Names, Puns, Etymologies / Racism / Marietta

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 161021

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)" <catlady at ...> 
wrote:
>
> NAMES OF SPELLS, PEOPLE, ETC:
> London Granddaughter wrote in
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/160734>:
> 
> << For the spell Expecto Patronum--James' animagus figure was a stag,
> so when Harry thinks happy thoughts while needing a protector against
> dementors, he "expects (expecto) his father (patronum)." >>
> 
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/42256> on St
> Godric and Stag Patronus
> 
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/18672> Beginning
> of long thread on 'Expecto Patronus' = 'I yearn for a father' <-
> unfathered society
> 
> I also seem to recall an argument that 'Expecto' is more related to
> the Latin word for 'spit' (which gave us 'expectorate') than to the
> Latin word for 'expect', and therefore means 'I send forth from my
> mouth a Patronus'.

Geoff:
According to my trusty, hard-working Oxford Latin dictionary, it's 
nothing to do with spitting or a father.

Expecto/exspecto (alternative spellings) = await, expect, anticipate, 
hope for.
patronus (patronum is the accusative case) = protector, patron, 
pleader, advocate.

Father is, of course, 'pater'.
To spit is 'spuo', related to modern English 'spew' and 'sputum'.