Clarification On Terminology

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "(Mrs.) Lee Storm (God Is The
Healing Force)" <n2fgc at a...> wrote:

<< First, let's try "wizard" and "warlock".  For the most part, people
are referred to as witches or wizards, but then the term warlock pops
up and I'm at a loss as to what distinguishes a wizard from a warlock
or visa versa. >>

I think no one KNOWS, but MY theory is that, in the Potterverse, the
term "warlock" is the wizarding folk's term for an elected
representative, like "M.P." for the Brits.
   My understanding is that in RL historically the word "warlock" came
from a Saxon word meaning "oath-breaker" and it came to mean a magic
user as a result of the theory that all magic came from Satan, thus
implying the magic user had broken his baptism and confirmation in
Christianity.  
   So I can't imagine that any of the wizarding folk, who know
perfectly well that they aren't Satanists (except maybe for LV), would
call themselves "warlock", but I can imagine that they would call
their politicians "oath-breaker". 
   Here are some example usages, other than some rowdy warlocks at the
bar in the Three Broomsticks and some wild-looking warlocks at the bar
in the Leaky Cauldron:

There's a bit in OoP where Lupin says: "Dumbledore's 'been voted out
of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards...
they've demoted him from chief Warlock on the Wizengamot... and
they're talking about taking away his Order of Merlin, First Class, too.'

If you remember Dumbledore's official Headmaster letterhead in PS/SS,
his name was followed by "Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc.,
Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards".
There has long been discussion of what those titles could possibly mean.

I think Chief Warlock is clearly the chairman of the Wizengamot, so
maybe Warlock is an ordinary member of it. I think Supreme Mugwump is
the title of the 'chairman' of the International [Con]federation of
Wizards/Warlocks.

(I think all those names have appeared in canon, and I think they all
mean the same organization.) 
International Federation of Wizards, pages 90 and 120 of UK OoP 
International Federation of Warlocks, pages 30 and 128 of UK OoP 
International Confederation of Wizards, on DD's letterhead in SS and
GoF ch.17
International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy in Mafalda
Hopkirk's letter in CoS
Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International
Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the
crisis. PoA

International Warlock Convention of 1289 was also mentioned in CoS. 
I imagine that "International Warlock Conventions" were held when the
wizarding folk needed to get together to solve a big problem, but
eventually evolved into a permanent institution, International
[Con]Federation of Wizards/Warlocks. 
 
<< The second conundrum is "charm" and "spell.  They seem to be
interchangeable, but I'm not altogether sure.  And, things like the
Reducto "curse" which sounds like it could be just a super-shrinking
spell...etc. >>

IIRC Reducto blasts things to bits, i.e. it reduces them to rubble
rather than putting them on a reducing diet.

Here are my gueses about the terminology of Potterverse magic:

I think the word 'spell' is a general term which includes charms,
transfiguration spells, curses, maybe even potions. "Charm" has been
defined as a spell which changes the behavior of an object, while
"Transfiguration" is a spell that turns it into something else, but I
don't understandy why causing metal keys to grow feathery wings is
considered a change of *behavior* and making chessmen giant is
considered changing them into something else. There is probably
something technical that Muggles can't understand, some magical analog
of "Charms require you to feel a strong emotion while Transfiguration
require you to solve an equation."

I think "curse" is a general word for a harmful spell. Some of them
are probably classifiable as Charms -- Cheering Charm and Leg-Locker
Curse both change the recipient's behavior. I don't know if there is a
distinction between Jinx and Hex or just whichever sounds better in
the name of the curse.