Elf ears

Post by **fgalkin** » 2003-07-18 03:39pm

I was wonering, what is the origin of the shape of elf ears in most fantasy. I'm reasonably sure that Tolkien never mentioned the shape of the Elves' ears, yet in the LotR movies, they are the same shape, just as everywhere else.

Does anyone know who came up with that shape in the first place?

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-07-18 04:46pm

fgalkin wrote:I was wonering, what is the origin of the shape of elf ears in most fantasy. I'm reasonably sure that Tolkien never mentioned the shape of the Elves' ears, yet in the LotR movies, they are the same shape, just as everywhere else.

Actually Tolkien's Elves have pointy ears, strangly enough he mentioned it in some of his letters and other bits and pieces. Hobbits actually have slightly pointed ears as well.

fgalkin wrote:Does anyone know who came up with that shape in the first place?

No idea. I think it might just be one of those things that cropped in early in fantasy.

Eframepilot · Post by **Eframepilot** » 2003-07-18 04:48pm

Actually, there is a very, very, very, very obscure reference that Tolkien elves do have pointed ears. In one of his etymological notes on the Elvish word for leaf, Tolkien related it to the word for ear. Thus, Elvish ears are leaf-shaped and, perhaps, pointy.

I assume the tradition for elves and other fey creatures to have pointy ears goes much further back, perhaps to Elizabethan times.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-07-18 04:52pm

The Fey, Sidhe, and other names for the Fair Folk all had pointy ears and highly angular faces long before Tolkien. Tolkien did not make them up.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-18 04:55pm

SirNitram wrote:The Fey, Sidhe, and other names for the Fair Folk all had pointy ears and highly angular faces long before Tolkien. Tolkien did not make them up.

I don't think that anyone was claiming that.

I think it's plainly obvious to anybody that actually does a fair amount of reading that elves have been depicted with pointed ears for 100-200 years at a minimum...

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-07-18 04:59pm

Just had a microrant come on. As for who came up with it?

*shrugs* Find who started the first myth of elves. I can't find that. I seriously doubt anyone ever will.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-07-18 06:31pm

Elves are legendary I believe. As in told in legends and what not. So when recorded in fiction, when characters are called elves, they assume the appearence of what the elves in myth and legend looked like. Including pointy ears.

Or they're all descended from Vulcans.

LT.Hit-Man · Post by **LT.Hit-Man** » 2003-07-24 03:04am

You know that is strange over in japan they show elves with some realy freaky long and pointed ears and one know why that is?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-24 03:06am

Because they're neat-looking.

LT.Hit-Man · Post by **LT.Hit-Man** » 2003-07-24 03:10am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Because they're neat-looking.

Could be I'm not sure about that but you might be right
Or it could be they felt sorry for your avrage orc and made the elve's ears longer so that there would be more elf ear soup to go around

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-24 03:13am

You might want to start investing in commas, Hitman.

LT.Hit-Man · Post by **LT.Hit-Man** » 2003-07-24 03:17am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:

You might want to start investing in commas, Hitman.

Why?
Ok fine I will *grabs an elf and rips of one of it's ears) ,
better?

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-07-24 03:35am

I think the elf ears are long and all to give them enhanced hearing, which is good enough benefit for the drawback of long ears, IMO.

Which leads me to say that I personally, among all the styles of elf ears out there, like the one in Record of Lodoss War the most.

LT.Hit-Man · Post by **LT.Hit-Man** » 2003-07-24 03:40am

Shinova wrote:I think the elf ears are long and all to give them enhanced hearing, which is good enough benefit for the drawback of long ears, IMO.

Which leads me to say that I personally, among all the styles of elf ears out there, like the one in Record of Lodoss War the most.

Never seen LW what's it about besides a war and is it any good?

Elves there just not for breakfast anymore.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-24 03:41am

It's actually more for stylistic emphasis, I think.

I think the only real reason that anime and manga elf ears are long are because they look good that way.

And I agree on the Lodoss appeal.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-24 03:43am

Oh, and Record of Lodoss War is very very good.

The only reason I don't have it right now is because I sold my old crappy set so that I could eventually get the better new set.

LT.Hit-Man · Post by **LT.Hit-Man** » 2003-07-24 03:44am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:It's actually more for stylistic emphasis, I think.

I think the only real reason that anime and manga elf ears are long are because they look good that way.

And I agree on the Lodoss appeal.

Ok then th's cool Well if this Lodoss war is any good I might buy it..

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-07-24 03:50am

LT.Hit-Man wrote:Never seen LW what's it about besides a war and is it any good?

Only seen 3 OVAs, but from what I can tell basically two countries are at war and an outside force is taking advantage of all this to eventually eradicate all good and order...or something like that. I'm sure it's really more complicated than that.

About 75% of everyone who's watched it say it's good. The other either dislike it or say meh.

Here's some pics of Deedlit:

LT.Hit-Man · Post by **LT.Hit-Man** » 2003-07-24 03:57am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Oh, and Record of Lodoss War is very very good.

The only reason I don't have it right now is because I sold my old crappy set so that I could eventually get the better new set.

Hmmm ok then I just might get it, is it out on dvd?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-24 04:05am

Yes. It's been out for several years.

The "old set" I was refering to was the first release, which has inferior video quality and pathetic extras when compared to the more recent rerelease.

Just keep in mind that you want to get the OVA collection and not the Quest of the Heroic Knight TV series, which is a bit more expensive and also longer and somewhat stretched out compared to the original.

They're pretty easy to tell apart, though.

LT.Hit-Man · Post by **LT.Hit-Man** » 2003-07-24 04:09am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Yes. It's been out for several years.

The "old set" I was refering to was the first release, which has inferior video quality and pathetic extras when compared to the more recent rerelease.

Just keep in mind that you want to get the OVA collection and not the Quest of the Heroic Knight TV series, which is a bit more expensive and also longer and somewhat stretched out compared to the original.

They're pretty easy to tell apart, though.

Ok thanks for the info
OVA?

LT.Hit-Man · Post by **LT.Hit-Man** » 2003-07-24 04:10am

Shinova wrote:
LT.Hit-Man wrote:Never seen LW what's it about besides a war and is it any good?
Only seen 3 OVAs, but from what I can tell basically two countries are at war and an outside force is taking advantage of all this to eventually eradicate all good and order...or something like that. I'm sure it's really more complicated than that.

About 75% of everyone who's watched it say it's good. The other either dislike it or say meh.

Here's some pics of Deedlit:

Thanks for the pics

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-07-24 04:18am

OVA stands for "Original Video Animation", sometimes refered to as OAV. In Japan, there are some anime titles and series that are released directly to video rather than first airing on TV or exhibited in cinemas.

Mutant Headcrab · Post by **Mutant Headcrab** » 2003-07-24 12:32pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:OVA stands for "Original Video Animation", sometimes refered to as OAV. In Japan, there are some anime titles and series that are released directly to video rather than first airing on TV or exhibited in cinemas.

And the OVA's tend to be pretty good, unlike straight to video releases here in the US

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-07-24 04:30pm

BTW, I do believe that Hobbits, like Kinder and Halflings, are decended from fey or elves.

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