# Minor Harry Potter question- typo or slang? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 19, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099 "2005-07-19T03:29:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zahava424](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/76d3ee/32.png) [@Zahava424](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zahava424)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/1 "2005-07-19T03:29:37Z")
I’ll spoiler-box this for the sake of being ultra-cautious, though it matters not at all to the plot and is not a material detail. In the third chapter of the new Harry Potter book, it says: “The misty fug his breath had left on the window sparkled in the orange glare of the streetlamp ouside…” Essentially, I just want to make sure that “fug” is a typo for “fog” and not some sort of British slang. I know I’m being silly; after all, why would there ever be such a stupid bit of slang? But I just wanted to make sure, because I can’t imagine this book hasn’t been proofread within an inch of its life. Not that it would matter in any material way if it _were_ slang, but I’m a compulsive nut. Would any British people like to humor my freakish need to know? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/2 "2005-07-19T03:31:51Z")
I bought mine from the UK. I’ll LYK if it says the same thing when it arrives. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/3 "2005-07-19T03:35:14Z")
A condition which can exist in a small, crowded place when the air is not pure, especially because of smoke or heat. --British informal. I have heard it before, usually it’s a sentence more like “the fug generated by a lot of bodies” but I did understand it. However, there were words I had to look up, in this book for 8- to 12-year-olds(!). ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/4 "2005-07-19T03:36:37Z")
Sorry, should have mentioned that definition is from Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary online. _[previous post last edited by current post]_ ---
**Author:** ![EleventyOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@EleventyOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EleventyOne)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/5 "2005-07-19T05:15:54Z")
“Fug” may not be a typo, but there is one on page 10, which I’ll spoiler though it’s equally unimportant to the plot: …the Prime Minister could not help but fear that the next time Fudge appeared it would be with graver news still. The **site** , therefore, of Fudge stepping out of the fire once more, looking disheveled and fretful…It’s obvious by context the word should be “sight” instead of “site.” ---
**Author:** ![Stinkum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Stinkum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stinkum)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/6 "2005-07-19T05:59:52Z")
Professional proofreader checking in. Fug is actually a word. Per Webster: Fug: the heavy air in a closed room regarded as either oppressive and murky or warm and cozy. Mainly British usage. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/7 "2005-07-19T07:13:02Z")
Minor sidelight on already answered question: many years ago in the UK, there was a TV commercial for some air-freshener or other. As animated vapours drifted across the top of the screen, a cartoon version of the product grinned and bellowed: “There’s a terrific FUG in here!” Cue much stifled amusement among the younger viewers, who thought it sounded a lot like that very rude word that started with “F.” ---
**Author:** ![PETERFI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PETERFI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PETERFI)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/8 "2005-07-19T07:57:56Z")
Because of the sound of Fug and its meaning of Fog which is non-dirty, I can’t help feeling that it will be quickly embraced in schoolyards across America to mean something else entirely… ---
**Author:** ![Zahava424](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/76d3ee/32.png) [@Zahava424](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zahava424)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/9 "2005-07-19T15:04:00Z")
Wow-- I feel immensely less stupid than I expected! I was sure it was a typo and that I was being ridiculous. Score one for Zahava. 🙂 On another note, EleventyOne, I’m surprised I didn’t catch the mistake you mentioned. I’m usually sensitive to that sort of homonym error. ---
**Author:** ![G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.B.H.Hornswoggler)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/10 "2005-07-19T15:14:10Z")
It still sounds very much like it _is_ a typo – one person’s breath does not create a “fug.” A fug arises from the close proximity of several people, and generally is airborne, rather than appearing on a window. It also doesn’t refer to any specific physical manifestation, but rather the general atmosphere of an area. So, as I see it, there are two possibilities: a) Rowling meant “fog,” and an error crept in along the way b) Rowling made an error of usage The first looks more likely to me, with the easy fog/fug typo. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/11 "2005-07-19T15:14:35Z")
Actually, the use of “fugly” is not uncommon on the Internet. It means “fuckin’ ugly.” That sometimes gets shorted to “fug.” (“He was (a) real fug.”) ---
**Author:** ![dare\_devil007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@dare\_devil007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dare_devil007)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/12 "2005-07-19T15:17:49Z")
Well, either way, it makes sense to me. I thought it was a typo for “fog”, but “fug” apparently means unclean air, which is kind of like fog in the first place. Anyways, when I first read it, I thought, ‘Fug?? As in fugly?’ 😃 On preview: **DeadlyAccurate** was thinking the same thing I was about “fugly”. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/13 "2005-07-19T15:20:34Z")
Looks like a typo to me. ‘Fug’ is rarely used, although the adjective ‘fuggy’ is perhaps more common (more often used to described a state of mind than an athmospheric condition). ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/14 "2005-07-19T17:28:24Z")
[QUOTE=EleventyOne] “Fug” may not be a typo, but there is one on page 10, which I’ll spoiler though it’s equally unimportant to the plot: …and one on page 16: [**warning** : a whiff of a scintilla of a hint of inconsequential plot information is in the spoiler below] flames in the grate turned emerald green again, rose up, and revealed a second wizard spinning in their heart. Unless the laws of physics in the wizarding world have changed, I think that should be “heart **h**.” There. That should satisfy my geek obligations for this month. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/15 "2005-07-19T17:49:33Z")
I haven’t picked up the latest volume, but my general observation is that Rowling’s writing is not adequately proofread. In fact, as much as I enjoy the Harry Potter stories, I still feel like I’m reading a raw manuscript that should go through a couple of rounds of careful editing. ---
**Author:** ![Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phedre_no_Delaunay)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/16 "2005-07-19T18:02:31Z")
[QUOTE=koeeoaddi] > [@EleventyOne](#): > > “Fug” may not be a typo, but there is one on page 10, which I’ll spoiler though it’s equally unimportant to the plot: > > …and one on page 16: [**warning** : a whiff of a scintilla of a hint of inconsequential plot information is in the spoiler below] > > flames in the grate turned emerald green again, rose up, and revealed a second wizard spinning in their heart. > > Unless the laws of physics in the wizarding world have changed, I think that should be “heart **h**.” > > There. That should satisfy my geek obligations for this month. I don’t think that is a typo. I think it means that the wizard was spinning in the heart of the flames, not on the hearth of the fireplace. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/17 "2005-07-19T18:30:39Z")
[QUOTE=Phèdre nó Delaunay] > [@koeeoaddi](#): > > I don’t think that is a typo. I think it means that the wizard was spinning in the heart of the flames, not on the hearth of the fireplace. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/18 "2005-07-19T19:26:32Z")
Wow, I was certain that fug was a typo. Live and learn. ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/19 "2005-07-19T20:26:45Z")
Honestly, I still think it’s a typo even though it is a real word, the context just doesn’t seem right. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099/20 "2005-07-19T21:18:49Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > flames in the grate turned emerald green again, rose up, and revealed a second wizard spinning in their heart. > > Unless the laws of physics in the wizarding world have changed, I think that should be “heart **h**.” Did you think it was conjoined twin fireplaces? It does say “their” after all 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-harry-potter-question-typo-or-slang/313099.md?page=2)