Hatrack River Forum: Possessive Form of Troll? Of Hobbit?

This is topic Possessive Form of Troll? Of Hobbit? in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=049783

Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :

So this is sort of bothering me. Some fantasy races have distinct possessive forms of their names: dwarven, elven, orcish, etc. But what are the possessive forms of hobbit? Or troll? Trollish? Hobbiten? Hobbit seems to almost work on it's own as a possessive, but troll doesn't really. Maybe, sorta. Grammar geeks, anyone got any ideas? This sorta thing was never my strong suit [Blushing]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

quote:
Elrond knew all about runes of every kind. That day he looked at the swords they had brought from the trolls' lair, and he said: "These are not troll-make.

Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :

Hobbitses...

[Smile]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Tolkien also talks about "hobbit-holes", "hobbit-boys", and "hobbit-girls".

Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :

Adjectival? The examples you list aren't possessives.

I'd go with "trollish," personally. I've seen it used that way a bunch of times and it never seemed unusual.

Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :

I dunno... I was thinking more of the form: elven dwelling or dwarven city, or elven longsword. A sort of whole-race possessive.

In the case of make: elvish-make seems to work. And in the case of lair: elves' lair I think would be the equivelent. So neither of those cases is the tense I'm looking for.

I'm the first to admit I suck at grammar so am I even making sense in the way I'm asking the question?

Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :

Er, not really. You're looking for an adjective. (aside: tenses only apply to verbs. With nouns, it's "case.") You're not looking for a noun at all. Could "elven" stand alone in a sentence, without a noun? Not generally.*

As far as I can understand your question, and your examples support it, you're just looking for an adjective.

*It could be used substantively (He killed the elven, meaning "the elven people"), I suppose, but that just means it's a substantive adjective.

Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :

The level of grammar geekdom here warms my heart, even though I've sworn off nit-picking for free (I consider it a minor vice of mine). Actual discussions of grammar can only be good, good things. [Smile]

Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :

I've used "Trollish" as an adjective in various contexts, and the adjective form of Hobbit is clearly "filthy"
As in:
"This sword is clearly a filthy blade." or
"Welcome to the filthy lands!"

--Enigmatic

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :

Actually, it's spelled "Hobbes". Close though.

Hobbes [Smile]