Talk:Places in Harry Potter

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Articles for deletion This article was nominated for deletion on November 8 2007. The result of the discussion was keep.
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Contents

[edit] Book or film?

What's the point of having this article called "List of places in the Harry Potter books" and then having a section called "Muggle locations used in the Harry Potter films"? 65.92.204.139 04:07, 21 August 2006 (UTC)

'Muggle Locations for filming' needs to have its title changed. It's one thing to refer to Kings Cross - which is featured in the books - as Muggle. The other places have never featured in the books. They are not 'muggle', they are 'real world'. Michaelsanders 09:08, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Salem Witches' Institute

DarkMark.com is not a reliable source for verification on whether this is a school or not. According to Salem witch trials: "In the fourth book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, a group of 'middle-aged American witches' are observed by Harry as sitting under a banner reading 'The Salem Witch's Institute' at the Quidditch World Cup. This is a probable reference to the Salem trials." If the witches were middle-aged, they would hardly be at school; the reference itself seems to be more of a pun on Women's Institute. Either way, without confirmation either within the books or from the author, :whether Salem Witches' Institute is a school or not is purely speculation, even if the speculation is linked back to a fan website such as DarkMark.com.

I'm moving Salem Witches' Institute from the schools sublist to the main list. --Foetus In Fetu 20:30, 4 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Places in Harry Potter

The title of the info-box generated by the "Template:HP Place" is "Harry Potter locale". The word "locale" is not in my OED and I do not understand what it means or is supposed to mean. The Wikipedia entry locale sheds no light on the matter. Why can you not use "place" or "location"? – Mikeweasle 23:04, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

Well, yer OED is old, ain't it. And it claims to be English when in fact it's really British, and based on old Brit lit and chit (grocery lists, Shakespeare, and the like) to boot. My fine Merriam-Webster online Amerglish dictionary says (and here I'm paraphrasing), "Locale -- etymology: modification of French local, an adjective -- 1 : a place or locality especially when viewed in relation to a particular event or characteristic; 2 : SITE, SCENE (the locale of a story)".
So there you go, not only is "locale" common Amerglish, but it derives from French, and as anyone who knows history will attest, the Brits hate their Froglish cousins across the channel, so much so, that history records that Winston Churchill, when visiting the Maginot Line after WWII, unzipped his trousers and took a whiz on the French trenches, inviting his accompanying reporters to do the same, just to show his disdain for the totally inept and weak-sissy effort the French defenses represented in the face of German tanks and airplanes. The clever Hun cheated during the second war and just flew or drove over the French holes in the ground (Maginot is Froglish for 'big hole').
Thus this I contend is why the OED omitted "locale" from its pages: sheer unmitigated bald-faced prejudice. They saw a Froglish word they could drop, so they did. Amerglish dictionaryists don't know no better, so they include it. There ya go. 76.243.129.217 09:06, 26 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Spinner's End

The seventh book seems to indicate that "Spinner's End" is a street and not the name of Snape's home. Should it be removed from the list of places and left in the list of streets? GCD1 18:53, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Beauxbatons coat of arms

This edit seems unusual, wherein the user states in their edit summary: "Added the Beauxbatons coat of arms as created by user ToManyLetters. This image is free of copyright restrictions" . Is the coat of arms a new design, or a reproduction of the JKR denoted CoA by ToManyLetters? If its the first one, its fan OR, and cannot be included. If its the latter, it is most certainly covered by copyright. Either way, it cannot remain. Should I remove it, or does someone else want the honors? - Arcayne (cast a spell) 04:55, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Copywritten work often makes its way into Wiki articles. Based on the information attached to the image, the image was originally created by ToManyLetters based on Rowling's description, and has allowed their work to be used here on this site. --12.173.121.242 06:08, 25 September 2007 (UTC)
With regard to the WP:NOR comment I quote from the WP:NOR article,
"Pictures have enjoyed a broad exception from this policy, in that Wikipedia editors are encouraged to take photographs or draw pictures or diagrams and upload them, releasing them under the GFDL or another free license, to illustrate articles. This is welcomed because images generally do not propose unpublished ideas or arguments, the core reason behind the NOR policy."--12.173.121.242 06:39, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Durmstrang

I've removed the ridiculous demands for citations in the Durmstrang section that in the film the students and professor wear ushankas. It's plain as day onscreen. This is the same as demanding a citation for "Ron wears a frilly robe to the Yule Ball."209.169.87.191 05:15, 4 October 2007 (UTC)

Wrong answer, sport. And you might find that your edits will be a lot more palatable if you don't characterize others' edits as demands or ridiculous. Find me a citation that specifies, "clear as day", that the objects we are seeing are the items you seem convinced they are. If you are unclear about the rules on OR by synthesis, I would urge you take a gander at them before responding to the email or reverting the replacement of fact tags. Your opinion isn't enough for inclusion. - Arcayne (cast a spell) 23:48, 4 October 2007 (UTC)
Would you similarly demand citations that the items worn around the necks of Hogwarts students are neckties? Or that the the pointed black thing on McGonagal's head is a witch's hat? How does one cite what is seen onscreen? You're putting the cart before the horse here.209.169.87.191 04:04, 21 October 2007 (UTC)
No, because most people reading the English language wiki know what a necktie is. Now, if I were talking about a specific rep tie (which many prep schools and colleges use), I would need to cite that - in the context of someone speaking of Harry Potter. As well, a witch's hat is pretty well-known to folk using the English language wiki, but I suppose if it were being discussed, it would have to be cited as such - again, within the context of the Harry Potter books or films.
In answer to your question about how we cite things we see onscreen: we don't. We take the info from people who have written about the film and use that. it's the difference between primary (your observations) and secondary (cited sources) observations. If the cited source says they are wearing oxford ties or babushkas or whatot, then we can include it. If they don't, we dont. I hope that explains matters a bit more clearly. - Arcayne (cast a spell) 05:07, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

"The relative situation of Durmstrang to Hogwarts, the possibly German name chosen for the school in the middle ages and the absence of German family names among the Durmstrang delegation point to a likely location in the northern part of the Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights, today's Estonia or northern Latvia." This is completely ridiculous. Karkaroff or Krum are Bulgarian as far as I remember. Bulgaria, as everybody should know, is in the BALKANS, and Balkans are quite a long way from Latvia or Estonia. Saxon or more widely German settlers were present in Eastern and Southern Europe from Middle Ages on, so Durmstrang could be located anywhere: Vojvodina, Transylvania, Estonia... I really don't get the thing with "our friends from the North". Anyway, the presumption that the school is located in the former lands of the Teutonic order seems not to be very justified. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.41.227.200 (talk) 11:13, 16 February 2008 (UTC)

Yes, Krum plays for the Bulgarian National Quidditch team. However, with Hogwarts being in Scotland, there are very few relevant countries "to the North"...Norway, Sweden, Finland, maybe Estonia and Latvia, and of course a large portion of Russia Grsz11 (talk) 15:51, 21 February 2008 (UTC)
First of all, we should collect all pieces of information about Durmstrang.
1)It's headmaster name is Igor Karkaroff
2)Viktor Krum and a certain Poliakoff are studying there
3)Dumbledore welcomes Durmstrang's students as "our friends from the North."
4)At the Yule Ball Krum told to Hermione, that "... in winter, ve have very little daylight, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and the mountains"
5)Durmstrang students wear heavy furs with blood-red robes.
It's clear, that neither Balkans, nor Baltic states are acceptable for us. We all know, that Hogwarts is located somewhere in Scotland. Balkans are situated much further south than Scotland. Baltic states and Scotland are situated at the same latitude. Moreover, in Baltic states we have no mountains. Absolutely. The highest point of Estonia - 318 meters above sea level; of Latvia - 311.6 m; of Lithuania - 294 m.
The real place should be situated
1)In Europe
2)Near the Arctic Circle - because "in winter ve have very little daylight".
3)Near mountains and lakes
It can only be in Scandinavia. But in Scandinavia there are four countries - Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. And now we should analyse names of Karkaroff, Krum and Poliakoff. It's clear, that Krum is bulgarian, but Karkaroff and Poliakoff are not. Igor is russian name, and Poliakoff is russian surname. And slavic school should be situated in slavic country - in Russia. Moreover, in film "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" Durmstrang's ship, when appeared, maked it's sail. And on this sail you can see the Double Eagle - the symbol of Russia (also of Albania and Montenegro, but they don't meets our geographic conditions). I think, now it's clear and indisputable, that Durmstrang is russian school. But Russia is big country, and where exactly Durmstrang is situated? In Kola Peninsula, Murmansk Oblast. There are a lot of lakes there. There are two mountain ranges: the Khibiny Mountains, and the Lovozero Tundra, the latter with points up to 1,120 metres in height. Finally, the Kola Peninsula is crossed by the Arctic Circle. Good place for Durmstrang, isn't it? Deymos34 (talk) 02:50, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

I was just starting to wonder...how many people out there are annoyed by the representation of Durmstrang students in the movies? The 'weird stick dance' really ticked me off, it reminds me of how most people who I talk to Russia about either say it's communist or they have really bizarre dances. On that note, I always thought Durmstrang would be in Russia. Not logged in, sorry, I'm eddisford. 71.155.233.211 (talk) 00:57, 21 February 2008 (UTC)

Eddisford, after the Perestroika such dance is OK in Russia. Though, from my point of view, it's not OK to the Hogwarts spirit. Deymos34 (talk) 02:50, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Theleakycauldron.jpg

Image:Theleakycauldron.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

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BetacommandBot (talk) 02:35, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:HogsmeadePoA.jpg

Image:HogsmeadePoA.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to ensure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 23:48, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Please ask Mistress Rowling

Somebody please ask Ms. Rowling what happened to Mr. Fortescue. Was he murdered? Was he kidnapped and later rescued? Did he run away and go into hiding? Das Baz, aka Erudil 15:47, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Article Title

Does anyone object to moving the article to Places in the Harry Potter series or something similar? Useight (talk) 23:10, 4 June 2008 (UTC)