tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post7872484763065718414..comments2024-03-28T14:05:25.134-07:00Comments on Sacnoth's Scriptorium: Christopher Tolkien interviewJohn D. Rateliffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-65274349214524011352009-05-27T14:05:20.733-07:002009-05-27T14:05:20.733-07:00Hi Philip.
So far as I'm concerned, Tolkien is...Hi Philip.<br /><br /> So far as I'm concerned, Tolkien is always on-topic.<br /><br /> As for Bolg in THE HOBBIT and Boldog in THE LAY OF LEITHIAN, I do indeed think the two names are linked, and discuss this in my mini-essay 'Bolg of the North' (RETURN TO BAG-END, pages 708-713); I also provide a summary of Tolkien's various proposed theories for the origins of the goblins in my essay on Goblins in MR. BAGGINS (esp. pages 138-139). One of the most curious things about Bolg is in fact his name, which belongs to Tolkien's invented language known as Magol, about which relatively little is known (whereas Boldog is Noldorin/Sindarin). Personally, I think 'Bolg' probably is JRRT's borrowing from Ivernian, the pre-Irish language of Ireland, as in the Fir Bolg.<br /><br />So yes, I do think the two figures are connected, in that one probably inspired the other, but not of course the same individual.<br /><br />--JDRJohn D. Rateliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-33991179612290890882009-05-21T07:18:49.065-07:002009-05-21T07:18:49.065-07:00I apologize that this is completely off-topic, but...I apologize that this is completely off-topic, but I was wondering if you had noticed the similarity between “Bolg” of <I>The Hobbit</I> and “Boldog” of <I>The Lay of Leithian</I>? Yet another tie-in between the two works. (You may have already mentioned it in your book.)Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13079821547999747258noreply@blogger.com