Waspy Snape

[einwinterlang]

No: HPFGUIDX 78576

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Carolin Mönkemeyer 
<shokoono at g...> wrote:
> > Talisman, reviewing her field-guide to insects, notes:
snip
Still I agree that the buzzing wasp that distracts Harry, as he is
> > slipping into his ultimate Legilimency moment, is significant. 
(OoP 725)
> > And I think we've seen that wasp before.
> > Now who could it be?   (Well, you should know me by now.)
> > I've only noticed one character who is described in waspish 
terms.
> > "Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about 
the Gryffindors . . .."  (CoS 186)
> > "`I am here on Dumbledore's orders,' said Snape, whose voice, by
> > contrast, was becoming more and more quietly waspish . . .." (OoP
> > 518)
snip
> Me:
> I am sorry to disagree. I have the Germand copy and ot the books 
> and if it would be so important as you suggest, it would have been 
> in there too, wouldn't it? I more think it has a double meaning 
> (one "real" and one figurative), because something like that in 
> German would sound very odd. For it isn't there and nothing that 
> comes close to it that suggests a wasp I don't think Snape is a 
> wasp or has any other relation to it than using it in his potions.
>
>  Yours Finchen

now me:
You must keep in mind that the german translations of the books
are, well, rather crude and inaccurate and just very bad in general.
There's no sense of the more subtle undertones in there, so I 
wouldn't be surprised if the German translator had simply missed
that connotation (like he has on so many other occasions).
Just to say that I'm all for Waspy Snape. ;-)
einwinterlang