New York - October 31, 2000

Everything’s Coming Up Harry

Harry Potter Lexicon

Traders talk bids and offers.

Traders talk liquidity and volatility.

And yes, nowadays they talk Harry Potter-speak. And they’re not reading a bedtime story to their kids. Says an employee at Deutsche Bank, “Not a day goes by when you don’t hear someone, either at your gym, on the subway, or even in a business meeting, saying weird things like ‘muggle-monger’ or ‘Dracoesque’ or something about pulling a ‘Hermione.’” Another co-worker added, “All I know is that I grappled it away from my child this morning so I could read it on the train.”

So in the interest of keeping you trend-literate, herewith, a mini-lexicon of Potterisms.

Muggle: Someone not very smart or quick (you know, not the sharpest tool in the shed).
Owl: Potterspeak term for an e-mail.
Hermione: A know-it-all.
Draco: A snobby rich person.
Dementor: Anyone who sucks the joy and intelligence out of people.
Gringott: A term used to refer to the ATM or bank.

This is a brief list. If you want to be an expert, head over to the bookstore. You can’t miss Harry; he’s everywhere.