The White Council

Re: A letter by Tolkien regarding accents

Tolkien and Inklings Discussion

: Taken from "Letters of JRR Tolkien":

: From a Letter to Terence Tiller 2 November 1956

: [Tiller, the adapter and producer of the BBC Third Programme version of the Lord of the Rings, had asked for Tolkien's advice on accents...]

: Taking "accent" to mean, as it usually does in non-technical language: more or less consistent alterations of the vowels/consonants of received English: I should say that, in the cases you query, no accent-differentiation is needed or desirable. For instance, it would probably be bettter to avoid certain, actual or conventional, features of modern "vulgar" English in representing Orcs, such as the dropping of aitches..." But of course for most people, accent as defined above is confused with impressions of different intonation, articulation, and tempo. You will, I suppose, have to use such means to make Orcs sound nasty!

: I have no doubt that, if this history were real, all users of the Common Speech would reveal themselves by their accent, differing in place, people, and rank, but that cannot be represented when C.S. is turned into English--and is not (I think) necessary. I paid great attention to such linguistic differentiation as was possible: in diction, idiom, and so on; and I doubt if much more can be imported, except in so far as the individual actor represents his feeling for the character in tone and style.....

: Now, I take this to signify that the accent question is not so important, and that Tolkien felt that plain ol' English/British accents would do just fine.

: Can anyone really envision hearing any of the dialogue in American twang? It makes my stomach turn.

I would hope that all dialets would be European dialects. I realize English must be common speech (Since the majority of the world can speak English, thanks to the empire.) However, because it seems that people equate "common" with "gutteral". This bothers me as English is a beautiful and very powerful language when spoken correctly. No demonstative hand signals need to made by the speaker to emphasize an idea. One only needs to speak English correctly. One only needs to watch Richard Burton or Alec Guiness movies to hear this. English is the most versatile language in the world. Unfortunately it is overshadowed by the Romance lanuages.