03-28-2005, 03:57 PM
Treesh,Mar 27 2005, 05:32 PM Wrote:Because they come from different root languages? I have no idea, but if you look in Webster's, it allows both dwarfs and dwarves as accepted spellings. Maybe it's just one of those weird English vs American things.
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Tolkein took it upon himself to make dwarves a word within the context of his world, and being a philologist had a good reason for doing so. I can't remember the exact why. Shippey discusses it in "The Author of the Century" IIRC.
Your "root word" observation is at least part of the answer. German for dwarf is zverg. I recall from various articles that Tolkein used a number of old languages, and forms, for his root constructions. Even the word Hobbit is a literary pun, as are such names as Eomer and Samwise. :D (Horseman and Halfwit, IIRC.)
Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete