->  DW> Yes. Usually I say, "It's my language, and I'll do what
I like with 
->  DW> it." 
 
-> Ooooh, goody!  It's not often anybody here quotes, near enough, 
-> Lewis Carrol (CLD). 
  
J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, etc., had the best 
handle on it. Someone pointed out to him that his books contained many 
instances of the spelling "dwarves", but no dictionary contained it. 
The spelling "dwarfs" was the only one included. But Tolkien was a 
member of the editorial board of the Oxford English Dictionary. Every 
now and again, the board would meet and members would suggest changes 
to the dictionary, based on usage that they had read or heard in 
everyday speech. So Tolkien, using his own books as authorities, 
suggested that "dwarves" be put into the dictionary, which was done. 
  
All the Oxford dictionaries include this spelling. So, nowadays, do a 
few others, but not many. 
  
                          dow 
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