Lexicon Contmaination

[hp_lexicon]

No: HPFGUIDX 84670

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ghinghapuss" 
<rredordead at a...> wrote:
> Hi Steve,
> I'm going to have to disagree on what makes `canon' and to address 
> some of your post. I'd like to address you last comment first:
> 
> Steve wrote:
> <Snip> 
> but honestly, it is extremely strong evidence indeed. <Snip>
> 
> Now me:
> Extremely strong evidence is not `Canon' in my opinion.  I may be 
> splitting hairs but when I use the Lexicon I assume that, unless 
> otherwise stated, what I am reading is based directly from the 
books 

You are correct. Extremely strong evidence is still not canon. I 
should rewrite the reference to Sirius so that it reflects that 
uncertainty. 


> themselves.  Movie contamination is sited and I think Lexicon 
> contamination, or are Lexicon assumptions based on extremely 
strong 
> evidence should be sited too.  I have many times gone running back 
to 
> my books to look up a page that has been quoted along with a 
> statement, to find the statement is actually an assumption.  I 
don't 
> wish to discourage assumption but as a Lexicon is a dictionary 
> shouldn't the results be drawn from events that have taken place?  
I 
> will concede that a Lexicon is an ever-evolving entity, but when 
> making guesses, even educated ones, where does one draw the line 
> between assumption, theory and fiction?

Unfortunately, assumption being what it is, I often don't recognize 
it for an assumption until someone points it out to me. There are 
things which I think are perfectly obvious until I hear someone 
else's assumptions about the same part of the book and realize to my 
surprise that it is possible to interpret things differently.

I honestly have to revise frequently to take these kinds of things 
into account. 


> 
> 
> Steve wrote:
> > James is in Gryffindor. That's given in the book. It's on page 
704 
> > of the US edition of OP. Ron rumples his hair and Harry grins 
> > because it reminds him "forcibly of another Gryffindor Quidditch 
> > player...", which is a reference to James's actions Harry 
witnessed 
> > in Snape's memory.
>  
> Now me:
> This could easily be a assumption made by Harry who of course 
wants 
> his father to be in his house.  Part of Harry's quest in the sage 
is 
> him seeking to belong, searching for his parents and the family 
he's 
> never had.  Harry has never assumed James to be anything other 
than a 
> Gryffindor. 

In this case, I think the statement is so darn close to 100% sure 
that it would take quite a leap of thinking to make this say 
anything other than the fact that James was a Gryffindor. The 
Lexicon will contiunue to state that as a canon fact.


> 
> Steve wrote:
> > As for Lupin and Sirius, the conversation on page 170 (US) is 
the 
> > most telling. Clearly from Sirius' comments, only one of the 
three 
> > of them could have been made Prefect, and that one turned out to 
be 
> > Lupin. If they were in different houses, Lupin's being made 
Prefect 
> > wouldn't have precluded the others from getting a badge too. 
> 
> Now me:
> `Only one of them could have been made a prefect' is your 
assumption 
> based on the conversation that took place between Sirius, Lupin, 
> Harry, Tonks, and Ginny.  What Sirius actually said was "No one 
would 
> have made me a prefect, 


This one is less certain, you are right. But as someone else said in 
a response, the way it's writte ("Lupin got THE badge") is very, 
very strong evidence. I grant you that this isn't perhaps strong 
enough to be called canon, but it is pretty solid. On this one, 
however, I agree that the Lexicon should not be quite so certain.

> 
> All that being said, I do want to congratulate you on a wonderful 
job 
> on collating and displaying the huge amounts of info in the Harry 
> Potter series and hope you will continue to do so. As I will 
continue 
> to use and enjoy the Lexicon.

You are very welcome. And I really do appreciate your comments a 
lot. Writing the Lexicon is not as simple and as cut and dried as 
some would think. I need and enjoy feedback from many people.

Steve
who still gets a kick out of the phrase "Lexicon contamination"