Anonymous @ May 5 2003, 01:17:21 UTC

goddamn you're GOOD.

i noticed something too. some of the ingredients snape mentions are listed in the page on polyjuice potion (in the movie anyway). so whatever potion snape used was based on the philosopher's stone and the polyjuice potion, two things that can alter one substance (or subject) and make it into another.

cooooool.

*geeks out*

milenalupin @ May 5 2003, 01:20:06 UTC

it is absolutely essential that one maintain a constant, consistent temperatue of 130 umlauts,

My native language professors taught me that an "Umlaut" is a vowal mutilation frequently used in the German language. (We use 3 of them, Ä, Ö and Ü.)
Fascinating new experience to see that it's a measure for temperature in the Wizard World, namely in the Arts of Potions.

:: joins the geek amusement fraction ::

tickingclock @ May 5 2003, 01:28:41 UTC

I noticed that... and was wondering if umlauts could also be an obscure unit of measurement.

eponis @ May 5 2003, 01:36:22 UTC

I thought about that, but I can't find any indication of such. Indeed, the very etymology of "umlaut" marks it as a linguistic term ("laut" for "loud, sound").

The only thing I can think of is that it refers to visual marks on some sort of temperature-measuring instrument. Certainly I don't see Snape using a candy thermometer . . .

Odd too, now that I think of it, that it's a Germanic word instead of a Latin one. ::shrugs:: Maybe I'm reading too much into this . . .

Anonymous @ May 5 2003, 01:38:58 UTC

it's probably just a cool-sounding word. umlaut. ummmmmlaaaaauuut. woo!

tickingclock @ May 5 2003, 01:34:09 UTC

Oh, and I absolutely agree on Snape. Maybe not "endearing," but it's definitely something I can see him doing. I can just hear him muttering to himself as he goes over his notes for who knows how many times. Such a strong, clear voice... I admire his player for this. (actually, all N_A players have strong voices... this is why I really love it)

Waah Professor Snape <3

delfeus @ May 5 2003, 01:36:07 UTC

I was really impressed by that entry as well. And I feel so sorry for poor Sev... :(

hp_snape @ May 5 2003, 02:47:29 UTC Potions Envy..

I am deeply envious impressed!

Anonymous @ May 5 2003, 03:05:14 UTC O.M.G. I am *SO* overanalyzing this...

So, despite having problems sets to complete before I sleep I wasted time actually trying to figgur out what the heck was going on amoung all the latin...so with help from this:

http://www.nd.edu/~archives/latgramm.htm

and this:

http://www.m-w.com

I give you this:

"When one is steaming wormgrass it is absolutely essential that one maintain a constant, consistent temperatue of 130 umlauts, as it causes the wormgrass to dissipate. Then the Discrasia will be taken from the [body], and an [even] and good temperature is established, which occurs through a moderate and constant boiling.
...
Then the splintered milkwort and diced spleen of Crup are enclosed in a very narrow space and are maintained with moderate heat as they begin to abate from their opposed character to unite, until finally they have all the qualities required for [evolution to woman]. For the milkwort, as the first wormgrass, is entirely crude and can [by principle] be neither mixed nor perpetuated, for neither milkwort will enter the other nor will be united with it either [above?] or in [root]. But should these things be so helped that a true [evolution to woman]will be formed, there must be prepared out of this a new substance which comes out of both, after the purification when one takes on the virtues of the other, and out of several become one, [numbered][as][men].
...
Then, take [stepfather] one and a half (alii 2. lb.) [salt] armoniac one pound, Arinat (alii Alun) one half pound / [salt][shimmer? dormouse?] one and a half pound, [salt][plant or jewel] (alii [shared salt?]) one pound, [uncooked alum?] (alii Entali) one half pound. These are the species that belong to and should be taken for the Water to dissolve the Anti[man]. The solutions put into a glass phial and then into a [salt bath?].
...
Thereafter begin to distill very carefully at a gentle heat until all the [spirit wine] has come over. You then pour the same [spirit] that you have drawn off back onto the dry matter and distill it over again as before. And this pouring on and distilling off again, you continue so often until you see the [spirit wine] ascend and go over the helm in a myriad of colours.
...
Take any herb which is potent in medicine, and either extract the tincture with spirit of wine, or distil in the common way; reserve the distilled water, or tincture, when separated from the feces, for use. Then take the [head/individual/leader/source][dead], and calcine it to a calx, then grind to powder.
...
That done one takes the water, or tincture, and mixes them together; distil again, and calcine, forcing the moisture over by a retort, in a wary process, calcining and cohobating the spirit on the salt till it attains a perfect whiteness and oily nature, like the finest alkali, commonly called [mistress of household / ruler, controller][dominated]."

And of course *why* is it that when I'm re-reading the darn thing that I keep getting snagged *here*:
"Then the splintered *milkwort* and diced spleen of *Crup*..."
which keep getting translated in *my* idiot mind as:
"Then the [Bitter Snakeroot] and the [Magic Dog]...are enclosed in a very narrow space and are maintained with moderate heat as they begin to abate from their opposed character to unite..."
::falls over:: gah, I am *so* reading too much into this. But
I'm not kidding about the Snakeroot, you can google it urself.

And then the journal passage goes on about extracting qualities through wine and wary retorts and yes I am overanalyzing and will shut up now.

-one w/no account

hp_snape @ May 5 2003, 03:45:13 UTC Re: O.M.G. I am *SO* overanalyzing this...

If you would like a code in order to participate more fully, please email me as I have some available. hp_snape@livejournal.com

shusu @ May 5 2003, 07:03:20 UTC glosses

Ok... no offense, but some proper Latin would help. I understand that these are mostly code for certain things... feel free to correct. (This is mostly Roman Latin, not Medieval Latin.)

Discrasia - Italian and various other romance languages
(Gr. dyskrasia bad temperament) a term formerly used to indicate an abnormal mixture of the four humours; in surviving usages it now is roughly synonymous with 'disease' or 'pathologic condition'.

Aequalitas - L. evenness, equality.

Corpori - L. "body". This is... plural. Damn you third declension.

muliernovo - This is my favorite. Literally "new female." Looks compound.

per anima - Through the spirit, literally. A distillation, I assume.

vere - L. adv. "in truth." from verus.

radice - L. abl. n. through the "root" or foundation.

numero et virtute - Eeep. Nono. It means "at the proper time and perfect." Although the 'perfect' is literally manliness/virility, that lovely double meaning of virtu.

Vitriol - in English, sulfuric acid. Strong, strong stuff. *has organic chem flashbacks aaahh*

Arinat (alii Alun) - No clue. Alchemical thingy. ^_^;;

Sal armoniac - Sal ammoniac</b> lit. ammonia salt. That would be ammonium chloride.

Sal niter - niter = saltpetre = potassium nitrate.

Sal gemmae - L. gen. n. gemmae = "bud, eye or precious stone"

Sal commune - common salt. See above link.

Alumen crudum - I assume crude alum, but otherwise no clue.

Entali - erm. I need to ask my friend who knows Italian...

Antimonium - antimony. Metallic element, symbol Sb.

Balneum Mariae - lit. "bath of the sea." A salt bath :ppp

Spiritus vini - lit. "spirit of wine." Concentrated aqueous ethanol. Alcohol, peeps.

I would like to note, copied or not, p_m declines Spiritus correctly.

Caput mortuum - dead body :D but really Iron oxide

calcine - "to heat a substance to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point, causing loss of moisture, reduction, or oxidation."

calx - "residue left after calcining"

tincture - trace.

domina domna - "the mistress mastered." to be poetic about it.

Wormgrass - aka Indian pink.

Milkwort

I hope no one else is posting this ahead of me, because that took a lot of time.

And finally... poor Crup!

shusu @ May 5 2003, 07:14:10 UTC Re: glosses

"Mistress mastered" makes no sense... the "mistress mastering" would be domina domita.... I think. Oich, that does not sound right.

Ignore me. -_-

annotated_em @ May 5 2003, 08:12:47 UTC Re: glosses

Perhaps it is an ablative absolute? "With the mistress having been mastered" or "when the mistress has been mastered" or so forth?

Anonymous @ May 5 2003, 12:40:48 UTC the glossery of puns

eep, ok I look back at my entry and realize that I did not fully explain myself or make sense in the last entry (it was 3 am). Here’s the thing:

I’ve noticed the players to a certain amount of foreshadowing, esp. lately, so I tried to analyze the potions passage in that context. As such, I wasn’t looking at the definitive meaning of the words so much as possible double meaning and puns. (and we all *know* how much Rowling likes those)

In this spirit domina domna could mean both “the mistress mastered” or the “controller/master mastered” or “the Mistress/Master/Head of House mastered”, ie. a potion that escapes our potion master’s control.

Or, to take a previous example:

“Then the splintered milkwort and diced spleen of Crup are enclosed in a very narrow space and are maintained with moderate heat as they begin to abate from their opposed character to unite…”

could be seen as parallel to the Severus/Sirius mating dance that is more commonly known as August 2002 and the Anger Management sessions.

And thus I see this:

“But should these things be so helped that a true [evolution to woman]will be formed,”

Interpretation: Remus changing into a woman…

“there must be prepared out of this a new substance which comes out of both,”

Interpretation: pregnancy? love? acceptance?

“after the purification when one takes on the virtues of the other,”

In a word: Marriage

“and out of several become one, [numbered][as][men].”

Interpretation: Menage a trois. or the “Three Men and a Little Lady” situation

Summary: after Remus turns into a woman there will be a new situation that arises after the marriage which hopefully involves a kid or Severus or both.
::grins::

you may hit me now, for the over analyzation, but I think I’m having way too much fun.

-still no account

tarie @ May 6 2003, 05:19:20 UTC Re: the glossery of puns

Would you like a code? Email tarier@hotmail.com and I'll send one your way.

Anonymous @ May 6 2003, 13:13:50 UTC

*ponders* interesting theory.

*is greatly impressed* wow they research for NA?? kewl.