by whiteoctave » Fri Sep 26, 2003 12:13 am
A very cheeky sentence indeed.<br /><br />I have no access to the latin context, nor any velleity to read any Potter, but I would hazard that that meant:<br /><br />The time of morning [lit. morning time], however, which [I don't think "quod" can be the relative pronoun of owl because if, as you say, "owl" is the antecedent, "bubo", "strix" and the wonderfully onomatopoeic "ulula" - the only words for owl i know - being masc., fem. and fem. respectively, do not agree -"quod" agrees instead with neuter "tempus"] was concerning Master Dursley [attineo is here used intransitively (i.e. not taking a direct object) and in this sense means "concern...", "relating to...". The meaning is thus a poetically drawn out way of saying "Mr Dursely's morning"], was, as usual [lit. as happens], completely free of [lit. from] owls. [Then as an explanation of his normality] He shouted at five people [My sister informs me his a rather malcontent character?].<br /><br />So, in summation:<br /><br />Master Dursley's morning, however, was, as usual, completely free of owls. He shouted at five people.<br /><br />If someone could verify with the book whether this makes sense, that'd help. Was there an owl epidemic?<br /><br />~dave<br />
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