[HPforGrownups] Durmstrang language/location

[Alexander]

No: HPFGUIDX 40852

  Greetings!

> catlady_de_los_angeles wrote:

c> I suspect that the language of instruction at Durmstrang
c> is German, like its name. I wonder if the wizarding folk
c> have spells or potions to learn languages quickly and
c> easily. Do they have translator earrings (other language
c> to native language) and translator tongue piecings
c> (native language to other language)?

  Name may be German, but I can find no reasons for language
being German as well. So far all students from Durmstrang
that we know about are of Slavic origin, and of Slavic
languages, Russian has been a consensus for long time.

  I agree that *originally* language of Durmstrang was
German. But for now it's most likely Russian. I can name no
other Slavic language of similar popularity. Even now in
Eastern Europe many people can speak Russian (in times of
USSR it was default second language in schools).

c> I believed that Durmstrang was in Latvia, but JKR made me
c> wrong by saying in an interview that it is in northern
c> Scandinavia. I can't find the particular interview.

  Yes, I too support the idea that Durmstrang is somewhere
in Northern Norway (i.e. Lapland). Latvia just doesn't fit
the image - I have been there a couple of times.

Sincerely yours,
Alexander Lomski,
Gryffindor/Slytherin crossbreed,
always happy to throw weird ideas into community.

Saturday, July 6, 2002, 5:56 local time (GMT+2:00)