Harry Potter's Grownup Language

Watching Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the latest Muggles and Wizards adventure from the beloved J.K. Rowling books, I was struck by the richness of the language. It’s clear that Rowling owes a great debt to Latin and Old English in her nomenclature. Lord Voldemort evokes deathly, dank evil, Dumbledore summons images of a loving, bumbling father figure. Severus Snape is serpentine and perhaps not to be trusted and Bellatrix Lestrange suggests an exotic war-mongerer. Objects have imaginative names such as Pensieve (a watery crystal ball), and Horcrux (a Dark Magic receptacle). 

But it’s the everyday language of the film, tossed back and forth by the teenage cast that I think might pose a problem to an American audience. 

Early in the film someone is described as “a bit of a tosser.” I was rather shocked to hear this in a PG-rated film as it literally refers to someone who enjoys the fine art of self-gratification. Maybe I’ve been away from England too long…it obviously just means someone who is an idiot. A jerk would be a good translation.

Hermione and Harry comment on Ron’s “snogging” with Lavender. This is a kids’ word for “making out” or “sucking face.”

“Slick git” is also used to describe a character who is not well-liked. A git is not a nice word….not one I would use in front of my parents or my children. Again, it’s a stronger form of "idiot," originally meaning “bastard”.

“Don’t get your knickers in a twist” is a lovely saying that means “relax….don’t get into a lather.” Knickers are girls’ underwear. They have nothing to do with golf.

Of course everyone is familiar with the term “go to the loo” which seems to pop up quite a lot in this film. The etymology of this word is obscure…perhaps derived from Waterloo or loony. The mind boggles. 

Language aside, this sixth installment in the Harry Potter franchise was really enjoyable. The young actors have really warmed up to their roles, the familiar cast of British Elders (Alan Rickman, Jim Broadbent, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith and Julie Walters) provide rich characterization, and the world of J.K. Rowling is exciting and magical. In fact, as we the English might say, the film definitely “ticks all the boxes.”