Dumbledore, a Parselmouth?

[urraca]

I think what was said earlier is on the right track. In my opinion, the context of the scene doesn't indicate that Dumbledore understood what was being said. He starts off the scene by reassuring the reader that Harry understands the scene, the rest we hear more or less "through Harry's ears" as it were. This is a simple literary device.

Dumbledore would have been able to surmise the importance of the events without understanding what was being said. This would likely be one of the many reasons why denied the job to Tom when he applied again.

[RemusLupinFan]

Originally Posted by urraca

In my opinion, the context of the scene doesn't indicate that Dumbledore understood what was being said. He starts off the scene by reassuring the reader that Harry understands the scene, the rest we hear more or less "through Harry's ears" as it were.

I agree with this. From the way Snivelly broke down what was said, I'm guessing that Dumbledore could have learned the information spoken in Parseltongue from independent sources. I also don't think the text indicates that Dumbledore could understand parseltongue, since he makes a point of saying, "You understand him, I'm sure, Harry?" Furthermore as was said, it seems like the ability to speak parseltongue is rare and seems to be a gift for those in Salazar Slytherin's bloodline (and Harry who's had some of Voldemort's powers accidentally transferred to him). So I don't think Dumbledore is a parselmouth.

[bluestone]

Has the other memory, the one that only Tom and Morfin are in, where they speak only Parseltongue, been discussed? How would Dumbledore have understood this one?

I understand that he probly got the meaning of the first memory through simple logic.

[halfbloodsnape]

Originally Posted by bluestone

Has the other memory, the one that only Tom and Morfin are in, where they speak only Parseltongue, been discussed? How would Dumbledore have understood this one?

I understand that he probly got the meaning of the first memory through simple logic.

Very good point, if really the whole conversation was in Parseltongue. Actually this problem struck me only the second time I read HP, but I thought it has been talked over in the forums already. I don't think the Pensieve can make you understand a language you don't speak, and Parseltongue is a gift, not something you can learn as I see it. I agree that Ogden's memory is not that hard to figure out, but Morfins is impossible, if it was all in parseltongue. I'm not sure about the latter though, becouse all the text says explicitly is that Riddle says "stop" in parseltongue, so they might have not continued in it.
Than again, there is something that still bothers me. Let's say Dumbledore figures Ogden's memory out, or supposes what was said. But he couldn't have been SURE about it, so why not ask Harry if his presuppositions are correct, just to doublecheck, to make sure there wasn't anything important he'd be missing. That still is a bit confusing.

[lexlove1]

Originally Posted by Fawkesrocks

When Harry and Dumbledore go to the Gaunts house in the memory of the ministry official something doesnt work out.

Dumbledore referred to things that the Gaunts talked about in parslemouth, but... we had never previously heard anything about Dumbledore being able to speak it?

So how did he know it...

Remember, when LV said that he and Slytherin were the only parslemouths to pass through Hogwarts. Was he just wrong? or is there something fishy about Dumbledore's ability to understand the Gaunts parsletongue talk in the memory.

I wouldn't be surprised to know that he could. Afterall, he was the only wizard that we saw in GoF that could speak Mermish, and he seems to be able to converse with all different creatures. So, I rhink he would have learned Parselmout(if possible) in order to get the upper hand on Voldy.

[Horcrux_Hunter]

A very interesting question. I don't believe that Dumbledore speaks parseltongue. I don't deny that its possible, but still...hasn't it been said that Tom Riddle and Harry are currently the only ones who can speak it???

[blue3ski]

Originally Posted by halfbloodsnape

Than again, there is something that still bothers me. Let's say Dumbledore figures Ogden's memory out, or supposes what was said. But he couldn't have been SURE about it, so why not ask Harry if his presuppositions are correct, just to doublecheck, to make sure there wasn't anything important he'd be missing. That still is a bit confusing.

Maybe he had studied the memory for long enough, compared it with other notes he'd gotten (such as gossip from the people of Little Hangleton) that he was able to feel sure that his presuppositions are indeed correct.

[HermioneRox11]

How about that Harry translated for him later? It doesn't say it in the book, but it doesn't mean that it didn't happen.

[blue3ski]

Originally Posted by HermioneRox11

How about that Harry translated for him later? It doesn't say it in the book, but it doesn't mean that it didn't happen.

I think it would be shown, or at least mentioned, if this had happened.

(I'm a fourth year! Whee! Sorry, couldn't help celebrating )

[BurrowGhoul]

Originally Posted by HermioneRox11

How about that Harry translated for him later? It doesn't say it in the book, but it doesn't mean that it didn't happen.

How would he know it was important enough to show Harry if he had to wait for it to be translated?

[Sanguini]

If anyone can learn Parseltounge, it's Dumbledore. If he knew that Voldemort could speak it, I'm sure he would make every effort to know the language.

[Celestrin]

I guess the question is how exactly does parlestounge work?

Perhaps one can you learn to understand it when spoke out loud. But only those born with the gift can speak it. That would explain Dumbles understanding it. Harry would hear it imediatly, pre translated, where as Dubles has learned it and is interprating.

[vlasiou]

We don't know much about Parseltongue. We know it is associated with the Dark Arts only because of Voldemort being able to speak it and being one of the biggest nightmares in the whole history of the wizarding world (Dumbledore said so to Harry when Harry was expressing his worries about his dark side).

Why can't it be that the ones born with the gift can understand and speak it immediately (you see the Gaunts using it at will), but there are other ways to be able to speak and understand it? We see that Harry needs to actually see a snake and concentrate to speak Parseltongue (e.g. when with Ron they are trying to enter the COS and Harry tries to say "open" in Parseltongue but fails once). He was not born with the gift -as far as we can conclude; it was transferred to him and perhaps this is why he is not as ... fluent. It could also be that one can actually learn the language, as Muggles learn a foreign language. The possibility has not been excluded. The only trouble I see would be to find a teacher, as Parseltongue is a very rare gift (Dumbledore says so to Tom Riddle junior in the orphanage). Surely a wizard that is 200 years old and determined to learn the language will be able to eventually do so (if indeed Parseltongue is your usual ... foreign language).

[Nidale93]

I doubt it. Dumbledore can't have everything. He's already really powerful. Being a Parselmouth would add too much to his image of perfection.

[greenphoenix5]

I think if dumbledore were a parselmouth we would have found out already somehow. jk at least would have told us and plus other characters would have known.

Being a Parselmouth would add too much to his image of perfection.

I agree. somehow having the possibility of dumbledore being a parselmouth would change his self image, character, role, and personality.

anyway i highly doubt dumbledore can speak parseltongue because we probably would have found out already and there were numerous occaisions where snakes were involved and dumbledore really never did quite anything.

[x0c0untrybaby66]

i kind of just assumed he did. i mean, now this could be wrong but.. doesn't he know a lot of ''languages''? i think i remember reading that.. but i'm not sure. i mean do we even know if it can be learned, or is it just inherited? sorry this is just me rambling :]

[halfbloodsnape]

There is something that has cropped up in many threads, but this would be the place to ask it: many people assume that even if Dumbledore cannot speak Parseltongue he can understand it. I agree that it would make sense, except that I do not believe it is possible to learn to understand it. I mean, it is a very rare gift, very few have it, and it wouldn't be so special if anyone could learn to understand it. I think one either has the gift or not, but one cannot learn it. What do you think?

[ID824]

It seemed to me the way Dumbledore said, "You understand him, I'm sure, Harry?" that the emphasis was on the "you" and that would imply that Harry could understand what they were saying where Dumbledore couldn't. I'm sure he had some method of figuring this out, possibly from Morfin himself when he visited him in Azkaban.

[simplylisa22]

Dumbledore never actually says that he understands anything they're saying, he just says that they're speaking parseltongue because he can hear the hissing like the other wizard there from the ministry. He probably would have told Harry before if he was a parselmouth but if he can I wouldn't really be surprised because he knows so many other languages. But if he could, not many people knew because before Harry people thought that was something only dark wizards could do, if Dumbledore was a parselmouth and people knew it they wouldn't have thought Harry was the heir of slytherin.

[muggl3tt3]

Dumbledore asked Harry if he understands what that Guant guy is saying when there was all the hissing sounds. he knew Harry was a parslemouth, so he just was like varifying that he understood; He doesn't say that he understands too. I guess Dumbledore knew it was parselmouth because of all the hissing noises.
And isn't it true that Dumbledore can speak thousands of languages? maybe he learned it somehow ...