Halflings: By Any Other Name

[SuperFerret]

(I'm not 100% sure this is the correct place for this, so I apologize in advance if it's not.)

I like halflings, but the race's name has always bothered me. It makes sense from a human point of view, but no group of people are going to define themselves as "half" of someone else. So, I've been looking for other names to call them.

"Hobbit" is the easy one, but it's tied so closely with Tolkien that it's hard not to fall into the Middle-Earth paradigm.

"Kender" is different, but also a very distinct thing from normal halflings, and it has a similar issue as "halfling", since "kender" stems from "kinder" which is German for "children." Kender are also... controversial in gaming circles, and I don't want to put that baggage into the mix.

I've considered "Lilliputian," but they're typically way smaller, and carry more literary expectations.

"Pygmy" carries unfortunate racial undertones these days, and I'd like to avoid that entirely.

After that, I'm at a loss. D&D, being what it is, has always classified just about every small folk in folklore. I also recognize that there are similar problems with "dwarf", and even "elf" and "gnome", but I find it most egregious with halflings.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Koo Rehtorb]

"Stop, thief!"

[RedWarlock]

(I'm not 100% sure this is the correct place for this, so I apologize in advance if it's not.)

I like halflings, but the race's name has always bothered me. It makes sense from a human point of view, but no group of people are going to define themselves as "half" of someone else. So, I've been looking for other names to call them.

"Hobbit" is the easy one, but it's tied so closely with Tolkien that it's hard not to fall into the Middle-Earth paradigm.

"Kender" is different, but also a very distinct thing from normal halflings, and it has a similar issue as "halfling", since "kender" stems from "kinder" which is German for "children." Kender are also... controversial in gaming circles, and I don't want to put that baggage into the mix.

I've considered "Lilliputian," but they're typically way smaller, and carry more literary expectations.

"Pygmy" carries unfortunate racial undertones these days, and I'd like to avoid that entirely.

After that, I'm at a loss. D&D, being what it is, has always classified just about every small folk in folklore. I also recognize that there are similar problems with "dwarf", and even "elf" and "gnome", but I find it most egregious with halflings.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Well, Common is really the Human language, so terminology like that is from their context. Halflings usually have their own language, and they wouldn't use that literal term for themselves in their own tongue.

I seem to recall the Halfling term for themselves being "Hin" (which I always interpreted as hín/"Heen"), which on some searching looks like it comes from Forgotten Realms.

[Scots Dragon]

Well, Common is really the Human language, so terminology like that is from their context. Halflings usually have their own language, and they wouldn't use that literal term for themselves in their own tongue.

I seem to recall the Halfling term for themselves being "Hin" (which I always interpreted as hín/"Heen"), which on some searching looks like it comes from Forgotten Realms.

It's also present in Mystara's Known World, 'cause Ed Greenwood wrote up the Halfling book for that setting.

I think you can get away with just using hin as a standard.

[The Insanity]

I like InCase's take on it. In his comic (warning - NSFW) a halfling-like race is called (at least by themself) havlin (if I remember correctly), but humans misspeak it as halfling.

[RedWarlock]

The other end of things is in the webcomic Rusty & Co (http://rustyandco.com/), where the halflings refer to humans and other medium-sizes humanoids as "twicelings".

[VoxRationis]

(I'm not 100% sure this is the correct place for this, so I apologize in advance if it's not.)

I like halflings, but the race's name has always bothered me. It makes sense from a human point of view, but no group of people are going to define themselves as "half" of someone else. So, I've been looking for other names to call them.

"Hobbit" is the easy one, but it's tied so closely with Tolkien that it's hard not to fall into the Middle-Earth paradigm.

Bear in mind that they're only not called hobbits because Tolkien's estate objected. Halfling, for some reason, was fine. Both are terms used for the creatures of the Shire; halfling is explicitly an exonym, which is why it defines them as being half-sized. The term "hobbit" had an etymology to it that I can't quite remember, but comes out to something like "hole-dweller" or something like that.

[LibraryOgre]

Bear in mind that they're only not called hobbits because Tolkien's estate objected. Halfling, for some reason, was fine. Both are terms used for the creatures of the Shire; halfling is explicitly an exonym, which is why it defines them as being half-sized. The term "hobbit" had an etymology to it that I can't quite remember, but comes out to something like "hole-dweller" or something like that.

http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Hobbits#Etymology_and_names

The term Hobbit is derived from the Rohirric word Holbytla, a word which means "Hole-builder". In the original Common Speech, the name was Kuduk (Hobbit), derived from the actual Rohirric Kûd-dûkan (hole-dweller).

Personally, I like Hin, which I tend to pronounce with a short i sound, rather than HEEN.

Halflings on the Jagged Cliffs in Dark Sun refer to themselves as rhul-thaun.

[Pleh]

Leprechauns

[Friv]

You could go with the roots of the people as being about family, and call them "The Kith" (it's a word meaning friends, acquantainces and relatives.)

Or even full Magic the Gathering and call them Kithkin, although I find that kind of tautological.

Alternately, "bogles" are the little people of British mythology, which could fit.

[Lord Torath]

In Willow they call themselves the Nelwyn.

[Anonymouswizard]

Victoriana uses Hudlufolk, but like Beastman is uncertain who came up with the name and why it stuck.

Dwarf would be the most logical, but that's taken by another species and halflings rarely have the proportions of RW dwarfs.

Depending on the exact setting I'm using I might have their 'proper' Common(/Imperial/Low Speak/Trader's Tongue) name be goblin, kobold, or some other 'small creature's I'm not otherwise using (yes, including calling them dwarfs if I'm not using dwarves). Halfling is essentially a slur that morphed into an everyday term, although it might also be used for Gnomes (and occasionally dwarves). I also like having halflings be 'hobgoblins', the same species as the barbaric/uncivilised/insert teen here goblins, but sociable, groomed, and friendly. He's the portly pipe smoking Robert Goblin.

[gkathellar]

Tolkein actually got the word from the Scots term, "hauflin."

Which is ... more or less exactly the same thing but said with an accent, but you can pretend it isn't!

[Devils_Advocate]

Well, Common is really the Human language, so terminology like that is from their context. Halflings usually have their own language, and they wouldn't use that literal term for themselves in their own tongue.

"Half-elf" and "half-orc" are also rather obviously humancentric terms for human/elf hybrids and human/orc hybrids, respectively, for that matter.

"Thor's beard! These humans be like giants! *pause* Well, I guess at long last I know why we're called 'dwarves.'"
-- Durkon Thundershield, On the Origin of PCs

I seem to recall the Halfling term for themselves being "Hin" (which I always interpreted as hín/"Heen"), which on some searching looks like it comes from Forgotten Realms.

It's also present in Mystara's Known World, 'cause Ed Greenwood wrote up the Halfling book for that setting.

I think you can get away with just using hin as a standard.

I recall seeing that somewhere before, as well. It seems like it's the default canon endonym, or the closest thing to one.

[Lemmy]

I call them Hivlins in two of my settings (a mix of "halfling" and "hin"). And explain the term "halfling" as humans mispronouncing and/or mocking halflings... Except the halflings mostly laughed it off and took to using the word themselves, to the point where most other races started calling them that as well.

Halflings do occasionally use terms like "longlegs" and "twicelings" to refer to the taller races... Almost always as a joke or affectionate nickname, rather than as a slur.

[Blymurkla]

Victoriana uses Hudlufolk, but like Beastman is uncertain who came up with the name and why it stuck.

Just incase anyone's interested:

Huldufolk is norse for "hidden people". On Iceland, they're basically faeries. In Sweden and Norway, there's folklore about a creature called Huldra, a female forest spirit who lures men to their doom.

[M Placeholder]

In the Birthright Setting, Halflings call themselves and their Language Cellwair, I think which comes from Welsh.

They came to Cerilia (the detailed continent) from the Shadow World (the faerie realm) to escape an unknown danger. Apart from being able to pass between Cerilia and the Shadow World, they are much the same as Halflings from other worlds.

[BWR]

In Sweden and Norway, there's folklore about a creature called Huldra, a female forest spirit who lures men to their doom.

And her damn livestock!
Hear them all over the place.

[Deophaun]

I call them "bonsai humans," myself.

[VoxRationis]

@Deophaun: That's a dark thought. Halflings are just humans whose growth has been carefully restricted with limited nutrition and wire bindings...

[Xania]

Mine were called "korrigans" and "gelflings" for a while.

[LibraryOgre]

@Deophaun: That's a dark thought. Halflings are just humans whose growth has been carefully restricted with limited nutrition and wire bindings...

Can't be limited nutrition. They eat like 7 times a day!

[wingnut2292]

Would Semior̃is, derived from the Latin semi ('half'), work?

I've also heard of them be called Quicklings or the Lithe Folk (as opposed to being Wee or Small Folk wich is typicicly Tiny-sized fae.)

[Anonymouswizard]

Can't be limited nutrition. They eat like 7 times a day!

That's the cause! all the weight during their developing years creates a strong downwards force that cancels out the upwards growth force.

[Lemmy]

That's the cause! all the weight during their developing years creates a strong downwards force that cancels out the upwards growth force.

That explains the oversized feet.

[Kaptin Keen]

I'm pretty sure all races consider themselves 'men' (m/f), and have other names for all other races. I'm also pretty sure all smaller races consider themselves correctly sized, and consider all larger races giants.

But ... you simply shouldn't ever go there. Because there's nothing to be gained, and your sanity to lose.

[Ravens_cry]

I'm pretty sure all races consider themselves 'men' (m/f), and have other names for all other races. I'm also pretty sure all smaller races consider themselves correctly sized, and consider all larger races giants.

But ... you simply shouldn't ever go there. Because there's nothing to be gained, and your sanity to lose.

But it's so much fun! I have a sci-fi setting on the slow stew where there's a whole political game about what you call other races and what they call you. More on topic, I have a little shortcut where I associate a certain real world language with the race in question, changing spellings and pronunciation a little to hide the origin.. Maybe Halflings are Welsh based and call themselves, Pobble, while most other folks call them something descriptive that fits their culture, like woodsy, hippie elves calling them 'Sprouts' and ogres . . . . 'Snacks'.

[Kaptin Keen]

But it's so much fun! I have a sci-fi setting on the slow stew where there's a whole political game about what you call other races and what they call you. More on topic, I have a little shortcut where I associate a certain real world language with the race in question, changing spellings and pronunciation a little to hide the origin.. Maybe Halflings are Welsh based and call themselves, Pobble, while most other folks call them something descriptive that fits their culture, like woodsy, hippie elves calling them 'Sprouts' and ogres . . . . 'Snacks'.

I made a goblin character based mostly on the concept of viewing other races as wicked, rampaging giants who wrong the poor goblin race at every turn. Yes, it's hilarious - but it's also a first step towards deciding, for every single race, how they view themselves in relation to every other race, and what is socially acceptable and what isn't, and ... that way madness truly does lie.

[Jay R]

When I started playing D&D, they were called "hobbits", and that's why we wanted to play them. Then the Tolkien estate noticed, and TSR had to change hobbits, ents and Balrogs to halflings, treants, and Balors.

In my game, they are hobbits. Because that's why we want to play them.

[Metahuman1]

I suggest picking one of two routes with this.


1: Make them Dwarves. And have them be considered a variant race of that would normally be considered Dwarves in D&D. Maybe slightly culturally different. Like, there cousins that get on well enough and close ranks if you throw an outside threat at them, but, they'll bicker about preferred tactics and methodology and favored deity's in the pantheon and what not when they don't, but generally wont' do any lasting harm to one another over it.


2: Go find a real world language your not borrowing from for much of anything else in the setting. Find the words for "Little" or "Small" and then "Man" or "Person". And then just merge them, and then maybe tweak the spelling. (Think how in DC comics, Darkside's name is properly spelled Darksied, because linguistic differences.).