Language(s) & The Lord of the Rings

This course meets Second 8 weeks only

Tolkien insisted that "a name comes first and the story follows", so
that The Lord of the Rings [LOTR] is "fundamentally linguistic in
inspiration".  The present course therefore explores -- without
assuming ANY background in linguistics or LOTR itself --the ways in
which Tolkien's Middle-earth is built on, and out of, language and
languages.  While the author's invented Elvish tongues (of which
only Quenya and Sindarin are substantially fleshed out) receive
appropriate attention, equal coverage is given to Tolkien's use, in
LOTR, of English and the other Germanic languages whose history he
taught.  We thus consider how the book presents the Rohirrim as
essentially Old English speakers (with an added focus on horses),
whereas the Dwarves (and Gandalf) have Norse names.  But even
dialectal and other social variation in Modern English is exploited
by Tolkien in order to highlight class-differences among Hobbits,
and to contrast the relaxed atmosphere of The Shire with the ancient
heritage of Gondor.  These factors all come together in a detailed
study of LOTR's longest chapter, "The Council of Elrond", where what
would otherwise be a badly run committee-meeting is given vividness
and depth.  The key here is Tolkien's masterful exploitation of
linguistic differences, which simultaneously characterize and
differentiate a huge number of individuals and ethnic groups (plus a
vast backstory).  Also crucial is the author's career as a
philologist, an expert in the kind of linguistics integrating
language with both culture and the natural world.  Hence considering
Tolkien from a linguistic viewpoint broadens, rather than narrows,
our perspective on the work -- so that even Klingon receives a brief
look as a means to a deeper understanding of LOTR.