Harry Potter Forums

Posts: 3442

Okay I was talking to my mom and she had just finished reading all of the Harry Potter books and she asked me something on the name Voldemort. She noticed that if you were to say it in french it could become three words vol de mort. Which she said meant flight from death or flee from death. Now me, being the only one in the family that couldnt speak french to save her life, was like, wow, that's really interesting. We both began to wonder if JK had purposely made that connection, to make his name truly mean flight from death, and Tom Riddle could have made it to make his name sound like he would never die, or something along those lines. So honestly, and truly, do you think me, or i should just say my mom, found something?
_________________

Posts: 28233

J.K. Rowling studied French in college... so... yeah. It was definitely intentional.
_________________

Blame it on a simple twist of fate ~ Bob Dylan
Team Cucumber, FTW!

Posts: 17948 · Posted: January 15, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject:

ooh, i didnt know it had a meaning, i just thought it was the letters of tom marvolo riddle reaorganized to be i am lord voldemort, which of course was voldy's intention

so he didnt realise voldemort meant something in french
_________________

You are up there!

Posts: 3442 · Posted: January 15, 2008 1:40 pm Post subject:

what me and my mom came up with was that he purposely made the letters of his mane into Voldemort. My mother says that Vol de mort can literally mean fleer of death, in other words if you can flee from death you will never die, therefor you are immortal. Which, if I am correct, that is exactly what Voldemort wanted, to be immortal, so if he made a name that meant immortal then people would think of him as such also.
_________________

Posts: 17948 · Posted: January 15, 2008 1:50 pm Post subject:

oh, so you think he did it on purpose?
_________________

You are up there!

Posts: 3442 · Posted: January 15, 2008 1:53 pm Post subject:

Yes, that's what I am implying. I mean, I dont think JK would make that coincidences on purpose and make it not mean anything to Voldemort.
_________________

Posts: 28233 · Posted: January 15, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject:

I don't know if Voldemort did it on purpose for a fact, but I'm positive JKR did. I'm sure Voldemort did, too.
_________________

Blame it on a simple twist of fate ~ Bob Dylan
Team Cucumber, FTW!

Posts: 17338 · Posted: January 15, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject:

voler also means to steal...he steals from death. makes sense either way.
_________________

They say home is where the heart is, so your real home's in your chest. --Captain Hammer

Posts: 5296 · Posted: January 15, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject:

Tom Marvolo Riddle also is..

I am Lord Voldemort

JKR is brilliant
_________________

Click Here! HP-ROLEPLAY

And Here!Vampire RP

And Here! Pirates RP

Posts: 1678 · Joined: Jan 8, 2008 Posts: 1678

Posts: 5296 · Posted: January 15, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject:

Posts: 1678 · Joined: Jan 8, 2008 Posts: 1678

How can you be in Ravenclaw and a Hogwarts Teacher? o_o

Posts: 28233 · Posted: January 15, 2008 6:30 pm Post subject:

Posts: 3442 · Posted: January 15, 2008 6:42 pm Post subject:

im just glad i brought this topic up, shows some of the brilliance of JK
_________________

Posts: 3616

Posts: 28233

Posts: 121 · Joined: Aug 16, 2007 Posts: 121

Tom Marvolo riddle = I am lord voldemort - vol de mort = flee from death = he uses the deathly hallows and tries to kill everyone in his way icluding harry. The whole plot of the harry potter books is inside voldys name. yay for jk and Vasavers mom.
_________________
Freedom isn't free but, the United States Marine Corps will pay for most of your share. CoD4

Posts: 47 · Joined: Jan 4, 2008 Posts: 47

I think I read something about Vol de Mort meaning flight from death in... umm... The ultimate guide to the mysteries of harry potter or whatever its called XD
But you're mum was really clever when she figured that out by herself =)
_________________
I don't go looking for trouble, trouble usually finds me...

Posts: 1073 · Joined: Jan 2, 2008 Location: Norway Posts: 1073

That is a very interesting theory! x)
_________________

私は雅が大好きです。<3

Posts: 3442 · Posted: January 20, 2008 12:05 pm Post subject:

Posts: 2 · Joined: Jan 24, 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 2

JK definatly did it intentionally. However, it's an interesting thought that perhaps Voldemort knew what he was calling himself.

Also, since technically his name is vol de mort, the 't' on 'mort' is silent. So Voldemort should be pronounced "Vol-De-More", not "Vol-De-Mort."

Posts: 11492 · Joined: Aug 1, 2007 Location: Sharon, PA Posts: 11492

Posts: 28374 · Posted: January 25, 2008 1:58 am Post subject:

Posts: 293 · Joined: Aug 10, 2007 Location: Scotland Posts: 293

Well JK definetaly did use that name INTENTIONALLY seeing as all of her SPELL names come fom latin and ALL have a meaning which is relevant to the PURPOSE of the spell so...It is obvious that she meant for his name to be voldermort right? Not like its your everyday name lol. Also, the whole FLIGHT FROM DEATH thing would explain ALOT seeing as voldermort always feared death more than ANYHING so perhaps it doesn't mean flight fom death as in never dieing but maybe he meant trying to ESCAPE from it, which is obviously IMPOSSIBLE, even for a wizard. I guess this is where the horcruxes come in, eh? lol.
_________________
"My Logic is Never without Reason..."

Posts: 320 · Joined: Jan 10, 2008 Location: Serbia Posts: 320

Vol de mort?Maybe JKR wanted to make it sound like Lord of Death,but name Lord du Mort would sound kind of stupid so she decided Vol de Mort.
That is just a speculation.Maybe her origin is from France so she wanted to make something that sound like French.
_________________
You are the weak one!!!You will never know love or friendship and I feel sorry for you!!!

Harry Potter Forums

Harry Potter Community and Bulletin Boards