LATIN SPELLS

Latin was the language spoken by the ancient Romans. The story of Rome is fascinating, but there are varying stories of how it began. Some say it began with two brothers named Romulus and Remus, others with an altogether different hero. Either way, Rome grew from a mustard seed into a giant city, one that almost took over the whole world. People say that Rome has fallen, that it is dead. But this is NOT true. Rome will last as long as the world does. It never fell- it merely relocated to another place. For good or evil, traces of Rome are found throughout all of America. This is part of the reason it is so wonderful to study their language. J.K. Rowling certainly thought so. Throughout her books, she makes references to Latin and mythology. Here are just a few examples:

Impedimenta- A spell used to move objects, it means “baggage” in Latin. It is a neuter second declension noun that only appears in the plural.

Accio- In the movies, they use the pronunciation “ak-ee-oh”, which is more of classical pronunciation. I prefer ecclesiastical, so I say “ach-ee-oh.” Either way, it means “I summon.” Harry famously uses it to summon his Firebolt in the Goblet of Fire.

Expecto patronum- I await a guardian. This is my favorite spell, for it defeats the darkness of despair by summoning a guardian made from joy.

These are just a few examples. As one goes through the books, it is always fascinating to find words you recognize when taking Latin.