Quick Question...

[noahismyidol.livejournal.com]

This has been bothering me for a while now. Why is that wizards and witches don't know numbers? Arthur Weasley can't even use regular money because he doesn't understand the number system. Does the wizarding world not use numbers? Which I know isn't true because they keep score in qudditich. And don't they take arithmancy classes? What kind of math are they using if they aren't using a muggle's number system.

Another thing that bothers me is how they aren't required to attend school till they're 11. My problem with this is, how is it that they learn all their writing and grammar rules? It seems like they are expected to be taught everything by their parents, then start year one at Hogwarts and be able to write long essays. It doesn't make sense to me at all.

Can anyone here explain it to me?


jerrica . ravenclaw

Comments

[unwoundfantasy.livejournal.com]

No, I think that Mr. Weasley just doesn't understand muggle currency... Like anyone with another form of money. Americans wouldn't understand pounds as well as dollars. :) Wizards are used to sickles and knuts and galleons! ^_^

And I believe Ms. Rowling answered your second question once... If I remember correctly, she said that children attend regular schools, and when they turn eleven they are invited to attend a wizarding school. Just like Harry had attended regular school before receiving his Hogwarts letter. :)

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

Americans wouldn't understand pounds as well as dollars.

Well, we get it eventually. It just takes a while. ;D It's a bit easier with Euros.

[unwoundfantasy.livejournal.com]

Well I don't doubt that, I'm just saying.. The first few times will be confusing. Just as it was for Arthur. :) I know it takes me a few calculations before I get the hang of it.

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

lol, oh me too! The second time my family visited Europe (before the Euros) I was terribly confused. I was actually carrying a calculator around, especially in Greece and Turkey. Italy's exchange rate was a little easier to figure in your head.

When we were in England, I kept having to remember that it was almost 2 pounds to the dollar. Everything is so expensive over there!

[goetzi.livejournal.com]

Oh, uhm, didn't you use the Euro in Turkey too? When we were there last time, we didn't use their currency because it was rather 'instable'. XD

- Geli, Ravenclaw

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

Well, no one was using the Euro when we visited Turkey. This was like 5 or 6 years ago. We mostly used American money, but most prices for museum admissions and stuff were in Turkish lira, and the exchange rate was something like 625,000 lira to the dollar, so it was a bit confusing!

[noahismyidol.livejournal.com]

I don't remember what book it was, but when Arthur is trying to pay for something, he says to Harry, "That's a five right?" The Harry says,"No, that's a 10 Mr. Weasley." Or something to that nature, that's why I was confused.

[perrie.livejournal.com]

That's probably because English money is different colours...you recognise it from the colour, rather than the number on it. Well, I do anyway.

A fiver is green, a ten is orange, twenty is purple and fifty is red. He was probably just confused by which colour meant which denomination.

[unwoundfantasy.livejournal.com]

That I didn't know. *shakes head* Too bad our money can't be colorful! XP

[noahismyidol.livejournal.com]

I know, it's all green and boring! lol When the $20 bill came out with some colors, I was amazed. I was even more amazed at how colorful the Euros are. Lucky people! lol

heh

[foreverquatre.livejournal.com]

I have heard of the British being confused by all the green bills. I've heard of people having to be extra careful not to be giving out a fifty instead of a five... I guess it'd be rather confusing to have to look at the numbers on the bills when you are used to just going by colours...

Re: heh

[noahismyidol.livejournal.com]

I can see them being confused by all the green-ness. I tell the difference because the font size is different, and of course, the presidents, lol.

Re: heh

[perrie.livejournal.com]

I get SO confused when I see dollar bills. They're all exactly the same! I showed an English £10 note to an American sales assistant once, and he thought it looked fake. ;-)

The funny thing is, Scotland has a Bank of Scotland, so their notes are different again from the English notes. The coins are the same, but the notes have different people on, and are different colours. It's all worth the same, but sometimes you can't use Scottish money in England. We're a weird bunch.

[pixiepain.livejournal.com]

Woah...Americans dont understand English money?....how? Surely it's as simple as Cents=Pence and Dollars = Pounds? 100 cents/pence to the dollar/pound?
or is there something I'm forgetting?

[imnotafake.livejournal.com]

Sorry to break it to ya, but we Americans are rather dense (except me. :D).

[pixiepain.livejournal.com]

mwahaha! god, like the english are any better. They're just snobby, it covers up the ignorance.

[imnotafake.livejournal.com]

Really?
I always thought the English snobbery was rather cool. :)

[pixiepain.livejournal.com]

It's only cool if you're one of the snobby ones. When they're snobbing you it's absolutely horrible. The english get on their high horses about other people having "servants", but they treat their "domestic help" like trash, and they treat shop assistants, waiters, anyone who is supposed to serve them, like total total...poop. Thats why I'm going to America to be an au pair. If I did it here I'd get treated and paid horribley.
Then again being in with the upper-class set is quite fun, as long as it lasts. Which it doesn't unless you're born into a family like that. Basically take how the "purebloods" like the Malfoys treat families like the Weasleys, and you've got a pretty good idea of how the classes interact. Even if there isn't supposed to be a heirarchial system anymore. *rolls eyes* bullshit.

[perrie.livejournal.com]

Oh, we're so class-arrogant! Like, someone will so obviously be working class, or so obviously upper class. Your class is all about what clothes you wear, how you speak, what restaurants you go to, what school/university you attend. We're just snobs at heart. ^_^

Take Marks and Spencers for example (a popular High Street retailer). If you buy clothes from M&S, then you're middle class, probably middle-aged to elderly, buying on the cheap. But if you buy M&S FOOD...well, then, you're just posh.

Say, the Malfoys will definately be upper class. The Potters were more than likely upper middle class with all the money they had, and the Weasleys are working class. That's why Draco offered friendship to Harry and not Ron; Harry was an acceptable class of family.
It underlies almost everything you do over here.

[unwoundfantasy.livejournal.com]

I meant converting, not so much remembering how many this to that. :) It's bizarre, there's like 1 British pound to 1.9-something-or-other US dollars. O_o

[pixiepain.livejournal.com]

oh riight..I was like "woah...crazy americans"

[noahismyidol.livejournal.com]

They don't teach us how to use English money here, the only reason I can use Euros are because I went to Europe for two weeks. Americans don't seem to learn much outside our own country, it's sad.

[soleil-luna.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I think about the numbers..in the US we use the "english" system (I'm pretty sure that's what they call it) with inches, etc. But in england and most of the rest of the world, they use the metric system. Maybe it's something like that.

And for the school thing. I think something that could work is there is a wizarding primary school. They don't teach wizarding subjects but normal subjects that we take like english, math, etc. BUT it's magical so if the kids freak out and make windows burst in, the teachers and other kids don't scream and hide from the devil child. :D

[perrie.livejournal.com]

You're thinking of the "Imperial" system, rather than "English".

And yes, we're supposed to use metric rates here in Blighty, but actually most people still use imperial measurements; I talk about my weight in stone, height in feet and speed of my car in miles per hour. However, I do measure in metres and centimetres, talk about litres of petrol or liquids (except beer, which is still pints), and weigh in kilograms rather than pounds or ounces. It's all very confusing!

And ciara_belle, we're VERY expensive. Hence the reason every time I go to the States, I have a huge shopping spree!

[sashwizzled.livejournal.com]

I actually use the Imperial system much more than the Metric - I mean, as me to measure a foot and I'll do it easily, but ask me to measure a metre and I'll have no idea where to start.

Same with my weight. Stones make sense to me; kilograms don't.

[perrie.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I have no clue how much I weigh in kilos, but stones? Thats easy.

[boley.livejournal.com]

I didnt even know there were weighing measurements known as "stones".

**Hangs American head** We know so little about the rest of the world....

[noahismyidol.livejournal.com]

LoL. I know, they don't teach us much outside of America. The only reason I know what a kilogram is and such is because of chemistry and physics.

[imnotafake.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY.


We are silly folk in America and most of us only care about ourselves and our ever-WONDEFUL(not) country. RAWR&WOE.

[noahismyidol.livejournal.com]

I'm confused, what's a stone? I've never heard of that measurement before.

[pixiepain.livejournal.com]

a stone is 14 lbs. for some reason the english decided to divide it up further. so where americans would say "90 lbs" the english say ... *scrabbles for a calculator* "6 and a half stone".

[perrie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, see I'm just over 9 stone. I understand that, I know how much a stone is worth, and how big or little a person would be if they were, say, 17 stone. That's big. But kilograms? I don't have a clue. I think I'm about 140 kilos, but I could be totally off the mark. We have a very odd measurement system, it's a mix of everything. Some trades, for example, still use groats.

We only actually changed out currency in the 1970s, so my parents still remember using shillings, sixpences and ha'pennys. I think JK uses some variation of the old denominations for wizarding currency.

[pixiepain.livejournal.com]

I know the english would understand the whole stone/lb thing, I was trying to explain to the americans. I lived in South Africa for the first 11 years of my life, and england the past almost-6, so I'm pretty good with both units of measurement. 2.2 lbs = 1 kg, and i more or less always know my weight in stones, lbs and kg's.

[ciara-belle.livejournal.com]

Well, I think Arthur's confusion regarding Muggle money is due to the fact that wizarding money is different. Wizards don't use paper money, so Arthur probably isn't used to seeing it. And conversion rates are insanely hard to figure in your head, so he probably is confused as to the value of the money as well.

And I suppose the wizarding children are homeschooled. I don't think that's something JKR has ever explained, but it'd be a good question to ask her. Obviously the Muggleborn (and possibly some halfblood) kids are going to Muggle schools, but I don't know about the purebloods. Maybe there are wizarding primary schools?

[perrie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I reckon there's primary schools...did Draco ever talk about being home schooled? Don't think he did. It would make sense for them to be small private wizarding primary schools...unless the kids can go to normal schools. They wouldn't be developed enough to use magic without wands, right?

[beccastareyes]

My boss homeschools his kids, so I know a bit about it. A lot of times homeschooling parents in an area will work together to both make sure their kids learn how to deal with other children and (If one of them is an expert on a subject) learn thier lessons frm the best possible teacher. I could see some of the old pureblooded families pooling resources -- that way, not only do their children get introduced to their social peers at an early age, but also only a few adults have to devote time to teaching.
I imagine more Muggle-friendly families just send their kids to the local schools.

[crimsnphoenix.livejournal.com]

Actually they do tkae math. Hermione takes Arthrimacy (sp?) in her 3rd year

[yndigot.livejournal.com]

Yes, but from what I understand, Arithmancy is a more advanced math than regular arithmetic--it involves manipulating the numbers to [predict the future? which is why it is called a more exact divination?] do something very specific--more like trig than elementary math.

Also, I believe JKR said somewhere that a lot of wizard children are homeschooled before they go to wizard school--the Weasleys for example, thereby explaining their lack of knowledge on all things Muggle. Wish I could remember where it was that I read that ...

[wrenifer.livejournal.com]

Thanks for bringing that subject up. I've been wondering how the children learning reading and writing and math for a while. I have a another question that I'd love an answer to.."If house elves are freed by getting clothes how can they do laundry?"

[noahismyidol.livejournal.com]

I've always wondered about the laundry thing too!

[boley.livejournal.com]

Maybe cause they arent giving the laundry but just letting them wash it? I mean, if someone else did my laundry, it wouldnt mean it was theirs, theyd still have to get it back. I dunno. Good question!! :-D

[weemumlessmngrl.livejournal.com]

Their master has to hand them clothes for them to be free. I doubt that a master would go around handing the house elves laundry.

[boley.livejournal.com]

I didnt think they had to hand it to them. If that was true, why would the elves be afraid to clean the Gryff common room after Hermione was hiding the pieces of clothes all around?

[perrie.livejournal.com]

Probably because washing is part of the job description, whereas picking up a hat would be seen as a gift, so it would be to set them free?

[weemumlessmngrl.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought too, but then I think back to what was said when Dobby was first given a sock.

[shakiracrazy.livejournal.com]

It's the same as us going to some other country and not knowing how to transfer your form of currency to theirs :P

Well, they are mostly home schooled. I suppose that some may go to a Muggle school, but they being wizards and everything, I doubt that happens. All the Weasley children were homeschooled ^^

[pfc-rat.livejournal.com]

I can understand confusion about British Currency. Knowing the difference between a pound, a quid and sterling, for example (there is no difference, btw, just part of the slang), and then knowing how much a "stone" weighs, or how much is a shilling worth. To a foreigner who never uses it, it can be very confusing.

In addition, remember in HP:SS how Hermione solves the logic riddle? She mentions that too many wizards rely on magic rather than their brains, and could spend the rest of their lives trying to figure it out. I guess it's like using a calculator all the time; eventually you'll forget to do simple figures.

[perrie.livejournal.com]

Except, y'know, no-one uses shillings anymore ;-)