How do you translate duende into english?
It's not elf, because elf is elfo in spanish.
duendes aren't elfos.
Elfo is elf, which the blue eye nordic tall homosexual.
Duende is closer to pic related, which is more like gnome height, but closer to 45 year old ugly guy that dress funny and does tricks and pranks in towns.
Also, It's the south american duende, is not those american gnomes they have at their backyards, and is not the japanese anime golbin, nor is an irish leprenchaun.
The English word for duende is duende.
The english word for duende is duende. Although I've heard folklorists refer to them under the general class of "Earth Spirit".
>Although I've heard folklorists refer to them under the general class of "Earth Spirit".
That's because gnomes are the archetypal earth spirit
>duende
There isn't a single term in English for 'hearth spirits'. Brownies and pixies perhaps?
Oh frick, it was HEARTH spirits this whole time? I thought it was earth spirits
Gnomes are earth spirits, brownies are hearth spirits. They're both little dudes who wear funny hats but they do different things.
The term you're looking for is Hobgoblin, unironically. Unfortunately that brings the same issue as just calling them elves.
Spanish is not a polite language. They don't have a word for please.
Por favor literally means I'm exchange for a favor, thank you just means no problem.
anon, have you ever put a single braincell to work out what "please" means and how its use has evolved?
Well the full form of please was "if it so please you", or "at your pleasure"
Which is the same as asking for a favor.
>like gnome height, but closer to 45 year old ugly guy that dress funny and does tricks and pranks in towns.
And that's something other than a gnome how exactly?
It's something more like this, american gnomes are diferent.
No, German "David the Gnome" gnomes are the ones that are different and more like some kinda fairy. There are no "American Gnomes" but the ones in D&D are like what you're describing although your culture seems to lean towards them being evil-aligned
Im not from a spanish speaking country, but in my language its translations are gnome (despite "gnomo" existing) or goblin. The latter is probably the most correct translation. It just so happens that the word is easily spoken in latin languages and thus have partially replaced the original.
In dnd, they are just redcaps.
Is safe to use the spanish word?
because it seems hard to translate the word without using another word that totally means another earth spirit.
Are you playing in english or spanish? If english, just use redcap.
Oh, "gremlim" is also a good translation.
Nome
Gnome is the correct word. Duende might have slightly broader connotations, but you're looking for gnome.
t. Spaniard with a heavy interest in both linguistics and mythology
They seem to have origins in Spain and Portugal. They are considered to be 'masters of the house,' taking care of things with a nature that can be benevolent or evil. With that in mind, I would associate them more with goblins than anything else, specifically European hobgoblins. The mythology around them spread through Spain and Portugal's overseas provinces and evolved based on the culture adopting them.
tldr, they seem to be spanish house goblins.
Isn't those kobolds?
Same thing, they're all different names for roughly the same concept
Kobolds, tomte, leprachaun, duendes. All the same thing.
Leprechaun's aren't quite the same, Púca would be a more fitting analogy
"Duende" is "Goblin". You description is exactly what goblins are in euro folklore.
Duende is the Iberian equivalent of a goblin, leprechaun, or brownie. If you don't want to use those words, then the etymology for "duende" comes from "duen de casa" i.e., master of the house. You can call it a Homeowner, or for bonus points find out an Old English way to say Master of the House and then try to predict how that would be handled in Modern English.