J.R.R. Tolkien

J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973) was a British philologist, linguist, and university professor. He taught at the University of Leeds and the University of Oxford, where he later became Merton Professor of English Language and Literature. He is best known as the creator of Middle-earth and the author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Tolkien developed an early interest in languages and created languages for his fictional worlds. His contributions were recognized with, among other honors, appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford.