[HPforGrownups] Re: Arabella Figg, Snape & Lilly

[rosie]

No: HPFGUIDX 42617

Richelle wrote:
> Okay, I may be going overboard with this Latin thing, but still 
this is pretty cool.  First, I looked up "ara."  It means 
sanctuary.  Next, bella.  It could come from one of these root words:
> 
> bellatrix = female warrior
> belliger = waging war
> bello = fight
> bellum = combat

These 4 are all words derived from the root word "bellus", war. For example, "trix" is the female form of "tor", which means "someone who does something" (e.g. gladiator) so that just means "war,woman who does". It's not a root word as such.
"Ara" can also mean "alter". I believe "bella" really comes from either the Latin or Italian, "bella" meaning "beautiful", or the name has another origin.

Those ones were interesting suggestions though...the thing is... you can find Latin derivations for almost any word, even if it actually comes from Sanskrit, and usually make it make sense somehow. Some of them (Draco) seem right on the mark, with others I think Latin isn't quite right.

> Take her last name, Figg.  In Latin it would probably come from 
one of these two words:
> 
> figo = establish (that would make sense, she established a 
sanctuary and was there to         wage war if necessary)
> figulus = potter

For Figg, there's an expression you don't hear much at least in Britain, I think it goes something like "He's having a fig" or whatever and it means that the person is having you on (pretending to be someone or something). That and the "Syrup of Figs" answer make more sense to me if Arabella *is* pretending to be something she isn't.

Sorry, I'm not trying to knock you, that did throw up some interesting associated words... I'm just trying to explore other possibilities :)

Rosie  


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