Tag Archives: Invented language

Ursula Le Guin, the language of Earthsea, and Tolkien

Posted on 22 January 2021 by John Garth

A tribute embedded in A Wizard of Earthsea? I used this question to introduce a social media post yesterday. Is should have waited until today, because this turns out to be the anniversary of Ursula Le Guin’s passing, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Research tangents | Tagged Earthsea, Invented language, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula Le Guin | 28 Comments

Bottling the essence of languages: Tolkien’s ‘A Secret Vice’

Posted on 15 April 2016 by John Garth

From sound aesthetic to Finnegans Wake, a new book explores Tolkien’s relationship to language. Here’s my review for the New Statesman. A Secret Vice: Tolkien on Invented Languages Ed. Dimitra Fimi and Andrew Higgins HarperCollins (223pp, £16.99) Horsemen, barbaric yet noble, … Continue reading →