Warlock/Wizard - was Asking JKR just one question

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 119499


Ginger:
> 
> Back to the whole wizard/warlock thing.  It struck me that we 
have  never heard of a young warlock.  Young as in underage.  
Perhaps  wizard is used like we would say "guy" and warlock is 
used as we  would say "man".  There's not much difference at all 
when speaking of  men, but guys can be any age.  
> 


Pippin:

I think this is close, but IMO, warlock is an older term for wizard.
Like 'wizard', it had  a general sense embracing both males and 
females, but could also be used to mean only males. The first 
sense survives in the names of titles and organizations dating 
from earlier times. Nowadays the word is more commonly used  
only of males, when the speaker wants to emphasize either the 
sex or the advanced age (because the term is archaic) of the 
wizard in question. 

So when Ron calls old Perkins a warlock, he's emphasizing how 
very old Perkins is, and when Ernie refers to nine generations of 
warlocks, he's emphasizing the ancientry of his family line.

The rowdy group of warlocks is being boisterous in the manner 
associated with male-only groups.

Just my opinion, of course.

Pippin