Talk:Dibbun

What distinguishes a "minor Dibbun" from a "major Dibbun"? After all, simply remembering Oak Tom or Bragoon's Dibbunhood does not mean that the character was memorable as a Dibbun; in my opinion, a "major Dibbun" is one who is important to the story as a Dibbun, not just later on. Edited. FlinkyTheStoat 14:20, 24 February 2008 (UTC)

You are correct in that Oak Tom and Bragoon should nto be listed as we never see them as Dibbuns. Characters who have been mentioned as mischievious Dibbuns do not go on this page or in the Dibbun category. They must appear as a Dibbun, like Rollo or Arven. A "major Dibbun" apppears as a Dibbun. --LordTBT File:Tbtico.jpg ^Talk! 20:45, 24 February 2008 (UTC)

I tried to edit the "dibbuns against bedtime" club section because while it was the same club in both Triss and Doomwyte; both books happened at different times chronologically in the series. TiriaW 00:50, 29 March 2009 (UTC)

So if Dibbuns are young creatures that reside at Redwall Abbey, why is Skittles a Dibbun? There was no Abbey in that time, I believe. {{SUBST:Template:Warriorfan123/Sig}} 12:37, February 20, 2015 (UTC)

He didn't belong there and has been removed. -- LordTBT File:Tbtico.jpg ^Talk! 01:23, February 21, 2015 (UTC)

I seem to recall that even young beasts outside the Abbey were called "dibbuns" on occasion. The narrator, Mr. Jacques, frequently puts notations such as "he was a Dibbun (a name conferred upon all Abbey children)..." in the books, but does this mean that "Dibbun" is limited exclusively to Redwall babes? All I can get from that kind of notation is that all Abbeybabes are Dibbuns, not that all Dibbuns must be Abbeybabes. Note that of course until I or anyone else can get their hands on one of the books that calls a non-Redwaller babe a Dibbun, my suggestion here is completely unsubstantiated. I'll look into it for a moment. File:Biggrensignature.gif(Tuûr!) 13:08, April 7, 2015 (UTC)

Mr. Jacques is the author. The narrator depends on each novel. My investigations reveal that only Redwaller Abbeybabes are Dibbuns. I'm open to being proved wrong here. -- LordTBT File:Tbtico.jpg ^Talk! 00:08, April 8, 2015 (UTC)

Dibbuns are mentioned several times in Lord Brocktree: "It was the funniest sight, all those tiny Dibbuns" (page 89), "In truth the Dibbuns did sleep well" (page 89). On page 44, Brocktree is described as "grinning like a Dibbun", although I'm not sure if this counts. Snowstripe is described in the epilogue on page 351 as "still a Dibbun in many ways". --Spirea Sixclaw ^Talk! 10:29, April 8, 2015 (UTC)

Could you cite chapters instead of page numbers? And is this the only time that this reference has applied to non-Redwallers? -- LordTBT File:Tbtico.jpg ^Talk! 04:14, April 9, 2015 (UTC)

Chapter 6, Chapter 11 and the epilogue. I don't think non-Redwallers have been called Dibbuns anywhere else, but I could be wrong. The times in Lord Brocktree might just be Russano using Abbey words in the narration, because none of the examples are actually spoken by the characters. (Except in the epilogue, which isn't narrated by Russano, but still has a mention of Dibbuns.) Sorry if this means the first ones aren't proper examples. --Spirea Sixclaw ^Talk! 09:36, April 9, 2015 (UTC)

I think it's best to consider this an anomaly then, and for our purposes apply Dibbuns to mean Redwallers. -- LordTBT File:Tbtico.jpg ^Talk! 22:40, April 9, 2015 (UTC)

This probably was a term that originated at Salamandastron or Loamhedge Abbey. However, we must remember that Russano was raised at Redwall Abbey, and was a Dibbun himself. He wrote the story of Lord Brocktree himself after researching it, and he narrated the story. This could be things that he wrote there because like I said before, he was a Dibbun himself. And since the tale of Lord Brocktree happened long before Russano, many of the words could be lost in translation or because of time affecting the writings on the records from the time. --Snowstripe You're always welcome at my mountain. 21:06, July 24, 2015 (UTC)

Sometimes I have the impression that the term "Dibbun" refers, or originally referred to orphaned children that were found in Mossflower, and then taken to Redwall to be raised among goodbeasts. Maybe because "Orphan" has a somewhat "nasty" twang (due to cultural and pop cultural influences) another term was chosen. I mean, we rarely get to meet the parents of those babes, so I think it's fair that most of the little ones are orphaned. --Risa Fer-Rat (talk) 09:51, May 18, 2017 (UTC)

Recently decided to try to figure out how Jacques came up with the name in the first place, starting with researching the names of baby animals and seeing if there was a pattern or anything to go by. One thing stuck out: A baby mole is called a 'puggle.' This is apparently also the name given to children ages 2 to 3 in the youth & children's ministry, Awana, which has been around for 71 years (est. 1950). Considering how Redwall is an abbey, which is like a church, it got me thinking that 'dibbun' might be used in the same sense; it is an alternative name for toddlers in a church-like setting. Considering how the animals mature in about a year or two, it might be similar. Don't get me wrong; I don't think Jacques was inspired by Awana or even really knew of its existence, since it is a Protestant establishment. I just think that there may be a similar term used at youth ministries or care programs that he would have seen. idk maybe it's just me OPStellar (talk) 17:09, 31 January 2021 (UTC)

He described it as a completely made-up word. "It just seemed a cosy roundish cuddly name for toddlers, it just came to me." -- LordTBT File:Tbtico.jpg ^Talk! 23:03, 31 January 2021 (UTC)