Snape! Snape! Snape! Snape! Loverly Snape! Wonderful Snape! (long)

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 148198

> Alla:
> 
> See, I don't understand this at all. How do you know that JKR used 
> the word imprecisely? IMO it is more logical to assume that she meant 
> precisely what she said.

zgirnius:
Well, we don't KNOW precisely what she meant anyway, the word she chose 
was not one with a single, narrow definition which all agree on. So we 
can't simply accept she meant what she said, we need first to decide 
what it WAS that she said. And the logical way to do that is to 
consider what it is reasonable for her to have meant, given who she is 
talking about (by looking at the character's actions as she has 
described them in the book).

>From Dictionary.com...(two other dictionaries I checked give very much 
the same three meanings for this word).

sa·dism    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (sdzm, sdz-)
n. 
1. The deriving of sexual gratification or the tendency to derive 
sexual gratification from inflicting pain or emotional abuse on others. 
2. The deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from 
cruelty. 
3. Extreme cruelty. 

I think definition 1. here is NOT what she meant, and I venture to 
guess that you would agree. She has certainly not given us depictions 
of his actions which would support that interpretation of her words.

Is it then definition 2.? Because I do not see much evidence for this, 
either. (Perhaps you do...certainly, I know others who have 
participated in this discussion recently do think this was the motive 
for the Trevor incident, the nasty comment about Neville to Lupin, his 
conversation with Harry about the Map, his horned toead detention, and 
possibly other acts I am forgetting). I tend to agree with those 
posters who have explained their ideas about Snape's motives for these 
various acts, and it was not because he enjoyed these actions.

Or, finally, is it 3.? I am personally figuring she meant 3. But 3. is 
the least informative definition of the word. "Snape is an extremely 
cruel teacher". OK, fine, I agree. He is in fact, wihtout any doubt in 
my mind, the most cruel teacher at Hogwarts, in the first, second, 
third, and sixth years of the series. What does this tell me that I did 
not already know?