Is Peeves a Ghost? was Re: Wizard to ghost?

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 86205

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dj_bagshaw" <kate_bag at h...> 
wrote:

Kate:
> So, ny question is, why is Peeves not really even a ghost?  Is this 
> important, or was the speaker merely saying that Peeves didn't 
*act* 
> like a proper ghost?  Is the distinction between ghost and 
> poltergiest (which I belive Peeves is mentioned as) so great that 
he 
> isn't considered a ghost?
> 

Geoff:
I think there is a translational problem here. In German, "der Geist" 
can translate as either "ghost" or "spirit". For example "der Heilige 
Geist" is the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost depending on which version of 
the Bible you use. It also occurs in things like "Himbeergeist", 
which is a raspberry spirit in the alcoholic sense.

So "der Poltergeist" is often rendered as "noisy spirit". The fact 
that Peeves can deal with physical objects such as water filled 
balloons and walking sticks suggests that, in the Potterverse at 
least, Peevs is not a ghost in that sense.

Geoff