"Middle Earth" as a concept is taken directly from Old English "Middengeard" or the Norse "Midgard".
It basically just means "Earth" as Norsemen and Anglo-Saxons understood it.
Lord of the Rings was written to create a mythology that Tolkien believed was missing from British culture. There's tonnes of concepts that are lifted wholesale from the annals of British history and linguistics.
AFAIK that translation is closer to the English "Central" or "Center" state, not middle as much. Bc in ancient times, you know, China was the state. Everyone else was mostly tribes & clans
What do you think Middle Earth was based on?
If you want to get technical, the proper name for China - in Mandarian - is literally "The Middle Place".
"Middle Earth" as a concept is taken directly from Old English "Middengeard" or the Norse "Midgard".
It basically just means "Earth" as Norsemen and Anglo-Saxons understood it.
Lord of the Rings was written to create a mythology that Tolkien believed was missing from British culture. There's tonnes of concepts that are lifted wholesale from the annals of British history and linguistics.
AFAIK that translation is closer to the English "Central" or "Center" state, not middle as much. Bc in ancient times, you know, China was the state. Everyone else was mostly tribes & clans