Weird - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Valier · 12-02-2006, 06:59 PM

Ok well I know this won't make a very good thread but, I could not think of where else to put this.

I am the proud owner of a Gollum figurine that has it's own little rock stand and when you push a button on the rock it screechs out "MY PREEECCCIOOOUUUSSSS!!!" It also has really fun bendable arms and legs.

This Gollum sits on my station at work. Now here's the thing, I have a lot of clients that comment on it. The weird thing is more than half of them call him Smeagol not Gollum, though clearly he is Gollum (all emaciated and little beady red eyes)

My question is, why do you suppose most people call him Smeagol? I have some ideas of my own, but I would love to hear what others thought of this. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just here where I live?

Holbytlass · 12-02-2006, 07:28 PM

The Collection Grows is the thread where everyone gets to post what cool LOTR/Tolkien they have.

I have that one, too. Or at least I did till the kiddies got a hold of it.

A couple of questions come to mind, where are you-at least the country? What do you do? And what kind of people (age etc) are your clientel?

Maybe they are showing that they know little more then average about LOTR.

mormegil · 12-02-2006, 07:52 PM

I'll be moving this to Novice and Newcomer as it seems more appropriate there than in Mirth.

Valier · 12-02-2006, 10:04 PM

To answer your questions Holby, I live in Canada, I am a Barber/Hairstylist and my clientel is very broad, from young to old.
I guess most of the people that comment on him may not know much about LOTR, but I figure if they even take notice of my Gollum they know something or have at least seen the movies.

I would think that if anything being less knowledgable they would just say Gollum....perhaps they are just trying to sound smart.

Rikae · 12-02-2006, 10:46 PM

I'm not sure I understand. You're not referring to him not being "young" Smeagol, right? Because the "cute" side of Gollum is usually referred to as Smeagol since the movies came out. So do you mean they had separate figurines for the Gollum and Smeagol personalities? I could see why it would be hard to tell them apart - the only difference is the size of his pupils!

Holbytlass · 12-03-2006, 07:48 AM

"I would think that if anything being less knowledgable they would just say Gollum....perhaps they are just trying to sound smart."-Valier
That's what I meant to say.

THe thought also occured to me that they were following Frodo and calling him Smeagol. Hm, which brings another thought to my mind-would most people who only saw the movie call Gollum 'Smeagol' because that was what was mostly heard (by Frodo calling him that) and do most people who read the book even if they saw the movie call Gollum 'Gollum' because despite Frodo calling Gollum 'Smeagol' the name written most by narration is Gollum.

I state that I haven't counted which name is said/written in movie or book but I hope I wasn't too confusing.

Boromir_bg · 01-02-2007, 01:35 AM

Smeagul is the good part of Gollum,so maybe the people want to see the good in him.Dunno,just a hint...

The Might · 01-02-2007, 12:20 PM

this is pretty confusing
now he was Smeagol in the beginning
after he got the Ring he forgot his name, and since nobody else knew his name they started to call him Gollum name said to derive from the guttural swallowing noises he habitually made.
so Gollum is just another name for the creature

now, the two sides of his personality have names of their own - Slinker and Stinker given by who else the our good Samwise Gamgee

Slinker is Sam's name for the pathetic, whimpering side to Gollum's personality, faithful to Frodo and desperate for his approval. The 'Slinker' persona was associated with his original life as the hobbit-like creature Smeagol, long ago on the banks of the Gladden river before the Ring began to twist his mind

Slinker was his darker, more dangerous side, the one that, as they were getting closer to Mordor, started to gain more and more control of Smeagol/Gollum.

So conclusion:

1. Smeagol = Gollum

2. Smeagol/Gollum = Stinker + Slinker

3. E = mc²

12-02-2006, 06:59 PM	#1
Valier Twisted Taleswapper Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: somewhere between sanity and insanity Posts: 1,706	Weird Ok well I know this won't make a very good thread but, I could not think of where else to put this. I am the proud owner of a Gollum figurine that has it's own little rock stand and when you push a button on the rock it screechs out "MY PREEECCCIOOOUUUSSSS!!!" It also has really fun bendable arms and legs. This Gollum sits on my station at work. Now here's the thing, I have a lot of clients that comment on it. The weird thing is more than half of them call him Smeagol not Gollum, though clearly he is Gollum (all emaciated and little beady red eyes) My question is, why do you suppose most people call him Smeagol? I have some ideas of my own, but I would love to hear what others thought of this. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just here where I live? __________________ grand return?........

12-02-2006, 07:28 PM	#2
Holbytlass Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Party Tree Posts: 1,042	The Collection Grows is the thread where everyone gets to post what cool LOTR/Tolkien they have. I have that one, too. Or at least I did till the kiddies got a hold of it. A couple of questions come to mind, where are you-at least the country? What do you do? And what kind of people (age etc) are your clientel? Maybe they are showing that they know little more then average about LOTR. __________________ Holby is an actual flesh-and-blood person, right? Not, say a sock-puppet of Nilp’s, by any chance? ~Nerwen, WWCIII

12-02-2006, 07:52 PM	#3
mormegil Maundering Mage Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,636	I'll be moving this to Novice and Newcomer as it seems more appropriate there than in Mirth. __________________ When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators. -- P. J. O'Rourke

12-02-2006, 10:04 PM	#4
Valier Twisted Taleswapper Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: somewhere between sanity and insanity Posts: 1,706	To answer your questions Holby, I live in Canada, I am a Barber/Hairstylist and my clientel is very broad, from young to old. I guess most of the people that comment on him may not know much about LOTR, but I figure if they even take notice of my Gollum they know something or have at least seen the movies. I would think that if anything being less knowledgable they would just say Gollum....perhaps they are just trying to sound smart. __________________ grand return?........

12-03-2006, 07:48 AM	#6
Holbytlass Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Party Tree Posts: 1,042	"I would think that if anything being less knowledgable they would just say Gollum....perhaps they are just trying to sound smart."-Valier That's what I meant to say. THe thought also occured to me that they were following Frodo and calling him Smeagol. Hm, which brings another thought to my mind-would most people who only saw the movie call Gollum 'Smeagol' because that was what was mostly heard (by Frodo calling him that) and do most people who read the book even if they saw the movie call Gollum 'Gollum' because despite Frodo calling Gollum 'Smeagol' the name written most by narration is Gollum. I state that I haven't counted which name is said/written in movie or book but I hope I wasn't too confusing. __________________ Holby is an actual flesh-and-blood person, right? Not, say a sock-puppet of Nilp’s, by any chance? ~Nerwen, WWCIII

12-02-2006, 10:46 PM	#5
Rikae Mellifluous Maia Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A glade open to the stars, deep in Nan Elmoth Posts: 3,489	I'm not sure I understand. You're not referring to him not being "young" Smeagol, right? Because the "cute" side of Gollum is usually referred to as Smeagol since the movies came out. So do you mean they had separate figurines for the Gollum and Smeagol personalities? I could see why it would be hard to tell them apart - the only difference is the size of his pupils!

01-02-2007, 01:35 AM	#7
Boromir_bg Pile O'Bones Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 16	Smeagul is the good part of Gollum,so maybe the people want to see the good in him.Dunno,just a hint... __________________ The Pride of Gondor!

01-02-2007, 12:20 PM	#8
The Might Guard of the Citadel Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Oxon Posts: 2,205	this is pretty confusing now he was Smeagol in the beginning after he got the Ring he forgot his name, and since nobody else knew his name they started to call him Gollum name said to derive from the guttural swallowing noises he habitually made. so Gollum is just another name for the creature now, the two sides of his personality have names of their own - Slinker and Stinker given by who else the our good Samwise Gamgee Slinker is Sam's name for the pathetic, whimpering side to Gollum's personality, faithful to Frodo and desperate for his approval. The 'Slinker' persona was associated with his original life as the hobbit-like creature Smeagol, long ago on the banks of the Gladden river before the Ring began to twist his mind Slinker was his darker, more dangerous side, the one that, as they were getting closer to Mordor, started to gain more and more control of Smeagol/Gollum. So conclusion: 1. Smeagol = Gollum 2. Smeagol/Gollum = Stinker + Slinker 3. E = mc² __________________ “The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.” Delos B. McKown