Wordplay/ Mold

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 152689

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jlv230" <jlv230 at ...> wrote:
>
> > Randy" <estesrandy@> wrote:
> > Like Grimmauld Place is a grim old place?
> 
> > foodiedb:
> > Being that there are two "m's" and it is pretty mold in there, I
> > took it as Grim mold place.  What do you think?
> 
JLV: 
> I'm not sure that we use 'mold' (or UK spelling 'mould') as an 
> adjective in UK english. I would say 'It is quite mouldy' to 
> describe something with a fluffy fungus, or I'd say 'Stilton cheese 
> is supposed to contain mould - and it's yummy'.
> 
> Bearing that in mind, I find 'Grim Old Place' to be a more likely 
> pun, especially as auld is a lovely Scottish spelling of old, as the 
> grammar just seems to fit better. Having said that though, I'm quite 
> sure that there is absolutely no right or wrong way to interpret the 
> name - it is all down to the images conjured by your mind when you 
> read the books! I think it is a brilliant idea.

Geoff:
At the risk of being boring, I have on more than one occasion 
commented that "auld" is a Scots dialect word for "old" and since 
JKR has lived in Edinburgh for some years, I think she is also 
aware of the fact that the city of Edinburgh famously has the nickname
of  "Auld Reekie".

You are quite right that "mould" is a noun - and even with the UK 
spelling of "mouldy", I wouldn't use a structure like  "grim mouldy 
place". Grim AND mouldy perhaps.