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Lalaith · 06-21-2004, 03:23 AM

Hmmm.....but what would Tolkien do?

Should his editor have told him "hey JRR, you can't come out with all this 'begone foul dwimmerlaik' stuff because it's alienating and elitist and in fifty years time a bunch of college kids won't know what the hell you're talking about. What's wrong with simple English - 'beat it you creepy monster'."

This is a forum devoted to the works of a professor of philology. Philology is the study of words but it literally means 'love of language.' If you come across a word you don't understand, in a book or on this forum or anywhere else, do Tolkien the honour of looking it up in a dictionary.
Ok you won't find dwimmerlaik in most dictionaries, I admit,

but the advice holds good otherwise.

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06-21-2004, 03:23 AM	#20
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	Hmmm.....but what would Tolkien do? Should his editor have told him "hey JRR, you can't come out with all this 'begone foul dwimmerlaik' stuff because it's alienating and elitist and in fifty years time a bunch of college kids won't know what the hell you're talking about. What's wrong with simple English - 'beat it you creepy monster'." This is a forum devoted to the works of a professor of philology. Philology is the study of words but it literally means 'love of language.' If you come across a word you don't understand, in a book or on this forum or anywhere else, do Tolkien the honour of looking it up in a dictionary. Ok you won't find dwimmerlaik in most dictionaries, I admit, but the advice holds good otherwise.