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In my book, John Ronald's Dragons, I mention the origins of J. R. R. Tolkien's supremely nerdy hobby of inventing his own languages. As a child, with his cousin, Mary Incledon, he made up a language based on animal words.  Later, as an adult, of course, he developed languages with full fledged grammars and histories: Quenya, and Sindarin.
In the essay "A Secret Vice" he describes this pastime as lonely and embarrassing. Although the word nerd had not yet entered the English language in 1931, he is clearly describing something all nerds experience when he explains the isolation brought on by the pursuit of a hobby not recognized by the popular or the powerful. He writes: "Most of the addicts [people addicted to inventing languages] reach their maximum of linguistic playfulness, and their interest is swamped by greater ones, they take to poetry or prose or painting, or else it is overwhelmed by mere pastimes (cricket, meccano, or suchlike footle) or crushed by cares and tasks. A few go on, but they become shy, ashamed of spending the precious commodity of time for their private pleasure, and higher developments are locked in secret places. The obviously unremunerative character of the hobby is against it--it can earn no prizes, win no competitions (as yet)--make no birthday presents for aunts (as a rule)--earn no scholarship, fellowship, or worship. It is also--like poetry--contrary to conscience, and duty; its pursuit is snatched from hours due to self-advancement, or to bread, or to employers." We can hear in this passage Tolkien's own frustration with duties that prevented him from pursuing his "secret vice" full time and sharing it publicly. He was sure that there were other people out there like him, but before the internet he had no way of meeting up with them. So he continued to toil on Quenya and Sindarin in private. But finally his hobby is having a renaissance. As Philip Seargeant points out in "Why J. R. R. Tolkien's Tradition of Creating Fantasy Languages Has Prevailed" conlangs are now popular, even cool. J. R. R. Tolkien was just ahead of his time, as his shy manifesto, "A Secret Vice" suggests. So fly your word nerd flag high and proud.
19 Comments
1/18/2017 07:52:46 pm
How interesting! Tolkien was probably not only a nerd, but a genius too! 12/6/2017 09:46:05 am
J.R.R. Tolkien, also known as John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, is one of the famous writers of the 20th century. Writing the best classics such as the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, he embodies writing stories that capture our imagination. When I briefly visited the suburban landscape of London last month, I went into an old bookstore. There I found literary classics, mostly dedicated to the great author. The place was a bit dusty, but I felt that looking to J.R.R. Tolkien everywhere.
sandy
6/10/2017 07:47:01 pm
nice post 6/13/2017 10:02:39 am
English language is using on international level. Through grammar we can learn the prepositions and rules of this language. Thanks for give the new ideas and plans for owner of the schools. 9/10/2017 01:35:44 pm
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Do not call him a nerd. He is doing a great job which you cannot do in your time. Give him some respect and let him into everyone's eyes. 3/30/2018 07:02:50 am
Wonderful post, We can take in the relational words and guidelines of this dialect. A debt of gratitude is in order forgive the new thoughts and plans for the proprietor of the schools. Such a great post. 4/23/2018 11:09:22 am
For the invented languages and the other such area you can come here and get the part for your attention. Use this blog of in order to find more new books and can also refer to your teachers for the better learning. 5/31/2018 08:51:39 am
Children love to read books and such create level of interest in reading and writing. The pictures and graphic in books attract children for such work. This mention in site for more books. 10/16/2022 03:53:04 pm
Half without physical very. 10/21/2022 04:15:15 am
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Like Tolkien, Handyman Experts often find themselves passionately pursuing their craft, even when it's not widely recognized. Just as Tolkien's love for inventing languages eventually found its place, our dedication to our skills can lead to a renaissance of appreciation. So let's keep flying our expert flags high, even if our pursuits aren't always understood by the mainstream! 7/14/2024 12:48:52 am
Your appreciation means a lot! It's like putting together a puzzle—finding the perfect word is like finding that missing piece that completes the picture of your writing. Keep practicing, and you'll definitely see progress! Leave a Reply. |
Caroline McAlisterCaroline is an avid reader, children's writer, and teacher. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and dog. Check out her bio for more! Archives
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