Translations of HBP - how the names are translated

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 144905

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:

Alla:
> As to Neville, someone wrote to me off list and explained that in 
> English his last name IS supposed to make us giggle, so I guess 
> russian translator accomplished his task, I suppose and I guess 
> Norvegian did it too, but as you said - poor boy indeed.

Geoff:
Curiously, as a native English speaker, I've never felt an urge to 
laugh at Neville's name. There are a number of names ending in -bottom, 
e.g. Longbottom, Rowbottom, Ramsbottom and Higginbottom come to mind, 
which are often of North country origin and, having spent the early 
formative years of my existence in that region, I do not make a 
humorous connection.

I get more chuckles out of JKR's play on other names - Diagon Alley, 
Knockturn Alley, Grimmauld Place, Umbridge, Little Whinging for example.