Sunday, January 31, 2016

Tolkien on degraded language



I've been caught up in a discussion about foul language, and someone reminded me of this quote from J. R. R. Tolkien:

“But Orcs and Trolls spoke as they would, without love of words or things; and their language was actually more degraded and filthy than I have shown it. I do not suppose that any will wish for a closer rendering, though models are easy to find. Much the same sort of talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt, too long removed from good to retain even verbal vigor, save in the ears of those to whom only the squalid sounds strong.”



Pax et bonum

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