Comments | anicalewis: Boy, Will Spell-Check Like This Entry

anicalewis

Boy, Will Spell-Check Like This Entry

Jan 05, 2011 22:20

An interesting line of questioning struck me today.

I've already pondered the relative merits of rabbits and smeerps. Today, though, it occurred to me that I'm not sure the goblins in my fantasy world are so similar to the goblin archetype - what there is of a goblin archetype, anyway - that calling them that is the best option. So: calling a ( Read more... )

smeerpage, worldbuilding

Comments 5

magic_7_words January 6 2011, 03:33:42 UTC

What about gnomes, gremlins, kobolds, imps, etc.? Words that can mean "goblin" more or less but don't come packaged with a ton of preconceptions?

Or--I'm not sure about this, I'm making it up just now--what about deriving a plausible in-story word that sounds similar, like, I don't know, "gobbies?" It'll be obvious that it's a play off "goblin," but perhaps readers' overall impression will be of "creatures like goblins but unique to this story?" Maybe?

toastedcheese January 6 2011, 23:41:55 UTC

Hmm, I can see what you mean about goblin - but if you define what your goblins are like right away, I don't think it would be a serious problem ( ... )

toastedcheese January 6 2011, 23:43:15 UTC

BTW, just discovered that on Wikipedia, SMEERP REDIRECTS TO RABBIT. How awesome is that?

anicalewis January 7 2011, 01:51:02 UTC

A lot awesome, that is how awesome. :)

anicalewis January 7 2011, 03:30:45 UTC

I agree with you about the etymology. I think that, in a world that has elves, having things like goblins where possible makes it a sort of complete etymological parallel, as opposed to elves and smeerps, which is a kind of broken parallel. If that makes any sense.