On diverse "mean" meanings

[Erica <cymru1ca@yahoo.ca>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51020

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, eloiseherisson at a... wrote:
> Erica:
> (quoting JOdel)
> >> "Saturn was surely in a position of power in the heavens at the 
> >>moment
> >> of your birth. . . . Your dark hair. . . your lowly, shabby
> >> stature...tragic losses so young in life. . "
> >>
> >>Sounds more consistent with Trelawney's drift, no?
> >> 
> >>Quotes have to be taken in context and account for where the 
> >>speaker's
> >> coming from. Since Trelawney always seems darn near disappointed
> >> Harry is still breathing, why would she call attention to his
> >>'average' height?
> >>
> And Jim's comment: 
> >>Jodel is right, and the literary meaning, as he well put it, is
> >> clearly the correct one.
> > 
> Erica:
> >The zodiacal (?) sign where Saturn is in a position of power (Sun 
> >Sign) is Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 20). I think that Trelawny was 
> >diagnosing Harry as a Capricorn - the 'black hair' 'mean stature' 
are 
> >all characteristics of a 'typical' capricorn
> 
> Just putting in my two knuts.
> Although my husband says the reading isn't clear (too much fog in 
the crystal 
> ball, perhaps?) I would agree with JOdel and Jim. Trelawney speaks 
in a more 
> literary than technical manner.
> 
> According to my dictionary (Oxford Ref.), there are two (out of 6) 
possibly 
> relevant meanings of mean (adj) : 1) niggardly; not generous or 
> liberal........... 3) (of a person's capacity, understanding, etc) 
inferior, 
> poor.
> 
> "Of mean estate" means poor. By analogy, "of mean stature" means 
short.
> To use 'mean' in that technical sense would just be unidiomatic 
English, IMO. 
> Certainly not Trelawney's style. I've never heard anyone use "mean" 
in 
> conversation in quite that way.
> 
> Erica:
> >STATURE OF SIGNS :
> >
> >Aquarius, Pisces, Aries and Taurus are short; Leo, Virgo, Libra 
and 
> >Scorpio are long and Gemini, Cancer, Sagittarius and Capricorn are 
of 
> >medium stature.
> >
> 
> Well, not necessarily in JKR's universe, where mythology and 
therefore 
> potentially astrology, is adapted to her own whims and needs.
> 
> ~Eloise
> (Pisces/Aries cusp and 5' 7", FWIW)

(the horse, long past dead, is now gamboling in the Elysian Fields)

I think that aside from the various magic 'spells' JKR does indeed 
stay very close to existing lore wrt mythology, astrology etc. 
(Nicolas Flamel and Phil. stone, etc).  


Trelawny is introducing her class to the art and science of 
astrology "The movement of the planets and the mysterious portents 
they reveal, blah, blah, blah"   (later in the class they go on to 
calculate their own birth charts ...)

Trelawny looks at Harry and ticks off what she see's as the qualities 
he possesses that are indicative of Saturn having a "position of 
power" at his birth: 
1)Dark Hair - physical attribute, 
2) Mean Stature - another physical attribute (what would she know of 
Harry's paucity living with the Dursley's) indicating that he 
has 'middling' stature (er, hobbit-like ?) 
3) tragic losses early in life - Saturn is symbolic of losses and 
destruction

Of course, being the *excellent* divinator that she is, she's right 
on the mark, isn't she ;)


Erica (Virgo/Taurus Rising) :D