Hi all, I’m up to page 3, and there are two bits I can’t understand. I’m hoping that some of you who bought the book can help.
…(most of them had not seen an owl even at night)
quod tamen ad Dominum Dursley attinebat, matutinum tempus, ut fit, omnino strigibus vacabat. homines quinque increpuit.
which, however held on to Mr Dursley, early in the morning, ut fit, entirely he emptied of owls. He rebuked five men.
ut fit? in order to stay healthy? 
And why suddenly five men? :-<br />
the word ut is not just used in result clauses - notice the lack of subjunctive fiat. In this case it means “as it becomes (the morning)”.
A very cheeky sentence indeed.
I have no access to the latin context, nor any velleity to read any Potter, but I would hazard that that meant:
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?].
So, in summation:
Master Dursley’s morning, however, was, as usual, completely free of owls. He shouted at five people.
If someone could verify with the book whether this makes sense, that’d help. Was there an owl epidemic?
~dave
Indeed there was a parliament of owls in the street below, and Mr D. was unaware of them. Thanks Dave! How you worked that out, without even the context is impressive, bordering on spooky
Thanks!
That was an excellent extrapolation!
I have my copy waiting for me at my house and cannot wait for Christmas when I can read (try to at least) it!
Enjoy the book!