return

1490 the return of the king
It will be noticed that Hobbits such as Frodo, and other
persons such as Gandalf and Aragorn, do not always use the
same style. This is intentional. The more learned and able among
the Hobbits had some knowledge of ‘book-language’, as it was
termed in the Shire; and they were quick to note and adopt the
style of those whom they met. It was in any case natural for
much-travelled folk to speak more or less after the manner of
those among whom they found themselves, especially in the case
of men who, like Aragorn, were often at pains to conceal their
origin and their business. Yet in those days all the enemies of
the Enemy revered what was ancient, in language no less than
in other matters, and they took pleasure in it according to their
knowledge. The Eldar, being above all skilled in words, had the
command of many styles, though they spoke most naturally in a
manner nearest to their own speech, one even more antique than
that of Gondor. The Dwarves, too, spoke with skill, readily
adapting themselves to their company, though their utterance
seemed to some rather harsh and guttural. 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 vigour, save in the ears of those to whom only the
squalid sounds strong.
Translation of this kind is, of course, usual because inevitable
in any narrative dealing with the past. It seldom proceeds any
further. But I have gone beyond it. I have also translated all
Westron names according to their senses. When English names
or titles appear in this book it is an indication that names in the
Common Speech were current at the time, beside, or instead of,
those in alien (usually Elvish) languages.
The Westron names were as a rule translations of older names:
ceremonious language; but a change from you to thou, thee is sometimes
meant to show, there being no other means of doing this, a significant
change from the deferential, or between men and women normal, forms
to the familiar.