This week, J.K. Rowling revealed a new entry in the Harry Potter lexicon — an Americanized version of a term with which anyone who has ever read the books or seen the movies (or, you know, lived in the last two decades) is already highly familiar.
According to the author — who would know best, theoretically — while English wizards refer to non-magical people as "muggles," their neighbors across the pond refer to those in the wizardry-bereft set as "no-maj."
Yep, as in "no magic," with one less syllable.
Officially: We don't like it. And we're not alone. Potter fans across the internet are expressing their displeasure with this sudden shift to a less snazzy, more literal term.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
J.K. Rowling said the American word for "Muggle" is "No-Maj," I assume just to piss me off.
— Charlie Colony (@CharlieColony) November 5, 2015According to J.K. Rowling, the American word for Muggle is "No-Maj". How devastating - I've been using the wrong word all these years!
— Kari Johnson (@EssentiaFour) November 5, 2015Trying to decide the harder transition, Twitter using hearts instead of stars or @jk_rowling saying we use "no-maj" instead of muggle
— Scruffy Nerf Herder (@MadMike4883) November 5, 2015I just found out the U.S. equivalent of "Muggle" is "No-Maj" and I want to die
— Sam Winchester (@SamMaggs) November 4, 2015This new information on the word "muggle" is giving me a sort of national identity crisis. What's the Canadian word for "muggle/no maj"?!
— Brit (@AwThePetStore) November 4, 2015@ghostwritingcow I <3 JKR but that... sounds like something a British person would think and American would say.
— Annalee (@leeflower) November 4, 2015To be fair, though, this guy probably had the very best response of them all:
No-maj on the streets, Muggle in the sheets
— danieł (@earthbendan) November 4, 2015Not that any of this switcheroo madness has us any less excited about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which is in production now. (Sneak over to Entertainment Weekly to check out the latest photos from the set.)
As for whether or not you make the leap to the new word, that choice is up to you — but we're sticking with the original.
OPENER PHOTO: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT