Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

gnome

 
Dictionary: gnome1   (nōm) pronunciation
n.
  1. One of a fabled race of dwarflike creatures who live underground and guard treasure hoards.
  2. In the occult philosophy of Paracelsus, a being that has earth as its element.

[French, from New Latin gnomus.]

gnomish gnom'ish adj.

gnome2 (nōm) pronunciation
n.
A pithy saying that expresses a general truth or fundamental principle; an aphorism.

[Greek gnōmē, from gignōskein, to know.]


Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
English Folklore: gnomes
Top

This name for dwarfs living underground is not part of folk tradition; it is a Latin word invented by the 16th-century Swiss alchemist Paracelsus in a treatise on four species of elemental beings: nymphs in water, sylphs in air, salamanders in fire, and pigmaei or gnomi in the earth. The first English writer to adopt it was the poet Pope, in The Rape of the Lock (1714). Gnomes became more common in 19th- and 20th-century literature, especially for children, where illustrators gave them the standard appearance of dwarfs in Swiss and German folklore, including a red cap. They were often said to be mining for metals and precious stones.

The first gnome figurines for gardens were small porcelain ones imported from Germany in the late 1860s by Sir Charles Isham, to decorate a large rockery at Lamport Hall (Northamptonshire) imitating a mountain landscape, in which they represented mining dwarfs. Terracotta gnomes were fashionable in late Victorian times; modern mass-produced ones are generally regarded with affectionate mockery.

Celtic Mythology: gnome
Top

[Latin gnomus]

This fabled race of treasure-guarding dwarfs, a concept coined by Paracelsus (16th cent.), has few counterparts in Celtic tradition, only the knocker of Cornwall and the goric of Brittany. International folk motif: F456.

 
gnome (nōm), in folklore, tiny subterranean creature associated with mines and quarries. Usually represented as misshapen, frequently as hunchbacked, gnomes are said to be guardians of hidden treasures.


A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce


n.

In North-European mythology, a dwarfish imp inhabiting the interior parts of the earth and having special custody of mineral treasures. Bjorsen, who died in 1765, says gnomes were common enough in the southern parts of Sweden in his boyhood, and he frequently saw them scampering on the hills in the evening twilight. Ludwig Binkerhoof saw three as recently as 1792, in the Black Forest, and Sneddeker avers that in 1803 they drove a party of miners out of a Silesian mine. Basing our computations upon data supplied by these statements, we find that the gnomes were probably extinct as early as 1764.


Word Tutor: gnome
Top
pronunciation

IN BRIEF: A dwarf in folk tales who lives inside the earth and guards treasures there.

pronunciation Many people think that having a garden gnome in their yard will bring them good luck.

Tutor's tip: Another word that sounds like "Gnome" which is a fictional creature, is the word, "Nome" which is a town in the state of Alaska.

Dream Symbol: Gnome
Top

Gnomes symbolize the magical world of wishes and make-believe related to one's "inner child," the inner treasures that the dreamer may possess.


Wikipedia: Gnome
Top
Gnome
Nisse d apres nature ill jnl fal.png
A gnome (or "Nisse") hiding behind a toadstool
Grouping Fairy
Sub grouping Earth spirit
Country Worldwide

A gnome [noʊm][1] is a fictional humanoid creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle.[2] The word gnome is derived from the New Latin gnomus. It is claimed to descend from the Greek γνώσις gnosis, "knowledge", but more likely comes from genomos "earth-dweller", in which case the omission of e is, as the OED calls it, a blunder.

Paracelsus includes gnomes in his list of elementals, as earth elementals. He describes them as two spans high, and very taciturn.[3] It is possible that Paracelsus simply made the name up. Sometimes they are seen as a type of fairy, though at other times are seen as a distinct species in their own right.

Contents

History

The gnome is one of similar but subtly different creatures in European folklore; mythical creatures such as goblins and dwarves are often represented as gnomes, and vice versa. A fairytale describes little brownie-like creatures called "Heinzelmännchen" as nocturnal helpers for mundane tasks dwelling in the city of Cologne, they may have set the paradigm for the garden gnomes with all their gardening tools. In the Book of Lost Tales by JRR Tolkien a race of Elves (the Noldoli) are also referred to as Gnomes.

Gnomes feature in the legends of many of central, northern and eastern European lands by other names: a kaukis is a Prussian gnome, and barbegazi are gnome-like creatures with big feet in the traditions of France and Switzerland. Further east, tengu are sometimes referred to as winged gnomes.

According to certain medieval beliefs, Gnomes were deformed, usually with a hunchback, and were led by their king, Gob, who ruled with a magic sword.[4]

Today, Gnomes are traditionally thought of as being small, bearded and wearing pointed, colourful, conical hats. They live in natural areas close to the Earth and care for wildlife. They are more benevolent than other folkloric creatures such as goblins. This traditional view is supported in such fictional works as The Secret Book of Gnomes.

Garden gnomes

German garden gnome Wendelin.

The first garden gnomes were made in Gräfenroda,[5] a town known for its ceramics in Thuringia, Germany, in the mid-1800s. Philip Griebel made terracotta animals as decorations, and produced gnomes based on local myths as a way for people to enjoy the stories of the gnomes' willingness to help in the garden at night. The garden gnome quickly spread across Germany and into France and England, and wherever gardening was a serious hobby.

The manufacturing of gnomes spread across Germany with numerous other large and small manufacturers coming in and out of the business, each one having its own particular style of design. World War II was hard on the industry and most producers gave up then. Griebel's descendants still make them and are the last of the German producers, all others having moved production to Poland or China. Currently, there are an estimated 25 million garden gnomes in Germany.[5]

Gnomes may be made from terracotta clay slurry poured into molds. The gnome is removed from the mold, allowed to dry, and then fired in a kiln until hard. Once cooled the gnome is painted. More modern gnomes are made from schwau resins and similar materials.[citation needed]

A replica of Lampy the Lamport Lamp

Garden gnomes were first introduced to the United Kingdom in 1847 by Sir Charles Isham, when he brought 21 terracotta figures back from a trip to Germany and placed them as ornaments in the gardens of his home, Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire. Only one of the original batch of gnomes survives: Lampy, as he is known, is on display at Lamport Hall, and is insured for one million pounds.[6]

A more recent notable manufacturer of Garden Gnomes was Tom Major-Ball, father of former UK Prime Minister John Major. Folklore has it that Tom Major-Ball's favorite personal gnome was named Dennis Kaese as it was one of the shortest gnomes he created.

Garden gnomes have become a popular accessory in many gardens. They are often the target of pranks, known collectively as gnoming: people have been known to return garden gnomes "to the wild", most notably France's "Front de Liberation des Nains de Jardins" and Italy's "MALAG" (Garden Gnome Liberation Front). Some kidnapped garden gnomes have been sent on trips around the world (the travelling gnome prank; this later became the basis for Travelocity's "Roaming Gnome"). In 2008, a 53-year-old French man in Brittany was arrested on suspicion of stealing upwards of 170 garden gnomes.[5]

Some communities have public gnome hunts. A special gnome is hidden under specific guidelines and clues or riddles must be solved before the gnome can be found. Most notable hunts in North America include Helena Alabama USA and Sault Ste Marie Ontario Canada.

Gnomes are often depicted as having beards and are typically males, and usually wear red hats and are known to smoke pipes. They are made in various poses and pursuing various pastimes, such as fishing or napping.[7]

Gnomes have become controversial in serious gardening circles in the UK, and have been banned from the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show as the organisers claim that they detract from the garden designs. Gnome enthusiasts accuse the organisers of snobbery because they are popular in working class and suburban gardens.[8]

It has been suggested by some scholars that the garden gnome is a descendant of the Greco-Roman fertility god Priapus, whose statue was often found in ancient gardens. [9] Welsh rugby union centre Jamie Roberts has the largest collection of gnomes in South Wales.

There is a humorous[citation needed] style of garden gnome which incorporates garden implements, specifically gardening forks and spades. The fork gnome lies on the ground, face down, with the fork sticking out of his back, as though dead and impaled. The spade gnome is available in two forms, one similar to the fork gnome, but lying face up with an expression of anguish with the spade resting in his stomach, again as if impaled and stabbed. The other variant sees the gnome in the pose of someone trying to climb a fence, looking over its shoulder with an expression of agony mixed with fear, as the garden spade in its back. There is a similar variant for the garden fork.


Spain, 1989

The gnome sightings in Spain circumscribe almost exclusively to a being that has been called the Gnome of Girona, which was purportedly captured by some campers in Gerona, Spain in September 1989. The event gained some degree of popularity and even the interview with the alleged captors in a TV program specialized in parapsychology and akin subjects. The alleged gnome was said to have died after several days of captivity when it refused every kind of food offered. The body was adquired by Spanish parapsychogist Ángel Gordon, who preserved it in formaldehyde. Examination of the available pictures by zoologists from the Barcelona Zoologic Park revealed that althought the body itself seems not to be a fake, it is probably the fetus of some ruminant animal, leading to the conclusion that the whole issue was a fake organized by an uncertain party.

Gnomes in popular culture

Gnomes are used in fantasy stories for their cunning roles, normally as an inventor. Other reasons that gnomes are used in games and stories are because of their funny nature, appearance, and awkward behaviors, so Fantasy authors sometimes use gnomes, as elementals, in their fiction.[10]

The French Space rock band Gong released a series of concept albums entitled the Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy, which featured gnomes as a major plot element.

In C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, gnomes, or "Earthmen", live in the Underland, a series of subterranean caverns. They do not look like small humans; instead, they can have a wide variety of physical features, so that they resemble aliens (the name "Earthmen" is kind of ironic in this aspect). They are used as slaves by the Lady of the Green Kirtle.

The main mascot for Travelocity is a blue gnome with a red pointed cap and a white beard. In The Amazing Race, sponsored by Travelocity, some seasons feature teams searching for a Travelocity gnome.

See also

From a catalogue of garden ornaments. 1910.
Household
Other
Fiction

Notes

  1. ^ LinuxWorld: Linux readies its desktop assault. 4. März 1999. Retrieved on 2. August 2009.
  2. ^ "Encyclopedia Britannica Online entry for "gnome"". http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037122/gnome. Retrieved 2008-03-12. 
  3. ^ C.S. Lewis, The Discarded Image, p135 ISBN 0-521-47735-2
  4. ^ gnome - Britannica Online Encyclopedia
  5. ^ a b c "Gnome bandit caught". Metro.co.uk. 2008-06-13. http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=175369. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
  6. ^ "Gnome Expense Spared". BBC News. 1997-12-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/36143.stm. Retrieved 2007-06-04. 
  7. ^ "Gallery". Gnomeland. http://www.gnomeland.co.uk//Gallery%20index.html. Retrieved 2007-09-19. 
  8. ^ Akbar, Arifa (2006-05-25). "Gnomes spark row over fairies at Chelsea". The Independent. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article571666.ece. Retrieved 2007-09-19. 
  9. ^ Peter D. Arnott, An Introduction to the Roman World. London: MacMillan, 1970; Judith Harris, Pompeii Awakened: A Story of Rediscovery. I.B.Tauris, 2007, p. 117. ISBN 1845112415. Hugh Lloyd-Jones, Greek in a Cold Climate. Rowman & Littlefield, 1991, p. 64. ISBN 0389209678.
  10. ^ John Grant and John Clute, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, "Elemental" p 313-4, ISBN 0-312-19869-8

References


Translations: Gnome
Top

Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - gnom, dværg, nisse

2.
n. - bagmand, finansmand

Nederlands (Dutch)
kabouter, stelregel, (mv) mensen met duistere financiële invloed

Français (French)
1.
n. - gnome

2.
n. - aphorisme

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Gnom, Gartenzwerg

2.
n. - Sinnspruch, Aphorismus

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (μυθολ.) νάνος, καλικάντζαρος, αφανής οικονομικός παράγοντας

Italiano (Italian)
gnomo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - gnomo (m), anão (m) (pej.)

Русский (Russian)
гном, карлик, афоризм

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - gnomo, duende, experto en finanzas

2.
n. - aforismo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - gnom, bergtroll, dvärg, finansman

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
1. 地精, 土地神

2. 格言, 矮人

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
1.
n. - 格言, 矮人

2.
n. - 地精, 土地神

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 금언

2.
n. - 못생기고 땅 속에 산다는 난쟁이

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ノーム, しなびた老人, 投機的銀行家, 金言, 格言, 地の精

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) قول مآثور, مثل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮גמד אגדי השומר על אוצרות הארץ, בנקאי, פסל בגן בצורת גמד, אדם בעל השפעה רעה‬
n. - ‮פתגם, אימרה‬


Shopping: gnome
Top
 
 
Learn More
Couril
goric
World of David the Gnome, Vol. 3 (1987 Film)

What rhymes with gnome? Read answer...
What is the meaning of gnome? Read answer...
How do you spell gnome? Read answer...

Help us answer these
How do you fined gnomes?
Where can you find the gnome?
What is the shading in GNOME?

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
English Folklore. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Celtic Mythology. A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Copyright © James MacKillop 1998, 2004. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ Read more
Devil's Dictionary. Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, 1911  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; free trial Read more
Dream Symbol. The Dreams Encyclopedia. 1995 ©Visible Ink Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Gnome" Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more