[DaughterofVana]

I agree. If I had the ability I would not hesitate at all to read "Les Misarables" in French, because that is what Hugo intended. Tolkien, being an Englishman, intended for his book(s) to be read in English because it is his mother tongue, and no matter how well we can speak other languages (or make up our own!) that is always the one that we come back to and the one we feel the most comfortable with. Not that I am opposed to reading translations--please do not think that. All I am saying is that, when a book is translated from one language to another, certain discrepencies in the words/diction/flow of the story itself are bound to arise. Though the phrase "She was tall, lithe, and blond" could be translated into about every language, if one translation would say "She was tall, skinny, and yellow-haired" it wouldn't have the same effect on the reader, because certain words have certain double-meanings to certain people. My example is poor, but my point still stands: if you have the ability, read the book in the toungue it was written in, in order to fully grasp the author's intention. On the other hand, if you are not comfortable with English (or French, or German, or Italian, or whatever), by all means read the translation. A good book is a good book, no matter what language it is written in.

-'Vana