Magic Morpgolohy: Word Formation in the Harry Potter Books

Frequency of word formation processes

Compounds – 30% Hogwarts = hog (n.) + warts (n.) -a type of flower Potterwatch = Potter (n.) + watch (n.) Radio programme Grimmauld = grimm (adj. as in grim-’cruel’) + auld (adj. Scottish spelling of old) Hippogriff = hippo (n. Latin for horse) + griffin (n. hybrid between an eagle head and lion) Firebolt = fire (n.) + bolt (n.) -a type of broom

Neoclassical compound Legilimency = legere (Latin : reading) + mens (Latin : mind) - the art of reading people’s minds Occlumency= occludere (Latin: to occlude/to stop) + mens - The ability of blocking one’s mind for people who try to read it Reduplicative compound Babbity Rabbity - a female person who can turn herself into a rabbit

Loan words Beauxbatons = Beaux (adj: beautiful in French) + batons (n: sticks in French ) Voldemort (compund) = vol + de + mort (French) =the flight from death Lumos = light in latin Sickle (silver coins of the wizadr currency) = currency of Israel is shekel(Hebrew) Accio (to fetch/ to summon in Latin) Patronum ( Used in Expecto Patronum , means protector or patron in Latin)

Draco = dragon in Latin Malfoy = Bad faith in Latin Lucius = the son of the devil in Latin Severus Snape = Severus (sever, serious, strict In Latin) Sirius Black = Sirius (the brightest star in the sky) Nimbus ( a broom) = cloud in Latin

Remus Lupin = Remus, brother of Romulus; Lupin, derivation of lupus which is Latin for wolf Nagini = naga is a kind of half-snake from Hinduism and Buddhism Albus Dumbledore = Albus is white in Latin, Dumbledore is Old English word for bumblebee Rubeus Hagrid (a compound) = hag-ridden = from hag + ride Ridden by a hag or witch; hence, afflicted with nightmare.

Affixation Suffixation: Prefixation: Seeker= Seek+er Disapparate= Dis- + apparate (to Snatcher= Snatch +er teleport/ appear somewhere) Dementor = Dement + or Howler= Howl + er Muggle = mug (gullible) + le

Blending Remembrall = remember + all Portkey= portal + key Pensieve= Penser or une pensée+ sieve Quidditch = mixture of the balls used: quaffle, bludger and snitch Animagus = animal + magus

Abbreviation OWL - Ordinary Wizarding Level (acronym) NEWT - Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (acronym) SPEW- short of Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare

Conversion He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. - the name used to refer to Voldemort, but without mentioning his real name. You-Know-Who - which comes from a sentence and it turns into a noun and it is used with the same goal, avoidance of his name out of fear.

Extension of meaning Fluffy (adding – y to express a positive meaning) = gigantic three-headed dog Merlin’s Beard – interjection, swearword for the wizards e.g. “Merlin’s beard, Harry, you made me jump” Squib = a non-magical person born in a wizard family -original a kind of fire-cracker, damp squib - figurative meaning: a disappointment

Other Diagon Alley = derived from “diagonally’’ , The Mirror of Erised = desire, but it is written inversely, erised = desire Knockturn Alley = derived from nocturnally

griffin + d’or sly + slithering/ slither in Raven + claw huffle + puff