Old English: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Dwarfrunes.JPEG|thumb|The Anglo-Saxon runes as used in ''[[The Hobbit]]'']]
{{quote|I cannot (of course) understand why Anglo-Saxon should seem difficult...|[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]<ref>{{L|250}}</ref>}}
'''Old English''' (also called '''Anglo-Saxon''', though [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] apparently avoided the term<ref>[[T.A. Shippey]] (2000), ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century]]'', p.XII</ref>) was the ancestor language of modern English. It was also the mother language of characters [[Ælfwine]] and [[Eriol]].
'''Old English''' (also called '''Anglo-Saxon''', though [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] apparently avoided the term<ref>[[T.A. Shippey]] (2000), ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century]]'', p. xii</ref>) was the ancestor language of modern English. It was also the mother language of characters [[Ælfwine]] and [[Eriol]].


Anglo-Saxon was typically written in a [[Runes|runic script]] before the introduction of the Latin alphabet.
Anglo-Saxon was typically written in a [[Runes|runic script]] before the introduction of the Latin alphabet.


==History==
==History==
Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at at Pembroke College from [[1925]] to [[1945]]. He favored especially the Mercian dialect and was strongly influenced by Old English literature such as ''[[Beowulf]]''.  
{{quote|I have to teach or talk about Old English to such a lot of young persons who simply are not equipped by talent or character to grasp it or profit by it.|J.R.R. Tolkien<ref>{{L|90}}</ref>}}
Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College from [[1925]] to [[1945]]. He favored especially the Mercian dialect and was strongly influenced by Old English literature such as ''[[Beowulf (poem)|Beowulf]]''.  


Tolkien wrote in Old English several texts of his legendarium, which he (fictionally) attributed to Ælfwine such as the ''[[Earliest Annals of Valinor]]''; they were published more recently in ''[[The Shaping of Middle-earth]]'' and are commented and edited by [[Christopher Tolkien]]. These texts have been criticized because Christopher Tolkien did not provide a translation and they remain understandable only by Anglo-Saxon students.  
In earlier notes concerning the ''[[The Book of Lost Tales Part Two]]'', Tolkien commented that Old English was the only language the Elves of [[Eressëa]] could talk to Men, and that was how they talked to Ælfwine. The Elves learned Old English while living with Men in [[Luthany]].


In earlier notes concerning the ''[[The Book of Lost Tales Part 2|The Book of Lost Tales]]'', Tolkien commented that Old English was the only language the Elves of [[Eressëa]] could talk to Men, and that was how they talked to Ælfwine.
Tolkien wrote in Old English several texts of his legendarium, which he (fictionally) attributed to Ælfwine such as the ''[[Earliest Annals of Valinor]]''; they were published more recently in ''[[The Shaping of Middle-earth]]'' and are commented on and edited by [[Christopher Tolkien]]. These texts have been criticized because Christopher Tolkien did not provide a translation and they remain understandable only by Anglo-Saxon students.  


Anglo-Saxon runes were used on the [[Thrór's Map]] in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' to display the [[Cirth]] as used by the [[Dwarves]].
In those works, Eriol gave several Old English names to several elements of the legendarium; in some of them, Tolkien attempted to imitate the Elvish sound and form, but with a new meaning. For example [[Angband]] is rendered as ''Engbend'' "cruel-bond", [[Balrog]] as ''Bealuwearg'' "baleful-monster" or [[Silmaril]] as ''Sigelmaerels'' (actually referring to the [[Nauglamír]]). At least one name, ''[[Mickleburg]]'', survived in the published ''[[Silmarillion]]''.


Tolkien devised a [[Tengwar]] mode for Old English, for texts written by [[Edwin Lowdham]] in ''[[The Strange Case of Arundel Lowdham]]'' ([http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/mdtci.html#DTS50 DTS50] and [http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/mdtci.html#DTS51 DTS51]).
Anglo-Saxon runes were used on [[Thrór's Map]] in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' to display the [[Cirth]] as used by the [[Dwarves]].
 
Tolkien devised a [[Tengwar]] mode for Old English, for texts written by [[Edwin Lowdham]] in ''[[The Strange Case of Arundel Lowdham]]'', writings associated with ''[[The Notion Club Papers]]''. ([http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/mdtci.html#DTS50 DTS50] and [http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/mdtci.html#DTS51 DTS51]).


==Rohirric==
==Rohirric==
Line 21: Line 24:


==See also==
==See also==
*[[:Category:Old English names|Category:Old English names]]
*[[:Category:Old English names|Old English names]]
*[[English to Anglo-Saxon Dictionary]] (unpublished Tolkien manuscript)


{{references}}
==External links==
==External links==
*{{WP|Old English}}
*{{WP|Old English}}
*[[James W. Bright]] (ed.), [http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/sindar/online/goth-saxon/bright-oe.html James W. Bright's Glossary of the Anglo-Saxon Language]
*''[http://www.tolkiensociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Anglo-Saxon-Part-1.pdf Old English in Middle-earth Part One]'' and ''[http://www.tolkiensociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Anglo-Saxon-Part-2.pdf Part 2]'' at [http://www.tolkiensociety.org www.tolkiensociety.org]
[[Category:Languages (real-world)]]
*''[http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/sindar/online/goth-saxon/bright-oe.html James W. Bright's Glossary of the Anglo-Saxon Language]'' at [http://www.jrrvf.com Jrrvf.com]
*[[Andreas Möhn|Andreas Moehn]], [http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/How_to_speak_Rohirric.html How to pronounce Rohirin] (pronunciation guide)
*[http://glaemscrafu.jrrvf.com/english/oldenglish.html Texts and sound samples] in [[Glǽmscrafu]]
**[http://glaemscrafu.jrrvf.com/english/oldenglishtolkien.html Texts and sound samples] of Old English verses by Tolkien in [[Glǽmscrafu]]
*[http://www.alarichall.org.uk/lotr/frontpage.htm ''The Lord of the Rings'' and its Old English Origins: The Bones in the Soup] by Alaric Hall
*[http://www.lotrplaza.com/showthread.php?22104-Tolkien's-Old-English&p=527134 Tolkien's Old English] (forum thread)
 
{{references}}
[[de:Altenglische Sprache]]
[[de:Altenglische Sprache]]
[[fi:Muinaisenglanti]]
[[fi:Muinaisenglanti]]
[[Category:Languages (real-world)]]

Revision as of 17:24, 17 February 2021

"I cannot (of course) understand why Anglo-Saxon should seem difficult..."
J.R.R. Tolkien[1]

Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon, though J.R.R. Tolkien apparently avoided the term[2]) was the ancestor language of modern English. It was also the mother language of characters Ælfwine and Eriol.

Anglo-Saxon was typically written in a runic script before the introduction of the Latin alphabet.

History

"I have to teach or talk about Old English to such a lot of young persons who simply are not equipped by talent or character to grasp it or profit by it."
― J.R.R. Tolkien[3]

Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College from 1925 to 1945. He favored especially the Mercian dialect and was strongly influenced by Old English literature such as Beowulf.

In earlier notes concerning the The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, Tolkien commented that Old English was the only language the Elves of Eressëa could talk to Men, and that was how they talked to Ælfwine. The Elves learned Old English while living with Men in Luthany.

Tolkien wrote in Old English several texts of his legendarium, which he (fictionally) attributed to Ælfwine such as the Earliest Annals of Valinor; they were published more recently in The Shaping of Middle-earth and are commented on and edited by Christopher Tolkien. These texts have been criticized because Christopher Tolkien did not provide a translation and they remain understandable only by Anglo-Saxon students.

In those works, Eriol gave several Old English names to several elements of the legendarium; in some of them, Tolkien attempted to imitate the Elvish sound and form, but with a new meaning. For example Angband is rendered as Engbend "cruel-bond", Balrog as Bealuwearg "baleful-monster" or Silmaril as Sigelmaerels (actually referring to the Nauglamír). At least one name, Mickleburg, survived in the published Silmarillion.

Anglo-Saxon runes were used on Thrór's Map in The Hobbit to display the Cirth as used by the Dwarves.

Tolkien devised a Tengwar mode for Old English, for texts written by Edwin Lowdham in The Strange Case of Arundel Lowdham, writings associated with The Notion Club Papers. (DTS50 and DTS51).

Rohirric

For Lord of the Rings, Tolkien used several Anglo-Saxon names and words, which represented Rohirric, the language of the Rohirrim.[4] This simulated the archaic sense the Hobbits felt with the Rohirrim; Hobbits spoke Hobbitish Westron, represented in the book by English.

However the relation of Old English and English is not the same as with Rohirric and Westron, since the latter descends from Adûnaic, not Rohirric.

See also

External links

References