[Orominuialwen]

One thing I find interesting about the whole Translator Conceit/Notion/Backstory is how it influences the languages of Middle-Earth. Westron is translated into English, and therefore the other languages of ME (at least the human and Hobbit languages) are translated into languages according to their similarity to Westron. Hobbitish and Rohirric are the most obviuous examples, with the former in some places appearing to just be a dialect of English, an the latter represented by Old English. I read somewhere (I'm not sure where) that the few words known from the Rhovanian region are actually Gothic. It makes one think more about the interconnectedness of languages not just in our own world, but in ME as well. However, this seems to be a point that many casual readers miss. I've heard people say many times "Oh, isn't this cool, Tolkien uses Old English for the Rohirrim. What a great tribute!" or something to that extent. It bothers me, because it shows that these people haven't even noticed the Translator Conceit/Notion/Backstory. Do you think that it is very evident to just the casual reader of LotR? I believe it struck me when I first read the books, but I'm wondering if this was the case for others.


My apologies if this post is rather confusing. I don't often post, or even browse about in Books much because I'm a bit intimidated by the depth of all your discussions. I just hope I haven't seemed too unlearned!