Word origins: Baatezu and Tanar'ri?

[Chronosome]

Hey, all.

I'm wondering, does anyone here have any information on the etymology of the words "baatezu" and "tanar'ri"? How about "yugoloth"? I know the switch from "devil", "demon", and "daemon" came with 2E's Monstrous Compendium: Outer Planes Appendix, but I've never known the sources of the new names...

Is there anything in mythology or fantasy literature that echoes or hints at these race names? Or was it just funky originality?

Answers would be great, but speculation and opinions are welcome, too.

 

[Richards]

Speculation and opinion: I'm willing to bet somebody just made 'em all up.

Johnathan

 

[Aeris Winterood]

Names????

I beleive Yuggoloth is from middle ages.... like a Jewish name for a devil... There was a thread earlier that mentioned name origins...

 

[Chronosome]

Thanks, guys.

I've also found mention of a "Yuggoth" in Lovecraft works...is that something "hellish", Cthuluheads?

From a wordy POV, "baatezu" and "tanar'ri" seem so (what's the word...) "rooted"...I have a hard time believing they were phonetically made-up...

"Tanar'ri", in particular, seems kind of a "soft" top-of-head name for bloodthirsty fleshripping demons...

...but, hey, who knows? Tolkien made up great names all the time...

 

[demiurge1138]

In the works of Lovecraft, Yuggoth is a planet; Pluto, actually. It's home to a race of fungoid crustaceans that do weird and sadistic experiments on humans. That might be the origin of yugoloth, but somehow, I'm sceptical.

Demiurge out.

 

[Michael Tree]

I suspect that the writers just made them up, since the whole reason for making them up was to avoid using real world names for demons.

Baatezu looks like a mishmash loosely based on Baal, which is a Jewish devil and also a Canaanite fertility god.

 

[Staffan]

I think someone from the South named them after a couple of bad girlfriends. Betty Sue and Tammy Rae.

 

[Mercule]

Dunno, but I've got an order of Elvish knight in my homebrew world called the Tanari. I've used the name since 1E, well before demons were renamed, so I'm not about to change. Unfortunately, it causes much confusion for new players.

Me: As you come closer to the elf, you see that he bears the badge of the Tanari.

Old player: Excellent!

New player: *looks at me* *looks at old player* WHAT?!?

 

[Ashy]

I think someone from the South named them after a couple of bad girlfriends. Betty Sue and Tammy Rae.

ROTFL!!!!

 

[JoeGKushner]

One book about Khan's horsemen mentions they're the Tanari or something like that. Been a few years since I read the book about the Golden Hore.