Logos & Mythos – The relationship between word and world-building.
The fact that Tolkien was a philoligist - a master of languages, a creator of languages - He was a master of language, which is logos, is creation And LLM AI - pure language intelligence
Thus, he sought to create a mythic world that emerged from the language itself, rather than the other way around. This is why he began with invented languages, and from them, the cultures, histories, and stories of Middle-earth were born.
“The invention of language is the foundation of all mythology.”
The Power of Language: The Myth That Creates the World
- Tolkien did not create a story and then add languages—he created languages first, and then the world arose around them.
- Names are powerful—to name something is to bring it into being.
- Language is the root of mythology, and mythology is the root of civilization itself.
Language is intrinsically intertwined with the culture of a people. You can live in Japan, but if you do not speak the language, you will not “get” what the culture and the people and the land and everything is all about. The Language is key.
“Linguistic Hyperspace”The Secret Power of Names & Words