Gillywater

[Carol]

zanooda wrote:
> 
> To translate correctly, they need to know what "gilly" means :-). 
> That's why I asked here - to find out if it has something to do 
> with "gills", like in "gillyweed", or with a flower, or something else. 
> Pronunciation itself doesn't matter, but it can be a hint as to 
> what "gilly" means - if it means "gills", then it would be pronounced 
> with a hard "g", but if it means flower - with a soft "g". 
> 
> And no, I don't think they can come up with a word that would 
> mean "gills" and a flower at the same time, LOL. It has to be either 
> fish gills, or a flower :-)! But once again there are different 
> opinions here on the list, and I feel like only JKR can answer my 
> question :-). But maybe it's for the best, you know - whatever they 
> will call the drink in this translation, no one can say it's a 
> mistake :-)!
>
Carol responds:
Well, that's easy, then! Here's the definition and etymology of
gillyflower from Merriam-webster online:

    gil·ly·flow·er 
Pronunciation:
    \ji-l-G6;flau(-)r\ 
Function:
    noun 
Etymology:
    by folk etymology from Middle English gilofre clove, from
Anglo-French, alteration of Old French girofle, from Latin
caryophyllum, from Greek karyophyllon, from karyon nut + phyllon leaf

    from karyon nut + phyllon leaf — more at careen, blade
Date:    1551

: carnation 2 

You can either use the translation for "clove" (the spice) and add
"flower" or you can look up the Russian name for the genus(?)
caryophyllum. Or use the Russian word for "carnation" since carnations
are sometimes called gillyflowers. (definition 2).

Carol, who pronounced "gillyflower" with a hard "g" for unknown
reasons till she learned that the "g" was soft