Hobbit: Difference between revisions
| (6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
==English== | ==English== | ||
=== | ===Transliteration=== | ||
* Katakana: ホビット (hobitto) | * Katakana: ホビット (hobitto) | ||
* Zhuyin (approximate): ㄏㄛ ㄅㄧ ㄊ | * Zhuyin (approximate): ㄏㄛ ㄅㄧ ㄊ | ||
| Line 14: | Line 10: | ||
'''hobbit''' (plural: '''hobbits''') | '''hobbit''' (plural: '''hobbits''') | ||
# A member of a fictional race of small | # A member of a fictional race of small humanoid beings characterized by hairy feet, rustic habits, and a fondness for comfort. | ||
#* Example: “Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who preferred tea and quiet evenings.” | #* Example: “Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who preferred tea and quiet evenings.” | ||
# (humorous) A person of short stature. | # (humorous) A person of short stature. | ||
# A nickname sometimes applied to the extinct hominin species ''Homo floresiensis'', discovered on the island of Flores | # A nickname sometimes applied to the extinct hominin species ''Homo floresiensis'', discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores, due to its small size. | ||
# (US slang, rare) A socially awkward or overly academic student. | # (US slang, rare) A socially awkward or overly academic student. | ||
===Etymology=== | ===Etymology=== | ||
Coined in its modern literary sense by J. R. R. Tolkien in the 1930s and first published in ''The Hobbit'' (1937) | Coined in its modern literary sense by J. R. R. Tolkien in the 1930s and first published in ''The Hobbit'' (1937). The term later appeared prominently in ''The Lord of the Rings'' (1954–1955). | ||
Tolkien humorously proposed an Old English derivation from a hypothetical ''holbytla'' (“hole-builder”), from ''hol'' (“hole”) + ''bytlan'' (“to build”). | Tolkien humorously proposed an Old English derivation from a hypothetical ''holbytla'' (“hole-builder”), from ''hol'' (“hole”) + ''bytlan'' (“to build”). | ||
The | The word may also have been influenced by: | ||
* English folklore | * English folklore terms such as ''hob'' (a household spirit; also a nickname for Robert). | ||
* A 19th-century reference to “hobbits” in the ''Denham Tracts'', listed alongside hobgoblins and other sprites. | * A 19th-century reference to “hobbits” in the ''Denham Tracts'', listed alongside hobgoblins and other sprites. | ||
| Line 55: | Line 51: | ||
{{#ev:youtube|8GbHWY0roOY|800|center|Why Lord of the Rings Architecture Isn’t Just Fantasy.. It’s a Warning - DamiLee}} | {{#ev:youtube|8GbHWY0roOY|800|center|Why Lord of the Rings Architecture Isn’t Just Fantasy.. It’s a Warning - DamiLee}} | ||
At approximately 0:17, this video discusses the etymology of the word '''hobbit''', including Tolkien’s proposed Old English derivation. The discussion later | At approximately 0:17, this video discusses the etymology of the word '''hobbit''', including Tolkien’s proposed Old English derivation. The discussion later examines hobbit architecture, especially the design of hobbit-holes, and considers how Tolkien’s architectural imagination reflects broader cultural and environmental themes within Middle-earth. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
* Wiktionary contributors. “hobbit.” ''Wiktionary''. [https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=hobbit&oldid=89226486 Permanent link]. Accessed 20 February 2026. | |||
* DamiLee. “Why Lord of the Rings Architecture Isn’t Just Fantasy.. It’s a Warning.” ''YouTube''. [https://youtu.be/8GbHWY0roOY Watch video]. Accessed 20 February 2026. | |||
Latest revision as of 04:41, 20 February 2026
English
[edit | edit source]Transliteration
[edit | edit source]- Katakana: ホビット (hobitto)
- Zhuyin (approximate): ㄏㄛ ㄅㄧ ㄊ
- Hangul: 호빗
- Cyrillic: хоббит
Noun
[edit | edit source]hobbit (plural: hobbits)
- A member of a fictional race of small humanoid beings characterized by hairy feet, rustic habits, and a fondness for comfort.
- Example: “Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who preferred tea and quiet evenings.”
- (humorous) A person of short stature.
- A nickname sometimes applied to the extinct hominin species Homo floresiensis, discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores, due to its small size.
- (US slang, rare) A socially awkward or overly academic student.
Etymology
[edit | edit source]Coined in its modern literary sense by J. R. R. Tolkien in the 1930s and first published in The Hobbit (1937). The term later appeared prominently in The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955).
Tolkien humorously proposed an Old English derivation from a hypothetical holbytla (“hole-builder”), from hol (“hole”) + bytlan (“to build”).
The word may also have been influenced by:
- English folklore terms such as hob (a household spirit; also a nickname for Robert).
- A 19th-century reference to “hobbits” in the Denham Tracts, listed alongside hobgoblins and other sprites.
Derived Terms
[edit | edit source]- hobbitish
- hobbitlike
- hobbitry
- hobbitic
- hobbitness
Translations
[edit | edit source]Fictional creature sense
- Chinese (Mandarin): 霍比特人 (huòbǐtè rén), 哈比人 (Taiwan)
- Japanese: ホビット
- Korean: 호빗
- Russian: хоббит
See Also
[edit | edit source]- halfling
- hobgoblin
- Homo floresiensis
Cultural & Architectural Discussion
[edit | edit source]Video Commentary
[edit | edit source]At approximately 0:17, this video discusses the etymology of the word hobbit, including Tolkien’s proposed Old English derivation. The discussion later examines hobbit architecture, especially the design of hobbit-holes, and considers how Tolkien’s architectural imagination reflects broader cultural and environmental themes within Middle-earth.
References
[edit | edit source]- Wiktionary contributors. “hobbit.” Wiktionary. Permanent link. Accessed 20 February 2026.
- DamiLee. “Why Lord of the Rings Architecture Isn’t Just Fantasy.. It’s a Warning.” YouTube. Watch video. Accessed 20 February 2026.