How to Pronounce "Tolkien"?

[Confusticated]

I heard a woman call him Tow-kin in this old Guillermo Del Toro interview 21 seconds in. The strangest pronunciation I've ever heard.

(Keep in mind the interview is very old news now.)

 

[The Old Eregionan]

JRR Told Keen stories:

but how do you pronounce the Reuel in John Ronald Reuel Tolkien?

Self taught on how to pronounce it when about 13 as Tol-Keen, with the 'o' as in pole.

 

[Deleted member 16067]

I pronounce the professor's name as he himself did -

John - Jon
Ronald - Ron-uld
Reuel - Roo-ul
Tolkien - Tol-kin

It's horrible when people pronounce your name incorrectly - I know from experience!

 

[Azrubêl]

I pronounce the professor's name as he himself did -

John - Jon
Ronald - Ron-uld
Reuel - Roo-ul
Tolkien - Tol-kin

It's horrible when people pronounce your name incorrectly - I know from experience!

But Tolkien rolls all his letters and speaks it quite differently than either "Tolk-in" or "Tolk-een".

I used to say it more "Tolk-in", but now I say it more "Tolk-eein", how he says it.

 

[Deleted member 16067]

But Tolkien rolls all his letters and speaks it quite differently than either "Tolk-in" or "Tolk-een".

I used to say it more "Tolk-in", but now I say it more "Tolk-eein", how he says it.

Tolk-eein is a good rendering - better than mine. I was trying to put tolk-een to bed as it is just plain wrong. Tolk-in is passable but, as you say, the ei in his name is a dipthong

 

[Elthir]

-keen appears to be good enough in writing for JRRT himself, when explaining the pronunciation to Richard Jeffery in 1972.

"I am nearly always written to as Tolkein (not by you): I do not know why, since it is pronounced by me always -keen."

JRRT, letter 347,

 

[Deleted member 16067]

-keen appears to be good enough in writing for JRRT himself, when explaining the pronunciation to Richard Jeffery in 1972.

"I am nearly always written to as Tolkein (not by you): I do not know why, since it is pronounced by me always -keen."

JRRT, letter 347,

But the written word is open to interpretation. Is that we as in 'feet' or as in 'wheel'? Is it an English, Welsh. Scotch or Irish pronunciation? English, presumably but in which English region - the Midlands (where Tolkien was from) or the South?

Much better to listen to the man's voice.

Edit: should say 'ee' not 'we'. Bloody spell-check!

 

[Elthir]

EcthelionL wrote: But the written word is open to interpretation. Is that [we] ee as in 'feet' or as in 'wheel'?

As in keen

I can't recall if we have any examples of Tolkien saying his last name (or Christopher Tolkien saying it), but we do have Adam Tolkien and Simon Tolkien saying Tolkien in interviews.

(both can be found on Youtube)

 

[Deleted member 16067]

As in keen

In which accent? Birmingham or Oxford, Leeds or Capetown?

I can't recall if we have any examples of Tolkien saying his last name (or Christopher Tolkien saying it), but we do have Adam Tolkien and Simon Tolkien saying Tolkien in interviews.

I seem to remember hearing on a BBC Radio 4 broadcast, many years ago Tolkien and interviewer talking about pronunciation of the name but, alas, I can't find it anywhere online.

I'll continue saying 'Tol -keein' as that is what I heard way back then.

 

[Elthir]

For anyone interested, Adam Tolkien and Simon Tolkien saying the name (YouTube).

 

[Might_of_arnor]

i have an aussie accent so we say it like "Tol Keen"or "Tol Kin"