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Can I use oliphaunts in my story?

Should I use oliphaunts in my story?

  • Spell it without a u and you should be good.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, but you should call them _____________.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    10
  • Poll closed .

rktho

Troubadour
I have a character who lives in the carcass of a gigantic war beast he's turned into a tent. I'm heavily leaning towards a giant elephant creature, but if 'oliphaunt' is like 'hobbit' for fantasy writers, I could call it a war mammoth, or else choose a different beast to gigantify (taking suggestions.)
 

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Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
I personally never liked the name oliphaunt, as it's pronounced the same way as my native Dutch "olifant" but spelled weirdly. To me it just feels like an odd bastardisation of an animal name, and I much prefer Tolkien's synonym 'Mûmakil'.

I'd come up with something of your own to avoid any criticism and possible lawsuits if your work hits off. War mammoth will do though.
 

rktho

Troubadour
I personally never liked the name oliphaunt, as it's pronounced the same way as my native Dutch "olifant" but spelled weirdly. To me it just feels like an odd bastardisation of an animal name, and I much prefer Tolkien's synonym 'Mûmakil'.

I'd come up with something of your own to avoid any criticism and possible lawsuits if your work hits off. War mammoth will do though.
Yeah, that sounds good.
 

elemtilas

Inkling
I have a character who lives in the carcass of a gigantic war beast he's turned into a tent. I'm heavily leaning towards a giant elephant creature, but if 'oliphaunt' is like 'hobbit' for fantasy writers, I could call it a war mammoth, or else choose a different beast to gigantify (taking suggestions.)

I use the variant oliphant for any of various Elephantidae in The World. But for giant war beasts, they have the curundrow, a whopper not unlike the sivatherium for size.

Tolkien may have been a philologist, but he doesn't hold the copyright on the English language, and oliphant / olifant are just historical variants of elephant. For me, oliphant and elephant are homophones, so no weirdness in reading!

What's neat about oliphant that doesn't work for elephant is that it also means a single curved war or hunting horn, so you get twice the bang for your ten shilling bill.
 
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