Neckless and proofless? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

blantyr · 09-18-2011, 05:44 PM

Not sure if it's relevant, but 'neckless' seems to be a valid word according to my on line dictionary and spell checker... That would make it an editing whoopsie, rather than the computer's fault?

Mithalwen · 09-18-2011, 07:17 PM

That is what I meant - because it is a real world it wouldn't have been picked up by a spell checker. I have been doing genealogical research lately and mistranscriptions of the indexes into the databases are a nightmare. But unlike someone turning Diana to Deana and Doris to Davis in a list, you would hope that this error would have been spotted by a proofreader.

Morthoron · 09-18-2011, 07:27 PM

Well, Bilbo did get the necklace from Dain, a dwarf. And since dwarves are, by their very nature, stubby and stout, perhaps this was a Freudian slip on Bilbo's part, using the term "neckless" as an allusion to squat dwarves lacking a neck beneath their billowing beards. For a dwarf, it would not be a "necklace", but more of a...ummm..."chestlace".

The Squatter of Amon Rûdh · 09-19-2011, 07:44 AM

A tempting hypothesis. I'd have expected Tolkien's edition of the Red Book to have at least a footnote about that, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mithalwen

I am not technologically aware enough to know but when did they start to move from physically typesetting books and doing it on computers.

Apparently around 1962. By 1978 they were on the second generation of phototypesetting machines. This probably was a computer error, but I still checked every reference book I have looking for an alternative or dialect spelling of 'necklace'.

Aiwendil · 09-19-2011, 09:21 AM

For the record, none of my American editions contain the mistake. I have the 1977 Ballantine edition, the 1988 Houghton Mifflin annotated edition, and a recent printing of the 1973 Houghton Mifflin slipcase edition.

***Mister Underhill*** · 09-19-2011, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

For the record, none of my American editions contain the mistake.

My guess is this is probably another one of those U.K. things. Let's face it -- you folks have a long history of creative spelling, to say nothing of your pronunciations.

The Squatter of Amon Rûdh · 09-20-2011, 07:17 AM

Noah Webster was the man with the creative spellings. I attribute the success of his unilateral spelling reform to the general unavailability of good educational books in early nineteenth-century America. Anyway, I'd rather sound English than Californian so boo and sucks to William B. Ide.

I suspect that in a surprising move you're right about this particular mistake, though. I would like to confirm that it wasn't present in the third edition before I pronounce this a dead end, but apparently this is no more than a slip-up with new technology at GA&U.

09-18-2011, 05:44 PM	#1
blantyr Wight Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Settling down in Bree for the winter. Posts: 208	Neckless Not sure if it's relevant, but 'neckless' seems to be a valid word according to my on line dictionary and spell checker... That would make it an editing whoopsie, rather than the computer's fault?

09-18-2011, 07:17 PM	#2
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,463	That is what I meant - because it is a real world it wouldn't have been picked up by a spell checker. I have been doing genealogical research lately and mistranscriptions of the indexes into the databases are a nightmare. But unlike someone turning Diana to Deana and Doris to Davis in a list, you would hope that this error would have been spotted by a proofreader. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace Last edited by Mithalwen; 09-18-2011 at 07:23 PM.

09-18-2011, 07:27 PM	#3
Morthoron Curmudgeonly Wordwraith Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ensconced in curmudgeonly pursuits Posts: 2,515	Well, Bilbo did get the necklace from Dain, a dwarf. And since dwarves are, by their very nature, stubby and stout, perhaps this was a Freudian slip on Bilbo's part, using the term "neckless" as an allusion to squat dwarves lacking a neck beneath their billowing beards. For a dwarf, it would not be a "necklace", but more of a...ummm..."chestlace". __________________ And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision.

09-20-2011, 07:17 AM	#7
The Squatter of Amon Rûdh Spectre of Decay Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Bar-en-Danwedh Posts: 2,178	The obvious comment from the usual suspect Noah Webster was the man with the creative spellings. I attribute the success of his unilateral spelling reform to the general unavailability of good educational books in early nineteenth-century America. Anyway, I'd rather sound English than Californian so boo and sucks to William B. Ide. I suspect that in a surprising move you're right about this particular mistake, though. I would like to confirm that it wasn't present in the third edition before I pronounce this a dead end, but apparently this is no more than a slip-up with new technology at GA&U. __________________ Man kenuva métim' andúne? Last edited by The Squatter of Amon Rûdh; 09-20-2011 at 01:32 PM. Reason: GA&U, Squatter. Get it right, man!

09-19-2011, 09:21 AM	#5
Aiwendil Late Istar Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,224	For the record, none of my American editions contain the mistake. I have the 1977 Ballantine edition, the 1988 Houghton Mifflin annotated edition, and a recent printing of the 1973 Houghton Mifflin slipcase edition.