What's the Wizarding Equivalent?

[Veritaserum27]

I'm trying desperately  to finish my novel.  My process is a ssssslllllllloooooooowwww one.  I write a few paragraphs, go back and edit.  Edit some more. Wait a couple of days.  Edit.  Maybe write a little more.  Edit.  Wait a week or so.  Edit.  And then I edit some more.  I scrutinize a LOT.  I get really tied up in making sure things are accurate and  I also try to keep things (as we all do) in the magical world that JKR created.

I've come to a phrase that I'm using, and I can't think of the best way to put it in Wizard terms.  I'm hoping you can help.  One character is talking about another wizard's skill - in terms of fighting or dueling.  Right now, the line reads:

"(Character X) wasn't an idiot, by any stretch, and he wasn't a bad shot, either."

I don't like the phrase "bad shot," because to me, it sounds like shooting a gun or an arrow or even a basketball.  I tried to change it to "...wasn't bad at wandwork," but I didn't really like how that sounded, either.

Anyone have any suggestions as to the wizarding equivalent of "bad shot?" 

 

[TidalDragon]

Personally, unless you just don't like the implications in bad shot, I think it's a perfectly accurate description. Reality is when fighting/dueling a wand is a deadly weapon and it would be especially appropriate if the speaking character is muggleborn.

As far as a wizarding equivalent of the phrase...that's tough since we know that there's no single wand movement to produce every spell. If you're not attached to it being as short however, you could say something like "his spells rarely/almost never missed their mark."

[Nhaz]

Bad spell?

[scooterbug8515]

'he wasn't a poor caster, either' 

or

'his wand work wasn't lacking, either'

 

Those are my offerings

[melian]

"but he wasn't too bad with a wand, either"

"but he wasn't a bad flier, either"

or, if you want to use disparaging comparisons:

"but he wasn't a squib, either"

[Guest Tanda]

I imagine the movement of the wand as the sword movement like Star Wars, or Kendo (Japanese martial arts). 

So bad wand work or bad wrist work...bad blow or a bad stroke... ???

[toomanycurls]

"his spells even land well"

I feel like it needs to be a backhanded compliment. Ooh, what about "ans his potions aren't half bad either"

[grumpy cat]

so like, this thread is old but i have a question - what would be the equivalent of a 'helicopter parent' in the wizarding world? (honestly, i'm going to use this in just one sentence in the whole story but it's bugging me )

[just.a.willow.tree]

9 minutes ago, starbuck said:

so like, this thread is old but i have a question - what would be the equivalent of a 'helicopter parent' in the wizarding world? (honestly, i'm going to use this in just one sentence in the whole story but it's bugging me )

Maybe an owl parent? Or a broomstick parent? I know helicopter parents are called that because they hover over their children all the time, so something that can fly + 'parent', I guess  

[grumpy cat]

@just.a.willow.tree - yeah, they are called because of hovering...but owl or broomstick parent doesn't have the same ring to it *sigh* dragon parent has different implications in my mind (fierce/protective as opposed to practically controlling your kid's life).

[just.a.willow.tree]

Just now, starbuck said:

@just.a.willow.tree - yeah, they are called because of hovering...but owl or broomstick parent doesn't have the same ring to it *sigh* dragon parent has different implications in my mind (fierce/protective as opposed to practically controlling your kid's life).

I think dragon parent works. Though it reminds me of tiger parent, which has a racial connotation.

[Margaret]

It's not really related to our phrase, but how about something like Imperius parents, like implying they want to control their children so badly, they'd probably cast an Imperius curse on them if they thought they could get away with it.

[grumpy cat]

23 minutes ago, just.a.willow.tree said:

I think dragon parent works. Though it reminds me of tiger parent, which has a racial connotation.

i never heard of the tiger parent before now

@Margaret - yes, that definitely sounds like something that would work. i was so intent on the 'hovering' part that i didn't even think of another word that could describe them

[toomanycurls]

What about a Devil's Snare, venomous tentacular, or grindylow parent? 

[grumpy cat]

ooh, those are cool, too - i'll have to see what sounds the best used in a sentence

[Margaret]

I love Devil's Snare.

[grumpy cat]

thanks for all the help @just.a.willow.tree & @Margaret & @toomanycurls!

i ended up using Devil's Snare (i credited all three of you in my chapter 3 end notes )

[RonsGirlFriday]

I'm reviving this thread to ask some opinions on whether you think wizards might have a different way of saying, "I'm not touching that with a 10 foot pole" (or, I have been told that the Brit equivalent is "not touching that with a barge pole"). Or expressing a similar sentiment. Or do you think wizards might use the phrase as is? I can't see why they would, because they wouldn't have use for barge poles.  

[Pixileanin]

@RonsGirlFriday  I guess you'd have to think of all the long and pointy things that wizards would have access to.  I wouldn't touch that thing with a bludger, comes to mind.  But if they're not into sports, maybe it'd be a ten foot cauldron spoon or a sword or a lightning rod.  I hear lightning rods could be pretty long.  Maybe they wouldn't hit it with a spell.  Good luck finding the right phrase!

[Lost_Robin]

Maybe a ten-foot wand? Not really the same thing, but wands are pretty well-known in their day-to-day lives.