“In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit.”
One of the great joys of these words is that they are available in so many different languages, as are the countless sentences that follow. They are accessible to so many different cultures and nationalities. Now, for the very first time, Professor Tolkien’s brilliant classic “The Hobbit” is available in the official Yiddish translation, approved by the Tolkien Estate – through Harvard Book Store. Continue reading “Journey There and Back Again with the Official Yiddish Translation of ‘The Hobbit’”
Tamara sends along word about a Tolkien lecture at Harvard: While my program doesn’t allow for any “outside” classes, I just noticed that they offered an inaugural Tolkien course this spring, with the first lecture available on-line. Here’s the link below, but I may audit this one next year, if it is still around! Commencement is today, so I’m not sure how long this will be available, but I enjoyed two very interesting hours listening/watching! More..
ANTH E-164 Tolkien as Translator: Language, Culture, and Society in Middle-Earth (23228) – Marc Zender, PhD, Lecturer on Anthropology, Harvard University.
As the purported “translation” of ancient records from before the dawn of accepted history, J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings grapples with themes of language and identity rarely encountered in fantasy novels. In this course, students study the role of language in making the cultures and societies of Middle-Earth come alive, and are introduced to concepts from linguistic anthropology that shed light on Tolkien’s methods and purpose.
“In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit.”