Hobbits - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Hakon · 05-25-2009, 04:12 PM

Where did Tolkien get the idea for Hobbits? To clear things up I am referring to the race and not the book. I have heard many different theories about this but I have no idea which one is true. One is that it is a combination of the word Human and Rabbit, that he wanted to make a hybrid creature between the two and a Hobbit is what he came up with. Another is that the word Hobbit just popped into his head and he then had a dream about what it was. I do not believe either of those and those are the two I have heard the most. Any ideas on where the idea for this race came from?

Rumil · 05-25-2009, 04:23 PM

Apparently he was marking exam scripts and just randomly wrote 'In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit' the word seems to have caught his fancy so he had to go back and invent the story.

Morsul the Dark · 05-25-2009, 04:27 PM

I studied this for a speech i had to give in class a few years back-

hobbit... hol-bytal hole dweller in old english same with middle earth comes from the old english name of europe.

now the rsce themselves like their descriptions apparently is taken from another children's story.

***Mithadan*** · 05-25-2009, 04:53 PM

So the phrase "In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit..." would be a bit of word play. In a hole in the ground there lived one who lives in holes in the ground...

I recall reading that in the late 19th or very early 20h Century there was a book about a diminutive people that was very popular among children. Some have suggested that this book may have inspired or prompted Tolkien's outline of what a Hobbit was.

Lindale · 05-26-2009, 01:58 AM

I remember a literary theory--forgot the name though--which says that influence studies is quite an absurdly difficult task... to ask how this author thought about that concept is almost impossible, even if that author admitted, in writing or orally, about his possible "influences."

davem · 05-26-2009, 02:48 AM

There was this little exchange on Futurama which might shed some light on the problem

``Is that a hobbit over there?'' followed by, ``No, that's a hobo and a rabbit. But they're making a hobbit,''

narfforc · 05-26-2009, 04:30 AM

According to John Rateliff's Book The History of The Hobbit, Return to Bag-end, the word Hobbit is included in a list published by The Folklore Society between 1846 and 1895. There is however no proof that Tolkien ever read any of the said articles.

Galin · 05-26-2009, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morsul the Dark

hobbit... hol-bytal hole dweller in old english same with middle earth comes from the old english name of europe.

Holbytla is not an Old English word however, it's a word Tolkien ultimately made up out of Old English elements, to help with his notion of translation.

Morsul the Dark · 05-26-2009, 05:32 AM

sorry thats what I meant its like a conjunction

Hakon · 05-26-2009, 10:21 PM

I see. It sounds like he just kind of came up with hobbits, not like he intended to create a race and put hours of work into it. To me that is amazing. So many writers spend too much time on creating or trying to create a race of some sort.

05-25-2009, 04:12 PM	#1
Hakon Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Twilight Zone Posts: 736	Hobbits Where did Tolkien get the idea for Hobbits? To clear things up I am referring to the race and not the book. I have heard many different theories about this but I have no idea which one is true. One is that it is a combination of the word Human and Rabbit, that he wanted to make a hybrid creature between the two and a Hobbit is what he came up with. Another is that the word Hobbit just popped into his head and he then had a dream about what it was. I do not believe either of those and those are the two I have heard the most. Any ideas on where the idea for this race came from?

05-25-2009, 04:23 PM	#2
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	Apparently he was marking exam scripts and just randomly wrote 'In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit' the word seems to have caught his fancy so he had to go back and invent the story. __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion

05-25-2009, 04:27 PM	#3
Morsul the Dark Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,448	I studied this for a speech i had to give in class a few years back- hobbit... hol-bytal hole dweller in old english same with middle earth comes from the old english name of europe. now the rsce themselves like their descriptions apparently is taken from another children's story. __________________ Morsul the Resurrected

05-25-2009, 04:53 PM	#4
*Mithadan* Spirit of Mist Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Tol Eressea Posts: 3,391	So the phrase "In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit..." would be a bit of word play. In a hole in the ground there lived one who lives in holes in the ground... I recall reading that in the late 19th or very early 20h Century there was a book about a diminutive people that was very popular among children. Some have suggested that this book may have inspired or prompted Tolkien's outline of what a Hobbit was. __________________ Beleriand, Beleriand, the borders of the Elven-land.

05-26-2009, 01:58 AM	#5
Lindale Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: midway upon... in a forest dark Posts: 975	I remember a literary theory--forgot the name though--which says that influence studies is quite an absurdly difficult task... to ask how this author thought about that concept is almost impossible, even if that author admitted, in writing or orally, about his possible "influences." __________________ The heart does things for reasons Reason itself cannot comprehend. - Blaise Pascal Legal Madness.

05-26-2009, 02:48 AM	#6
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	There was this little exchange on Futurama which might shed some light on the problem ``Is that a hobbit over there?'' followed by, ``No, that's a hobo and a rabbit. But they're making a hobbit,'' __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."

05-26-2009, 04:30 AM	#7
narfforc Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Muddy-earth Posts: 1,297	The Denham Tracts. According to John Rateliff's Book The History of The Hobbit, Return to Bag-end, the word Hobbit is included in a list published by The Folklore Society between 1846 and 1895. There is however no proof that Tolkien ever read any of the said articles. __________________ [B]THE LORD OF THE GRINS:THE ONE PARODY....A PARODY BETTER THAN THE RINGS OF POWER.

05-26-2009, 05:32 AM	#9
Morsul the Dark Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,448	sorry thats what I meant its like a conjunction __________________ Morsul the Resurrected

05-26-2009, 10:21 PM	#10
Hakon Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Twilight Zone Posts: 736	I see. It sounds like he just kind of came up with hobbits, not like he intended to create a race and put hours of work into it. To me that is amazing. So many writers spend too much time on creating or trying to create a race of some sort.