Why Latin For magic? (was: Identifying with Muggles in Potterver se - Huma

[zeroirregardless]

No: HPFGUIDX 158282

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...>
wrote:
> I realize that the part about intention seems to be contradicted by
> Sectumsempra working when Harry spoke the words for the first time,
> but he knew that it was "for enemies" and I'm pretty sure that he
> intended to hurt Draco, if not to slash his face and chest so deeply
> that he could have bled to death. Unfortunately, Harry's only
> "intention" in casting Levicorpus (nonverbally) was to find out what
> the spell did, so we're back to the wand or wand core understanding
> the Latin words.
>

     The difference between magic and Muggletech is that magic
implements DWIM functionality (Do What I Mean). As we all know from
painful experience, Muggletech does not.

    Now, consider poltergeists. They are a manifestation of emotional
turmoil, made physical. I assume that Dumbledore tolerates Peeves
because he's a necessary safety valve for the student body: he's a
manifestation of Hogwart's collective emotional turmoil. At least
Peeves can be controlled by the Bloody Baron!

    Perhaps a spell is similarly a manifestation of the wizarding
world's collective intent. The caster's intent can modify it, but the
default setting is whatever it's been used for previously. "Do What I
Mean Traditionally." When Harry casts *Levicorpus* with no particular
intent, he gets the pure default. The Death Eaters at the Quidditch
World Cup could modify it to spin unfortunate Muggles, if they so
intended. If everybody started doing that, maybe *Levicorpus* would
change to spin victims by default.

    According to Muggle records, a spell similar to *Avada Kedavra*
was used, thousands of years ago, as a healing spell. It was used to
drive sickness out of diseased bodies. Perhaps Dark Wizards used it to
drive life out of healthy bodies, eventually making it unusable for
any good purpose. Perhaps all Dark Magic is such a perversion of
normal magic.

     The invention of new spells probably requires an unusually strong
will. Snape would, I think, qualify.

                               Zero Irregardless