[HPforGrownups] MoM, Nimbus, Fate, Voldemort, Potters' house, Other books

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 37129

Amy Z writes:
> GulPlum wrote:
> 
> >On the other hand, the usage (Ministry *OF* Magic - Muggle terminology 
> >would make it the Ministry *FOR* Magic) would indicate that the MoM has 
> >evolved separately from the rest of the political system
> 
> Now, this is just the kind of thing we non-Brits don't get unless someone 
> points it out.  In the U.S. edition, it's Minister OF Magic and Ministry OF 
> Magic, conforming to U.S. usage (that is, in the U.S. the equivalents are 
> Secretary and Department, but it's always OF, never FOR.  Department of 
> State, Secretary of the Treasury).  But, you see, when we read the UK 
> editions it says Minister FOR Magic but Ministry OF Magic, and I assumed 
> that that reflected British usage; I had no clue that JKR was doing 
> anything 
> unusual with the MoM.
> 
> Durned if I can wring any significance of it, but you're doing an 
> impressive 
> job at it.
> 
> 

I missed the original to which you're replying, but I think we may be making 
mountains out of molehills here. I have said before that politics is not my 
stong suit, but as I understand it, we now only have one government 
department still known as a 'ministry', the Ministry *of* Defence. The others 
are Departments *for* whatever. The ministers in charge are normally referred 
to as the Defence Minister, the Sports Minister etc.
The big difference as I pointed out before, is that the MoM itself is divided 
into departments. 
My original post was sent 15/02/02, if anyone's interested.

Eloise (chuffed at being included in the 'eloquent' category)


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