Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerwen
Are you asking if I think one quote sounds like a revision of the other? Yes, I do- on the whole. Saying that people in a certain group are "no less than" a given height, while "some of" them are taller is a *very* vague way way of putting it; there certainly isn't the clear discrepancy that exists in the statements about Elendil. However, I'd say that if Tolkien was *at this point* thinking of the height of the male Eldar as being "about seven of our feet", he would, at least, have said "most of" them were taller (than six-foot-six).
This is a matter of interpretation, though; I think it is also possible to reconcile the two quotes if you want to without jumping through too many mental hoops.
|
Why would he say that most of them are taller than 6'6'' if he just said that they are no less than 6'6''?? that means the same thing. I will repeat there is no average statement being said in this sentence, their kings and leaders are taller than the average that it's not said. That doesn't sound like a revision at all, Elendil's height certainly does although. Look how I explained grammatically in my commentary above. And why pretend that Tolkien wasn't talking about a minimum height when he say "No less" and "seldom less"?
Exactly!!! I think there is no need to keep jumping through mental hoops you can simply look at their minimum and try to imagine their average.
Why wouldn't Tolkien be thinking about an average close to 7' if he stated that 6'6'' is the minimum? And that doesn't necessarily means that this is a revision since in "Dwarves and Men" they were talking about Hobbits and in this sentence he was strictly talking about the Eldar.