Pet Names

[mandela_]

Why is it that so many Snape/Hermione stories have Snape calling Hermione his "Pet" or "Little One"? To me, that is what you'd call your six year-old daughter, not someone you are having a sexual relationship with. Calling her "Little One" seems to remind me about their extreme age difference, which by itself is not so terrible, but also brings

Comments

[marciamarcia]

I agree. But, to be fair, I have a friend who's husband calls her "pet."

[black_spot]

Well, ‘pet’ and ‘love’ are northern terms of endearments. Just because Spinners End is miles away from Westminster and in an old run-down industrial town, everyone automatically assumes it must mean Yorkshire or thereabouts. The actual quote is ‘Many miles away the chilly mist pressed against the Prime Minister’s windows…’ It could be anywhere, Watford, Wales, or even Cornwall. I would love to have him Welsh in an old pit village with the rundown steel works in the background.

[snapes_nightie]

Welsh!Snape! Well, that would explain the soft, melodious voice, though I've never noticed any particular aversion to vowels. Personally, I like the idea of him growing up in a dingy part of the West Midlands, in which case the correct endearment would be 'Cock'. The Americans may find that somewhat alarming x

[black_spot]

There is no aversion to vowels in Welsh, quite the reverse. They are almost caressed out lovingly in some regions. I’ll have to ask my mother for some weird Welsh endearments and see if I can put them in my latest WIP. Gads! I’ve just had another thought. If Snape washed his hair it might go very curly and that’s why he keeps it greasy. I really don’t want that picture in my mind.

‘Me ol’ cock.’ Isn’t that Cockney? I now have an urge to alarm Americans. Cheers!

[black_spot]

"I’ll have to ask my mother for some weird Welsh endearments and see if I can put them in my latest WIP

[snapes_nightie]

You're absolutely right, 'Little One' sounds a bit sick when used on a lover. Gives me the chills, like the Child Catcher.

'Pet' however, is a common and perfectly acceptable term of endearment for lovers as well as family members in the North of England (partic. the North East), so as HBP seems to have Snape down as a Northerner, this is technically fine. JKR never mentions a specific accent for him, but I imagine he will have learned to suppress any uncouth provincial traits when trying to fit in with the posher Slytherins at school. There is the very real possibility though, that he will have grown up hearing muggles in Spinner's End calling their wives 'Pet'.

None of this excuses the fact that the Severus Snape featured in canon would rather rip out his own tongue than be cute. They ought to put out warnings for that! (See also, Snuggles, Hunnybunny, Baby and Pumpkin. Though at least Pumpkin is a bit wizardly.)

(Oh dear, now I have to get rid of the mental image of a Geordie!Snape...)

[randomspectator]

Other than being a Northernism (much as I'd love to hear a Geordie!Snape say "alreet pet?") 'pet' seems to have master/slave connotations, which I 'spose if the fic is very much about wee Hermione being taught the wicked ways of the world by the big bad Potions Master makes sense. (I know of at least a handful of submissives who are "__'s pet.")

(I quite like 'Little One,' for the very reason that it's a bit pervy and highlights their extreme age difference, but, well, I make no claims that it's the slightest bit in-canon, and would keep it out of fanfic for that very reason.)

[snapes_nightie]

Ooh, for once my mind wasn't being dirty enough! As a slasher, I obviously prefer *Harry* to learn the wicked ways of the world from the big bad potions master, for which sub vocab like 'pet' is perfect, for the legendary Boy Who Lived. I take it all back. Whay-aye.
By the way, your icon nearly made me wet myself laughing! Sad, but true. x

[chocolatepot]

I hate it when he calls Hermione "child". And then has sex with her. Children and sex do not go together, not to mention the fact that he starts calling her "child" from the moment that they are forced together.

[mandela_]

Yeah. That and "silly little girl." If a girl is sleeping with a man old enough to be her father and he calls her pet names that most people would call their daughter, it'd probably give her a serious female version of an Oedipus Complex.

[chocolatepot]

That would be the Electra Complex.

Somehow I don't think it would be inappropriate for lil' miss Ruthless (grin)

[sanitybegone]

But even if it's said that pet is a northern expression, Snape does appear to have shed any residual dialect - he is very well-spoken and carefully-spoken, in the books. And the idea that he would call someone pet is, well, nauseating.

He does speak 'silkily' in the books - that's an attribute JKR uses quite a bit for him. I tend not to interpret that, however, to mean 'my knickers get drenched every time he speaks.' Just not right.

[black_spot]

He does speak 'silkily' in the books - that's an attribute JKR uses quite a bit for him. I tend not to interpret that, however, to mean 'my knickers get drenched every time he speaks.' Just not right.

Oh, I think I’d use any excuse to get my knickers drenched.

[sanitybegone]

Hence the cliche...