Orcs and Goblins

[Raefindel]

Well I looked it up in the Tolkien Companion and it says

Goblins: A translation of the Grey-elven YRCH. See Orcs.

When I looked up Orcs, however, it has a 4-page history, that I won't bother to copy, because Bill Ferny has already given us an apt definition.

Uruk-hai "orc-race" (black speech) The name given by Sauron to a new strain of Orcs bred in secrecy by him in Mordor towards the end of the Third Age,and said (by his enemies) to have been created by the blending of the races of Orcs and Men.It is certain, however, that (so far as Orcs went) the Uruk-hai were a far superior breed, being taller and stronger, with great endurance, and an altogether higher level of intelligence.


Saruman himself attempted further genetic experiments with this race of "Great Orcs"- with singularly unhappy results: creatures known as "Half-orcs" which were said( by Saruman's enemies) to be the result of a cross-breeding the Uruk-hai and a certain degenerate Men in his service.

Hope this helps. I thought of adding "trolls" to the discussion but I think this would just add further confusion.