111
votes
Accepted
Why is Sauron's name similar to the Greek/Latin word for "lizard"?
Interestingly this exact situation is covered in a draft letter Tolkien wrote dated August 1967. Tolkien notes that there is no connection merely "chance" or as suggested, a coincidence.
It ...
- 77k
51
votes
What's the history of the term "starship"?
The term starship appeared in The Pageant of Life by George Barlow, first published in 1888:
(Original Print, see page 206)
This is likely the first appearance of the term in print and in the ...
- 111k
36
votes
Is the name "Rohirrim" based on "Houyhnhnm"?
Similarity is completely coincidental.
It is commonly assumed that Swift meant for the word Houyhnhnm, as well as other words from that language to sound vaguely like a horse's whinny. Houyhnhnm ...
- 32.5k
26
votes
Accepted
What is the origin of the name "Jedi"?
In Universe:
The Jedi Order evolved from the earlier Je'daii Order.
"Observing the world around them, they saw two moons in the one sky—light Ashla and dark Bogan—and they understood the dual ...
- 69.4k
23
votes
Accepted
Doctor Who, old vs new, season vs series: why?
The US usage of "season" and the UK usage of "series" mean the same thing: a string of television episodes that are produced, and meant to air, back to back as a unit. The term derives from the fact ...
- 103k
22
votes
Accepted
Why choose the name "Morpheus" when it is the name of the Greek god of dreams
According to writer Neil Gaiman, he was told that the name was chosen as a shout-out to a character (of the same name) in his Sandman series of graphic novels.
Do you know if Morpheus in general was ...
- 677k
13
votes
Why choose the name "Morpheus" when it is the name of the Greek god of dreams
There seem to be plenty of testimonials around that Morpheus in The Matrix was partially inspired by Neil Gaiman's Sandman, who also went by the name Morpheus, being (among other things) also the ...
- 2,781
13
votes
Accepted
Where does the name Ori come from?
From a GateWorld interview with executive producers Brad Wright and Robert Cooper:
GW: Who decided "Ori?" Who decided on that?
RC: Well, "Origin." It's "Origin." The original idea was the ...
- 95.6k
13
votes
What's the history of the term "starship"?
jessesword has reference to some very early uses, such as
1926 R. Quiex War in Space in Boys' Mag. 16 Oct. 30/1
Before they quarrelled, the two scientists invented a wonderful projectile, capable of ...
- 66k
10
votes
Accepted
What is the inspiration for Moff?
A Moff is a regional governor rather than a Military rank. When Tarkin said in A New Hope that "The Regional Governors now have direct control over their territories." These were the Moffs.
...
- 16.4k
10
votes
What's the history of the term "starship"?
According to Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, the first usage of the word "starship" is a short story by Frank Kelly called Star Ship Invincible. It was published in ...
- 163k
10
votes
Accepted
Does “thrull” as in the name of the Magic: the Gathering creature type etymologically come from “thrall”?
The word "thrull" is not found in the Oxford English Dictionary. The OED is pretty good about noticing terms that are used even to describe fictional elements in science fiction and fantasy....
- 95.6k
9
votes
Accepted
First appearance of the word Sith
The first appearance of the word "Sith" in science fiction I have found is from Warlords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1913-1914), which appears in these pages.
It seems to be a large ...
9
votes
Accepted
What does the word 'Horcrux' mean?
It has no specific meaning. It was arrived at through moving around syllables, seemingly at random.
(Allow me a personal eruption of triumph for a moment after hours of searching: I found it! I found ...
- 61.7k
8
votes
Is the name "Rohirrim" based on "Houyhnhnm"?
The name has a straightforward etymology in Sindarin, one of Tolkien's constructed languages that was well developed by the time he wrote The Lord of the Rings.
According to Tolkien Gateway:
...
- 95.6k
7
votes
What's the history of the term "starship"?
The word "star-ship" occurs many times in Oahspe: A New Bible in the Words of Jehovih and His Angel Ambassadors by John Ballou Newbrough, first published in 1882. Oahspe is available on the web here ...
- 159k
7
votes
What do you call a winged unicorn?
Like the Latin roots of the word unicorn, uni meaning "one" and cornu meaning "horn", there is a Greek word for the same beast, monoceres, whch shares some root words with the same meanings: mono ...
- 71
6
votes
Etymology of 'Westeros'
It appears Westeros is the name given to the land by the Westerosi themselves. I have yet to find where the name came from though west for Westeros, east for Essos and south for Sothoroyos does seem ...
- 143k
5
votes
Is there any connection between Mace from Caravan of Courage and Mace Windu?
From an interview with Eric Walker, who played Mace Towani:
The first Star Wars name George Lucas came up with was Mace Windu; his name is featured in one of the first drafts of A New Hope. Was your ...
- 134k
5
votes
Etymology of the name, "Voldemort."
In 2009 Rowling actually apologised to French readers for naming an evil character Voldemort as the following source shows:
http://metro.co.uk/2009/02/04/rowling-sorry-for-voldemorts-name-416158/
The ...
- 1,139
5
votes
Accepted
Who decided the names for the other two parts of the original A Memory of Light?
The Gathering Storm: Harriet Rigney, RJ's wife and WoT editor
Towers of Midnight: Brandon Sanderson, co-author of the last 3 Wot books
As for that book... well, it’s time for it to have a title. We’...
- 26.2k
5
votes
Origin of the name Galbatorix
The name is derived from the Celtic words for "big king".
The first quote I can find is from a 2003 article, which gets the gloss
of "big king" correct, but the interviewer seems ...
- 88.6k
4
votes
What does the word 'Horcrux' mean?
Spanish version of the wikia
Horcrux comes from "Hor" which is an abbreviation of Latin "Horreum", (warehouse or barn) and which as a prefix can be related to words like "...
- 2,519
3
votes
What is the inspiration for Moff?
If memory serves, I saw on the BBC TV show QI (Quite Interesting) that there is, in fact, a military rank that was the basis for 'Moff'.
I'm doing further research now to confirm this but I think ...
- 39
3
votes
What is the inspiration for Moff?
There's no known canon explanation for the etymology.
However, there are some possibilities:
It's well known that Vader likely comes from Dutch word.
As such, it's interesting to note that Dutch ...
- 341k
3
votes
Accepted
Origin of the name Galbatorix
Galba is a celtic king in the 1st century BC. Wikipedia states the name means "fat" and might have connotations of prosperity.
-rix is a celtic name suffix meaning "ruler".
I would ...
- 1,745
3
votes
Does “thrull” as in the name of the Magic: the Gathering creature type etymologically come from “thrall”?
According to Mark Rosewater, head designer of Magic: The Gathering, thrulls are a creature unique to Magic. They did not originate in any mythology or previous fantasy franchise.
drewishgoy asked: ...
- 66.7k
2
votes
Is the name "Rohirrim" based on "Houyhnhnm"?
From History of Middle-earth 5: The Lost Road
The Etymologies contains all three elements of Rohirrim, thereby establishing that the three elements existed before the Rohirrim entered the Legendarium....
2
votes
Is the fictional etymology of Uruk-Hai a reference to the Uriankhai?
Tolkien certainly knew Brythonic - and the word "uruk" has more than a passing similarity to the word for werewolf (wolf-man) in that language: "uirokū". This word is also the Brythonic root of the ...
- 21
2
votes
Etymology of the name, "Voldemort."
Interesting reading all the above comments! I would suggest that as a linguist, and as an author who takes her names very seriously indeed (SIRIUS = a star a.k.a the DOG Star; ALBUS = white; ...
- 29
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