Presentation Type
Oral/Paper Presentation
Abstract
J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, published in the 1950s, stands apart for its use of Constructed Languages. Tolkien graduated from Oxford University and pursued a career as a professor of philology and linguistics. Tolkien loved using his linguistic expertise to create realistic cultures and communities within his fantasy worlds. One of Lord of the Rings most famous Constructed Languages is Elvish. Tolkien’s inspiration for the sound of Elvish with Welsh and Finnish as both languages are highly phonetic. Welsh inspired the stress syllables, while Finnish influenced Elvish’s sound and writing. Since Tolkien’s death in 1973, the Tolkien estate has limited access to most documents and notes on Elvish. The Tolkien estate’s stance has sparked a fan-led obsession with learning and deciphering the Elvish language. Despite minimal public access to Tolkien’s notes, interest in and study of Elvish persist. There are no first-generation speakers of the Elvish language. Elvish’s longevity relies on readers of Tolkien’s novels, who have remained fascinated with the language for over 70 years.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Jan Harris
Recommended Citation
Gables, Megan, "The Creation and Continuation of the Elvish Language" (2025). Student Scholar Symposium. 158.
https://digitalcollections.lipscomb.edu/student_scholars_symposium/2025/Full_schedule/158
Included in
The Creation and Continuation of the Elvish Language
J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, published in the 1950s, stands apart for its use of Constructed Languages. Tolkien graduated from Oxford University and pursued a career as a professor of philology and linguistics. Tolkien loved using his linguistic expertise to create realistic cultures and communities within his fantasy worlds. One of Lord of the Rings most famous Constructed Languages is Elvish. Tolkien’s inspiration for the sound of Elvish with Welsh and Finnish as both languages are highly phonetic. Welsh inspired the stress syllables, while Finnish influenced Elvish’s sound and writing. Since Tolkien’s death in 1973, the Tolkien estate has limited access to most documents and notes on Elvish. The Tolkien estate’s stance has sparked a fan-led obsession with learning and deciphering the Elvish language. Despite minimal public access to Tolkien’s notes, interest in and study of Elvish persist. There are no first-generation speakers of the Elvish language. Elvish’s longevity relies on readers of Tolkien’s novels, who have remained fascinated with the language for over 70 years.