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[[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] had noted the ambiguity of the word "Celtic" as an arbitrary catch-all term:
[[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] had noted the ambiguity of the word "Celtic" as an arbitrary catch-all term:
{{quote|'Celtic' of any sort is, nonetheless, a magic bag, into which anything may be put, and out of which almost anything may come.|Inauguration speech at the [[University of Oxford]]<ref>{{MC|English}}</ref>}}
{{quote|'Celtic' of any sort is, nonetheless, a magic bag, into which anything may be put, and out of which almost anything may come.|Inauguration speech at the [[University of Oxford]]<ref>{{MC|English}}</ref>}}
==Scholarly interest==
Tolkien was thanked for having helped "untiringly with problems of Celtic philology" in the book ''[[Roman Britain and the English Settlements]]'' ([[1936]]).<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/othercredits.php|articlename=Other credits|dated=|website=TB|accessed=15 February 2017}}</ref>
==Celtic influences on the Legendarium==
==Celtic influences on the Legendarium==


===Mythology===
===Mythology===
Tolkien claimed knowledge of Celtic languages and legends, however expressed a dislike in Celtic legends and denied that his legendarium is "Celtic".<ref>{{HM|Bio}}, p. 26</ref>
Tolkien claimed knowledge of Celtic languages and legends, but expressed a dislike in Celtic legends and denied that his legendarium is "Celtic".<ref>{{HM|Bio}}, p. 26</ref>


However, Celtic concepts are present in some views about the [[Elves]] (see [[Elves#Celtic influence]]).
However, Celtic concepts are present in some views about the [[Elves]] (see [[Elves#Celtic influence]]).

Revision as of 07:54, 15 February 2017

"...there is much else that may be told." — Glóin
This article or section is a stub. Please help Tolkien Gateway by expanding it.
Celtic Myth by John Howe

Celtic refers either to the Celtic languages, including Breton, Cornish, Gaelic, and Welsh, or to the Celts, an historic group of people.[1]

Tolkien had noted the ambiguity of the word "Celtic" as an arbitrary catch-all term:

"'Celtic' of any sort is, nonetheless, a magic bag, into which anything may be put, and out of which almost anything may come."
― Inauguration speech at the University of Oxford[2]

Scholarly interest

Tolkien was thanked for having helped "untiringly with problems of Celtic philology" in the book Roman Britain and the English Settlements (1936).[3]

Celtic influences on the Legendarium

Mythology

Tolkien claimed knowledge of Celtic languages and legends, but expressed a dislike in Celtic legends and denied that his legendarium is "Celtic".[4]

However, Celtic concepts are present in some views about the Elves (see Elves#Celtic influence).

Names

While several names in the legendarium have Germanic and Old English elements, Tolkien mentioned that the survival of traces of the older language of the Stoors and the Bree-men resembled the survival of Celtic elements in England.[5] Tolkien said to the Dutch Translator, Max Schuchart, that there were "'Celtic' elements in Buckland and East-farthing names."[6]

Celtic analogies with peoples are present mostly relating to Pre-Númenóreans, especially Dunland and the Stoor hobbits, which is evident in placenames such as "Bree" and the personal names of the Bucklanders. According to Paula Marmor, the Celtic elements in Stoorish names represents an earlier language, related to the languages of the Bree-landers.[7]

The majority of Celtic names is seen in the family trees of the Brandybucks. Names such as Rorimac, Dinodas, Gorbadoc, Meriadoc and Marmadoc are Celtic.[8]

Other names having (or have been suggested as having) a Celtic influence include:

External links

References