Tolkien's work at the OED after WWI. He worked on some of the 'W' words (wain, waggle, warm, waistcoat, wake, wallop, wan, wold...)
The second half is a list of words Tolkien coined or popularized in his letters and work, mostly The Lord of the Rings .
My favorites:
confusticate:v, to confuse
eucatastrophe: n, a sudden, happy turn of events, as in a story
---apparently catastrophe historically signified only a large, sudden event, and then in the 18th Century switched to being wholly negative--
fey: adj, fated to die; doomed; being in unnaturally high spirits before death
malefit: n, implied antonym of benefit (think gruntled and disgruntled).
misology: n, hatred of knowledge and reason
philology: n, love of learning and literature
staggerment: n, astonishment
A fun read, I love taking words seriously as ends to themselves.
August 14, 2010
Fun Facts:
It mentions that Tolkien had the Ents march on Sarumon because he decided he wanted to have a story in which a forest went to war after reading Macbeth and being disappointed that Birnam wood didn't *really* march to Dunsinanae hill.
In the late 1700s, there was a revival in medievel romances and epics and folklore. Since many of these works were written in ancient or local dialects, there was an increase in philology p64
Word Studies:
attercop dialect for spider, atter poison, coppa (cop, cob) spider
cobweb spiderweb, Shelob female spider
bee-hunter: bear, Beowolf possibly wolf (enemy) of bee aka bear
dern to conceal Dernhelm Eowyn's disguise
dumbledore: dialect word for bumblebee
eleventy-one old english, follows hundred with elevnty (endlufontig) and twelfty (twelftig). in the old system counting was in 12's. a great or long hundred was 120. so things were measured in a gross ( 12 dozen)
ent: giant old english
eored: eoh old english horse rad riding
glede: old English (related to glow) coal
hemlock: regional English group of plants including Queen Anne's Lace, cow parsley,
hobbit: holbytla old English bytla builder, imaginary entymology by Tolkien
kingsfoil: foil leaf (trefoil, milfoil is yarrow, caprifoil is honeysuckle)
mathom: old english something valuable, treasure
middle earth: land between two seas, land between heaven and hell
deagol old english secret (Old English -ol adj ending, modern english is -le, ficol to fickle
tweens: portmanteau word: blending of teen and 'tween (between) or twenties. between was originally "by seas twain" meaning "in the whole world"
smeagol: old english secretive
waybread: folkname for plantain a broad leved plant, bread related to broad, Tolkien used the word as way and bread (len way bas bread). one possible interpretation is to link it with viaticum (consecreated Eucharist given to a person who is dying or in danger od dying.) which means "provision for a journey"
It mentions that Tolkien had the Ents march on Sarumon because he decided he wanted to have a story in which a forest went to war after reading Macbeth and being disappointed that Birnam wood didn't *really* march to Dunsinanae hill.
In the late 1700s, there was a revival in medievel romances and epics and folklore. Since many of these works were written in ancient or local dialects, there was an increase in philology p64
Word Studies:
attercop dialect for spider, atter poison, coppa (cop, cob) spider
cobweb spiderweb, Shelob female spider
bee-hunter: bear, Beowolf possibly wolf (enemy) of bee aka bear
dern to conceal Dernhelm Eowyn's disguise
dumbledore: dialect word for bumblebee
eleventy-one old english, follows hundred with elevnty (endlufontig) and twelfty (twelftig). in the old system counting was in 12's. a great or long hundred was 120. so things were measured in a gross ( 12 dozen)
ent: giant old english
eored: eoh old english horse rad riding
glede: old English (related to glow) coal
hemlock: regional English group of plants including Queen Anne's Lace, cow parsley,
hobbit: holbytla old English bytla builder, imaginary entymology by Tolkien
kingsfoil: foil leaf (trefoil, milfoil is yarrow, caprifoil is honeysuckle)
mathom: old english something valuable, treasure
middle earth: land between two seas, land between heaven and hell
deagol old english secret (Old English -ol adj ending, modern english is -le, ficol to fickle
tweens: portmanteau word: blending of teen and 'tween (between) or twenties. between was originally "by seas twain" meaning "in the whole world"
smeagol: old english secretive
waybread: folkname for plantain a broad leved plant, bread related to broad, Tolkien used the word as way and bread (len way bas bread). one possible interpretation is to link it with viaticum (consecreated Eucharist given to a person who is dying or in danger od dying.) which means "provision for a journey"
May 28, 2011
A very readable exploration of Tolkien's acquisition of linguistic expertise and how he applied this in his creative works.
The three authors of this small book are well placed to comment - they are all editors of the OED and so have particular insight into the ways in which lexographical and philological work can fire the imagination.
They look closely at Tolkien's early duties as a lexicographer for the first edn. of the OED, and then illustrate how the practise of reconstructing/postulating the roots of individual words and mapping their development (form and meaning) down the passage of history provided foundations for Tolkien's linguistic inventiveness, but also gave it the stamp of apparent authenticity.
As well, the authors show, with evidence from Tolkien's correspondence, how philological word-study unlocked Tolkien's imagination - how scrutiny of individual words and reconstruction of their origins triggered in Tolkien's mind the reconstruction of associated history or legend (imagined history), and then opened 'vista after vista'. It's really interesting to see that the creative process so often began for Tolkien, as he himself explained, with the contemplation of individual words.
The Word Studies which follow, and form the bulk of this publication, are a delight. They are a mine of fascinating information/history on individual words revived, transformed, or invented by Tolkien.
The only shortcoming of this book, in my opinion, is that references are pretty thin on the ground (apart from refs to Tolk's work/ letters and the OED). I guess it's not targeting the specialist, but even general readers sometimes like to follow up a point in a systematic study (rather than take the authors' words for it). A short bibliography at the end goes some way toward compensating for the deficit.
The three authors of this small book are well placed to comment - they are all editors of the OED and so have particular insight into the ways in which lexographical and philological work can fire the imagination.
They look closely at Tolkien's early duties as a lexicographer for the first edn. of the OED, and then illustrate how the practise of reconstructing/postulating the roots of individual words and mapping their development (form and meaning) down the passage of history provided foundations for Tolkien's linguistic inventiveness, but also gave it the stamp of apparent authenticity.
As well, the authors show, with evidence from Tolkien's correspondence, how philological word-study unlocked Tolkien's imagination - how scrutiny of individual words and reconstruction of their origins triggered in Tolkien's mind the reconstruction of associated history or legend (imagined history), and then opened 'vista after vista'. It's really interesting to see that the creative process so often began for Tolkien, as he himself explained, with the contemplation of individual words.
The Word Studies which follow, and form the bulk of this publication, are a delight. They are a mine of fascinating information/history on individual words revived, transformed, or invented by Tolkien.
The only shortcoming of this book, in my opinion, is that references are pretty thin on the ground (apart from refs to Tolk's work/ letters and the OED). I guess it's not targeting the specialist, but even general readers sometimes like to follow up a point in a systematic study (rather than take the authors' words for it). A short bibliography at the end goes some way toward compensating for the deficit.
April 6, 2018
Wonderful. Extremely academic, interestingly compulsive reading and researching, words and Tolkien’s Hobbit and LoR.
March 23, 2014
A book divided into three parts. The first talks about Tolkien's time working with the Oxford English Dictionary. It sets the scene for the second part that talks about his work as a wordsmith. Or, as the book terms his word skills, "wordright". Finally the the last chapter lists 100 words of the most interesting words Tolkien used (in the author's opinion of course) and a brief overview on where the word comes from and how Tolkien used it.
I thought the biography/work on the Oxford dictionary section a bit skimpy. I'd say this is really only for people who are interested in Tolkien and also very interested in philology.
I thought the biography/work on the Oxford dictionary section a bit skimpy. I'd say this is really only for people who are interested in Tolkien and also very interested in philology.
November 2, 2015
I coincidentally found this at a book sale a week after being assigned the first chapter in a Mythgard class. The first chapter is a lot of "Tolkien worked on this OED entry, then that one, and this one too"--informative but dry. The rest of the book about his reviving and coining of words and is more interesting reading. The "Word Studies" section is a handy resource for students and scholars of Tolkien to be aware of the connotations, associations, and allusions Tolkien was thinking of when he chose a particular word.
December 11, 2015
An interesting, unusual little book, for lovers of Tolkien, words, and writing. I knew, of course, that JRRT worked on the OED, but this book, by current editors of that marvelous dictionary, provides an in-depth look at the work he did--sometimes the actual words and his drafts--and how that period of his life influenced his own writing. The last section may not appeal to the general reader, but I loved it - looking at certain Tolkienian words from the oeuvre, and where they originated or how he coined them from OE or Teutonic or other root words. Fascinating.
January 5, 2010
Totally fascinating but still quite a specialized book. I can think of two people, J.E. and my late grandfather James Merrin, who would think this book was the bee's knees. All others might find it a bit tedious. I love the OED, and didn't know Tolkien had any connection to it. Makes perfect sense, however.
October 5, 2010
This wonderful book discusses Tolkien's work on the OED, especially in the W's, suggested how he thought about and formed language, and concluded with an indepth look at several words. I particularly enjoyed learning about "ent," "wight," and "wraith," though many other words were also interesting. This book inspires me to learn about Middle English someday.
August 22, 2017
This is one of those books that approaches Tolkien scholarship from a different angle. Tolkien worked for a while on the Oxford English Dictionary after he served in WWI.
The author approaches a discussion of Tolkien's work from the perspective of what his entries in the OED tell us about him.
This is an excellent light read.
The author approaches a discussion of Tolkien's work from the perspective of what his entries in the OED tell us about him.
This is an excellent light read.
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November 18, 2012I'll need to re-read this, as it is fairly complex, but what a great discussion of philology and the creative process of Tolkien! I never knew he was a lexicographer, and I love the details of how the OED was put together (though you also get some of that from The Professor and the Madman).
Really interesting for anyone interested in the study of languages and the writings of Tolkien.
Really interesting for anyone interested in the study of languages and the writings of Tolkien.
March 14, 2013
A book of two parts: a biographical/lexical sketch of the work Tolkien did on the OED when he returned from World War I, with photos of some of the definition slips he wrote; then a short dictionary of some of the words Tolkien invented, revived or modified for his work, showing at least some of the thinking behind them and what made them work so well for the non-philologist. Fascinating work.
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