A Middle English Vocabulary

Notes
This is a glossary of Middle English words and names compiled by Tolkien between 1919 and 1922.

Two impressions issued, both similar:

1st Impression 1922 – 2000 copies printed
2nd Impression 1924

Some copies were bound in one volume with Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose.

A number of variants of the 1st Impression are known to exist:

1) Advertisements at rear dated October 1921. 186 ornaments form the frame on the upper cover.
2) As Variant 1, but with additional advertisements on preliminary pages dated January 1922.
3) As Variant 1, but the advertisements at the rear are dated September 1922.
4) As Variant 1, but with ‘Printed in England’ at the foot of the title page and the advertisements at the rear dated September 1922.
5) As Variant 1, but with ‘Printed in England’ at the foot of the title page and no advertisements at the rear.
6) Advertisements at the rear are undated. ‘Printed in England’ at the foot of the title page. 186 ornaments form the frame on the upper cover.
7) No advertisements at the rear. 184 ornaments form the frame on the upper cover.

Variants 1 and 2 are earliest. The priority of the later variants should be treated with caution, especially numbers 6 and 7.

The earliest variants include a 'Corrigenda' on the final page. In later impressions, any advertisements at the rear are undated and 184 ornaments form the frame on the upper cover.

Copies of the 2nd Impression have not been seen. It may be that later variants of the 1st Impression (perhaps those with 'Printed in England') are in fact unidentified 2nd Impression copies.

A simplified reversal of the glossary was published in 2002 as Fourteenth Century Glossary. (Edited by P. Partridge, Privately Printed, Brisbane, ISBN 0957857136, Spiral Bound)