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NewsfromBree
spymaster@theonering.net
Jan 15 2017, 8:27pm
Post #1 of 6
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Tolkien's word 'mathom' is one many of us can relate to
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The word 'mathom,' invented by J.R.R. Tolkien, was used by Hobbits to describe anything they 'had no use for but were unwilling to throw away.' If that sounds familiar as you look around at your collection of Tolkien books and other collectibles, it did to Andrew Whalen at iDigitalTimes too. In Andrew's opinion, the word mathom is so perfect for describing the clutter many of us love, it should become part of our regular vocabulary. According to the article, "Hobbits love clutter. Many humans do too. The thought of purging a bookshelf, for example, might give you angry shivers. Everyone should have several different copies of the same book with different paperback covers!" Of course, to many Tolkien geeks that goes without saying. Further to making his case, Andrew really hits the nail on the head with his observation: "..it's just fun to say: mathom." We here at TORn wholeheartedly agree. Read the full article here.
(This post was edited by entmaiden on Jan 16 2017, 2:58am)
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geordie
Tol Eressea
Jan 16 2017, 11:26am
Post #2 of 6
(671 views)
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Tolkien didn't invent the word mathom - according to Gilliver et al, he revived it from Old English, where it meant 'something valuable, an item of treasure'. (The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Old English Dictionary, p.161) The authors go on to say the word "descends from a common Germanic word probably meaning 'something exchanged' or 'gift'..." https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ring-Words-Tolkien-English-Dictionary/dp/0198610696/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484565944&sr=1-2&keywords=ring+of+words I recommend this book; I find it useful as well as interesting.
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Elthir
Grey Havens
Jan 16 2017, 12:42pm
Post #3 of 6
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And (for the thread in general) the reason it's a modernized form of Old English is that it's part of the translation conceit, here illustrating a connection between the language of the Rohirrim and the Hobbit's Westron... Language of the Rohirrim kastu Hobbit-word kast translated by... Old English māðum Hobbit-word mathom
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squire
Half-elven
Jan 16 2017, 2:49pm
Post #5 of 6
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'Mathom' is a Tolkien modernization, but there are some surprising words in English from the same ancient root word
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The Old English word mathm in itself did not survive into modern English, which is why Tolkien, as was his wont, delighted to bring it into the present for his book. But Old English is an Indo-European language, and the original root word for mathm is thought to be mei-t(h)- 'to commute, (ex)change' From this root we have a number of modern English words that share the same idea of exchanging, losing, giving, etc.: amiss adj/adv, wrong(ly), improper(ly); astray commute vb, to exchange, give in exchange mad adj, insane, mentally disordered madden vb, to make/drive mad mathom n, hobbit gift in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings Mathom-house prop.n weapon museum in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings mis- pfx, bad, wrong; badly, wrongly mishap n.arch, misfortune, bad luck miss vb, to fail to reach/touch/contact mistake, mistook, mistaken vb.str, to choose wrongly I'm no linguist - this material is lifted from this fun site at the U. of Texas, 'Indo-European Lexicon'. You'll have noticed that, according to the word-wonks in Austin, mathom is now considered to be a word in the modern English vocabulary!
squire online: RR Discussions: The Valaquenta, A Shortcut to Mushrooms, and Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit Lights! Action! Discuss on the Movie board!: 'A Journey in the Dark'. and 'Designing The Two Towers'. Archive: All the TORn Reading Room Book Discussions (including the 1st BotR Discussion!) and Footerama: "Tolkien would have LOVED it!" Dr. Squire introduces the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: A Reader's Diary = Forum has no new posts. Forum needs no new posts.
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hanne
Lorien
Jan 16 2017, 8:41pm
Post #6 of 6
(626 views)
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Oh my! That's me sorted for the next few hours. Cool link!
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Peeked at the Oxford English Dictionary, and it actually has an entry. Besides the first entry for the obsolete Old English word:
A precious thing, a treasure, a valuable gift. Obs. eOE Metres of Boethius (partly from transcript of damaged MS) xxi. 20 Gylden maðm, sylofren sincstan, searogimma nan, middangeardes wela modes eagan æfre ne onlyhtað. OE Beowulf 41 Him on bearme læg madma mænigo. OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Gen. (Corpus Cambr.) xlvii. 14 Iosep hæfde gegaderod eal þæt feoh þe hi ahton & gebroht on þæs kynges madmhuse. (even a reference to Middle Earth :) ) it includes a second entry for modern use:
A trinket, a piece of bric-a-brac. 1954 J. R. R. Tolkien Fellowship of Ring 15 Anything that Hobbits had no immediate use for, but were unwilling to throw away, they called a mathom. Their dwellings were apt to become rather crowded with mathoms. 1970 J. Blish Spock must Die! v. 37 I've got quite a collection of duplicate mathoms th' noo.
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