The Children of Hurin - The Film

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by tumhalad2

There is such a thing as colloquial language - and "beg the question" in colloquial register has much the same meaning as "raise the question". At least it does where I'm from, and that's the meaning in which I meant it. All this should be evident from the context of my post. None of this is particularly relevant to the discussion at hand, so let's move on.

But I thought this was a very serious literary topic, regarding which discussions are reanimated, paradigms are shifted and implications are unpacked? Surely such slang (mis)usage is out of place? (Besides, the proper concept of "begging the question" is such a useful one...)

[tumhalad2]

Oh dear, do I need to wash my mouth out? You're obviously not a linguist if you believe that linguistic items have proper usages. How prescriptivist of you. But I agree it's a useful concept.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by tumhalad2

Oh dear, do I need to wash my mouth out? You're obviously not a linguist if you believe that linguistic items have proper usages.

Thank goodness, no. But come, admit it, my friend: you really didn't have any idea there was a distinction at all until I pointed it out, did you? You really ought to thank me– there's much more embarrassing ways you could have found out, you know.

[tumhalad2]

Oh, okay I really had no idea that such a logical fallacy was called by the name "begging the question". *Prostrates himself in front of Nerwen*

To be honest though, at least where I'm from, it's used in rather polite discourse to mean something essentially *raises* the question. Go figure...

[Nerwen]

*graciously accepts your surrender*

Well, now that we've settled that–

How theoretical are you being here? It doesn't seem likely that anyone will be making a film version of CoH in the next few decades (and goodness knows what cinema will have mutated into by the time it finally goes out of copyright).

[tumhalad2]

Well, I'm being completely theoretical. This is not about whether they will make a film or not, it's about the effects such a project might have upon Tolkien's image as a popular author.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by tumhalad2

Well, I'm being completely theoretical. This is not about whether they will make a film or not, it's about the effects such a project might have upon Tolkien's image as a popular author.

That would depend, in part, on the film– my guess is that any such adaptation would end up being completely butchered.

But even if it wasn't, how many people judge an author solely by the film versions of his or her novels? It would be rather silly of them, don't you think?

Of course, a successful film version will encourage people to read the original novel– but that's a two-step process, which isn't what you've described.