The Ring of Words describes the unique relationship between Tolkien's creative use of the English language in his fiction and his work on the Oxford English Dictionary. In 'word studies' the authors, themselves editors of the OED, explore individual words Tolkien used in terms of their origins, development, and significance in his fictional world.
This work is erudite, massively learned, and meticulously documented and, by some magic instilled into it, both informative and entertaining. [ ] G[illiver]'s claim on the first page of the preface that his being an insider and a working lexicographer is of some advantage is amply justified at every turn in this book [ ] It is no mean feat to digest the multitudinous [ ] minutiae-into a readable and even suspenseful narrative, but Gilliver has pulled it off admirably. The richness of documentary material that underpins this book is remarkable. [ ] The splendid achievement of this book will, despite the fact that new information will inevitably be found and new theories be propounded, deservedly stand as the definitive history of the OED for many years to come. Language