Abstract
The stories we tell are living breathing expressions of our linguistic heritage, our history. As such it is imperative that if we wish to master our own language we must understand its origins and development. I have chosen to examine this field through the extensive works of Oxford Professor J.R.R. Tolkien. By comparing his original (fictional) work with the legends and histories of the cultures that inspired him, I hope to showcase how classrooms may benefit from their study. The English language is our greatest heirloom, through it we preserve our stories and legends, our identity as a people.
Ancient languages and their histories are all together undervalued in the study of the English language today. While our spoken and written language is often viewed as something static and unchanging it is in fact the result of tens of hundreds of years of exchange between cultures and their authors. It is constantly changing and will continue to do so in the future. So if we are to truly understand and master the use of our native tongue then it is essential that we explore the origins of both its mechanics and narratives.
The sources I have drawn upon can generally be divided into three groups: Tolkien’s fictional works, interpretations of those works by scholars of Tolkien, and the original Celtic legends and languages that inspired them. In this paper I have tried to highlight first how Tolkien’s narrative is closely connected to these archaic legends through reference and structure.
I have tried my best to explain the names and characters present in Tolkien’s mythology from an academic perspective, and it is my hope that regardless of the reader’s familiarity with Tolkien the can at least follow along.
Ancient languages and their histories are all together undervalued in the study of the English language today. While our spoken and written language is often viewed as something static and unchanging it is in fact the result of tens of hundreds of years of exchange between cultures and their authors. It is constantly changing and will continue to do so in the future. So if we are to truly understand and master the use of our native tongue then it is essential that we explore the origins of both its mechanics and narratives.
The sources I have drawn upon can generally be divided into three groups: Tolkien’s fictional works, interpretations of those works by scholars of Tolkien, and the original Celtic legends and languages that inspired them. In this paper I have tried to highlight first how Tolkien’s narrative is closely connected to these archaic legends through reference and structure.
I have tried my best to explain the names and characters present in Tolkien’s mythology from an academic perspective, and it is my hope that regardless of the reader’s familiarity with Tolkien the can at least follow along.