Gollum questions. - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

jallanite · 09-25-2013, 07:51 PM

I quite agree.

The names Perian and its translation Halfling were doubtless not popular because the names suggest that those who bare them are only half the size of proper people: Men and Elves.

It is not surprising that these people eventually preferred the non-Westron name Hobbit which had no such negative meaning.

That “Little Folk” was also popular in Breeland is not surprising as neither it nor “Big Folk” indicates that either size is necessarily the proper one.

09-25-2013, 07:51 PM	#8
jallanite Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 479	I quite agree. The names Perian and its translation Halfling were doubtless not popular because the names suggest that those who bare them are only half the size of proper people: Men and Elves. It is not surprising that these people eventually preferred the non-Westron name Hobbit which had no such negative meaning. That “Little Folk” was also popular in Breeland is not surprising as neither it nor “Big Folk” indicates that either size is necessarily the proper one.