[HPforGrownups] Re: MuggleNet - Godrics Hollow Theory.

[Kemper]

No: HPFGUIDX 163533

> Kemper earlier:
> > The etymology of 'fidelis' (faithful) stems from 'fides' (faith).
> > To be faithful is different than being loyal. One suggests a belief
> > or trust in something/one, the other an obligation to something/one.
> >
> > Regardless, Peter was neither faithful nor loyal to the Potters at the
> > time the charm was performed. "Some one close to the Potters" was
> > passing information. So how complex can the charm be if Peter can
> > fake it? Peter knew he would tell Voldemort the secret as it was
> > being concealed inside him.
>
> Geoff responded:
> I think you are splitting hairs here and that your argument is not really
> valid. My Latin dictionary gives "fides" as: faith; trust; confidence; belief;
> credence; loyalty; honesty; allegaince; promise; security; protection.
> While the English-Latin section gives "Fides" for both "loyalty" and "faith"
> and in both cases the adjective form is "fidelis".
>
> My usual English dictionary gives: "faithful > adjective 1 remaining loyal
> and steadfast....." and under "loyal" gives one synonym as "faithful". I see
> no obligation or compulsion implicit in either of the words and personally
> would use them interchangeably.
>
> Hence, I don't see precisely where your divergence in meanings is leading.....


Kemper now:
What I'm hearing you say is that I recognize the nuances in the
English language.
What some define as 'splitting hairs' others might define as 'subtlety'.

You may use either interchangeably if you aren't concerned with being
as clear as you can or want to be with your listener/reader.

As this was brought off-topic instead of off-list, I'll bring it
back... If you were following upthread, you will have noticed that
bboy was saying that:

"The Potter's trusted Peter with their lives, and in accepting that
trust, Peter is implying a true and deep loyalty to the Potters."

I read this to mean that bboy believes the Fidelius Charm works (in
part) by the loyalty Peter feels of the Potters.  I disagreed because
I don't believe that Peter was loyal to the Poters at the time of the
charm.  Therefore, IMO, the charm must not rely on the loyalty (from
Old French /loial/, from Latin 'legalis' /legal/, from 'lex' /law/) of
the Secret Keeper.  Rather, it relys on the faith (from Old French
'feid', from Latin 'fides' /trust, belief/) of the Secret Teller.

Peter has the Potters' faith, not the Potters' loyalty.

Two words diverged in a linguistic root
and glad that I could now use both
and expand my vocabulary, long I checked
etymology, a word's history, to detect
more meaning in my language;

Two words diverged in a root, and I--
I used the one to best clarify,
and that has made all the difference.

Kemper, who wonders if your Latin dictionary would have been more
accurately labeled a thesaurus