Transmission theory - what if it's ALL true?

[Galin]

It wasn't really a challenge, but okay

The point was merely another example of why I'd change "mountain" to "mountain range" -- meaning (what I would think would be) a very notable amount of fan-made inconsistencies/confusions -- explained by the same fans that "made" them in the first place (and whether or not a given argument/explanation seems "compelling enough" can be fairly subjective, so I won't go there).


In other words, I would imagine that these two examples, Trotter/Galadriel, are only the tip of an enormous berg of ice -- if one really starts with page one of HOME and considers names, changing ideas both large and small (some so bewildering even CJRT had a bit of trouble untangling them), and whatever and so on . . . and especially, for whatever reason, "you" (as in anyone) want to include draft materials for The Lord of the Rings as well!

All I can say is good luck. Again, to my mind rejected drafts/ideas are not part of the art of world-building, and considering Tolkien's own choice (for one example), to abandon a few pages expounding upon the name Elros (and so on) after he realized he had already characterized ros as a Sindarin word, not a Beorian word, and in print (not in drafts). . .

. . . well, Shirly Tolkien could have bent over back"words" to explain the seeming discrepancy there; but then again there is the consideration of art, or to bring the matter into the kitchen, the taste of the soup: too much "pepper in the soup" and the chef just might be grumbled at by his patrons -- and for whatever reason Tolkien wouldn't even let this "ros detail", itself "hidden" in a corner of the appendices of ROTK, be confuddled.

That said, in any case, it's not my project/idea/fun-thing-to-do . . . and obviously no one needs my permission for anything . . . so if it's for you (plural), have fun!