Race (was Hagrid & others) - Superfluous Scenes (TBAY) - Math - Voldemort: to T or not to T? - Accountants

[rosie]

No: HPFGUIDX 40391

Darrin wrote:

"Acknowledging that there are other races and cultures besides the 
white race is HARDLY a bad thing. So, if one of the Gryffindor 
players happens to be a black girl, big deal."

I think the main issue was the introduction of Dean Thomas in the American edition, and the question whether this was just to introduce him or merely to add a token black person for Americans. I don't think anyone would quibble with acknowledging diversity or having a black Quidditch player - you're right, big deal. I think the question just arose from whether it was relevant to tell us that and very little else about her - "oh, well, she's only in there as a different colour, let's not bother with the character development" - or whether this was a sign that she would become more important and her character further developed later.
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Dicentra in Theory Bay:

"--Dicentra, who realizes that the can(n)ons aboard GARBAGE SCOW are
highly subjective, but show me a can(n)on that isn't!"

Maybe we should suggest to JKR's publishers that in future they perforate all the pages, so individual readers can, ahem, customise the books to their own tastes! :)
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Pam said:
"And I don't think I'm the only Brit who feels a teeniest weeniest 
prickle when I hear or read 'math' rather than 'maths'!"

A prickle, absolutely... this makes me very glad that HRH & co *don't* take Muggle subjects like, well, math :)

and:
"My credibility was restored when 
we all went to a JKR reading and, guess what, Mum was right all along 
(apart from Voldemort - for some obscure reason I was sure it was a 
silent t but I can't imagine why on earth I thought that)."

I remember reading in an interview or something that it was meant to be with a silent T, however, I know in some of the talking books (can't remember about the film) the T is pronounced. Some of the theories about the derivations of his name mention its possible French origins - "Vol de Mort" (flight of death) - the French word "mort" is pronounced with a silent T.

On the subject of pronunciation, how do you pronounce "Accio"? Like Ah-kio? Or, as Stephen Fry does in the talking books, Ak-sio (which sounds better to me?)

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Tracey said:
"And another thing that has always bothered me.. forgive me, because I 
lent my books to a friend, but I believe Molly or perhaps Ron makes 
reference to a cousin who was a squib and ends up being an 
accountant? And that the family "doesn't speak of him". Why is this? 
The Weasleys strike me as incredibly tolerant and accepting people 
and Arthur obviously seems to have a fondness for muggles. So why 
would they shun a member of the family who happened to be a squib? Or 
is it that this cousin chose to exclude himself from the family?"

It wasn't because he was a Muggle - it was because he was an *accountant* :) (no disrespect to accountants, unless you work for PWC, I have heard their corporate song and ohhh dear)

Rosie






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