Fandom Discussion: How did Snape get his nickname?

[themostepotente]

In book number five, we learn that Severus has a very unflattering nickname -- this, of course, being Snivellus.

We've been left to wonder if this is simply nothing more than a bastardization of 'Severus,' or if 'Snivellus' has a much deeper meaning. 'Snivellus' would seem to indicate 'sniveling', yet when he unwillingly becomes the target of the Marauders' bullying in the 'Snape's Worst Memory' chapter, he seems only to lose his temper with a feeble attempt at getting even. Not even when he's hung upside down are we given any indication that he's moved to tears. Of course the Pensieve scene cuts out with James asking if anyone would like to see Snape pantsed, but what about before this incident?

Was Severus Snape prone to tears from repeated bullying -- or perhaps you have another explanation?

How do you think Severus earned his nickname?

--P

Comments

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Sometimes when people get angry, they cry.

Oh GOD, can I attest to that.

Ha ha ha -- did you call Elle 'Smelly Ellie', Bernice? *G*

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Poor Severus. He's about as cuddly as a cactus and still I want to shelter him from the meanies.

High strung -- oh, definitely!

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

I don't think Snape's weepy, like in a (I hate to use a misogynistic term) 'girlie' sort of way, but I could see him crying with anger.

Harry's a lot like Severus in that respect, but really I don't see any of the males as 'weepy.'

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

I agree. I think Snape bottles a lot, and as a result, has a really explosive temper.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Once is all they'd (the Marauders) require to make the name stick.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

I don't suppose you have the link, do you?

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

No, I never did. I'd like to say it's because I'm a good person and I don't care to humiliate people (which I don't, unless I really hate them) but truth is I have enough trouble remembering people's real names without trying to remember nicknames, too.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but kids nowadays will find something wrong with even the surname 'Smith.'

I endured my share of jibes with my last name too, hon :-)

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

What if her married name was worse? Though, geeze, Slutsky's pretty bad.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

You associate 'Snivellus' with greasy, eh?

I have this horrid picture in my mind of Snape wiping his running nose on the back of his robe sleeve. That's what I associate Snivellus with -- a running nose.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

The bullying went on for 7 years, I'm sure. Time magazine ran a very interesting article on the long-term psycological affects of bullying. I should do a discussion on that, methinks.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

You have to wonder what awful monikers Snape gave Sirius and James in return.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Or perhaps they were even hoping he'd live up to the nickname and cry as a result?

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

And you know he did his share of tattling first year too. *G* I wonder how many shared detentions he spent with them for doing so?

Everytime you post, I swear I want to match your Filch icon with one of my own. Must get one. *G*

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

What you say makes a lot of sense. I can see where you'd be biased, however...

Going to play Devil's Advocate here a moment. The being homesick? I've always envisioned Snape's homelife as utterly miserable, unless of course he was choosing the lesser of two evils -- one abusive father in exchange for four abusive peers.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

The lapdog reference in particular. Unfortunately, Lucius is about six years older than Severus.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

About six years separate the two. Lucius may have befriended Severus his first year, but after that Snape was on his own.

[chicksrus.livejournal.com]

I agree with the "putting his nose into places" because when I read Snivellus, I think of sniffling around, you know, trying to find out about stuff in a devious sort of way.
Maybe he was always hanging about, trying to overhear something, trailing behind in hopes of finding out about what someone was up to.
I never thought about Snivellus in terms of him crying, because even as a kid I don’t believe Snape cried.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

Enahma's writing is not to my liking, but thank you for the link just the same :-)

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

*ducks* I kinda like when Sirius belittles Severus.

[iulia_linnea.livejournal.com]

Your icon is excellent. :) *huggles Severus*

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

The marauders never found out that was why he was crying, and the nickname stuck from there - which is why it makes him so very angry.

I think even if they did know the horrible truth, they'd still make fun of Snape's name.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

That said nicknames, based around the first name and/or surname is a typically British schoolboy thing to do and they don't even have to reflect personality traits.

It's probably safe to assume it's an 'everybody' thing.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

My name is Penny. I ran the gamut on every monetary nickname possible.

One I heard the most? Money Penny -- taken from the Bond movies.

[themostepotente.livejournal.com]

On a related tangent, I suspect another lesson he's learned (and that is repeatedly reinforced throughout the books) is that calling people on the rules is no use unless you personally have the power to enforce them.

CoS comes to mind when Snape went on about 'flaunting the decree of underage wizardry.'