Despite the many controversies surroundingDisney’s Snow White, a more lighthearted topic of debate pertains simply to the proper plural of “dwarf.” Most debates surrounding the live-action remake have been heatedly controversial, such as whether Peter Dinklage had any way of knowing a sarcastic podcast comment would affectSnow White’s casting and storyor how Rachel Zegler’s casting fit withSnow White’s name origin. But for grammar afficionados, the biggest frustration is that Disney’s title change fails to make a decision on how the studio might pluralize its seven iconic sidekicks for the remake.
While 1937’sSnow White and the Seven Dwarfsmade a rather clear choice on the matter,the spelling “dwarves” has gained increasing popularity in casual usesinceThe Lord of the Rings’ pop culture prominence has led to a growth in the number of Tolkien purists among the general population. And since popular dwarf characters outnumberSnow White actressesby more than half a dozen to one, it’s no surprise that some fans of both franchises have been revisiting the issue ahead ofSnow White’s release on August 16, 2025.
Dwarfs & Dwarves Are Technically Both Correct Plurals Of Dwarf
The English Language Lives And Evolves Over Time
It isn’t exceedingly common, butthere are a number of words in the English language with multiple plural forms.For instance, more than one referendum can be referred to as either “referendums” or “referenda.” And while grammar historians will be quick to combat anything other than “octopuses,” most people could easily get away with using “octopi” or “octopodes” in casual conversation. So, whileSnow White’s dwarf casting controversywill likely haunt the film until the end of time, it’s not surprising that many would consider the movie’s pluralization of dwarf characters as either “dwarfs” or “dwarves” to be equally acceptable.
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English is a living language, and words that may have originally had only one plural form or a single definition may evolve to change shape and acquire new meanings as they enter into popular use.Some English speakers will inevitably prefer one word form over another, but a number of armchair Disney critics also preferredJenna Ortega replacing Rachel Zegler inSnow White, so not everyone gets their preference. However, those who reject grammar in anything but its purest form may rightfully point out that one plural of “dwarf” predates the other in common usage by more than a century.
Dwarfs Is The Older Spelling, Explaining Why Snow White Used It
It’s At Least As Old As The Fairy Tale Itself
Although it’s a common misnomer that Snow White wasthe first Disney princess, her film’s title reflects the first known references to the lovable gem miners who take her in. “Dwarfs” was the spelling the Brothers Grimm used when they first published their fairy tale in 1812, and it falls in line with most nineteenth-century references to the mythological mountain dwellers featured inSnow White. Unsurprisingly,“dwarfs” is also the typically preferred pluralization across most literary folklore. However, not all adults who grew up on Disney might remember it this way.
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The title of Disney’s 1937 animated film uses the more traditional spelling, decades beforeSnow White’s controversieswould even be considered imaginable.A basic Google search will turn up innumerable articles referencingSnow White and the Seven Dwarves, but this is merely a product of the Mandela effect. It’s no different from spellings such as Froot Loops orThe Berenstein Bears. Disney might have altered their fairy tale films to mollify the darkness of some stories, but they still followed classic fairy tale conventions in most other respects.Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsis no exception.
J.R.R. Tolkien & Lord Of The Rings Popularized The Dwarves Spelling
The Fantasy Phenomenon Led To Familiarity With The Word
It wasn’t until almost 20 years afterSnow White and the Seven Dwarfsthat Tolkien publishedThe Lord of the Ringsin 1954. ButThe Hobbitreleased in 1937, just a few months beforeSnow White’s premiere. So, while “dwarfs” is the older literary spelling,pop culture popularized both spellings at roughly the same time. Parallels between the two franchises didn’t stop there, either. Those who remember online complaints about theRings of Powercastcan probably connect the dots to realize that, likeSnow White,Lord of the Ringshas been subject to controversies regarding both race and dwarfism.
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With discussions about the more than six-foot-tall John Rhys-Davies returning asGimli inThe Hunt for Gollumstill ongoing, there’s every possibility that the controversies about casting taller actors forDisney’s Snow Whitewill affectTheLord of the Ringsfranchise as well. But thanks to Tolkien popularizing the pluralization “dwarves,” fans of the author’s work will at least let that debate rest. And given that some consider “dwarves” offensive to people with actual genetic conditions, perhaps having a word that clearly differentiates real-life people from fantasy characters isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Snow White
Cast
A live-action adaptation of the classic fairy tale. The film follows Snow White as she escapes into the forest and seeks refuge with seven dwarfs to elude her jealous stepmother, the wicked Queen, who is threatened by Snow White’s surpassing beauty.
