Osanwe-kenta

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Ósanwe-kenta

by J. R. R. Tolkien

Edited with introduction, glossary, and additional notes by Carl F. Hostetter

The essay entitled Ósanwe-kenta, 'Enquiry into the Communication of Thought', is extant in eight typescript pages,

paginated 1 through 8 by Tolkien. It is presented and (self-)described as a "résumé" (see below) or "abbreviation"

(MR:415) by an unnamed redactor1 of another work of the same title that the Elvish Loremaster Pengolodh "set at the

end of his Lammas or 'Account of Tongues'" (ibid.).2 While thus a separate document, it nonetheless is closely

associated and no doubt closely contemporary with the longer essay that Tolkien titled Quendi and Eldar (the bulk of

which has been published in The War of the Jewels), with which it is located among Tolkien's papers. A note on one of

the title pages of Quendi and Eldar indicates that the Ósanwe-kenta was intended by Tolkien as an adjunct to the

longer essay: "To which is added an abbreviation of the Ósanwe-kenta or 'Communication of Thought'" (ibid.).

Furthermore, Christopher Tolkien notes that his father used the title Quendi and Eldar not only for the longer essay,

but also to include the Ósanwe-kenta and another brief essay on the origin of Orcs (the latter published in Morgoth's

Ring, cf. pp. 415 ff.). All three essays are extant in typescript versions that are "identical in general appearance"

(MR:415).

The association of the Ósanwe-kenta with Quendi and Eldar also extends to terminology and subject matter. For

example, the Ósanwe-kenta employs certain linguistic terms defined and discussed in some detail in Quendi and Eldar

(e.g. tengwesta, lambe) in a manner that assumes that the definitions and distinctions given there are already known.

Further, the Ósanwe-kenta amplifies certain statements in the Note on the 'Language of the Valar' that concludes

Quendi and Eldar: for instance, that "It was the special talent of the Incarnate, who lived by necessary union of hröa

and fëa, to make language" (WJ:405); and, more strikingly, that "the Valar and Maiar could transmit and receive

thought directly (by the will of both parties) according to their right nature", although their "use of bodily form ... made

this mode of communication less swift and precise" (406). It likewise amplifies upon "the speed with which ... a

tengwesta may be learned by a higher order", by the aid of direct "transmission and reception of thought" in

conjunction with "warmth of heart" and "desire to understand others", as exemplified by the quickness with which

Finrod learned the Bëorian language (ibid.).3

According to Christopher Tolkien, one of the copies of Quendi and Eldar is "preserved in a folded newspaper of

March 1960", and notes written by his father on this paper and on the cover of the other copy include the Ósanwe-

kenta among the Appendices to Quendi and Eldar (MR:415). Christopher concludes that this complex of material,

including the Ósanwe-kenta, "was thus in being when the newspaper was used for this purpose, and although, as in

other similar cases, this does not provide a perfectly certain terminus ad quem, there seems to be no reason to doubt

that it belongs to 1959-60" (ibid.).

The eight typescript pages presented here appear to comprise the sole extant text of the Ósanwe-kenta; if it was

preceded by any typescript or manuscript versions, they have apparently not been preserved. In the top margin of the

first of these pages, Tolkien has written the three lines of its present title in ink. He has also numbered the first seven

pages in the upper right-hand corner by hand, and written the notation "Ósanwe" to the left of the numeral on each of

these pages, also in ink; but the page number and notation are typed in the same positions on the eighth page. This

suggests that Tolkien may have paused, or perhaps originally concluded the essay, somewhere on the seventh page,

and written the short title and page number on those pages he had typed at that point, before the eighth page was

begun. If so, he may have done so at the break on the seventh page indicated by a blank space before the paragraph

beginning "If we speak last of the 'folly' of Manwe". The typescript has also been emended at points by Tolkien in ink,

chiefly in correction of typographical errors, though on a few occasions supplying a change of wording. Save in a very

few instances these changes have been incorporated silently in this edition.

In this edition, Tolkien's text has also been reorganized slightly in the matter of notes. On the first page of the

typescript (only) Tolkien used numbered footnotes, but as throughout Quendi and Eldar, elsewhere in the Ósanwe-

kenta he at points interrupts his text with notes, typically typed on the line following, or within a few lines of, the

notation mark, even where this interrupts a sentence (cf. WJ:359). Christopher Tolkien's practice in editing Quendi and

Eldar of collecting Tolkien's notes at the end of the essay, distinguishing them from editorial notes by referring to them

in the text with Note 1, Note 2, etc. in parentheses, has been adopted here for most of these notes. However, seven very

brief notes, which simply supply Quenya glosses of terms under discussion (those for sanwe-latya, sáma, láta, indo,

pahta, avanir, and aquapahtie), have been placed in the main text parenthetically.

A brief editorial glossary of the Elvish forms encountered in the Ósanwe-kenta has been supplied following

Tolkien's notes, as a convenient place for citing further information relevant to them from other texts (especially

Quendi and Eldar, various texts in Morgoth's Ring, and The Etymologies) and for most of the specifically linguistic

editorial commentary.

I am grateful to Christopher Tolkien for providing this text for publication in Vinyar Tengwar, and to Christopher

Gilson, Wayne Hammond, Christina Scull, Arden Smith, and Patrick Wynne for their assistance in preparing this

edition.

Osanwe-kenta4

"Enquiry into the Communication of Thought"

(résumé of Pengolodh's discussion)

At the end of the Lammas Pengolodh discusses briefly direct thought-transmission (sanwe-latya

"thought-opening"), making several assertions about it, which are evidently dependent upon

theories and observations of the Eldar elsewhere treated at length by Elvish loremasters. They are

concerned primarily with the Eldar and the Valar (including the lesser Maiar of the same order).

Men are not specially considered, except in so far as they are included in general statements about

the Incarnates (Mirröanwi). Of them Pengolodh says only: "Men have the same faculty as the

Quendi, but it is in itself weaker, and is weaker in operation owing to the strength of the hröa, over

which most men have small control by the will".

Pengolodh includes this matter primarily owing to its connexion with tengwesta. But he is also

concerned as an historian to examine the relations of Melkor and his agents with the Valar and the

Eruhíni,5 though this also has a connexion with "language", since, as he points out, this, the greatest

of the talents of the Mirröanwi, has been turned by Melkor to his own greatest advantage.

Pengolodh says that all minds (sáma, pl. sámar) are equal in status, though they differ in

capacity and strength. A mind by its nature perceives another mind directly. But it cannot perceive

more than the existence of another mind (as something other than itself, though of the same order)

except by the will of both parties (Note 1). The degree of will, however, need not be the same in

both parties. If we call one mind G (for guest or comer) and the other H (for host or receiver), then

G must have full intention to inspect H or to inform it. But knowledge may be gained or imparted

by G, even when H is not seeking or intending6 to impart or to learn: the act of G will be effective,

if H is simply "open" (láta; látie "openness"). This distinction, he says, is of the greatest

importance.

"Openness" is the natural or simple state (indo) of a mind that is not otherwise engaged (Note 2).

In "Arda Unmarred" (that is, in ideal conditions free from evil)7 openness would be the normal

state. Nonetheless any mind may be closed (pahta). This requires an act of conscious will: Unwill

(avanir). It may be made against G, against G and some others, or be a total retreat into "privacy"

(aquapahtie).

Though in "Arda Unmarred" openness is the normal state, every mind has, from its first making

as an individual, the right to close; and it has absolute power to make this effective by will. Nothing

can penetrate the barrier of Unwill (Note 3).

All these things, says Pengolodh, are true of all minds, from the Ainur in the presence of Eru, or

the great Valar such as Manwe and Melkor, to the Maiar in Eä, and down to the least of the

Mirröanwi. But different states bring in limitations, which are not fully controlled by the will.

The Valar entered into Eä and Time of free will, and they are now in Time, so long as it endures.

They can perceive nothing outside Time, save by memory of their existence before it began: they

can recall the Song and the Vision. They are, of course, open to Eru, but they cannot of their own

will "see" any part of His mind. They can open themselves to Eru in entreaty, and He may then

reveal His thought to them (Note 4).

The Incarnates have by the nature of sáma the same faculties; but their perception is dimmed by

the hröa, for their fëa is united to their hröa and its normal procedure is through the hröa, which is

in itself part of Eä, without thought. The dimming is indeed double; for thought has to pass one

mantle of hröa and penetrate another. For this reason in Incarnates transmission of thought requires

strengthening to be effective. Strengthening can be by affinity, by urgency, or by authority.

Affinity may be due to kinship; for this may increase the likeness of hröa to hröa, and so of the

concerns and modes of thought of the indwelling fëar, kinship is also normally accompanied by

love and sympathy. Affinity may come simply from love and friendship, which is likeness or

affinity of fëa to fëa.

Urgency is imparted by great need of the "sender" (as in joy, grief or fear); and if these things

are in any degree shared by the "receiver" the thought is the clearer received. Authority may also

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Ósanwe-kentabyJ.R.R.TolkienEditedwithintroduction,glossary,andadditionalnotesbyCarlF.HostetterTolkien'stextcopyright©1998TheTolkienTrustTheessayentitledÓsanwe-kenta,'EnquiryintotheCommunicationofThought',isextantineighttypescriptpages,paginated1through8byTolkien.Itispresentedand(self-)describedasa"r...

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