meaning of "of age"

[hp_fan16]

No: HPFGUIDX 43263

> > 
> > > Banjoken wrote:
> >   I think the "of age" that Dumbledore was talking about was 
> specific  to the tournament. 17 was the age limit the MoM set for 
> students  who  wanted to enter the tournament. It doesn't 
necessarily 
> correspond  to  anything else in the wizarding world. 

> >  
> > Amy said:
> >  If the only meaning of "of age" is "this is the age at which I 
> have determined you may do activity X," then it doesn't spring to 
the 
> >  tongue as a useful expression for explaining who may and may not 
> do activity X.  Imagine a family in which the girls are allowed to 
> >  pierce their ears at age 15.  That is the only significance of 
the 
> >  age 15 in this family and their society.  So would you ever hear 
> >  these conversations?:
> >  
> >  13-year-old daughter to mom:  "Why can't I get my ears pierced 
> NOW?"
> >  Mom to daughter:  "Because you're not of age."
> >  
> >  or
> >  
> >  Kids to dad:  "Who can get their ears pierced?"
> >  Dad to kids:  "The ones who are of age, 15 years old."
> >  
> >  Possible, but not a likely way to say it.  Mom would 
say "because 
> in 
> > this family the rule is you may get your ears pierced when you're 
> > 15."  Dad would say "the ones who are 15."  Only if 15 meant "of 
> age" 
> >  in some other context familiar to all of them would this phrase 
be 
> >  likely to be used.

> > Ali says: 

> > In the UK the phrase "coming of age", or "of age" has a 
> > quite specific meaning which is legally defined as at 18 years old
> > (formerly 21). According to my trusty dictionary this means to 
> reach  adult status
> >snip< < 
> > Ali

While I see Ali's and Amy's arguments as being very valid and true, I 
still also thought "of age" as used during the tournament, was being 
used as referring only to the tournament. I don't see any reason, 
strictly out of cannon to disprove this; therefore I also don't 
believe it can be used cannon evidence as to what a wizard 'adult' 
would be. 17 could very well be the legal 'adult' age, and as Ali 
said, it would enable us to have almost an entire year to see Harry's 
adulthood.  However, I still thought, and still think unless proven 
otherwise, that Dumbledore's comment did not have any bearing as to 
weather 17 is the year a wizard is an adult.

Normal-
~the ugly Veela~

Who would also like to add that she does think 17 is an important age 
and very well might mean adulthood, just doesn't think dumbledore 
necessarily implied that.