Letter to Peter Alford (1956-58)
From Tolkien Gateway
Sometime between 14 January 1956 and 2 April 1958, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote a letter to Peter Alford.[1]
- Notes: While Tolkien's other three known letters to Mr Alford can be dated,[2] the date of this fourth letter has not been revealed.[3] Beregond, Anders Stenström noted an Elvish passage in one of the letters in this group (and none of the other letters appear to fit the description): "Another letter [among Sotheby's 14 actual Tolkien items to be auctioned by on December 13] (to Peter Alford, from the years 1956-58) provides a lengthy discussion of the Elvish greeting: Elen síla lúmenn' ómentielmo. One thing attracts our attention: Tolkien explains the pronominal possessive suffix -lma as a variety of -lme 'we' which in fact means: 'you and I/we'. The Quenya verb sil- 'shine white' is derived - according to this letter - from the stem ÞIL-."[4]
- Publication: Excerpts were published in Sotheby's Valuable Printed Books and Manuscripts 13 December 2001.
See also[edit]
- Letter to Peter Alford (14 January 1956)
- Letter to Peter Alford (February 1956)
- Letter to Peter Alford (2 April 1958)
References
- ↑ "Tolkien, J.R.R. Fine group of four autograph letters signed to Peter Alford" dated 31 December 2001, Sotheby's (accessed 16 April 2017)
- ↑ Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, pp. 484, 485, 523
- ↑ "Valuable Printed Books and Manuscripts. 2001", TolkienBooks.net (accessed 26 May 2014)
- ↑ Elfling, message from Beregond, Anders Stenström. R.D. (no longer available online)
