The Hobbit: From Movie to Book, Languages, Vocabulary

Only occasionally does the latest epic adventure to hit the box office register as more than a tiny blip on my radar screen. When it’s source material is a beloved and noteworthy book by a historical linguist who infused his created world with detailed invented languages, however, it’s hard for me to miss. I’m talking, of course, about The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Turned into a trilogy by Peter Jackson and crew, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a few hours into its opening weekend. I’ll see the film eventually and will undoubtedly enjoy it, but what also excites a bibliophile and logophile like me is the attention it garners for the book and the language of the tale. Here’s a sample: 

“How Much of The Hobbit Can You Read During the Running Time of The Hobbit?” by Alan Scherstuhl on The Village Voice

“J.R.R. Tolkien Reads a Poem in Elvish” on The Huffington Post

"The Hobbit: 19 Changes from J.R.R. Tolkien's Novel to Peter Jackson's Movie" by Anna Klassen on The Daily Beast 

“A Short Note on Hobbits” by American Heritage Dictionary

“In the Words of J.R.R. Tolkien” on Dictionary.com [brief slideshow]

“Celebrating The Hobbit: Journey Words, Unexpected or Not” by Angela Tung on Wordnik

“Of Hobbits, Pixies, and Gnomes” by Kara Rogers on Britannica.com

“Why Was J.R.R. Tolkien a Genius?” by Danielle Maurer on Quora

Image courtesy of Morelen.