Privet Drive?
I was trying to start my new goal: read Harry Potter and listen the british audiobook at the same time; a shadow reading. I keep trying, tough. But then, in the first book's sentence, I catch myself in front of a new word that I'd never see before: Privet Drive. I mean, what is a Privet Drive? Is it even a thing? I google it and seems to me like some place near London, but I'm not sure. I need some help here.
"M r. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much".
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Privet Drive?
I was trying to start my new goal: read Harry Potter and listen the british audiobook at the same time; a shadow reading. I keep trying, hard., but then, in the first book's opening sentence, I catch (or "find ") myself in front of a new word that I've never see before: Privet Drive. I mean, what is a Privet Drive? Is it even a thing? I googled it and seems to me like some place near London, but I'm not sure. I need some help here."M r. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much".
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[Ali] Privet does not mean "private", but you're right that the two words sound very similar. In fact. there is a book called "Spies" by Michael Frayn which has that as a joke: Two boys build a den behind a hedge and at the entrance they put a sign which they think says "private" but it actually says "privet".
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Privet is a kind of bush often grown around the borders of suburban gardens. To a british person, the name "Privet Drive" is meant to convey a certain kind of small-minded, suburban neighbourhood, full of people who take pride in their gardens and are not very welcoming. It suits the Dursely's well. I don't know if there is a real place with that name, but I would guess J K Rowling invented it.
I really like the idea of reading a book and listening at the same time. I tries that once with "Amor de Perdicao" by Camilo Castelo Branco". I hope you enjoy it.
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It might be a real street, but from what I know (I'm American) there aren't any expressions about it. "Privet Drive" is used to show that it is a generic/stereotypical British neighborhood, like if a generic Brazilian character was named "Joao da Silva".
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"private drive" or "private street" or "private road" refers to a thoroughfare that is on private property rather than public land.
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