Unseen JRRT Hobbit Pic

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Pomegranate

I started wondering about half-elfin as well. As far as I'm aware (correct me if I'm wrong, non-native), elfin is the "right" English adjective for elf-like or elf-made, and Tolkien had problems with this as often the word elven was indeed 'corrected' to elfin in LotR, by the publishers. Maybe at this point he had himself not settled on elven? Is there a date to be found somewhere, to tell when the picture was drawn?

I think 'elfin' must be correct given the origins of the word 'elf' and other uses of it (it was aelf in old English and is the root of names such as Alfred). Alan Garner's own 'elves' are the Svartalfar, reflecting the Norse tradition. I have read 'elven' used in other writings than Tolkien's, and 'elfin' grew to relate more to fairy/folk tale. Though I have to say that in the wake of Tolkien, you don't hear 'elfin' used very much nowadays unless to describe a child or a young fashion model!