Gnomes

From Tolkien Gateway
Revision as of 17:41, 11 August 2020 by BartekChom (talk | contribs) (After the flight of Noldoli and slaughter of Solosimpi,)

Template:Disputedcanon

"Who told you, and who sent you?" — Gandalf
This article or section needs more/new/more-detailed sources to conform to a higher standard and to provide proof for claims made.
This article is about an early concept of elves. For the race of elves the Gnomes became, see Noldor.
Gnomes
People
General Information
Other namesNoldoli
LocationsKôr, Nargothrond, Dorthonion, Gondolin, Tol Eressea
LanguagesKornoldorin, Noldorin
MembersFinwë, Fëanor, Finrod, Inglor, Beren, Turgon
Physical Description
LifespanImmortal
DistinctionsGreat skill with metal and gems, deep knowledge
Average heightTall
Hair colorDark
Skin colorWhite
GalleryImages of Gnomes

The term Gnomes or Noldoli was briefly used in J.R.R. Tolkien's early work The Book of Lost Tales to describe the race of Elves that would become the Noldor. In those works he borrowed several folkloric names to describe his original creations, like Fae, Elves, Dwarves, Ogres and Goblins.

The names of the Noldoli are in the Goldogrin (or Gnomish) language.

Etymology

In a letter dating from 1973, Tolkien stated that the word gnome derives from Paracelsus,[1] who is known to have used Modern Latin gnomus in a 16th century treatise.[2]

The word likely comes from genomos "earth-dweller". It has a similarity with Greek γνώσις gnosis "knowledge" which is why Tolkien used it for the wise clan of his Elves (Quenya Ñoldo "the Wise").[source?]

Cf. also the Mannish word nóm meaning "wisdom".

After the flight of Noldoli and slaughter of Solosimpi, the gnomes who stayed in Aman and did not join other tribes were called Aulenossë (nossë "kind, people" is related to -nor in Valinor (root NO in a dictionary of Qenya)[3]), the people of Aulë. He himself called the gnomes who stayed in his palace just Eldar.[4]

Inspiration

A Gnome is a dwarf-like creature of European folklore, often associated with Dwarves and Goblins. Traditional Gnomes however were unlike his depiction of his High Elves, they were imagined as deformed, underground and by the 19th century were depicted dwarf-like.

For that reason Tolkien dropped the term since that would confuse the readers. However, other folkloric names like "Elves", "Dwarves" and "Goblins" would persist in Tolkien's writing ever since, although he would be unsure about them (he did replace "Goblin" with "Orcs" after the publication of The Hobbit").

In the first Portuguese translation of The Hobbit, the title of the book is translated as gnomo, the Portuguese word for gnome. See: O Gnomo.

Other versions of the legendarium

At one time, "Gnomes" also referred to the Valar.

External links

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Letter to Elena Jeronimides" (letter)
  2. Douglas Harper, "gnome", Online Etymology Dictionary (accessed 19 June 2012)
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I, entries "Aulenossë" and "Valinor"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "VIII. The Tale of the Sun and Moon"