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ArchivesRumpelstilzchen . . .
in reply to a message by Andy
That's interesting that it means "noisy goblin" (I assume you're certain of the translation?). According to a book I read* this was originally an allegorical tale (as many Fairy Tales are) about female virtue and morality, and involved the creature - Rumplestiltskin in English - appearing from and returning to a rather intimate part of the female character's anatomy. Take a close look at the name - what's a stilt with a rumpled skin? :-S The book was well-researched, and cited the name used in the original version, which meant the same thing (I wish I had the book with me!). I wonder whether the German etymology is a co-incidence or a deliberate changing of the words to change the meaning? Very interesting!
*the non-fiction philosophical treatise "The Science of Discworld II: The Globe" by Terry Pratchett, Jack Cohen and someone else whose name slips my mind . . .
edit: added two missing words!
*the non-fiction philosophical treatise "The Science of Discworld II: The Globe" by Terry Pratchett, Jack Cohen and someone else whose name slips my mind . . .
edit: added two missing words!
This message was edited 9/28/2004, 12:04 AM
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Replies
In fact I took the translation from the 33 volume German dictionary that was started by the Grimm brothers. Although they only got as far as to letter F, many scholars finished the dictionary until the 1960s with the same thoroughness as the Grimm brothers.
There is still "rumpeln" in modern German (rumble, rattle; an onomatopoetic word), but I'm not sure about the "Stilzchen" part. "Stelzen" means "stalk" or "walk on stilts" (!). "Stelzfuß" can mean "wooden leg" or "crippled foot", so maybe this is where the goblin comes in.
Now I'm pretty sure that the "skin" interpretation is secondary, it seems to be just a matter of transscription from German, but I'd like to know more about the original intention of the tale.
Andy ;—)
There is still "rumpeln" in modern German (rumble, rattle; an onomatopoetic word), but I'm not sure about the "Stilzchen" part. "Stelzen" means "stalk" or "walk on stilts" (!). "Stelzfuß" can mean "wooden leg" or "crippled foot", so maybe this is where the goblin comes in.
Now I'm pretty sure that the "skin" interpretation is secondary, it seems to be just a matter of transscription from German, but I'd like to know more about the original intention of the tale.
Andy ;—)
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Surely the -chen is just the normal German diminutive ending, suitable for a small creature or a small body part!
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Bother, I'm at home with the book now and remembered it incorrectly . . .
They just said that the name had a similar derivation in other languages.
I'd like to know more about it too! I'll add it to my "must research one day" pile. :-D
:-)
They just said that the name had a similar derivation in other languages.
I'd like to know more about it too! I'll add it to my "must research one day" pile. :-D
:-)
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