Editing Xvart (section)

==Why the Stupid Name?==
[[File:Svart WD 9.jpg|thumb|The Svart in White Dwarf #9]]
As mentioned above, they were originally called "Svarts" in White Dwarf #9 although, as you can see, the stupid title font made it look like "SVARF".

That article mentions that they are based on the "Svart Alfar" race from the book ''The Weirdstone of Brisingamen'' by Alan Garner. TSR probably changed the name to protect themselves from any possible lawsuits ([[Halfling#Origin of Halflings|after having learned their lesson with hobbits]]). However, Garner did not actually invent the word, but had taken it from Old Norse ''svartálfar'' ("black elves"), so the name was already public domain anyway.

"Svart" is cognate with English "swarthy" and Tolkien's archaic "swart". The Ashkenaz Jews use "svart" as well, their Yiddish being yet another Germanic language; and some have played the [[/pol/|''shande'']] and applied it to black people. (Oy.) Perhaps someone in TSR was aware of that.