AurorAlice/ThePortraits/Monks/Lucius/Phineas/JamesSnitch/SumHols/Houses/Flush

[Berit Jakobsen]

No: HPFGUIDX 85152

Catlady wrote:

> Phineas is a variant of Pinhas which is Pa-Nehasi which is Egyptian
> for 'the Nubian', like some people nowadays are named Scot and Dane 
> and Norman. Nigellus is Latin for 'Neil' but often thought to come
> from Latin 'niger' meaning 'black'. (http://www.behindthename.com/ 
> 
> However, the belief that Phineas means 'serpent's mouth' in Hebrew
> seems to be so widespread that well-informed JKR must know of it, so
> perhaps she is building up to dear Phineas Nigellus being a 
parselmouth.

Me:

Thank you for your answer! This is what I am thinking too: Even 
though "Phineas" is Egyptian for the "Nubian", Rowling would be aware 
that it is a common notion that it stems from Hebrew 
meaning "Serpent's mouth" (or "big-mouth"). I'm not so sure this is 
supposed to be a clue that Rowling's Phineas was a parseltongue 
though... According to Tom M. Riddle, he and Harry were "probably the 
only two parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since Slytherin himself." 
(CoS p.233, Brit.Vers.) Phineas has been at Hogwarts, at least as a 
headmaster. Of course this doesn't have to rule out Phineas being 
one, since what Tom is saying is that HE doesn't know of anyone else. 
The question is whether Tom would have known if Phineas was one... 
But, it is an intriguing thought :-)

My thoughts about his name is that it is very much linked to his 
Slytherin house (and heritage?). In many ways Phineas is portrayed as 
the "ultimate" Slytherin: His name is very much so, a direct 
reference to his house, and his clothes are painted in the Slytherin 
colours of silver and green; his demeanour and mindset are very much 
Slytherin: "We Slytherin's are brave, yes, but not stupid. For 
instance, given the choice, we will always choose to save our own 
necks first." (OoP p. 437)

Berit