[BibChr]

I just wonder what the canonical authority for it is. And hobbits, too; why do they have pointy ears? If we can just make them up, how about curly little tails, like pigs?

Dan

[JenB]

One of Tolkien's Letters, IIRC, touches on the subject of ears. He says that the ears of Elves are probably "slightly" curved, citing that the Elven words for "leaf" and "ear" are related, presumably because of their shape. I believe he says something about Hobbit ears, as well.

That doesn't make it canonical.. certainly I doubt that Elves have Vulcan ears!

[HairOfTheDog]

FROM HERE:

The Grey Havens - Hobbits: Did Hobbits have pointed ears?

Only slightly. Tolkien described Bilbo thusly for purposes of illustration in a letter to Houghton Mifflin (c. 1938):

I picture a fairly human figure, not a kind of 'fairy' rabbit as some of my British reviewers seem to fancy: fattish in the stomach, shortish in the leg. A round, jovial face; ears only slightly pointed and 'elvish'; hair short and curling (brown). The feet from the ankles down, covered with brown hairy fur. Clothing: green velvet breeches; red or yellow waistcoat; brown or green jacket; gold (or brass) buttons; a dark green hood and cloak (belonging to a dwarf).
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 35 (#27)

The Annotated Hobbit cites this letter and includes a reasonable illustration based upon it. (Note that Tolkien's use of the word "elvish" here refers to the Elfs of popular folklore, who were often pictured with pointed ears. The Elves of Middle-earth (except for the Silvan Elves in The Hobbit) were at the time of this letter known to only a few people.)

References:

• The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 35 (#27);
  
• Annotated Hobbit, 10 (Ch I, note 2).
  

From HERE:

The Grey Havens - Elves: Did Elves have pointed ears?

They were evidently somewhat pointed; more so thaN human ears, at any rate. The only place this matter is addressed directly is in The Etymologies, published in The Lost Road. There, the following two entries for the element 'las' are given [Q ==Quenya, N ==Noldorin]:

Las (1)
*lasse 'leaf': Q lasse, N lhass; Q lasselanta 'leaf-fall, autumn', N lhasbelin (*lassekwelene), cf. Q Narquelion [ KWEL ]. Lhasgalen 'Greenleaf' (Gnome name of Laurelin). (Some think this is related to the next and *lasse 'ear'. The Quendian ears were more pointed and leaf-shaped than [human].)