[HPforGrownups] Re: The Boy Who Lived

[imhotep1]

No: HPFGUIDX 54262

On Mon, 2003-03-24 at 14:37, iris_ft wrote:
> "The Boy Who Lived", in the french version, became "Le 
> Survivant" (the Survivor). That's the most logical translation, if 
> we consider that Harry survived Voldemort's AK.
> However, I'd like to know how do the english-speaking listies 
> understand Harry's nickname. Do they read it only as "The Boy Who 
> Survived "? Or do they think, as I do, that it sounds odd, as if 
> Harry was actually dead?

I think the use of the word "lived" is meant to sound bland.  "Survivor"
is a heroic term.  Strong, courageous people "survive," but any person
can live.  What harry did wasn't really an act of courage (on his
part.)  His claim to fame is merely that he made it out alive from the
most horrible of horrible curses, cast by the most horrible of horrible
wizards.

Harry wasn't a brave or courageous or strong baby, he was a lucky baby
with lot's of people who loved him, and possibly some other qualities
inherent to him that have not yet been revealed.  I think survivor makes
it sound much more epic than to say Harry merely lived.

-Jeremy