Hogwarts Motto

[Susan Smith]

No: HPFGUIDX 70379

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "David Paterson" <david_p at i...> 
wrote:
<SNIP>

> Finally!  A use for my four years of Latin studies (mostly 
forgotten -
>  where can you find a reliable Pensieve around here, anyways?)
> 
> Latin doesn't really use articles, and word order is different from 
> Modern English.  Word by word, the motto translates:
> 
> DRACO - Dragon
> DORMIENS - Sleeping
> NUNQUAM - Never
> TITILLANDUS - Tickle
> 
> That's a direct translation.  Putting into current order and adding 
> an article, it would read "Never tickle a sleeping dragon".
> 
> One caveat is in order (ooh, it's Latin everywhere today!): literal 
> word for word translations are not necessarily correct (regardless 
of 
> the languages involved).  Idiomatic expressions can't be taken word 
> for word; instead, an equivalent expression must be found.  The 
> classic example is the expression "hear no evil, see no evil" which 
> was mis-translated as "invisible idiot".
> 
> Thus (in my long-winded way) I'm saying that both translations are 
> probably correct.
> 
> 
> David P.
> 
> -=-=-
> (With a special Latin sig)
> 
> Soylens Viridis Homines Est

Thank you very much!  But, does it tie in with Draco, or is it just 
typical JKR red herring?

A.G.