Old English

[Niniel]

I have just read HOME 4, and I noticed all the Old English versions of the stories. I could read most of them, but I guess not everybody can, so why have all these things been put in the book? Did Chris Tolkien really expect everyone to read them, or was it just a present for the language freaks? What did you do with them- read or skip?

[Beleg]

Are you talking about the "Quenta Noldorinwa'? I am yet to read it, but if it's something in Old English then i'll skip it.

[Niniel]

Yes, and the Old English versions of the Annals of Valinor and the Annals of Beleriand.

[FoolOfATook]

Well, given that Old English was one of his father's true loves and specialities, I'm pretty sure that Christopher saw no way to justify to himself leaving them out.

I'm still working on Old English, and as I mentioned in another thread, despite four years of German, and 20 years of English ;), three of those seriously studying the language, I still need a whole lot of notes to make it through a page of Beowulf.

[Niniel]

I get the idea that knowing German (and Dutch) is far more useful than knowing English, when trying to understand Old English. That's logical of course, but I think I have a slight advantage over most people since I know Dutch, and quite a lot of German.

[Arvedui]

I wish I had that book. IMO, it is important to read those Old English parts, as Tolkien's authorship began with his interest in linguistics and mythology. Therefore, using Old English seem to me to be the natural choice, when attempting to compose an English mythology.

And I think Niniel is right about the advantage of knowing Nordic languages. Which, of course mean that I have an even greater advantage;)