Killing Harry for Fun and Profit

[mz_annethrope]

No: HPFGUIDX 128098


 
> > mz_annethrope:
> > "Must" means having an obligation to do something because 
> > of custom, law, contract, whatever. ...edited...
> > 
> > Anyway, what I'm meaning to say is that the thrust is 
> > obligation, not certainty.

> bboyminn:
> You are right but you have used a very limited definitions 
> of 'Must'. It also means 'obligated', 'required', 'Complelled', 
> as well as "5.a. Used to indicate inevitability or certainty: 
> 'We all must die.' b. Used to indicate logical probability or 
> presumptive certainty:"**
> 
> That certainly expands the context.


mz_annethrope:

Sure, but let me continue to split hairs as we have the same 
dictionary. It's not until the fifth and final definition that we 
get to a meaning that's significantly changed from "obligue" 
or "require" (which I think is similar) to the realm of certainty 
or probable certainty. The latter meanings requires (obligues?) an 
explanatory note ("used to") for "words whose meanings do not 
permit standard definitions." I was not intending to say that "certainty" is an absolutely wrong meaning, but I don't think it's the best or likeliest meaning of "must" especially given that JKR and Sybil were very careful about their wording.

So thanks for expanding the context, but I was trying expand the 
context from presumption of certainty to greater, ok greatest, 
likelihood of obligation.

Just hoping for ambiguous readings, but wondering how Trelawney 
could be careful about her wording when she was apparently unconscious at the time.

mz_annethrope