Snape and toads WAS: Re: Snape and Umbridge and abuse again/ Ending for Snape

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 162977

REPOSTED TO ADD.


Alla:
> >
> > Yes, it was brought up in the discussion that Neri's post
started,
> > are you sure JKR did as thorough research and knows that too?
>
> Pippin:
> Thorough research?
>
> "The horned toad is not a toad" is one of those 'fun facts' about
> the English language that us Hermione types absorb as children:
> (eg, "grey horses are white","a starfish is not a fish") and I have
> known it for fifty years. It's possible, of course that JKR didn't
know
> this, even though she does identify with Hermione, but I think
> it's fairly common knowledge among native speakers.
>
> Maybe we should take a poll?

Alla:

LOL. You can be right of course and JKR knows that, but I find it
highly suspicious that during GoF AFAIR JKR gives us one Neville's
detention with Snape and what he is require to do is to gut, not cut
it, which is actually much more gross IMO ( which as somebody pointed
to me off list - thank you :)) lizards, called "horned toads" and
Neville owns a toad.

I think that it may point out to Snape's nasty, sadistic nature, but
you can be right and it is just word play, which means nothing,
because of different meaning.

But as I said, I will for now stick to my suspicions ( or more like
Neri's suspicions since his post reminded me of that quote in the
first time)

ETA:

I would like to report that my obsessiveness erm
 passion reached new 
level. Pippin, I am happy to report that I actually conducted a 
minipoll in my office, tee hee.

I polled fifteen attorneys in my office and while I do not know if 
they qualify under your standards as Hermione types, they are **all** 
native speakers and rather well educated people.

They thought that maybe I ate something wrong for lunch since I am 
asking such a weird question, but they replied regardless.

Eleven people responded so far and only two of them knew that horned 
toads are lizards. Everybody else's answer was that when they hear 
that, they think of the toads.

Of course maybe every other native speaker knows the difference, but 
as I said I am sticking with my suspicions which are now rather 
strengthened.

Oh, and even if JKR knew the difference, she could have chosen the 
word specifically to make a point about Snape, as in maybe in her 
world those are toads ( as she plays with mythology creatures, but 
they are not exactly what they are in mythology, not always at least)

Alla.