The Translator Conceit

[Lalwendë]

Orominuialwen, that wasn't confusing at all. The development of the languages is one of the most convincing arguments in favour of the translator conceit. In order for so many languages to have developed, and in such complexity, there would have to be some considerable history to Middle Earth, and that the development of these languages is traced by the author is made much more real considered in light of the translator conceit.

Originally Posted by lmp

Translator Backstory?

But when I read The Hobbit I had no idea of the translator conceit whatsoever, and yet I was still drawn right in to Middle Earth as being a real place. OK, so it could be backstory to LotR which the translator has added, but I didn't know of any of that when I read it, so how did the conceit help me enter Middle Earth at The Hobbit stage?