tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post6011081643442344651..comments2024-03-28T14:05:25.134-07:00Comments on Sacnoth's Scriptorium: A Very Short Gnomish Glossary (non-Tolkien)John D. Rateliffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-51135801000646526532017-06-25T23:41:31.804-07:002017-06-25T23:41:31.804-07:00I'd love to hear more about that discussion on...I'd love to hear more about that discussion on how gnomes became a PC race for D&D. :)Paul Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14620026998861471269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-54886258179498086582017-06-16T20:20:22.020-07:002017-06-16T20:20:22.020-07:00Thanks to all for the comments.
ATM: we do have a...Thanks to all for the comments.<br /><br />ATM: we do have a name for such house-spirits in English (not so much american) tradition: Brownies or, further back, Hobs. I did a good deal of work on these back when researching THE DENHAM TRACTS and they fit the bill pretty well.<br /><br />As for 'gnomes', I think it's a good example of the difference between a word that Tolkien reclaimed (like 'elves' and 'dwarves' and to an extent 'goblins' as well) and those he didn't (like 'fairies' and 'gnomes'). Between garden gnomes and elementals and the old movie THE GNOMEMOBILE 'gnome' and the illusionist-jokesters of D&D, gnome is just all over the place.<br /><br />--JDRJohn D. Rateliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-3339426095870390562017-06-16T11:17:37.087-07:002017-06-16T11:17:37.087-07:00I suppose the translation "gnomes" came ...I suppose the translation "gnomes" came about because English doesn't really have a word for the sort of tutelary household spirits that other languages do (Latin Lares, German Kobolds, Slavic Domovoi). Old English probably did, but the words -- and the associated practice -- probably fell out of use after the Norman Conquest.<br /><br />ATMachine (Andrew McCarthy)ATMachinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15341546353974246136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-54212450619205450372017-06-15T15:41:33.760-07:002017-06-15T15:41:33.760-07:00I remember enjoying the book in my childhood. The ...I remember enjoying the book in my childhood. The gnomes reminded me of the brownies in the beautifully illustrated holiday children's book <i>Jolly Old Santa Claus</i> (1958). But I hadn't thought about <i>Gnomes</i> since, except when seeing a garden gnome. Wikipedia says those figurines enjoyed a resurgence in the 1970s. Did that prompt this book? Or was it prompted by the book? Garden gnomes make notable appearances in two fun 1990s films, <i>The Full Monty</i> and <i>Amelie</i>.<br /><br />Prompted by your post, I was surprised to find that the <i>Gnomes</i> book led to a film and two television series.N.E. Brigandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17601573470596905112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-44454808647340796712017-06-15T13:47:22.031-07:002017-06-15T13:47:22.031-07:00Still in print in English and there was even a 30t...Still in print in English and there was even a 30th Anniversary Edition, so I wouldn't call it forgotten.Magisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07903799437411528229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-72777834800336235352017-06-15T04:06:07.873-07:002017-06-15T04:06:07.873-07:00I wonder why Huygen's and Poortvliet's cre...I wonder why Huygen's and Poortvliet's creatures (kabouters in the Dutch original) were called gnomes in the English translation, because I always saw them as more akin to household spirits (which kabouters actually are, as far as I understand them) than to the more malignant, treasure-hoarding underground dwellers that gnomes used to be. I guess it is the rise of the garden gnome that has changed the image of gnomery forever ...Murilegus rexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08705192064646504148noreply@blogger.com