Halfling is a term of bigotry and Racism


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The Exchange

-ling is used to make little of the attatched association. Mousling - means less than a mouse, Halfling means less than Half (a man). So will we see D&D clean up its act and ditch the 'Halfling'?


I wonder if Quisling would find this topic dazzling.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16

probably about the same time they ditch half-elf.

It's more about not being 'hobbit' then anything else. I go with the Mystaran term of 'hyn' myself.

==Aelryinth

The Exchange

*taps mike*

Hello...hello is this thing on.

Belleview I believe you have a new resident needing to be picked up.

Hello hello...


I tend to think that most campaign settings' bigoted and racist terms for halfling are more creative.

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32, 2012 Top 4

yellowdingo wrote:
So will we see D&D clean up its act and ditch the 'Halfling'?

Whatever you end up calling them, just make sure you don't call them late for dinner! Yuk-yuk-yuk. <drum riff>

<Tom runs for the door.>

The Exchange

Aelryinth wrote:

probably about the same time they ditch half-elf.

It's more about not being 'hobbit' then anything else. I go with the Mystaran term of 'hyn' myself.

==Aelryinth

That would be Hin...

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32

Hey, it's Dingo! It's been a while!


Also, HO-bbit is a sexist term! Not to mention, elves!


yellowdingo wrote:
Halfling means less than Half (a man).

Halfling means less than Half.

Not
Halfling means less than Half (a man).

3' is less than 6'. Less of a height, not less of a man.


I did kind of like that the hin name got recycled into the Forgotten Realms, but then again, Ed Greenwood wrote the Mystara book on Halflings as well . . .

The Exchange

You could always go with the Westron word for those of Hobbit-kind: Kuduk

Or the word used outside the shire: banakil


Think I'll stick with Hobbit or Halfling at my table... really lost on why I'd change the name.

Next thing you know, some precious little flower with overly sensitive hormones and delicate sensibilities will try tell us that 'Dwarf' is 'offensive'.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Shifty wrote:

Think I'll stick with Hobbit or Halfling at my table... really lost on why I'd change the name.

Next thing you know, some precious little flower with overly sensitive hormones and delicate sensibilities will try tell us that 'Dwarf' is 'offensive'.

But... but dwarves ARE offensive!

Dark Archive

yellowdingo wrote:
-ling is used to make little of the attatched association. Mousling - means less than a mouse, Halfling means less than Half (a man). So will we see D&D clean up its act and ditch the 'Halfling'?

Hasn't a similar argument been presented that "MANkind" and "huMANity" excludes the other sex?


James Jacobs wrote:
But... but dwarves ARE offensive!

Dwarves are, on soooo many levels. I couldn't be in more violent agreement.

But Dwarf is not.

:)


joela wrote:
Hasn't a similar argument been presented that "MANkind" and "huMANity" excludes the other sex?

Yes it has, but fortunately the normal thinking right minded remainder of the populace just ignored the fringe numpties and moved on.


James Jacobs wrote:
Shifty wrote:

Think I'll stick with Hobbit or Halfling at my table... really lost on why I'd change the name.

Next thing you know, some precious little flower with overly sensitive hormones and delicate sensibilities will try tell us that 'Dwarf' is 'offensive'.

But... but dwarves ARE offensive!

At least they're not revolting like those pesky Galtans.

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32, 2012 Top 4

joela wrote:
Hasn't a similar argument been presented that "MANkind" and "huMANity" excludes the other sex?

Don't forget "HIStory"!

I don't have a problem with it. Like George R. R. Martin wrote: "Sharp swords and strong arms rule the world." ;-)

(Although I wish they'd do something about "MANgled". That one just creeps me out.)

The Exchange

And what about how most MANnequins are actually Femalequins!


Or WoMAN (or WoMEN).

The Exchange

Urizen wrote:

Or WoMAN (or WoMEN).

I think that comes from "Woe of Man". ;)


Yep, Halfling is an horrible name, they should be named half-american or maybe Caucasling.


I tend to call halflings "peck".

"Ooh, I'm really scared. No! Don't! There's a- a peck here with an acorn pointed at me! " -Madmartigan

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Let's just agree to call 'em Furfoots and be done with it.


Reckless wrote:
Let's just agree to call 'em Furfoots and be done with it.

"Furfeet!"


I usually rename them IMC; usually sticking with 'Hin'. If characters start using the derogatory 'halfling' term, my hin will usually reciprocate by calling the big'uns "doublings", "two-hundred-percentlings" or "giant-kin".

Dark Archive

yellowdingo wrote:
-ling is used to make little of the attatched association. Mousling - means less than a mouse, Halfling means less than Half (a man). So will we see D&D clean up its act and ditch the 'Halfling'?

Actually, -ling means someone who is, resembles, or is interested in _. Therefore an earthling and a changeling can have fingerlings with a yearling while planting seedlings and none of it is offensive or pejorative. In fact, since most game world describe Hin as looking child-like, childling would perhaps be a more apt use of the term.


So, 'Hin' will be the male equivalent and 'Hir' will be the feminine. /sarcasm


Shifty wrote:
joela wrote:
Hasn't a similar argument been presented that "MANkind" and "huMANity" excludes the other sex?
Yes it has, but fortunately the normal thinking right minded remainder of the populace just ignored the fringe numpties and moved on.

+1 on ignoring fringe numpties and moving on.

Liberty's Edge

I would consider it less offensive than 'little people' but what do I know, I can't find anything offensive about blind/deaf over visually/hearing impaired either.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16

hin is analogous to 'human', not "male halfling". I use the hyn instead of hin (looks better) spelling. Genders would be hyn-sir and hyn-dam, with any other status/rank colloquilisms on top.

==Aelryinth


Aelryinth wrote:

hin is analogous to 'human', not "male halfling". I use the hyn instead of hin (looks better) spelling. Genders would be hyn-sir and hyn-dam, with any other status/rank colloquilisms on top.

==Aelryinth

I said I was being sarcastic. ;-)


What about the wominotaurs?


Kilmore wrote:
What about the wominotaurs?

(... or the womanticores? lol)

Merman... Mermaid.
...
Minute Man... Minute Maid. LOL!!

Ultradan


Kilmore wrote:
What about the wominotaurs?

Oh you met my ex-girlfriend then?

The Exchange

David Fryer wrote:
yellowdingo wrote:
-ling is used to make little of the attatched association. Mousling - means less than a mouse, Halfling means less than Half (a man). So will we see D&D clean up its act and ditch the 'Halfling'?
Actually, -ling means someone who is, resembles, or is interested in _. Therefore an earthling and a changeling can have fingerlings with a yearling while planting seedlings and none of it is offensive or pejorative. In fact, since most game world describe Hin as looking child-like, childling would perhaps be a more apt use of the term.

Kobito is Midgit in Japanese...it is also the Japanese term for halfling in the Japanese D&D rulebooks.

Could just call them 'Kobi' or 'Bit' as in bit o this bit o that but only a little bit...


yellowdingo wrote:
David Fryer wrote:
yellowdingo wrote:
-ling is used to make little of the attatched association. Mousling - means less than a mouse, Halfling means less than Half (a man). So will we see D&D clean up its act and ditch the 'Halfling'?
Actually, -ling means someone who is, resembles, or is interested in _. Therefore an earthling and a changeling can have fingerlings with a yearling while planting seedlings and none of it is offensive or pejorative. In fact, since most game world describe Hin as looking child-like, childling would perhaps be a more apt use of the term.

Kobito is Midgit in Japanese...it is also the Japanese term for halfling in the Japanese D&D rulebooks.

Could just call them 'Kobi' or 'Bit' as in bit o this bit o that but only a little bit...

I was gonna go with Chibi or Bozu....

Liberty's Edge

Ultradan wrote:
Kilmore wrote:
What about the wominotaurs?

(... or the womanticores? lol)

Merman... Mermaid.
...
Minute Man... Minute Maid. LOL!!

Ultradan... Ultradanielle

I see what you did there...


Moorluck wrote:
And what about how most MANnequins are actually Femalequins!

Ahem. feMALE...


A bit more information on the diminutive suffix, for those actually interested.


I can honestly say that in 20+ years of gameing I have never ever given any thought until now about what a made up race should be called.

* jumps in with both feet*

First of all lets assume that somebody actually cares what a bunch of halflings care to be called, their half the size of men so halfling works. If they call themselves hin then so be it but in every book I have ever read their halflings, I guess we could call them the hin-ny.

The entire race is useless except for comic relief, they were included so that all the folks that wanted to make up their own brave little bilbo could do so but as far as actual game mechanics go they are very behind the power curve. sure the +1 to ac is nice but the slower movement rate makes them easy targets when it's time to run away.

Lets look at the other races in comparison shall we.

Elves= masters of magic and very long life spans

dwarves= long life span and master craftsmen

humans= masters of everything but not for very long

orcs= brutal savages, respected by enemies for fighting abilities.

Gnomes= illusionists and rogues and very curious by nature.

Halflings= hate adventureing because it takes then away from home and family, notoriouly lazy.

As you may have well guessed I m not a fan of halflings in any light and am very biased because of it.
I realise that they may be part of tolkiens setting but I am not a fan of his writings either so I have no problem butchering one of his settings sacred cows.

I fully realise that my OPINION is in the distinct minority but there it is.
The fantasy settings would have been better of if the little people had been left out.


Professor Higgins wrote:
A bit more information on the diminutive suffix, for those actually interested.

Lord Buzz Killington?


IkeDoe wrote:
Professor Higgins wrote:
A bit more information on the diminutive suffix, for those actually interested.
Lord Buzz Killington?

Think: Lord Buzz Killington with a doctorate and a chainsaw.


HO-bbit is about as denigrating to women as HO-me, HO-t water and TV show HOst... considering that Santa got into trouble for saying Ho-ho-ho...

And hey, it's better than "freaking munchkin".

Contributor

"Halfling" is still more polite than most of Golarion's other terms for the race. For instance, some of the Kaer Magan terms presented in City of Strangers include "ankle-biter" and "bend" (the latter reserved for attractive halflings and gnomes, implying that they're "worth bending down for"), both of which bear sexual connotations.


James Sutter wrote:

"Halfling" is still more polite than most of Golarion's other terms for the race. For instance, some of the Kaer Magan terms presented in City of Strangers include "ankle-biter" and "bend" (the latter reserved for attractive halflings and gnomes, implying that they're "worth bending down for"), both of which bear sexual connotations.

No love for the bearded femme fatale dwarves?

What?

:p


James Sutter wrote:

"Halfling" is still more polite than most of Golarion's other terms for the race. For instance, some of the Kaer Magan terms presented in City of Strangers include "ankle-biter" and "bend" (the latter reserved for attractive halflings and gnomes, implying that they're "worth bending down for"), both of which bear sexual connotations.

THIS IS AWESOME!!!

I'm letting the halfling player in my Darklight Sisterhood game know of this immediately.

Also, in my homebrew, halflings often use the term "climber" amongst themselves both pejoratively and cheekily for many of the same reasons people in Kaer Magan use "bend", although I'm thinking climber has somewhat cruder sexual connotations.

The Exchange

Freehold DM wrote:
James Sutter wrote:

"Halfling" is still more polite than most of Golarion's other terms for the race. For instance, some of the Kaer Magan terms presented in City of Strangers include "ankle-biter" and "bend" (the latter reserved for attractive halflings and gnomes, implying that they're "worth bending down for"), both of which bear sexual connotations.

THIS IS AWESOME!!!

I'm letting the halfling player in my Darklight Sisterhood game know of this immediately.

Also, in my homebrew, halflings often use the term "climber" amongst themselves both pejoratively and cheekily for many of the same reasons people in Kaer Magan use "bend", although I'm thinking climber has somewhat cruder sexual connotations.

Wow


Crimson Jester wrote:
Freehold DM wrote:
James Sutter wrote:

"Halfling" is still more polite than most of Golarion's other terms for the race. For instance, some of the Kaer Magan terms presented in City of Strangers include "ankle-biter" and "bend" (the latter reserved for attractive halflings and gnomes, implying that they're "worth bending down for"), both of which bear sexual connotations.

THIS IS AWESOME!!!

I'm letting the halfling player in my Darklight Sisterhood game know of this immediately.

Also, in my homebrew, halflings often use the term "climber" amongst themselves both pejoratively and cheekily for many of the same reasons people in Kaer Magan use "bend", although I'm thinking climber has somewhat cruder sexual connotations.

Wow

Hmmm -biter...

Let's call them Nethernibblers...

Or just Nibblers...

Niblets?

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