Goblins or Orcs?

[The Silver-shod Muse]

It seems, Mornie, that there is indeed a difference between orcs and goblins, and that Imperica's impression of the differences were quite well-founded. In TTT, Ch. The Uruk-Hai, I found this:

In the twilight he [Pippin] saw a large black Orc, probably Ugluk, standing facing Grishnak, a short, crook-legged creature, very broad and with long arms that hung almost the ground. Round them were many smaller goblins. Pippin supposed that these were from the North.

In fact, it was these Northern goblins that cause the Uruk-hais so much trouble throughout the chapter because the Uruk-hais are not bothered by the light, but the goblins are. There are many examples of their incompatibilities, both physical and constitutional (meaning how much they can stand, not their Bill of Rights [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ). There was even something of a mutiny because of their differences:

There was some cursing and scuffling, and then most of the Northerners broke away and dashed off...The hobbits were left with the Isengarders...A few of the larger and bolder Northerners remained with them.

[ June 19, 2002: Message edited by: The Silver-shod Muse ]