[HPforGrownups] Occam's Razor: Oops, I may have cut myself!

[Richelle Votaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 42811

Haggridd writes:

> I am continually impressed by new evidence of JKR's meticulous
> research in her writing, but, as much as I would like to believe that
> she consciously alluded to this "adhadda Kedhabhra" spell, I wonder
> if coincidence has reared its head.  I am no scholar of Aramaic, but
> the transliteration of the spell provided is "close, but no cigar."
> If a correct transliteration were as close as the one in the above
> NOTE, I would enthusiastically agree that JKR had used it as a
> source.  I find more compelling the explanation of "Abra cadabra" as
> the charm from the Kaballah, which meaning is the opposite of the
> intent of the AV Unforgivable Curse.  For me, at least, this rings of
> coincidence, not intent.  Who, other than JKR, knows the truth of
> it?  The richness of her prose allows for both our opinions, and the
> enjoyment of arguing either side.  Thank you for the information on
> the Kabbalah and the Aramaic.  Whether is explains the AV curse or
> not, I am the richer for it.
>
> Haggridd

What I think maybe, just maybe JKR did is combine two or three different
languages to come up with the spelling/meaning of "Avada Kedavra."  Those
languages including Aramic, Latin, and whatever Abra Cadabra comes from.
Aramic and Latin for sure, the third is a maybe since the actual *meaning*
is pretty much opposite of what happens.  Here's my reasoning for this:

In Aramic you get "Let the thing be destroyed."  This tells what you want
done.
>From Abra Cadabra you get not necessarily the healing part but the ancient
powers.
>From Latin you *can* get (and other things I'm sure) "Yielding to
covetousness."  This tells that the person performing the curse is above all
things, greedy and coveting the person's very life.

Just a thought.

Richelle