Letters 
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Writing to his step-mother, Rob Gilson tells her that Tolkien is "quite a great authority on etymology - an enthusiast".
Gilson describes Tolkien's authority on etymology, and writes about Tolkien finishing school in Oxford before joining the Army. He mentions how "despera...
Henry Bradley writes a letter of recomendation to Leeds University where Tolkien has applied for the position of Reader of English Language. Bradley had...
Very little is known about this letter beyond the minor details given by Hammond/Scull. Tolkien had replied to William G. Harding about the word gemowe,...
Tolkien replies to another inquiry from William G. Harding, this time about the etymology of the word 'sag'.
Kenneth Sisam forwards on a letter from a correpsondent who had asked about a possible connection aliri, a Middle English word, and aleary which appeare...
R.E.M. Wheeler writes to Tolkien on the news that the Society of Antiquaries will publish a report on the excavations at Lydney Park, Gloucestershire. W...
Replying to Wheeler's letter. He mentions the possible connections between the names Nuada, Lludd, and Lydney. In July 1932 Tolkien’s note "The Name '...
Tolkien writes a letter to the noted scholar, Allen Mawer, on the subject of the word Lydney. This letter is almost certainly in connection to Tolkien's...
Wheeler replies to Tolkien's letter with thanks for his note. He suggests that Tolkien retain his note on 'Nodens' for the time being while he (Wheeler)...
Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull note that Wheeler wrote to Tolkien on 2 January 1932, asking Tolkien to return to 'Nodens' note, but that Tolkien had ...
Mawer replies to Tolkien's letter on Lydney. He says that he himself has looked into the name but has not been able to come to any concrete conclusions.
Wheeler writes asking Tolkien to return the 'Nodens' proof as the publisher is asking for it. But later on the same day, the note arrives as Tolkien had...
Wheeler writes a second letter to Tolkien thanking him for sending the proof note on 'Nodens'. In July 1932 Tolkien’s note 'The Name ‘Nodens’' is ...
This letter is quoted in D'Ardenne's article 'Two Words in Ancrene Wisse and the Katherine Group' in Notes and Queries 227 (1982), p. 3 where Tolkien di...
Tolkien expresses joy that Christopher enjoyed the next three chapters of "The Ring" and provides information about the schedule for sending the remaini...
Tolkien describes a letter he has written to the Catholic Herald, in rebuttal to someone who thinks Coventry is derived from Convent.
This letter of which excerpts were published in The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren concerned the etymology of the word 'faynights'. After it was pu...
Tolkien responds to Mr. Jeffery's letter. Tolkien discusses the command of Elvish script and mentions the upcoming release of Volume III, which will inc...
Written shortly after the publication of his new trilogy, Tolkien's letter comprises a thoughtful reply to a fan, Mrs Earle, who evidently was so excite...
Mr Britten asked some questions about the nomenclature of place names, and the map of the Shire. Tolkien discusses the names Pincup, Nobottle, and Oxfor...
Tolkien is working on drafts of Sir Gawain and Pearl and finding interesting words and passages that he hopes to write up for academic journals. An expa...
Mr. Joukes had written to Tolkien suggesting that he would like to name his daughter Ioreth, to which replies that it means 'old woman' and includes som...
Tolkien writes about the origin of Bag-End, which was the local name of a house an aunt of his lived in in Worcestershire.
Letter Tags
Stats
Guide to Tolkien's Letters
Etymology
(26 letters match)1914
22 May 1914
Rob Gilson to Marriane Cary Gilson
#1739
Writing to his step-mother, Rob Gilson tells her that Tolkien is "quite a great authority on etymology - an enthusiast".
1916
10 March 1916
Rob Gilson to Estelle King
#2304
Gilson describes Tolkien's authority on etymology, and writes about Tolkien finishing school in Oxford before joining the Army. He mentions how "despera...
1920
7 June 1920
Henry Bradley to Leeds University (letter of recomendation)
#907
Henry Bradley writes a letter of recomendation to Leeds University where Tolkien has applied for the position of Reader of English Language. Bradley had...
1926
25 June 1926
J.R.R. Tolkien to William G. Harding
#70
Very little is known about this letter beyond the minor details given by Hammond/Scull. Tolkien had replied to William G. Harding about the word gemowe,...
1927
21 October 1927*
J.R.R. Tolkien to Willard G. Harding
#71
Tolkien replies to another inquiry from William G. Harding, this time about the etymology of the word 'sag'.
1931
9 April 1931
Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1740
Kenneth Sisam forwards on a letter from a correpsondent who had asked about a possible connection aliri, a Middle English word, and aleary which appeare...
2 December 1931
R.E.M. Wheeler to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1743
R.E.M. Wheeler writes to Tolkien on the news that the Society of Antiquaries will publish a report on the excavations at Lydney Park, Gloucestershire. W...
c. 3 and 8 December 1931
J.R.R. Tolkien to R.E.M. Wheeler
#1744
Replying to Wheeler's letter. He mentions the possible connections between the names Nuada, Lludd, and Lydney. In July 1932 Tolkien’s note "The Name '...
c. 3 and 11 December 1931
J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen Mawer
#1746
Tolkien writes a letter to the noted scholar, Allen Mawer, on the subject of the word Lydney. This letter is almost certainly in connection to Tolkien's...
9 December 1931
R.E.M. Wheeler to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1747
Wheeler replies to Tolkien's letter with thanks for his note. He suggests that Tolkien retain his note on 'Nodens' for the time being while he (Wheeler)...
c. 10 December 1931 - 1 January 1932
J.R.R. Tolkien to R.E.M. Wheeler
#1749
Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull note that Wheeler wrote to Tolkien on 2 January 1932, asking Tolkien to return to 'Nodens' note, but that Tolkien had ...
12 December 1931
Allen Mawer to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1748
Mawer replies to Tolkien's letter on Lydney. He says that he himself has looked into the name but has not been able to come to any concrete conclusions.
1932
2 January 1932
R.E.M. Wheeler to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1750
Wheeler writes asking Tolkien to return the 'Nodens' proof as the publisher is asking for it. But later on the same day, the note arrives as Tolkien had...
2 January 1932
R.E.M. Wheeler to J.R.R. Tolkien
#1751
Wheeler writes a second letter to Tolkien thanking him for sending the proof note on 'Nodens'. In July 1932 Tolkien’s note 'The Name ‘Nodens’' is ...
1939
11 January 1939
J.R.R. Tolkien to Simonne d'Ardenne
#1044
This letter is quoted in D'Ardenne's article 'Two Words in Ancrene Wisse and the Katherine Group' in Notes and Queries 227 (1982), p. 3 where Tolkien di...
1944
24 December 1944
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien
#218
Carpenter #93
Tolkien expresses joy that Christopher enjoyed the next three chapters of "The Ring" and provides information about the schedule for sending the remaini...
1945
11 February 1945
J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien
#222
Carpenter #97
Tolkien describes a letter he has written to the Catholic Herald, in rebuttal to someone who thinks Coventry is derived from Convent.
1951
25 November 1951
J.R.R. Tolkien to Iona and Peter Opie
#155
This letter of which excerpts were published in The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren concerned the etymology of the word 'faynights'. After it was pu...
1955
7 September 1955
J.R.R. Tolkien to Richard Jeffery
#481
Carpenter #168
Tolkien responds to Mr. Jeffery's letter. Tolkien discusses the command of Elvish script and mentions the upcoming release of Volume III, which will inc...
1956
12 April 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mrs Earle
#238
Written shortly after the publication of his new trilogy, Tolkien's letter comprises a thoughtful reply to a fan, Mrs Earle, who evidently was so excite...
11 November 1956
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr Britten
#260
Mr Britten asked some questions about the nomenclature of place names, and the map of the Shire. Tolkien discusses the names Pincup, Nobottle, and Oxfor...
1965
8 November 1965
J.R.R. Tolkien to Rayner Unwin
#1010
Carpenter #280
Tolkien is working on drafts of Sir Gawain and Pearl and finding interesting words and passages that he hopes to write up for academic journals. An expa...
1967
28 August 1967
J.R.R. Tolkien to Mr. S.E.O. Joukes
#801
Mr. Joukes had written to Tolkien suggesting that he would like to name his daughter Ioreth, to which replies that it means 'old woman' and includes som...
1968
29 January 1968
J.R.R. Tolkien to K. Jackson
#733
Tolkien writes about the origin of Bag-End, which was the local name of a house an aunt of his lived in in Worcestershire.
109
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