[HPforGrownups] Italian Translations and a little question

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 17813

Momiji wrote:

> This is the Italian name's translations :
>
> Argus Filch=Argus Gazza

Are there any connotations or overtones to "gazza" like there are in
English to "filch"? I know nothing of Italian....

> Cornelius Fudge=Cornelius Caramell

Funny, but I bemoan the loss of the double meaning. Fudge is a candy,
but it's also a verb in English.

> Crabbe=Tiger

This gives him entirely too much dignity and presence, don't you think?
Tigers have "positive" overtones, in my mind at least.

> Crookshanks=Grattastinchi

What a regal-sounding mouthful! I love it.

> Fang=Thor

Seems to fit. I like it.

> Gilderoy Lockhart=Gilderoy Allock

Again, does "Allock" have any sort of meaning, sound like any similar
words, in Italian?

> Mad Eye Moody= Malocchio Moody

Does this mean "bad eyes" or "bad head"?

> Marcus Flint=Marcus Flitt

Flitt makes him sound, well, lighter. Not such a malevolent presence.

> Minerva McGonagall=Minerva McGranitt

Ooooh. And this makes *her* sound much less bend-able, much more stern
and unyielding.

> Mrs. Norris=Mrs. Purr

Ugh. No. Ick. Bleah. This is the sort of name my daughter would give a
toy Tribble. No presence at all as a real entity, much less any
unpleasantness.

> Neville=Longbottom Neville Paciock

Is "Paciock" reminiscent of any Italian words? Does this mean anything?

> Oliver Wood=Oliver Baston

Somehow this has the right "feel" to me, I can go with this.

> Penelope Clearwater=Penelope Light

Wonder why they didn't just translate Clearwater.

> Professor Quirrel=Professor Raptor

Quirrell sounds so weenie to me. Reminiscent of quaver and quandary and
other "wavery" words, and rhyming with "squirrel," not the most stable
and dependable (or dangerous) of animals. But Raptor sounds powerful and
dangerous. I don't like this change.

> Severus Snape=Severus Piton

Does "Piton" mean anything?

> Trevor=Oscar

Trevor the Toad was alliterative in English. What's "toad" in Italian?

> Wendelin the Weird=Guendalina la Guercia

This, I like. Does it mean "the weird"? But it surely has a good sound
to it.

> I don't like this translations... Some are perfect, but many are too
> "childish"...

Well, in English many of the associations, and their associated
meanings, are obvious and can seem childish, too. I just wonder at
changing things that would seem perfectly normal, like Parvati's name,
which is an exotic name in England, too.

> And... about the "Lack of curiosity"... why I've not read anything
> about the Harry's parents graves?  Do graves exist?

We don't know. About the graves, that is. There's been some really good
posts just recently about his lack of curiosity--good psychological
reasoning for Harry's reticence about asking. But they must be buried
*someplace,* yes?

Thanks for the names!

--Amanda


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