[HPforGrownups] Origins of the Founders

[manawydan]

No: HPFGUIDX 67147

Penny wrote:
>> > In GoF the Sorting Hat describes Godric Gryffindor as being
>> > from 'Wild moor.' it is unlikely he came from Wales (we don't
>have
>> > any moors).
>
>Every website I'm seeing says that the moor lands are
>concentrated in Yorkshire (duh), Wales, Cumbria and Dartmoor.
>
>So, does Wales have moors or not?

While I don't think that Godric came from Wales (otherwise why isn't his
name Welsh, especially given the era in which he lived) we most certainly
_do_ have moors. Look at any Welsh list of place names and see how many of
them start in "Rhos" - which is the Welsh for "moor"

>Hufflepuff seems to have Wales covered as she came
>> > from 'Valley Broad', somewhat stereotypically Welsh.>>>
>
>Even if that is stereotypically Welsh, are there not other areas of
>the UK with broad valleys?

Got to disagree on that one too - our valleys are mostly of the narrow sort,
especially in the Valleys, if you see what I mean. Same problem with Helga
as with Godric - once again a Germanic rather than a Brythonic name

>Ravenclaw from glen does suggest to *me* anyway that she
>hailed from Scotland.

Though once again, she has a Saxon name - Hengist's daughter was also called
Rowena

>At the time of these discussions earlier, Neil came up with a
>theory that the fen origin of Slytherin might be referring to Ireland:

 > An alternative, slightly more likely theory, is that 'fens' refers
>to the
> Irish fens - i.e. the Irish peatlands (originally boglands - later
>drained,
> rather like the English fens).  This, of course, fits in nicely with
>the
> association of Slytherin with snakes, since legend has it that St
>Patrick
> drove all the snakes from Ireland.

As Patrick came _before_ Salazar (even if you believe the legend about the
snakes!) it doesn't seem to me to make sense to have someone whose symbol is
a snake originating from a country without any. And once again, Salazar has
a Hispanic rather than an Irish name

I think the locations have been deliberately left open to interpretation -
you pays your money and you takes your choice!

Cheers

Ffred

O Benryn wleth hyd Luch Reon
Cymru yn unfryd gerhyd Wrion
Gwret dy Cymry yghymeiri