[HPforGrownups] Ron and Parseltongue

[k12listmomma]

No: HPFGUIDX 183301

> This didn't bother me.  I'm a musician and I often sing in languages that 
> I
> don't understand. Its simply listening to how sounds are formed and
> repeating them. No comprehension necessary!
>
> Lynda

Shelley now:
This works with people with an "ear" for sounds. Some people naturally can 
pick up foreign languages with surprising accuracy, and dialects too, 
because they are gifted at hearing how things sound and can replicate them 
with accuracy.

BUT, and here's the huge BUT with me- Ron had never demonstrated this gift 
before. So, I find it a bit unbelievable that he was able to copy the word 
that he had heard long ago (Harry wasn't there to tell it to him, and then 
have him repeat it immediately back, and then try a few times that way with 
someone who knew how it would sound correcting him as he got closer to 
saying it correctly- musicians often listen to a song several times to get 
all of it correct), and so I found this passage to be a bit of hokey 
Rowling-needs-a-quick-way-to-wrap-up-the-series stunt. People buy it because 
yeah, it's technically possible that he could have done this, but I find 
that she should have written something in the series earlier about Ron 
repeating a word in Mermaidish or other language that he heard to 
demonstrate that he had this gift first, so that it was more believable that 
he could do it for Parseltongue. There were plenty of times she could have 
shown this- at the World Cup, where many people were together speaking 
foreign languages, the TriWizard tournament (Dumbledore spoke Mermish, and 
understood the Merpeople), repeating Fleur's French accent, and so forth. I 
just find it hokey that Rowling gave Ron this gift last second to be able to 
wrap up the series.

Shelley