a lot of Names, interrupted with a lot of Traitors, Lily's Crush, McG/Hooch

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 154768

<catlady at ...> wrote:

> At one time, a Russian listie told us that it is common 
> for Russians to name pet crows or ravens 'Karkarov' after 
> their call: 'kar-kar'(spelled 'caw-caw' in American) and 
> added that his father had a pet raven named Karkarov. 
 
> According to The Online Etymology Dictionary 
> <http://www.etymonline com/abbr.php>, our very words 
> 'crow' and 'raven' originated from the sound of their call:
[...]
> But ravens are also famous as carrion-eaters, and 
> 'Karkaroff' has always sounded to me like 'carcase' 
> (and 'canker' and 'cancer'),altho' that is purely a 
> resemblance of sound without etymological value, and 
> possibly idiosyncratic as well.

houyhnhnm (not wishing to dispute any of this, 
merely to add to it):

Karkaroff's name makes me think of the Latin word /carcer/ 
(prison) and its modern derivatives: Kerker (German), 
carcel (Spanish), carchar (Welsh-which without the 
aspiration would sound like karkar).

Even though we don't see him actually in*car*cerated 
until nearly the end of GoF (in the Pensieve), he gives 
me the feeling of someone who is imprisoned, imprisoned 
by fear, during the whole time he is at Hogwarts, as he 
observes the Dark Mark growing stronger.  His body is 
found in a shack where he has been hiding from Voldemort's 
followers.  That also has the feel, to me, of a tiny prison.